Meet Yellowstone Guide: Ethan
Ethan grew up in Louisville, KY right next to one one of the largest park systems in the city. He spent his childhood outdoors swimming, biking, and kayaking through KY and MA. At age 12 he made the life changing decision to join the Boy Scouts of America. From there he found his love of the outdoors through the organization, going on a number of expeditions through the South, Midwest and Southwest.
Ethan graduated from Occidental College in 2023 with a degree in Psychology. He chose to stay in Los Angeles where he worked as an insurance salesman, events coordinator, bartender and assistant brewer until he realized that he didn't like Los Angeles all too much.
Realizing he had been straying away from the outdoors and the activities he loved doing most, Ethan chose to move out and start a new chapter of his life with Austin Adventures. He looks forward to reconnecting with nature after his long stint in the city and discovering the beauty that the National Parks system has to offer.
What's your favorite travel destination?
Slovenia. My sister had moved to Europe and we decided to do a trip through Italy, Croatia and Sovenia as a family. Lake Bled was magical. I rowed our family on a rowboat to an old castle in the middle of the lake that had frescoes dating back to the 14th century in perfect condition. Pristine mountain lakes and streams, beautiful hikes and delicious food. Would highly recommend.
What's your favorite adventure activity?
Camping and trail running currently. When I lived in California we would go camping in the desert and run during the day. I love trail running because you can cover more miles while still getting to enjoy the best parts of the trail and scenery. The desert was one of the few places you could use a campfire so the dinners were always incredible after a long day of running.
What has been your most inspiring adventure experience?
My most inspiring adventure was the first true backpacking trip I did as a kid. We hiked for two weeks through northern New Mexico. My dad and I both trained for the trip for months leading up to it and getting to share that experience with him is still something we talk about to this day. The trip culminated with an ascent up the tallest mountain I had ever seen. Walking back down the mountain and leaving all that hard work behind was diffcult because I didn't know when I'd be back. All I wanted to do was continue on to the next adventure. That trip laid the groundwork for the love of high adventure I have to this day and definitely gave me a bit of the travel bug as well.
When did you first get the travel bug?
We always road tripped as a family. Regardless of where we went we always made a point to stop and see something that everyone in the family had picked out. Solo travelling is fun and you get to curate and experience unique to yourself. However, the beauty of travelling with others is that someone might show you something that you would have overlooked. Those early trips definitely gave me the desire to explore and learn as much as I could through travel.
What destination would you most like to travel to (that you haven't been to yet)?
Japan. I was going to go for the Olympic track and field events before Covid happened. My parents just finished the Camino and the Inca trail. I'm hoping that I can convince them to do some or all of the Shikoku Temple Pilgrimage as that is something I've aways wanted to do and would love to share the experience with them.
Do you have any favorite hobbies or special talents you could tell us about?
Fishing, trail running, Irish Folk Songs, card games. Trying to achieve my lifelong goal of learning Spanish.
What is your favorite trip to lead?
Bryce Canyon & Zion Adventure and Bryce Canyon & Zion Family Vacation.
What inspired you to become a trip leader?
I had the chance to talk to Liz Alexander, another guide here at Austin. At that point I had been in Los Angeles working for about five years. She told me about her career with Austin and how life changing it was for her. I realized that the life I lived in LA wasn't really what I wanted, and that I could create a better, healthier, more balanced life with a career at Austin. Change is always hard, but I'm glad that I have her as a mentor and friend who has changed my life for the better. Thank you Liz!
