He has climbed mountains in Nepal, Russia, the United States and Canada. He has led expeditions to the Cascade Mountains, the Adirondacks and Presidential Ranges of the United States, the Urals of Russia, Baffin Island, the Canadian Rockies, BC’s Coast Mountains, Selkirks and Purcells. Bryan has been trained as an amateur trip leader by the ACC, and has taken Intro to Mountaineering with Canada West Mountain School; Advanced Winter Mountaineering with Marc Synnott; Soft Skills Leadership with Cyril Shopokles; Rock Climbing Leadership with Rob Chisnall; The North Face Summer Mountaineering Leadership Course with the ACC; Wilderness Navigation with Wilderness Associates; and has his Advanced Wilderness First Aid Certification.

Bryan currently runs training clinics for the ACC every year on alpine climbing, glacier travel and crevasse rescue. Bryan was the Expedition Leader for the Bugaboo Spire Centennial Climb Project and is the founder of the Canadian Explorations Heritage Society.

Being a lawyer and law professor has taught Julie commitment, perseverance, and taking on challenges purposefully: qualities which reflect in her athletic and adventurous endeavours. In 2016, she hiked the unmarked and rugged backcountry Northern Traverse (Gros Morne National Park) with her youngest son, then 16 years old. Julie has participated in the Canadian Ski Marathon several times, earning her Coureur des Bois “Bronze”, “Silver” and “Gold” (twice), skiing 160km in 2 days with a backpack containing the necessities for overnight winter camping. She is a two-time recipient of the “Gatineau Loppet – Gold Pin” (two 51km races over 2 consecutive days); and she is one of a handful of women who have completed the Canadian Triple Ski Challenge twice (2014 & 2018).

In 2019, she completed her first full Ironman (Mont-Tremblant), as well as La Trilogía, a 42-km/44-hour unsupported hike, up & down 3 of Guatemala’s tallest volcanoes (one of which is active). Julie is constantly looking for her next big challenge and adventure.

Mark (he/him) developed a passion for nature and the outdoors whilst growing up hiking and climbing in Scotland and the English Lake District. After a decade or so making forays into the Swiss and Austrian Alps, more often than not with a snowboard, he moved to Canada and started to take rock climbing a little more seriously, figuring it was better late than never.

Joining the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) in 2013 brought mountaineering and ice climbing into the frame, with trips to the Purcells, Selkirks, Rainier and the Canadian Rockies, and visits to the Adirondacks, Vermont, Algoma, Kentucky and Quebec. Mark has also enjoyed climbing in France, Spain and Thailand, but somehow managed to find other distractions when in India and Indonesia.

When not dragging things up steep inclines or inexplicably being entrusted with driving the ACC boat at Bon Echo, Mark spends his time chained to a desk in an attempt to combine his technology startup experience with an environmentalist ideology. This is a work in progress….

His first outdoor adventure documentary, Hobnails and Hemp Rope, won best director at the Moscow International Festival of Mountaineering and Adventure Films. His short film Adventure Us was featured at the 2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival. He is qualified in Advanced Wilderness First Aid, Bronze Cross life saving and Level 1 Avalanche Patrol.

He is actively involved in charitable work as a member of the board of Camp Outlook, an NGO based in Kingston, Ontario. He has been a member of the Alpine Club of Canada for three years, and has worked as a canoe trip leader in Algonquin Provincial Park.

He’s had the great pleasure to have climbed in Jasper, Canmore, The Gunks, Kentucky, Adirondaks, most recently Joshua Tree, and Bon Echo, home base of the Toronto Section of the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). Ron was Chair of the Bon Echo Committee for 5 years prior to switching to the mountaineering portfolio in Toronto for 4 years and organized 3 section camps. Ron has been Camp Co-Ordinator for the ACC’s General Mountaineering Camp (GMC ) on 2 occasions and will be joining us on this expedition directly from a week as Amateur Leader with the GMC.

When not climbing, he enjoys reading books about climbing, talking about climbing, and trying to convince people to go climbing. He was also a carpenter, but used his leadership skills gained with the ACC to transition into teaching the trade to high school students.

He has climbed mountains in Nepal, Russia, the United States and Canada. He has led expeditions to the Cascade Mountains, the Adirondacks and Presidential Ranges of the United States, the Urals of Russia, Baffin Island, the Canadian Rockies, BC’s Coast Mountains, Selkirks and Purcells. Bryan has been trained as an amateur trip leader by the ACC, and has taken Intro to Mountaineering with Canada West Mountain School; Advanced Winter Mountaineering with Marc Synnott; Soft Skills Leadership with Cyril Shopokles; Rock Climbing Leadership with Rob Chisnall; The North Face Summer Mountaineering Leadership Course with the ACC; Wilderness Navigation with Wilderness Associates; and has his Advanced Wilderness First Aid Certification.

Bryan currently runs training clinics for the ACC every year on alpine climbing, glacier travel and crevasse rescue. Bryan was the Expedition Leader for the Bugaboo Spire Centennial Climb Project and is the founder and President of the Canadian Explorations Heritage Society.

He has honed his skills rock climbing at the Niagra Escarpment, Calabogie and Bon Echo in Ontario. Hooked by the exhilarating feeling and sense of awe that climbing has, his daily thoughts linger on new gear, techniques, routes to climb and new projects. He has in-depth knowledge of bush craft, survival and wilderness first aid. When not outdoors, he is an Electrical and Control Tech at a hydroelectric generating station. A husband and father of two young daughters his family is a source of true happiness.

What makes Stuart a great team member is his realistic and analytical mindset, his passion for the mountains and great sense of humour. In contemplating the expense of time and resources and being away from his family for so long, his first thought may have been “no thank you”. However, living without regret, following passion won over any self-preservation and led him to say those three small words, “Sure I’m in!”

She has climbed throughout Quebec, in the Rockies, BC’s Coast Mountains, Alberta, New York, Nevada, Mexico, Peru, South Africa and the place she was born, in Croatia. Keen to learn, she’s taken at least 3 mountaineering courses, a couple of rock climbing courses and wilderness first aid.

In her downtime, she’s a mother of three and regularly volunteers with a number of community groups. She has an arts and accounting degree and has worked her 10,000+ hours as a CPA. She now focuses her time on her art and photography and has won some national and international awards. The first item to be packed for a trip is her camera. This time she’s taking along a 1921 Kodak No.2 Autographic camera with medium format film. She is fascinated by the technology of film in all its complexity. Her guiding principle is, that there is always something new to discover. www.susannaoreskovic.com

Joe is a former high school science teacher from the United States. He taught chemistry, biology and environmental science for 10 years before moving to Canada in 2016. He quickly joined the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) and found his place among other outdoor enthusiasts.

He regularly contributes to the community by participating in ACC events and climbing festivals in Ontario and volunteering with the Ontario Access Coalition. With the ACC he was a member of the team rappelling down Toronto City Hall and which raised the greatest amount of funds for Make-A-Wish Foundations Rope for Hope event.

An avid kayaker, he started rock climbing and hiking and that led to mountaineering and alpine sports. He has climbed mountains in Nagano, Japan, Banff and Jasper National Parks, the Adirondacks and a winter ascent of Mt. Washington. He continues to set his sights on higher objectives. In the year and a half he’s been in Canada and with the influence of his wife, also an avid alpinist, his dreams are materializing. One of his boyhood dreams was to be on an expedition full of adventure and challenge. The Mystery Mountain Project marries his many loves, mountains, climbing, adventure, history, fellowship and a rad lifestyle.

Ever the scientist, Joe plans to take samples of the water from the glaciers. He will collect these for use in research on climate change. In the meantime, he’ll be training in the Niagara Escarpment carrying loads up and down in addition to his regular active pursuits.

Being in the mountains he feels a connection to the land and the past. More eloquently, John Burroughs said it best, “Time, geologic time, looks at us from the rocks as from no other objects in the landscape.”

Ron started mountain and ice climbing 20 years ago and has been a member of the Alpine Club of Canada Toronto Section since 2008. Ron has climbed in New Zealand, Nepal, Tanzania, United States and Canada. He has taken mountaineering and ice climbing courses in New Zealand and Canada.

In addition to climbing, his passion for exploration and adventure had taken him to Europe, Japan, China, Australia, and the Middle East.

He loves the outdoors and enjoys sharing experiences such as fishing, climbing, and winter camping with his teenage son.

When he isn’t outdoors, he can be found in a kitchen cooking. He is currently an Acting Captain in the Toronto Fire Services where he has been a firefighter for 26 years. One of his strengths is the ability to remain calm in emergency situations. Throughout his career, he has volunteered his time with many charities. He also sits on the board of directors of the Canadian Explorations Heritage Society.

Ever since Paddy climbed his first mountain at the age of twelve he’s been hooked by the majesty and exhilaration of Mother Nature. A graduate from the University College of the Cariboo (Thompson Rivers University) in the Adventure Travel Guide program he has planned and executed numerous expeditions. Highlights include the West Buttress of Denali in 1994, Mt. Logan, Mexico’s volcanoes of Popoceteple and Orizaba, and Mt. Ama Dablam in the Khumbu region of the Nepalese Himalaya.

He has worked as an instructor and course director for 15 years with Outward Bound Canada, kayaking, dog sledding, skiing, hiking and climbing. Paddy has also worked at Coastline Challenge, Canada West Mountain School, a few seasons canoeing with the Hurricane Island program and Enviros Wilderness School with youth at risk.

Ever evolving, he is expanding his skills to include film production and has formed his own company Thunderbird Expeditions and Productions. In development is his project up the west side of the South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos.

Paddy hopes to challenge Ron’s ability to remain calm in emergency situations as his mantra  is….”When in trouble, when in doubt; run in circles, scream and shout.”

Seriously though, Paddy is currently single.

His first outdoor adventure documentary, Hobnails and Hemp Rope, won best director at the Moscow International Festival of Mountaineering and Adventure Films. His short film Adventure Us was featured at the 2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival. He is qualified in Advanced Wilderness First Aid, Bronze Cross life saving and Level 1 Avalanche Patrol.

He is actively involved in charitable work as a member of the board of Camp Outlook, an NGO based in Kingston, Ontario. He has been a member of the Alpine Club of Canada for three years, and has worked as a canoe trip leader in Algonquin Provincial Park.

Kirk Rasmussen is a documentary videographer and photographer specializing in expedition cinematography. Currently Senior Video Producer for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Wyoming, as well as founder of Topographic Media.

Rasmussen has directed projects in the Himalayas, Andes, Alps, Wrangles, Alaska Range and Rocky Mountains for organizations such as Sierra Club, PBS, American Express and the Wharton Business School. In 2017, Rasmussen participated in the Banff Adventure Film Festival Adventure Workshop and screened the documentary short, Sourdough, in 12 independent festivals including 1st Place and Audience Choice.

His passion for open places and open people has been a constant guide in his work.

Joining the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) in 2013 brought mountaineering and ice climbing into the frame, with trips to the Purcells, Selkirks, Rainier and the Canadian Rockies, and visits to the Adirondacks, Vermont, Algoma, Kentucky and Quebec. Mark has also enjoyed climbing in France, Spain and Thailand, but somehow managed to find other distractions when in India and Indonesia.

When not dragging things up steep inclines or inexplicably being entrusted with driving the ACC boat at Bon Echo, Mark spends his time chained to a desk in an attempt to combine his technology startup experience with an environmentalist ideology. This is a work in progress….

He’s had the great pleasure to have climbed in Jasper, Canmore, The Gunks, Kentucky, Adirondaks, most recently Joshua Tree, and Bon Echo, home base of the Toronto Section of the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). Ron was Chair of the Bon Echo Committee for 5 years prior to switching to the mountaineering portfolio in Toronto for 4 years and organized 3 section camps. Ron has been Camp Co-Ordinator for the ACC’s General Mountaineering Camp (GMC ) on 2 occasions and will be joining us on this expedition directly from a week as Amateur Leader with the GMC.

When not climbing, he enjoys reading books about climbing, talking about climbing, and trying to convince people to go climbing. He was also a carpenter, but used his leadership skills gained with the ACC to transition into teaching the trade to high school students.