Stone Bear began with a question that two trail friends asked themselves after returning from a particularly challenging traverse through the Coast Mountains: why were transformative wilderness experiences so difficult to access for people who genuinely wanted them?
The outdoor industry seemed divided between two extremes. Luxury eco-tourism offered comfort but rarely genuine immersion. Budget group tours packed large numbers onto popular trails, creating experiences that felt more like outdoor entertainment than wilderness connection. Neither approach served people seeking authentic backcountry engagement with proper guidance and safety infrastructure.
Our Founding Principles
We structured Stone Bear around convictions that still guide every decision. Small groups preserve both safety and intimacy. Quality equipment removes barriers without compromising authenticity. Guides should possess deep knowledge spanning technical skills, natural history, and interpersonal facilitation. Wilderness deserves protection, not extraction.
These principles sometimes mean turning away business. We decline requests to bring larger groups than our ratios permit. We avoid routes during sensitive wildlife seasons even when demand exists. We maintain pricing that supports guide compensation reflecting the expertise required rather than racing toward commodity pricing.
The Team
Our guides represent the core of what makes Stone Bear distinctive. Each brings certification in Wilderness First Responder protocols, navigation, and specific terrain competencies relevant to their assigned routes. More importantly, each shares genuine passion for helping others discover what wilderness offers.
Nathan Clearwater
Lead Guide, Alpine Specialist
18 years backcountry experience
Sarah Thornwood
Senior Guide, Wildlife Expert
Former Parks Canada interpreter
David Maplecrest
Guide, Winter Operations
Avalanche safety certified
Michelle Riverbend
Guide, Family Programs
Outdoor education specialist
Safety Framework
Wilderness carries inherent risk. Our approach acknowledges this reality while implementing systems that manage risk responsibly. Every expedition includes:
- Satellite communication devices for emergency contact regardless of cellular coverage
- Detailed trip plans filed with our operations base and local authorities where required
- Guide-to-guest ratios never exceeding 1:6, with lower ratios for technical terrain
- Weather monitoring with established protocols for route modification or evacuation
- Comprehensive first aid kits and guides trained to use them effectively
We brief every group thoroughly before departure. This includes honest assessment of conditions, physical demands, and potential challenges. We prefer guests who understand what they are undertaking rather than those surprised by difficulty on the trail.
Environmental Commitment
Operating in wilderness creates obligation to protect it. Our practices go beyond minimum compliance:
Leave No Trace principles govern every expedition. We pack out all waste including food scraps. We use established campsites where available and practice minimum-impact camping techniques where primitive sites are necessary. We avoid sensitive areas during critical wildlife periods.
Beyond our direct operations, we allocate resources toward conservation. Partnerships with land trusts and wilderness preservation organizations receive support from every booking. We participate in trail maintenance volunteer programs. Our guides contribute to citizen science projects monitoring wildlife and ecosystem health in areas we frequent.
Every Stone Bear expedition contributes directly to wilderness preservation through our conservation partnership program.
Looking Forward
Nine years of operations have confirmed our founding convictions while teaching us continuously. Guest feedback shapes program refinement. Guide experience informs route development. Conservation priorities influence where and how we operate.
We remain committed to keeping Stone Bear appropriately sized. Growth that compromises quality or environmental responsibility holds no appeal. Our goal is not market share but meaningful impact measured in wilderness protected, guests transformed, and guides supported in work they find meaningful.
Ready to discover what wilderness has to offer?
Explore Our Expeditions