Meet our Guides

Our Staff

Our guides are what make our company so extraordinary. Take a tour with us and you’ll be inspired by your guide’s passion and knowledge. Our guides spend all day everyday in the rainforest of Southeast Alaska. They truly value the opportunity to share this precious place with you, here, where daily life and breath-taking nature still exist hand in hand.

A guide’s knowledge stems from simple, pure enthusiasm and appreciation for this magnificent place we call home. Coming from varied experiences and walks of life, each guide completes our annual Spring training. They immerse themselves in workshops, trail sessions, discussions, and books about Juneau’s natural and cultural histories. Many guides also complete a 20 hour course with the State of Alaska to become Certified Interpretive Guides. Each guide then adds his or her specific areas of interest, expertise, style and personal stories.

Truly believing in the privilege and importance of sharing Southeast Alaska’s nature with other people, many of our guides hit the local trails and waterways with visitors year after year. Our small company is a close-knit family of outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers, whale whisperers, photographers and local history buffs. We hope you will connect with our family, in some small yet significant way. Step Into Alaska with one of our guides below...

	Jonny Benson, Naturalist Guide As an avid diver from Southern California, I love the thrill of jumping into new experiences head first. Even so, after earning a biology degree, I would have never expected ending up Alaska. After visiting Juneau with my fiancee, Audrey, I knew I had found a place I could call home. Alaska is constantly providing me with a sense of wonder, and I hope to share a little of that with you.
	Audrey Guzowski, Naturalist Guide Born and raised in sunny Southern California, I earned a marine biology degree and was working with children at an aquarium. Then, on a whim, my fiance Jonny and I ended up leaving it all behind and making our way to The Last Frontier. From hiking through glaciers and exploring their crystal blue ice caves to strapping on a tutu and racing across the mud-strewn Gastineau Channel, Juneau is one crazy experience after another. It's been wild and exciting so far, and I'd love to tell you all about my new life here! Feel free to share in my experiences at http://www.audsinalaska.blogspot.com/.
	Julie Walker, Naturalist Guide I have grown up in Southeast Alaska and come from a family of charter and commercial fisherman (and women). I have spent time living in Washington and Oregon, but always held Alaska dear to my heart and missed it more every time I came back to visit. I am so happy to be living back in Juneau and am looking forward to hitting the trails and exploring on the water with you and sharing the wonders of Southeast Alaska's nature that I love so much.
	Julie Koehler, The jet carrying a starry-eyed twenty-something touched down in Alaska at 3:00 p.m. on December 23, 1979. That precise time of falling in love with Alaska will remain forever etched in my mind. I came to Alaska searching for wilderness, wildlife, and adventure, and Ive not been disappointed! Whether cross country skiing, kayaking, throwing pottery, researching marbled murrelets (a sea bird), or guiding visitors, I discover Alaska anew each day. Alaska is my passion and I look forward to sharing this special place with you!
	Adriane Honerbrink, Naturalist Photo Guide Juneau, Alaska is a one of a kind place. I realized this the moment I got here. As a photographer this place allows my creativity to run wild with the ever changing sights. That is why I am here and that is why I love sharing this place.
	Lance Northcutt, Naturalist Guide The first time I saw the glacier it was streaked with blue and white sparkling ice as the sun raced across it's face between cloud breaks. Eleven years have passed, and I still can't get enough. The more I see and experience the more I want to share it with others. Naturally, I am an Alaska History teacher at one of the local high schools, and it is an equally natural fit to guide others that visit here and help them to explore and learn about the natural world of the plants, animals and geography of our region - not to mention the colorful cultures and characters to be found by living in a wilderness city.
	Annie Macie, Naturalist Photo Guide As an addict of adventure, travel, and of the great outdoors it was only a matter of time before I found my way to the Alaskan coastline. As a marine biologist and wildlife photographer, I've been fortunate enough to have seen some pretty spectacular places spanning research sites across the globe. With four years Humpback research experience, numerous published images, and a true passion to promote the preservation and conservation of the natural world through my imagery, I invite you to join me in exploring and photo-documenting all that the Alaska coastline has to offer. My most recent work can be viewed at www.annemaciephotography.com.
	Jason Thomas, Operations Manager After cutting my teeth working as a guide here at GGC I left to pursue a PhD in Evolutionary Biology. Having found that academia was not for me, I returned to GGC and moved into the Operations Manager position last summer. Great company and great people!
	Bob Janes, Owner / Operator I have resided in Juneau since 1965. With my wife Dawn, we founded our little interpretive company in 1994 "as a way to keep fit and stay in touch with nature's lessons". In the summer, you're likely to find me roaming the trails with my camera, piloting a safari vessel, or sharing stories about Juneau with visitors on the dock.
	Brandon Hauser, Lead Naturalist Photo Guide I was raised in the White Mountains of New Hampshire until my graduation from the Brooks Institute of Photography. I then moved north to Juneau, Alaska to work with a local photographer. The ice, mountains, and varied creatures of the wild have held my absolute attention since then. My work has appeared in Alaska Magazine as well as other publications and in the historic records of the Juneau Douglas and Anchorage City Museums. You can view some of my most recent work at: www.brandonhauser.com.
	Cam Byrnes, Naturalist Photo Guide Born "outside" I moved to Alaska in 1974 and have never wanted to make my home anywhere else. I have been involved with photography for 40 years and have been leading tours in Juneau for 15 years. The two go together perfectly. Leading tours lets me share this wonderful place with our guests and keeps me on the trails and on the water during our long summer days. I like to travel and take pictures around the world but I'll never run out of things to photograph here in Juneau.
	Dawn Wolfe, Owner / Operator My two week vacation to Juneau in 1980 still hasn't ended. I've somehow managed to become the company's administrative lifeline. When not playing softball, working in the yard, or enjoying the outdoors with our twins, I'm likely to be planning our next company party, or buried in piles of paperwork at our downtown office.
	Gary Judkins, Boat Captain People know me as the "whale whisperer," and I enjoy proving them right. I've spent years on the waters of Southeast Alaska and look forward to the start of each summer when I can share my home and stories.
	Jeremy Gieser, Director of Tours and Marketing After leading cruisetours through the interior of the state during college, I fell in love with Alaska. Shortly thereafter, Juneau became my home. Since then each season brings fresh perspective, new challenges and opportunities for growth. In some small way I hope you have an heart-to-heart experience with Alaska, as this place has the power to provide a deeper meaning and a natural balance to living.
	Linda Nicklin, Training Manager / Naturalist Guide As a naturalist, educator and writer I really enjoy helping to ensure the quality of our tours by providing guide training in naturally history and interpretive skills. When not working for the company, I teach NAI interpretive skills courses, author books and act as a naturalist in various parts of the world. I also work with a humpback whale research project in Maui called Whale Trust. I endeavor to bring inspiration to all our interpretive programs. I have also recently authored a National Geographic childrens book, "Face to Face with Dolphins".
	Richard Stokes, Lead Naturalist Guide As a retired chemist, I have worked with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and I enjoy sharing a bit of my local knowledge. My summer days on the trails have lowered my cholesterol 30 points and kept my weight at a lean and mean (well, never mind).
	Scott Ranger, Naturalist Guide I came to visit my daughter and son in law in the summer of 2008 for a month. It rained the whole time and I've been in love with the place ever since! I love to share my passion for the natural environment with others -- whether running a nature center, working as a Park Ranger, or hiking the trail with guests. If I'm not hiking the trails in Juneau you can find me in Georgia editing the newsletter for the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society or heading up a team for Habitat Humanity in southern Africa with my wife.
	Sierra Gadaire, Scheduler/Dispatch Being born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, I enjoy sharing the enthusiasms I have for my my home. For example, an appreciation for rain, an entirely waterproof wardrobe, the ability to tell the difference between a black bear and a brown bear AND where they live, as well an odd penchant for X-tra Tuffs. When I'm not living the dream on the docks in the summer time, you can find me at the University of Puget Sound where I am studying English and Chemistry, and being part of our nationally ranked women's rowing team.
	Stacy La Mascus, Naturalist Photo Guide Although I grew up in Southern California, I have always longed for a place where I could explore the woods for hours..and then I found Alaska! As a science geek-turned-photojournalist, I fell in love with guiding because it allows me to learn, teach, inspire, photograph, and be immersed in nature. The fulfillment and happiness that I feel for life radiates from me on my tours and I hope you can catch the vision of why this place is so special. Read about my adventures at glacialguffaw.blogspot.com!
	Theresa Walden, Nature Center Manager Hike or tram up Mount Roberts and you`ll find me at the Nature Center from May through September. I`ve hiked the trails in Juneau for over 30 years and love to share my knowledge of the natural beauty of the mountain with locals and visitors alike. We`ll tailor trail information to fit your ability and time on the mountain and we`ll have hot apple cider waiting when you return. The Nature Center is one of Juneau`s favorite places to shop too. See you at the top.