Today we’d like to introduce you to Liam Weed.
Hi Liam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was very fortunate to be introduced to backcountry skiing and climbing at a young age by my family. The Bear River Mountains were my playground. I joined RMI Expeditions, one of the top mountaineering guiding outfitters in the US, when I was 20. There I was mentored by some of the best mountain guides in the world.
After spending time guiding Mt. Rainier and Denali, I realized that the Bear River Range, even though it isn’t world-famous, is really special and is an excellent training ground for bigger adventures. I want to use my experience guiding elsewhere to help people enjoy the mountains here. I was additionally motivated to start Bear River Mountain Guides because there has been a rapidly increasing interest in outdoor adventure sports, and there are a lot more people recreating in the range.
I felt I could be the avenue for people to learn how to do that safely and responsibly. So they can have fun in our mountains, be safe, and want to take care of the mountains. I have had so many meaningful moments in the mountains, and it is really rewarding when you are with someone who hasn’t experienced that before, and you get to be the one who is creating that experience for them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It sometimes feels like the universe is lining up everything well for me because it’s what I’m meant to do. Just by following my passions, I have built the skill set necessary to start this business. That’s not to say there haven’t been struggles.
Permitting, structuring the business, building a website, marketing, etc… were all new skills I had to learn and now, continually try to get better at. Viewing the process as a learning experience has helped me to keep a good attitude and growth mindset, and the moments of struggle don’t feel so intense.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The goal of Bear River Mountain Guides is to facilitate meaningful mountain connections for our clients. We offer impactful experiences and teach valuable skills and techniques to allow people to recreate in the mountains safely and responsibly.
Over the winter season, we offer backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, ski mountaineering, as well as custom options. Over the summer season, we are planning to offer rock climbing, backpacking, and potentially fly fishing.
We pride ourselves on the high level of personalization we integrate into our trips, we want to ensure that those who work with us have the best possible experience for their current skill level.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
For mountain guiding, I recommend trying to find more experienced guides whose mentorship you can benefit from and trying to get dialed on the basics.
You also should try to get a lot of experience taking care of yourself during adventures in the mountains, so that while you are guiding you can focus most of your energy on your clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: bearrivermtnguides.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bearrivermtnguides/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/liam.weed/
