Josh Jespersen

I grew up a country boy in Appalachia and will never take for granted what an amazing experience it was to be barefoot running around the hills sun up to sun down. I was also lucky enough to have a dad who loved skiing, and he instilled that obsession in me before he passed. I had skis on my feet at age three, and besides my mother, sliding on snow has been the most enduring thing in my life.

After high school I flew the coop and joined the military in 2005, spending six years as a Navy SEAL. I fought in two wars and took pride in my role as a “point man” teaching my buddies how to move through the mountains and leading them through all the hazards we faced. When we were snowed-in in Afghanistan is when I realized I needed to get back to skiing. In 2012, I moved to Colorado with a plan for full immersion back into the mountains and skiing/riding. Since then I have ridden all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, ski traversed the mighty Sangre de Cristo Range, and laid tracks in every single mountain range Colorado has to offer. Needles to say, I love the state I live in!

I also love exploring other ranges and outdoor places, and have led a number of my own expeditions to the Alaska Range. Showing other people the mountains is a love of mine and it’s been great joining the Mountain Trip team for that opportunity! I’ve been working as a guide for more than a decade and am a fully certified (IFMGA) AMGA American Mountain Guide.