Leader Bios: Meet our California Mountains & Coast, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, and Golden State Adventure Leaders!

Round five of our summer staff biographies is a go! Please read on to learn about our fantastic California Mountains & Coast, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, and Golden State Adventure leaders.


Leader Name: Nate Barott (he/him/his)

2021 Trip: California Mountains & Coast

Hometown: Canandaigua, New York 

School: Cornell University, Class of 2020

Major: Biology

Certifications: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Lifeguard & CPR

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Trail running, gravel biking, kayaking, and all types of skiing

Highlights of 2020: Nate started a new job in Utah as a ski patroller!

Where you can find Nate when he’s not hanging out outside or responding to calls on the radio: Walking his pooches around in the mud, practicing his pie baking skills, or lounging in a hammock with whatever he is reading! 

Other rad facts: Nate studied abroad in Nepal and has biked the length of the Erie Canal in Upstate New York! He also has worked in Yellowstone National Park where he scooped ice cream by day and hiked around every chance he got. 


Leader Name: Lila Michaels (she/her/hers)

2021 Trip: California Mountains & Coast

Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland

School: Oberlin College, Class of 2021

Major: Sociology & Hispanic Studies

Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguard & CPR

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Whitewater kayaking and rafting! Also backpacking and hiking at any possible chance.

Highlights of 2020: Graduating from college and defending her honors thesis! 

Where you can find Lila when she isn’t raft guiding or writing essays: Lila teaches Spanish in an elementary school classroom and is passionate about language education, which is why is certified to teach English in a second language. She also loves making art! 

Other amazing notes about Lila: Lila has worked as an au pair for a summer in Mallorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean. She lived with a family and worked on improving her Spanish. She has also been to 15 National Parks and prides herself on making perfect microwave popcorn, every time.


Leader Name:  Amelia Roth-Dishy (she/her/hers)

2021 Trips: Colorado’s Rocky Mountains & Golden State Adventure

Hometown: New York, New York

School: Harvard University, Class of 2022

Major: History & Literature

Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguard & CPR

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Hiking, skiing, chasing waterfalls

Highlights of 2020: Amelia spent a month living on a farm in Western Massachusetts! 

Where you can find Amelia when she’s not studying or looking for beautiful hikes: Amelia loves cooking, watching movies, and brewing kombucha. 

Other amazing tidbits: Amelia has worked on a vineyard in Spain and a bakery in NYC that specializes in enormous 6-oz cookies! She is an editor for the Art section of her school paper and her greatest dream in life is to be on “Survivor.” (Anyone reading this have any connections to Jeff Probst?!) 


Leader Name: Harrison Winrow (he/him/his)

2021 Trips: Colorado’s Rocky Mountains & Golden State Adventure

Hometown: Lebanon, New Hampshire

School: Skidmore College, University of Colorado Boulder

Major: Geoscience and Physics, Business

Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, Lifeguard & CPR

Favorite Outdoor Activities: Thru-hiking, disc golf, trail running, climbing (tree and rock), mountain biking, snowboarding, and roller blading

Highlights of 2020: Harrison worked weekends as a Park Ranger and zip line guide at Morningside Flight Park, where he learned to Hang Glide; ultimately, culminating in a successful solo flight from 450 ft. 

Where you can find Harrison when he’s not thru-hiking or shredding on his roller blades: Creating sculptures out of repurposed materials, writing poetry, hopping on the slackline struggle bus, or simultaneously cleaning and dancing around his apartment (He calls this “dancecleaning.”)

Other really awesome facts about Harrison: Harrison has worked as an Arborist Apprentice and is currently working towards his ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) certification. Although he is constantly finding sawdust in his ears, he gets to climb pine trees over 150 feet tall and swing in giant oaks – which makes the sawdust worth it.