Q: Hi Kim! Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started with Southwest Adventure Tours.
A: I retired from a corporate career in commercial banking, believe it or not, 5 years ago. I've always been really outdoorsy and adventurous and I wanted to find a way to share my passion for the outdoors with people so that was why I chose guiding. I've been doing it for 5 years, this is my second season with Southwest Adventure Tours, and I absolutely love it.
Q: What would you say makes you special as a guide?
A: What sets me apart as a guide is really my love for people and for the outdoors. I love sharing my passion and my knowledge with others. So many who come on our tours have maybe never been to a national park and it is so fun to see their faces light up when they see a moose, or a bison, or a grizzly bear, or the beautiful Tetons, or the geysers in Yellowstone. It's really such a joy to enhance people's lives. And that's why I really love guiding, because I get a chance to do that for so many different people.
Q: What do you think sets Southwest Adventure Tours apart from other tour companies?
A: The thing that sets Southwest Adventure Tours apart is so many things. I've had the opportunity to guide for so many companies and there really is a difference. Southwest Adventure Tours uses first rate hotels, we're able to pick some really fun restaurants, and I think another aspect is that we don't always have a set itinerary. We have the flexibility to go where things are happening on our tours. Some companies have such a set itinerary that you may be over here, when there's this beautiful moose sighting over there. With Southwest Adventure Tours, we as guides get to tailor our tours to really go and see what's happening that week. For example, if there's some neat geological happening, or there's a history event, or there's a particular wildlife sighting we have the flexibility to go tailor our tours to do that.
Q: So which is your favorite tour destination that you go to?
A: I spend a lot of time up in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. It's one of the most amazing places on earth because of the amount of wildlife that we see. It's not unusual to see 7 or 8 types of large mammals in a day. You go into Yellowstone and you see the magical geothermal activity that you just don't see anywhere else. So those are some of my very favorite places. Another would be Southeast Utah with all the national parks that are there; Canyonlands and Arches, and Bryce and Zion with the red rocks, and the animals, and the rivers, all the different colors, just some of my very favorite places. And of course, my home state of Colorado. I grew up here and so I love sharing that with guests as well.
Q: What would you say to someone who is thinking of booking with Southwest Adventure Tours?
A: If you're thinking of booking a trip with Southwest Adventure Tours, my advice is just do it. Life is short. We have so many beautiful things in this world to go see. You will absolutely not regret it. People will come on trips and say "I was really torn about whether to come on this trip." But everyone at the end of the trip says that it's the best things I've ever done.
Q: Any last thoughts?
A: I really encourage you to look closely at Southwest Adventure Tours. Our itineraries are fabulous. We have the flexibility to tailor our trips. We have small group sizes, beautiful vehicles, great guides. We have so much fun on our trips. Every group I have I think that it's the best group I've ever had and then the next group comes along and that group is so much fun. You won't regret it. It's a wonderful company.
