Mustang Guides

Garret Boyd

This will be Garret's fifth season guiding with Mustang Powder. Garret has been actively involved in the outdoor industry for 10 years - when he became a professional Ski Patroler at the age of only 16. He has been keeping himself busy with British Columbia's deep powder snow in the winter, and exploring Canada's Northern wilderness on foot, or via canoe during the summer.

This past spring, Garret continued his professional development and successfully completed the ACMG Full Ski Guide exam. He is also a professional member of the CAA.

When not out and about in the mountains, Garret has been trying his hand at Homesteading. Milling his own lumber for an off the grid cabin, growing a big vegetable garden and swimming in the pond keeps the summer days sliding by.

Dwanye Congdon

Dwayne has been skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering for over 25 years. He has participated in numerous international expeditions to Nepal, Tibet, Peru and Russia, including setting foot on the summit of Mount Everest. His guiding background includes alpine ascents in Canada, Argentina, Peru, Switzerland, and New Zealand.

As a certified ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide, Dwayne has worked as a lead guide for companies such as Yamnuska Inc., CMH and Crescent Spur Heli-skiing. Dwayne is the past Technical Director of the ACMG and has been an instructor and examiner in the Mountain Guide Training and Certification Program for 8 years. He also instructs certification courses for the CAA. Most recently, he has become the coordinator for the Canadian Mountain and Ski Guide Diploma at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

We’re very pleased that Dwayne has found time in his busy schedule to lead a few groups at Mustang Powder.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis needs no introduction to those in the ski industry. He has worked in the industry for over 25 years. Scott is a full IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide focusing on skiing and climbing.

A long with being a member of the ACMG, he is also a Professional Member of the CAA and has worked as an Avalanche Forecaster for ski and highway operations as well as a consultant on film projects and for forestry operations. Scott is a past president of the ACMG as well as an instructor and examiner for both the ACMG and CAA.

Scott is an exceptional teacher and brings an extremely high level of professionalism to all his endeavours. We feel lucky to have him for the short time he can work with us.

Russ Lybarger

Russell Lybarger is a certified ACMG Ski Guide and has 20 years of experience guiding powder skiing. So, how do you know there is a guide in the pub with you? (Don't worry, he'll tell you)

Russ grew up in sunny Pentiction, BC and currently calls Golden, BC home. He got a pair skis for his 14th birthday and has never looked back. Russ learned to ski at Apex Alpine Resort. When he was 15 he went out of bounds and discovered powder, now he is permanently out of bounds.

Russ spends half the winter at Mustang Powder, the other half guiding ski touring. He spends days off with his lovely wife Debra either ski-touring, Nordic skiing, or snuggled up on the couch with a movie. During the summer Russ is a renovation contractor who loves to put the tools down and go mountain biking or climbing.

Russ is currently skiing on a set of on Armada JJ's. He loves working and skiing at Mustang with all the great staff and guests. Russ hopes to be skiing powder snow until the age of 100.

Grant Statham

Grant Statham has been an IFMGA Mountain Guide since he was 24 years old, and has developed a solid reputation as a climber, guide, and avalanche forecaster. He has a 20+ year history of guiding heli-skiing and doing avalanche safety consulting work. This includes being the Snow Safety Director for the World Freeskiing Championships in Alaska, three times. Currently employed as Parks Canada's Avalanche Risk Specialist, Grant has been instrumental in developing many of the avalanche warning systems and education tools that are used in Canada today.

Some of Grant’s biggest climbing accomplishments include ascents of the SW Pillar of Bhagirathi 3 in India, the Wild Thing on Mt. Chephren, All Along the Watchtower in the Bugaboos, and guided trips up some of the big ones in the Yukon and Himalayas. He has numerous repeats and first ascents to his credit.

In 2005, Grant was awarded the Public Service Award of Excellence for his work in public avalanche safety. He lives in Canmore, Alberta with his wife Jennifer and their 11-year old son Ryan.

We are very excited that Grant will be able to find some time in his busy schedule to return to Mustang Powder and lead some groups again this upcoming season!

Larry Stanier

Larry is an International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IIFMGA)/ACMG Mountain Guide based out of Canmore, Alberta. He has worked in the avalanche patch for almost 30 years in ski areas, highways, consulting and education but first and foremost he is ski guide.

Larry has organized our early season guide training for the past 3 seasons now and is one of our main early season guides. The rest of his season is spent guiding guests in places such as the Japanese and European Alps and doing safety inspections for Helicat Canada.

Larry says he will keep coming back to Mustang at least until he gets to ski "Fifth Dimension" at least twice in perfect conditions.

Mathieu Valade

Mat is a graduate of Thompson Rivers University and holds a Bachelor of Tourism Management. He's been involved with Mustang Powder since the very beginning. Mat enjoys sharing his passion for the mountains and the deep Monashee powder. He is currently an ACMG certified Assistant Ski Guide and aspires to complete the Full Mountain Guide certification.

When he's away from his office at Mustang Powder he spends his time chasing waves, ski touring, climbing, and hanging out on the wet coast.

Colin Zacharias

Colin has worked in the ski industry since 1980 and is a certified IFMGA/ACMG Mountain Guide. He is also the past Technical Director for the ACMG and past course coordinator for the Thompson Rivers University Mountain and Ski Guide Certification Program. Colin currently instructs on the professional training programs for the CAA and consults as a mountain safety specialist in the heliski guiding and avalanche industries both in the USA and Canada.

Colin's interesting life takes him many places. http://web.mac.com/quixoticadventures . As a guide and film industry rigger he has worked for EcoChallenge in remote Borneo, Fiji and other countries. As an adventure travel guide he has taken clients climbing or trekking to locals such as the gorges of Morocco, the seaside Costa Blanca in Spain, the Matterhorn in Switzerland, above the arctic circle on Baffin Island and across the spectacular volcanic plateau's of BC's Mt. Edziza.

His love for surfing takes him to the reefs and beaches of the tropics. Best of all Colin travels and works with his partner, Julia Taffe, an innovative aerial dance choreographer, stunt woman, and adventurer. http://www.aeriosa.com/