Lani Chapko - Lead Guide

AMGA Rock Guide

She/her/hers

Hi, My name is Lani and I started climbing in Tahquitz, CA (and other crags around LA). I grew up in Seattle and now call Index, Wa home. Despite spending the colder months of the year traveling between California, Nevada, Utah, and Mexico to climb, Washington has always been the place I return to for the summer.

I enjoy all forms of climbing but find my fullest expression of the sport to be on long adventurous routes and big walls. I have put up first ascents in Washington and Nevada. I have a degree in engineering, and love teaching the more technical aspects of climbing systems. I am excited to be able to share the sport that has brought me so much joy with others. Looking forward to getting to know you in the great outdoors!

Email lani@neverstopmoving for questions regarding your climbing courses!

Alex Croft

AMGA SPI & Apprentice Alpine Guide

She/her/hers

Alexan­dra is a PNW native and has been climb­ing local­ly and inter­na­tion­al­ly for over 15 years. Explor­ing the North Cas­cades is one of her favorite activ­i­ties but she also enjoys adven­tur­ing inter­na­tion­al­ly in New Zealand, Switzer­land, Cha­monix, and the Dolomites. Her favorite aspect of guid­ing is con­nect­ing peo­ple to nature through climb­ing and moun­taineer­ing. Local­ly she has guid­ed on Mt. Rainier and Mt. Bak­er and has recent­ly trav­eled to Jack­son Hole, Wyoming and Rocky Moun­tain Nation­al Park. She is an AMGA Appren­tice Alpine Guide, Sin­gle Pitch Instruc­tor, and an Ice Instruc­tor. She is also Wilder­ness First Respon­der, and has com­plet­ed AIARE Lev­el 2. She’s spent sev­er­al years vol­un­teer guid­ing for a non-prof­it, and also for Moun­tain Res­cue and her local SAR unit. When she is not climb­ing, you can find her cur­ing can­cer in lab, surf­ing in Hawaii, and prac­tic­ing to become a Yogi. 

Diem Duong

AMGA SPI & Apprentice Rock Guide

She/her/hers

My name is Diem (Zim) and I am an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor. I first fell in love with climbing when I moved to Yosemite CA for environmental education work. Since then it's been a whirlwind adventure. Currently, in addition to guiding part-time, I help manage a climbing/outdoor gear store here in Washington and travel for climbing whenever I have the opportunity!

I've climbed in Red Rocks NV, Potrero Chico MX, Indian Creek UT and now that Washington is my home, WA and Canada. I love all types of climbing, sport and trad, crack climbing and even off-width! I'm drawn to both the technical and physical aspects of climbing and love sharing that with others.

Tammy VuPham

AMGA SPI

She/her/hers

Hey y’all! I’m Tammy and I first started climbing in the South. From sport climbing ascents in Kentucky to traditional routes in the Carolinas, I’ve met so many wonderful people through this sport. I moved to Washington last year to pursue alpine adventures and year-round climbing.

A lot of my early climbing experience was trial by error, so my goal as an instructor is to share knowledge so that others can fully enjoy their outdoor experiences. Climbing is a lifelong learning endeavor, and I’m happy to guide you along! My favorite climbs are steep and powerful routes, so I love working on commitment in climbing.

Megan Hansen

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

She/her/hers

I'm an adventure photographer and mountain guide who strives to tell stories through images. My goal is to help soften the outdoor industry through inclusivity and diversity. As a female-bodied person in the outdoor industry, I aim to share the experience of those who feel misrepresented in my community, with an emphasis on women and marginalized groups.

I am currently an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide who enjoys balancing ascents with descents. Born and raised in the PNW, I hold a fondness for granite rock climbing and an isothermic snowpack. When I am not guiding you can find me hanging from a fixed line taking photos. I am an avid photographer with a passion for adventure action sports. Whether it be climbing, or being your most authentic self in the outdoors I will be there to document it.

Megan’s photography website and Instagram: @meganhansenphoto

Bennett Rahn

AMGA SPI

She/her/hers

Bennett Rahn is a plus size outdoor athlete based in the Seattle area on Duwamish land. She is a model, an influencer, an artist, a certified Single Pitch Instructor climbing guide and has worked as a middle school teacher and software engineer. She’s a climber and a skier and a mountaineer and loves paddleboarding and biking and yoga. She is an advocate for a more inclusive outdoors and a more equitable world and she strives to inspire people of all kinds to pursue outdoor activities.

Katie Griffith

AMGA SPI & Apprentice Rock Guide

She/her/hers

Katie has spent the last decade connecting people to the outdoors as an outdoor educator, coach, and guide. Originally from Minnesota, she now splits her time between Joshua Tree and Washington, where she works year round as a rock climbing guide and instructor. 

Katie loves facilitating experiences for people to get out of their comfort zones and learn about themselves through climbing. In her own climbing, she tries to stay curious and open to the lessons she can learn while on belay. And she’s always searching for the perfect, post-climbing swimming hole. 

Linsey Hansen (Mentee)

She/her/hers

My name is Linsey. I originally started climbing in California and I think my favorite climbing is still in Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. I love climbing for the rocks, the movement, the fun gear placements, and the ridiculously awesome holds you can find on some routes. I personally prefer more chill climbs, and my favorite routes have either friction slabs and/or chimneys. 

Being outdoors and getting away from the crowds is my favorite way to spend my time, and I am always excited to introduce people to new outdoor experiences. I really like rocks. Granite continues to reign as my favorite rock, though gneiss is basically metamorphic granite, so it is also pretty great (nice?). Gneiss vs granite is the extent of my rock knowledge, since I am an admirer and not an expert. 

My other outdoor hobbies include canyoning, trail running, backpacking, scrambling, kinda skiing, and formerly SAR as a dog handler. In addition to my retired SAR dog, I have three cats (they are not SAR cats). If you climb with me, I will probably ramble about all of these things at some point.

Maria Mueller (Mentee)

AMGA SPI

She/her/hers

Maria started gym climbing in 2016 and started focusing on outdoor climbing in 2020 as a way to combine gym climbing with backpacking and hiking.

She’s taught cello, computer science and dance, and is transitioning from a career in software engineering to pursue climbing and alpine guiding. 

Ruby Williams

AMGA SPI

She/her/hers

Ruby Williams is originally from Athens Ohio, where she first learned to climb in her university gym. Since, she’s enjoyed rock climbing in West Virginia, Kentucky, Utah, and now near her home of Anchorage Alaska. Her favorite style of climbing is crack climbing!

Currently, Ruby is an SPI passionately providing rock climbing education. Her overall goal is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to gain autonomy in their rock climbing journey. Throughout her climbing career, she has overcome physical and mental barriers, so she loves coaching students through individual challenges they are grappling with.