Our Guides

All of the guides at Chatter Creek are trained and certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides or the Canadian Ski Guide Association. They have also completed training and certification with the Canadian Avalanche Association and hold advanced first aid qualification. Tail guides have completed training and certification with the Canadian Avalanche Association and hold advanced first aid qualification.

 

Josh Milligan
Mountain Operations Manager
Josh has been guiding for over 20 years and has worked at Chatter Creek since 2004.

Josh has been working at Chatter Creek since 2004. Over the past 20+ years he’s guided cat skiing, heli skiing and ski touring throughout western Canada and in Europe. In addition to ski guiding he’s had the opportunity to work as a mountain safety consultant on a variety of projects including; Olympic athletic training, industrial risk management and ski media production. He’s actively involved with both HeliCat Canada and the Canadian Avalanche Association as a member of the Standards Committee and the InfoEx Advisory Committee. Josh lives in Nelson BC where he spends the summer months exploring the Kootenays. “Nothing beats deep powder snow and a backcountry lodge.”

Jordan Farquharson
Guide
Jordan moved west for bigger mountains and deeper powder over a decade ago.

Jordan learned to ski in the small hills of Ontario but moved west for bigger mountains and deeper powder. Prior to guiding Jordan spent his winters as a ski patroller and avalanche technician at Panorama Mountain. When the winter ends, he spends most of his time planting trees or rock climbing around his current home of Invermere, BC.

Matthew Garner
Guide
Matt will use almost anything as an excuse to spend time outside in the mountains.
Matt has been part of the Chatter family since 2007. He has cooked your food, spotted your landings, and maybe even tried to give you one of his signature massages. When he is not choking on Chatter’s delicious powder, Matt lives in Donald BC. He keeps himself amused with dirt bikes, skateboards and chainsaws. Matt will use almost anything as an excuse to spend time outside in the mountains.
 
Yuji Akiyama
Guide
Yuji came over to Canada from downtown Tokyo Japan in 2002.

Yuji came over to Canada from downtown Tokyo Japan in 2002.  He planned to stay in Canada for only one year to check out the mountains but he’s still here.  Seems he was trapped in Canadian deep pow and can’t get out!  Yuji started working at Chatter Creek in 2012.  When you don’t see him at Chatter, he’s likely guiding ski touring in the Rockies or Japan.  Yuji spends the summer months guiding Japanese hikers and backpackers in the Rockies.  He lives year round in Canmore with his wife and two daughters.

Tim Collins
Guide
Tim resides in Golden where he spends time burning fossil fuels and calories.

Tim resides in Golden where he spends time burning fossil fuels and calories.  When he’s not exploring the mountains on his skis or bike he keeps busy being a dad and running a painting business.

Honza Svasta
Guide
Honza is originally from the Czech Republic and now calls Golden BC his home.

Honza is originally from the Czech Republic. He now calls Golden BC his home, where there is endless opportunity for him to play in the mountains. From ski touring in the winter, to mountain biking in the summer, or at his job as a rope access technician, hanging off the side of cliffs.

Kurt Carter
Guide
Originally from Manitoba, Kurt got his start in the ski industry at the age of 15.

Originally from Manitoba, Kurt got his start in the ski industry at the age of 15. Working at the local ski hill through high school drove his passion for skiing. After graduating high school, he moved out west to continue his career in the industry. After a few seasons ski instructing at Sunshine Village, Kurt realized he wanted to become a ski guide. 13 ski seasons later Kurt skis year-round and continues to work various roles within the industry from: avalanche forecasting in New Zealand, to ski guiding, instructing, and freeride coaching.

Miles Bate
Guide
Loves powder skiing, loves bacon. A match made in heaven!

Originally from Agassiz BC, Miles started his outdoor career at a young age in the BC logging industry.  He worked his first shift at Chatter in 2006 and has been back every year.  When not skiing at Chatter, he can be found on the alpine race circuit with his son and daughter who are avid skiers, which is no big surprise given he met his wife when she was a guest cat skiing. Miles is also a passionate mountain biker and happy to engage in a discussion regarding his favourite mountain biking terrain in western Canada.

Martin Labuda
Guide
Martin learned how to ski in a little town in Slovakia, called Mlynky.

Martin learned how to ski in a little town in Slovakia, called Mlynky.  It didn’t take long for him to fall in love with skiing untracked terrain and exploring outside the resort boundaries. However, it was only after he moved to British Columbia, when he realized skiing was his true passion. Martin started in the ski industry as a ski patroller and an avalanche technician in Panorama Mountain Resort. Currently residing in Golden, BC, you can find him skiing powder in the backcountry or shredding at his local ski hill. Once the snow melts, Martin spends his summers wildland firefighting and mountain biking.

Rachel Brown
Tail Guide
Downtown Rachel Brown, all the way from Labrador via St John’s Newfoundland.

Downtown Rachel Brown, all the way from Labrador via St John’s Newfoundland. Before Chatter Creek Rachel spent 17 years in Lake Louise where she worked as an avalanche forecaster and ski patroller. Deep and soft snow lured her to the west side of the Rockies in 2006 and she hasn’t looked back. Rachel now lives in Nelson BC where she spends her summers working on the garden and enjoying the West Kootenays.

Donny McFarlane
Guide
Plumbing tracks down the fall line while keeping safety and fun the priority.
Donny grew up ski racing the tiny hills of southern Ontario before moving out to BC to be a ski instructor and ski bum in Whistler. This is where Donny was introduced to the thrills of backcountry skiing and the addictive qualities of premium BC powder. After years of tail guiding Donny has moved up to the lead and will be plumbing tracks down the fall line while keeping safety and fun the priority. When the snow stops flying he can be found shredding MTN bikes, canoeing, and growing veggies.
Bryan Anderson
Guide
Bryan Anderson’s first trip into Chatter Creek to guide was in 2011.

Bryan Anderson’s first trip into Chatter Creek to guide was in 2011. He grew up water skiing and surfing on Vancouver Island and moved to the Rocky Mountains to ski patrol in 1992 where he met his future wife who was also a patroller. His first winter guiding cat skiing was in 1998 and has been heli, cat and touring folks in the mountains every winter since then. Bryan lives in Golden with his wife and two kids. Days off in the winter are spent chasing his two young kids through the trees at Kicking Horse Resort. He spent his summers as a whitewater rafting guide until retiring (except for the odd cameo) 10 years ago to work full time in his other trade as a Journeyman Carpenter. Spare time in the summer is spent loading up the dirt bikes, hooking up the trailer, ski boat, toys and heading to a lake with his family. He looks forward to his warm water surf and sand castle building vacation before his winter starts every year.

Diana Christianson
Tail Guide
Diana grew up playing in the Rockies.

Diana grew up playing in the Rockies. After travelling and living in all corners of the province of BC in search of high places and open spaces, she is happy to be back in this neck of the woods.  Diana has been working in the ski and avalanche industry for the last 10 years and is as passionate about her work as ever. In the summertime you will find her wandering in the wilds of northern British Columbia whispering to bears and hunting poachers.

Jamie VanDrunen
Tail Guide
Jamie's favourite place on earth is the jump seat in the back of the cat at Chatter.
Jamie lives in Golden where she spends her time as an EMR Paramedic and instructing avalanche courses.  This will be her 8th season at Chatter and prior to tail guiding she worked at Kicking Horse resort.   Her favourite place on earth is the jump seat in the back of the cat at Chatter.
 
Dave Schenkhuizen
Tail Guide
Dave loves skiing and more than that, just sharing time in these beautiful mountains!
Dave is stoked to be tail guiding at Chatter Creek. Dave loves skiing and more than that, just sharing time in these beautiful mountains! When he’s not tail guiding he can be found ski touring around Golden or explaining how to pronounce his last name. If there’s no snow on the ground he’s most likely clamouring up rock in BC or the Canadian Rockies.
Walker Rangen
Tail Guide
If there’s snow, you can guarantee he will be skiing it.

Walker has spent most of his life playing in the Rockies surrounding the Crowsnest Pass and neighbouring communities to the west. He loves all things outdoors. In the summer you’ll find him camping out in his van, climbing or biking around the East Kootenays. If there’s snow, you can guarantee he will be skiing it. 

Colin Wallace
Tail Guide
Full time adventurer and purveyor of good times outside.

In 2005 Colin made his move to the BC mountains and has been exploring them ever since. He has called Golden home for the past decade. When he’s not on the snow you’ll find him on the bike trails or roaming around with his lady and their two Golden Retrievers.

Maxime Rico
Tail Guide
When not in the mountains, Max resides in the Yukon, rafting and kayaking northern rivers.

Max learned to ski on the icy hills of Quebec. He got hooked on it and soon moved to BC in the search for bigger mountains and better snow. Max has been working in the avalanche and snow industry for the last 4 seasons and is super stoked to join Chatter Creek this season. When not in the mountains, Max resides in the Yukon, rafting and kayaking northern rivers.

Kevin Canning
Tail Guide
Looking forward to lots of good skiing with good people.

Kevin grew up skiing in central Michigan, and moved out west as a ski instructor as soon as he could. He quickly became a powder pig and spent his winters as a couch surfing ski bum looking for the goods. After 10 seasons in BC he started looking further, and started ski touring into the backcountry. His search took him to Japan, South America, New Zealand, and the Alps. He started getting into mechanized guiding seven years ago, and is now considering a rest, because the search is over, and he knows where it’s the best.