Meet our guiding team members, including backpacking guides, program leaders, and logistics team!

Sydney Carste

Backpacking Guide

Sydney is a Washington native who specializes in Earth System Science and has pursued a career in guiding and environmental education. This has allowed her to live like a migratory bird, working in Antarctica or Australia in the winter, and in North America in the summer. This winter, she spent 5 months as a geology/glaciology lecturer and guide on the Antarctic Peninsula. Sydney hopes to foster meaningful interactions with Washington’s native culture, fauna, and trails this summer with Sahale.

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• STCW Personal Survival Techniques
• STCW Crowd and Crisis Management
• PTGA Navigational Skills for Polar Operations
• PTGA Crevasse Management

Favorite Places

• Lake Kachess, WA
• Squamish, BC
• El Chalten, Argentina

Favorite Trail Snack

Oranges

Jahrielle Davis

Backpacking, Pinecones, and Tiny Trails Guide

Jahrielle is a proud Washington native, she was raised on the Kitsap Peninsula to love camping and being out on the water. She enjoys gardening, paddleboarding, and hiking but her favorite is skiing. She likes working outside with camps because it is the best excuse to spend time outdoors and she gets to spend her days making new friendships with the kids.

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• CPR
• Youth Mental Health First Aid

Favorite Places

• Shi-Shi Beach, WA
• Sauvie Island, OR
• Lake Crescent, WA

Favorite Trail Snack

Cosmic Crisp apples

Taylor Hewett

Backpacking Program Coordinator, Backpacking Guide

Taylor grew up visiting national parks across the Western US. Her love of the outdoors and desire to know more about its processes led her to complete a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. With over 100 hours of volunteer work for various environmental agencies, outdoor stewardship continues to be an important aspect of her life. Taylor currently works for Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) educating and outfitting others in preparation for their own adventures. She is passionate about instilling a sense of belonging with nature for all and enjoys spending her free time exploring hiking trails in the Pacific Northwest.

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Geographic Information System

Favorite Places

• Wonderland Trail, Mt. Rainer National Park, WA
• Kelly Butte, Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest, WA
• High Divide (Seven Lakes Basin Loop) Sol Duc Valley, Olympic National Park, WA

Favorite Trail Snack

Popcorn

Josh McKinney

Backpacking Guide

Josh grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, in alternative student led learning environments that focused on exploring the Wasatch mountains and the flora and fauna in Salt Lake valley. As he grew older and graduated high school he decided to make exploring his full time passion, backpacking in New Zealand, working on a sailboat in the Atlantic and working as a raft guide for a non-profit in Washington for the last 3 summers. Josh has just finished studying Arctic expeditionary guiding in Norway and is so excited to be guiding somewhere warm with Sahale Outdoors this summer!

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• Youth Mental Health First Aid

Favorite Places

• San Juan River, UT
• Jotunheimen National Park, Norway
• Ben Lomond, UT

Favorite Trail Snack

Freia Chocolate

Jay Strong

Backpacking and Pinecones Guide

Following a degree in biology, Jay has spent recent years doing ecology field work in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and his home state of Arkansas. He spends time camping, hiking, and climbing. He enjoys learning about and from others that call the outdoors home, and he’s passionate about anything related to native plants or deer. He’s excited to explore the Pacific Northwest. 

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• CPR
• Youth Mental Health First Aid

Favorite Places

• Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, AR
• Bridger-Teton National Forest, WY
• Buckskin Gulch, UT

Favorite Trail Snack

Dried pineapples

Travis Weaver

Backpacking and Pinecones Guide

Travis is an adventurer who grew up exploring the back woods, rivers, and swamps of Florida. He has been an avid fisherman for his entire life, after moving to Washington in 2018 he fell in love with the mountains and has been climbing them since. He’s a current student majoring in environmental studies and geosciences, and he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge of the outdoors with others. 

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder
• Youth Mental Health First Aid

Favorite Places

• Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
• Mount Ellinor, WA
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM

Favorite Trail Snack

Fruit snacks

Alicia Myers

Camping Operations Manager

Alicia has loved exploring the outdoors since she was young. As she grew up, her love for the outdoors continued to grow as well as using the outdoors and adventure activities to help others get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves. She was an adventure guide doing whitewater rafting and rock climbing for over a decade. Alicia continues to love being outdoors even while navigating physical limitations, creating new ways to adventure.

Credentials

• B.A. Outdoor Recreation Management
• Wilderness First Responder

Favorite Places

• Valhalla Provincial Park, Canada
• Jasper National Park, Canada
• Cayman Islands

Favorite Trail Snack

Trail mix

Grace Godwin

Summer Day Camps Lead

Grace is a graduate from Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelors in environmental studies. She finds a focus on the importance of public lands and providing access to natural spaces. She uses this vocation to create and execute nature programs for the Pierce County community. While Grace builds nature education programs, she also finds a place of belonging in the outdoors. She finds this through interacting with the community as she holds her education programs outdoors as well as exploring the Pacific Northwest on hikes with her dog Macaroni.

Credentials

• B.A. in Environmental Studies
• CPR and First Aid
• Certificate on Blood Borne Pathogens

Favorite Places

• Lake Twenty-Two, Washington
• Puget Sound, Olympia
• The Hoh Rainforest, Washington

Favorite Trail Snack

Apples

Hannah Gormley

Tiny Trails Program Lead, Backpacking Guide

Hannah has been working with youth of all ages since high school, and especially enjoys introducing pre-school and kindergarten age children to the natural world. They have worked with little ones at outdoor and child-led preschools, family shelters, and as a nanny. Hannah is deeply passionate about the natural world, especially the relationship of people to the land, and has a Bachelor of Science in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. They are uniquely gifted in understanding, communicating with, and supporting small children as they explore the outdoors.

Credentials

• Wilderness First Responder

Favorite Places

• Zion National Park
• Loowit (Mt. St. Helens)
• Chinook Bend Natural Area

Favorite Trail Snack

Rainbow Sour Strips

Sam Lingwall

Summer Day Camps Guide

Sam is a college student with a passion for activity and the outdoors! Running cross country and track in both high school and college has introduced him to the beauty of the outdoors. He loves grabbing a big group of friends and going for a run in the forest, a picnic in the park, or a walk on the beach. Sharing his favorite outdoor locations with friends and family is one aspect of Sam’s life that brings him lots of joy!

Credentials

• CPR

Favorite Places

• Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
• Forest Park, Portland, OR
• Flagstaff, AZ

Favorite Trail Snack

Clif Energy Chews