Thomas R. Torkelson

(307)690-8423

tom@visionquestjourneys.com

PO Box 8051

Jackson , WY 83002

Date of Birth: September 2, 1968

  Download a printer-friendly PDF version

Education:

Milaca High School , Milaca , MN graduated 1986

University of Minnesota , Duluth B.A. 1991

  Majors in Political Science and Philosophy, Pre-Law Program

Continued Learning:

Adventures to the Edge, Crested Butte , CO

Level 1 Avalanche Course 1993

Level 2 Avalanche Course 1998

Level 3 Avalanche Course 2000

Wilderness Medical Institute, Pitkin , CO

Wilderness First Responder 1997

Wilderness First Responder Re-Certification 1999

WMI/NOLS, Lander, WY

Wilderness First Responder Re-Certification 2001

Wilderness First Responder Re-Certification 2003

Antarctic Support Associates, McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Seminar 1994

Adventures to the Edge, Crested Butte , CO

Guide's Training Center : Alpine Guiding Skills Course 1998

Jackson Hole Mtn. Guides, Jackson , WY

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 1999

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 2000

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 2001

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 2002

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 2003

Guiding Skills Annual Seminar 2004

Professional History:

Crested Butte/Gunnison County Search and Rescue, Gunnison, CO

1993-95, 1997-98: Training and Practical experience in all phases of searches, medical emergencies, and technical rescue.

Antarctic Support Associates, Aurora, CO

1994-95: Safety Coordinator and Field Instructor, Berg Field Center , McMurdo Station, Antarctica .

140 days total.

Adventures to the Edge, Crested Butte , CO

1998-2000: Apprentice Guide and Instructor for climbing, ski tours, and avalanche courses.

2001: Assistant Guide, Aconcagua/Normal Route

2002: Expedition Organizer and Assistant Guide, Torres del Paine trekking and glacier travel course.

2002: Assistant Guide, Everest Base Camp trek and Island Peak ascent.

2003: Assistant Guide, Denali/W.Buttress.

90 days total.

Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, Jackson , WY

1999-Present: Lead Guide and Instructor. All levels of instruction and guiding including: 63 Grand Teton climbs by several routes (2 winter climbs), technical rock routes up to 5.9, winter and summer alpine ice routes up to WI4, special needs clients (i.e. deaf, mentally handicapped, and European).

230 days total.

KL Adventure/ Aconcagua Express, Santiago , Chile

2000-Present: Lead Guide and Expedition Organizer. 14 Aconcagua climbs by 4 different routes, trekking and adventure travel in Patagonia and Atacama Desert , Wilderness mountaineering on remote peaks like Tupungato and Ojos del Salado .

340 days total.

Aventuras Patagonicas, Jackson , WY

2001: Lead Guide Technical route on Nevado Juncal.

2002: Lead Guide Aconcagua .

2002: Lead Guide Technical routes on Meson Alto and Lomo Largo.

2004: Lead Guide Aconcagua (2 Expediditions) and Tupungato .

102 days total.

VisionQuest Journeys, Jackson , WY

1999: Lead Guide Chopicalqui/Huascaran, Peru .

2003: Lead Guide El Plomo/Aconcagua.

2004: Lead Guide Aconcagua .

2005: Lead Guide Peru Training Course/Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash trekking.

105 days total.

FrontPoint Media, Jackson , WY

2004: Videographer Cho Oyu , Tibet / Nepal .

2005: Videographer Mt. Everest , Tibet / Nepal .

110 days total.

Significant Climbing History:

1992: Moved to Colorado from Minnesota . First experiences leading on trad rock routes and scrambling routes on the high peaks.

1993: Climbing harder rock routes, multi-pitch climbs, and easy technical mountaineering routes. First visit to the Tetons; love at first sight!

1994: Several month-long rock-climbing trips to Moab , J-Tree, and S. Arizona , climbing at 5.10 level. Also, water-ice climbing in Colorado and Utah , with climbs at the WI-4 level.

1995: Move from CO to Jackson , WY . Climbed many of the Classic routes including Direct Exum Ridge on the Grand, Irene's Arete, and Enclosure Couloir. Mountaineering in New Zealand and Antarctica .

1996: Longer, more sustained Teton routes like The Snaz and Open Book. Most of the winter spent desert rock-climbing in AZ, UT, and CA.

1997: Mt Moran Direct S. Buttress as a 2-day summit climb. Tower 1 Gully in the Winds as a 1-day marathon, and my first big-walls. Solo The Snaz in winter.

1998: Mt Moran Blackfin as a 2-day summit route. VisionQuest Couloir and the High Route on the Enclosure, both as day-sends. A new long rock route (III 5.9) on Ellingwood Peak 's N. Buttress in the Winds. Mescalito on El Capitan . 2 months in Peru , 5 summit routes, including Alpamayo and Artesonraju. Many winter ascents inn the Tetons, including Mt. Moran , Yosemite Pk., Bivouac Pk , and other weird stuff.

1999: Desert Shield in Zion , hammerless. Caveat Emptor in the Tetons. 2 months in Peru and Bolivia ; Huascaran Sur, the beautiful SW Ridge on Chopicalqui, and a new rock route on the N. Ridge of Pico Schultze (IV 5.8). Grand Teton E. Ridge in winter, with a descent of the Hossack/McGowan Couloir.

2000: 6 weeks in Peru , with several ascents including Nevado Santa Cruz and a 1-day solo ascent of Huascaran . Casual Route on Long Peak 's Diamond. Big-walls in Zion including 2 nd ascent of Hammer and Sickle on Cable Mtn and Lunar Extasy.

2001: More Zion big-walls, including Birdbeak Spire. Yosemite free climbs, including the Rostrum, and big-walls including Electric Ladyland on Washington 's Column.

2002: Desert mountaineering in Zion and SW Utah : Smithsonian Butte, Bridge Mtn, and Kinesava. New Dawn on El Cap. Long ice routes in Cody, including Mean Green and High on Boulder .

2003: Free climbs in Zion : Made to be Broken and Iron Messiah. Big-walls: 2 nd ascent of Red Dawn and new route in Court of the Patriarchs (V 5.10 A4).

2004: Winter ascent of Petzoldt Ridge on the Grand Teton . Many Boulder area classics, including Yellow Spur in Eldorado Canyon . Yerupaja and Rasac in Peru 's Cordillera Huayhuash.

2005: Exploratory climbs in Peru 's Cordillera Raura, including a New Route on the SE Face of Nevado Leon Huaccanan.

References:

Rob Hess, JHMG

(307)733-4979

jim@jhmg.com

Joaquin Oyarzun, KL Adventure/Aconcagua Express

Joaquin@kladventure.com

Rodrigo Mujica, Aventuras Patagonicas

(303)588-7222

climb@patagonicas.com

Jean Pavillard, Adventures to the Edge

(970)209-3980

ATEJeanP@aol.com

Colby Coombs , Alaska Mountaineering School

(907) 733-1016