Karl Welter
I started loving adventure at a young age in Wisconsin. Backpacking, canoeing, family ski trips, fishing and hunting stoked the fire. I was determined to live a mountain life, so after attending college where I studied physical geography, I moved to Colorado’s San Juan Mountains in 2006. I love to embrace snowy cold weather, and also embrace the bright sun of the southwest.
I’ve since guided wilderness therapy, remote backpacking, rock climbing, ice climbing, skiing, tandem paragliding, and even elk hunting. I work as a member of the Telluride Ski Patrol during the winter, as well as filling in as an occasional backcountry ski guide. Throughout the guiding, a common theme is to meet clients where they’re at, and arrive at their goals through the hard work we put out together. We say the mountains are “serious fun”. Serious because it’s not totally “safe,” but the fun is obvious when you take the risk in stride and get familiar with it, maybe like summiting a difficult peak. And it can be seriously hard work, like digging out our tents or building snow walls at high altitude on Denali. With some dad jokes we can keep the tone fun, despite a little suffering.
Since I started with Mountain Trip in the 2015 season, I’ve guided nine expeditions on Denali’s West Buttress and hundreds of trips on the Telluride Via Ferrata. My patient wife, Lindsey, and energetic yellow lab, Pika, refill my cup with support and love, and share the passion for our little niche in the mountain world. I am certified as an AMGA Aspirant Ski Guide and Alpine Apprentice, AIARE member and instructor, AIARE 3 graduate, Outdoor Emergency Care and a Wilderness First Responder.
Mountain Trip has a guide service feel, but also a family quality. Guides all help each other out, whether its coordinating a tent-swap on Denali or passing on beta between trips somewhere. I feel grateful to be part of a passionate, caring bunch of mountain people.
