Our guides, Jake & Eryka, were fantastic. They were so friendly, caring, personable and went out of their way to make sure we had a great time and that our needs were catered for.
Eryka was our logistics person- no question too big or small- and there were lots during this COVID time. We felt safe and well cared for.
Eryka Thorley knows adventure. With Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as her childhood playground, Eryka quickly learned the draw of outdoor sports and grew up loving the challenges and adventures they entail.
She fine-tuned her appreciation for hiking, bikes, climbing and a fly rod while away at college in Montana. Skiing still topped her list, though, and starting in 2005 she added ski patrol to her list of job titles. In 2010 Eryka worked as a mountaineering guide on Mt Rainier in the Cascades of Washington. Here her love for the culture of mountains grew including the influence of two expeditions to Greenland (2011 and 2012). In 2012, Eryka’s cultural curiosity led her to graduate school at the University of Colorado Denver where she received a M.A. in Medical Anthropology with a focus on climate change communication.
In addition to raising an adorable little lady named Wynter, Eryka is a 200 hour certified yoga teacher, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Leave No Trace Trainer.
Eryka lives to travel. Her thirst for adventure has taken her on the world’s longest kayak relay in Finland, leading dog sled expeditions in Greenland, studying health in rural Guatemala, and 75 consecutive days in a tent in the Alaskan wilderness. It is not the summit of mountains that draws Eryka to the alpine world, but the elegant dance of people and environment that she finds there.
The Chamonix Valley has long been home to some of the world’s most adventurous humans, and the mountain ecosystems are home to similarly rugged individuals. Perhaps it's in the water or the long history of adventurous spirits calling this mountain valley home — whatever it is, the extremity of this alpine landscape hones the survival skills of all its inhabitants...
We recognize the problem. How can you square climate change as one of the defining challenges of our age while flying halfway around the world on vacation? We hike pristine trails, use public transport and support small local inns and restaurants, but we have a big carbon footprint, and it's important to take a hard look at our own sustainability...
You meet some people in this life that you will always think of with fondness and appreciation. Hopefully you're able to cross paths with them again and share another trail together, but, either way, their remarkable kindness and tenacity continue to inspire you long after you're back home from your shared adventure. Ed is one of these people. When he...
Colorado is a state with a hiking problem. Or maybe it’s an outdoor activity problem in general, though hiking is the main draw to this recreational capital. But whether it’s hiking, biking, skiing, river rafting, horses, or another of the many highlights of this landlocked headwaters state, it’s likely some type of outdoor pursuit that will top the list when...
The Hotel Gletschergarten in Grindelwald is "A Place Where People Feel Good" Tucked quietly just outside of town near the end of the main drag, is the charming, family-run Hotel Gletschergarten. The owners, Gabriela and her husband Gery, craft exceptional experiences at this iconic spot in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland. When you arrive, if one of them isn't at the front...
Foreign language, beauty, culture, cuisine, and hospitality are just a few things that come to mind when reminiscing about my adventure along the Tour du Mont Blanc Northern route this past August. My role at Alpinehikers is ‘Switzerland’ so when it comes to France or Italy, I’ve spent much less time exploring their famous through-trails. When Troy Haines, the owner...
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