As the owner, Joshua has more than 28 years of experience facilitating Leadership Development and Team Building Transformational Experiences. Josh has called Colorado home since 2002.

I turned a professional tennis tour court, a remote river, a high altitude mountain summit, and a boardroom into the same classroom.

As founder and CEO of Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides and affiliated companies Colorado Wilderness Corporate & Teams, CBST Adventures, and Boulder Wilderness Shuttle, I’ve spent 28+ years studying what makes people perform under pressure, in high risk and consequence environments, and building experiences where that transformation happens.

My path began as a professional athlete: a Division I scholarship tennis player and ATP Tour competitor, shaped by training at IMG Bollettieri Academy and mentorship from coaches including Pancho Segura, Nick Bolletieri, Jose Higueras, and my father Sandy Baruch, a USPTA Master Pro called “the best historian and game-day tactician about tennis” by Bud Collins. I competed as a Golden Gloves boxer, ski racer, and football player, carrying lessons from high-performance sport into everything I do.

That foundation took me into the wilderness in pursuit of objectives that challenged my mental, moral, physical, and spiritual capacities. What I found there changed everything: a deeper understanding of self, a mindfulness practice forged in consequence, and a hunger for real over ideal. It gave me a reverence for wild places, a drive for deep relationships, and a desire to foster that same transformation in others. I’ve led 37+ international expeditions through some of the harshest climates on earth, completed 170+ guided ascents of Longs Peak, and been mentored by pioneers including Dave Beck, Bela Vadasz (IFMGA Guide and founder of the AMGA Ski Program), and Craig Dopkins (collaborator with Paul Petzoldt, founder of NOLS).

Today I’ve facilitated 2,000+ leadership and team-building programs for Fortune 100 companies and government and military organizations. My expertise spans team building facilitation, leadership behavior analysis (DiSC, CliftonStrengths, MBTI, 360 Feedback), emergency medicine, mountain and river guiding, mountain warfare training, human tracker training, and experiential leadership frameworks. I’ve served as a wilderness expert for PBS, consulted for the U.S. State Department, U.S. Treasury, and Department of Defense, and advised the National Park Service and the States of California and Colorado.

I’m currently writing two books: The Leader Within: The Four Pillars of Leadership and How to Scout Your Opponent, a tactical tennis primer.

My mission is to help individuals and teams thrive under pressure in the mountains and rivers, in the boardroom, and in life.

These certifications and expertise help Colorado Wilderness Corporate and Teams create very unique Colorado experiential education by harnessing the power and wisdom of the outdoors combined with the art, science, research of a long human history in leadership development. CWCAT believes heavily in using the best evidence-based practices in leadership development and building highly effective teams. Come join us and collaborate in creating the best leaders and teams of the 21st century and beyond.

CBST Adventures and Colorado Wilderness Colorado Corporate and Teams have been collaborating since 2017. In 2022, CBST became under the umbrella of Colorado Wilderness Corporate and Teams. We are very thankful for all the hard work and transformative experiences Jay has provided guests in the past. Jay continues to be a great friend and supporter of CBST adventures into the future.

Erica truly appreciates the ways in which the wilderness provides inspiration. She has been guiding for Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides and Colorado Wilderness Corporate and Teams since the company’s inception and has been moved by how instructive and stimulating the outdoors can be when incorporated into team building and leadership development events. Erica brings a passion for the diversity of perspective and an ability to help team members recognize the abilities and experiences of their colleagues. Erica’s skill in noticing team dynamics allows her to make insightful observations that carry through to an organization’s day-to-day work

Began rock climbing in 2018 and was hooked immediately! Originally from Texas the most logical step was to move somewhere that was more accessible to climbing and fantastic parks/ open spaces. I moved to Colorado in 2022 to follow my passion for adventure and exploration, which has only grown as I continue to wander. Pairing my passion for mountain recreation as well as Colorado’s natural spaces, I relish the opportunity to safely introduce more and more people to recreating within the mountainous wild spaces we have access to while remaining stewards of the natural environment.

Originally from New Jersey, Joe came to Colorado in search of a life filled with mountains, movement, and meaningful connection to the outdoors. He quickly found his passion in rock climbing and joined the Colorado Mountain Club, where he honed his skills and grew into a leader and instructor. Today, he continues to volunteer with the CMC, teaching advanced climbing techniques like trad, lead, and multi-pitch climbing.

Joe brings a calm, supportive energy to his guiding style—he’s a patient teacher and enthusiastic motivator who thrives on helping guests break through personal barriers and discover what they’re truly capable of. Whether he’s leading a technical rock route or a scenic peak ascent—safety, fun, and respect for nature are always top priorities.

Joe holds his AMGA Single Pitch Instructor certification and is a Wilderness First Responder through NOLS. He’s climbed all over Colorado—including the dramatic walls of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison—and has also taken his passion on the road to Red Rocks (NV), Ten Sleep (WY), Kolob Canyon (UT), Red River Gorge (KY), and even Castle Hill in New Zealand.

When he’s not guiding, you’ll probably find Joe climbing on the Front Range, diving into data as a GIS analyst, or troubleshooting tech problems as a field technician.

Craig’s journey has taken him on several paths, but always with an emphasis on team building and leadership development. Craig founded four non-profits focused on experiential learning: Genesee Outdoor Learning, a K-5 outdoor education program; West Pines Training Center, which uses challenge courses to develop curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, and tenacity; YouthBiz, which teaches middle and high school students entrepreneurial skills and habits through actual business ownership; and Play for Peace, which brings together people divided by conflict through laughter, inclusion, cultural awareness, and compassion. Play for Peace now operates in communities across the world through Play for Peace Clubs and Practice Peace Sessions where mentors and trainers teach and role-model trust, communication, respect, and cooperation.

Craig holds a BS in Outdoor Education and a MA in Special Education. He is a trained facilitator of the DiSC and Myers-Briggs personality profiles and uses these tools in his experiential work with teams. In conducting programs, Craig uses humor and introspective questioning, bringing both laughter and significance to the experience. Few leave an event with Craig without a profound appreciation for his wisdom.

Robin is a native Coloradan raised in Boulder, and you’ll find her outdoors as much as humanly possible. Professional careers include a successful business owner for 40 years, a graphic designer and artist, a volunteer firefighter and EMT-I for 15 years, and a surgical team leader for medical mission trips to Haiti for 10 years. Robin’s favorite outdoor activity is flyfishing of which she has been enjoying since the 90’s, from Scotland all the way to Chile. She brings her love of the outdoors and passion for learning and growth to CWRAG as a guide and educator

Cindy was born and raised in NH, and moved to Boulder in 1990. Her professional career began as a telecommunications engineer and her outdoor career as an Elite Ironman Triathlete. After racing triathlons for 18 years, Cindy expanded her horizons to the Colorado mountains. She joined the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) to learn mountaineering and rock climbing skills. In 2005, Cindy left the corporate world to spend a year traveling in the mountains of Nepal and North America. She found her passion here, and shifted her professional focus to outdoor skills education, leadership, and risk management. Cindy also became involved in a community-based cycling group, leading bike tours throughout North America.

Joe started guiding professionally in 1993 after graduating from Purdue University with a BA in Kinesiology. In addition to guiding, Joe is also a writer, photographer, and professional concierge.

He began his guide career on the rivers and trails of Southern West Virginia, then to the waters of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, and then ultimately made Boulder, Colorado home in 2000. His many travels and expeditions include kayaking Grand Canyon, thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, exploring 27 countries and all 50 U.S. states, maintaining lively relationships, and raising two sons.

Jill joined the guiding staff of Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides in the summer of 2014 and has enjoyed leading hikes, climbs, snow shoe trips, and hut to hut skiing treks, and helped companies develop their employees with outdoor based team buildings and leadership events. Her goal is to help her guests make the great peaks, meadows, and rivers of the beautiful Rocky Mountains accessible, and to discover new possibilities in themselves.

Jill moved to Boulder Colorado in 1990 from the flat lands of the midwest and never looked back. After a few initial unguided hikes resulting in becoming slightly lost and very wet and cold, she searched for and found the Colorado Mountain Club and over the next few years, took all the mountaineering training she could get her hands on. She went on to give back to the mountaineering community by teaching others in all forms of mountaineering, and leading hikes and climbs. When she saw some of her friends responding to help other lost and injured skiers and climbers, she discovered and joined the National Ski Patrol and the Mountain Rescue Association. She was an active member of the local Mountain Rescue Association (Rocky Mountain Rescue Group) and for 13 years helped injured and lost mountaineers return back from the trail to home. She is an active ski patroller and first aid instructor in the National Ski Patrol since 1996. It was an aerospace engineering career that brought Jill to Colorado, but it is the mountains that keep her here. Today the call of sharing her love of the mountains has drawn her away from the engineering world and into guiding people into journeying into the alpine nature, and returning safely.

Jill has done hikes and climbs in Alaska, Africa, the Italian Dolomites, Machu Picchu, skied in Canada, and descended canyons in southern Utah, but her outdoor home is Colorado. She hikes, rock climbs, snow shoes, bikes, kayaks, canoes, and skies all through Colorado discovering more wonder on every trip.

Gabriel is originally from AZ and has called Colorado home for the last 6 years. Currently completing a degree in Outdoor Education, you can find him peak-bagging year-round, as well as skiing in the winter and backpacking in the summer. After thru-hiking the Colorado Trail in 2016, he found his lifelong passion for the outdoors. Trained in everything from backcountry cooking, wilderness survival skills & plants, to the ecology of Colorado, Gabriel loves the outdoor lifestyle.

Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level I + Avalanche Rescue, Leave No Trace – Trainer certified, as well as SAR coursework through the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) and FEMA, Gabriel is committed to helping others experience the outdoors safely and profoundly.

Justin was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, where he raced BMX bikes. After completing college in North Carolina, he moved to Colorado in 1999 and began his career in construction as an Operations Manager, managing 250 employees and over 20 million in sales annually. Outside of the office, Justin could be found climbing in Eldo multiple times per week.

In 2007, Justin moved to Boone, NC to run a startup construction company. While he was building a company, he also took interest in emergency medicine, completing an EMT-Basic course and volunteering with a local rescue agency. He eventually became a paramedic, working on an ambulance part-time. During his free time, Justin took part in the Boone mountain biking community and was part of a team that built a county-owned mountain bike park. Justin returned to Colorado in 2012, working as a ski patroller and paramedic, the start of his journey into avalanche education.

Kelsey moved to Colorado in 2012 to complete a Master’s degree in Business & Leadership. She has spent the past ten years as an outdoor educator and professional guide, managing three collegiate outdoor recreation programs, raft guide instructing in the Grand Canyon, and guiding waterways from California to Canada. Her guiding specialties are whitewater, mountain biking, and mountaineering. Committed to professional development, she has a long list of certifications including Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level 1, ACA Swiftwater Rescue Technician, CO Whitewater Raft Instructor, Utah Whitewater Captain’s License, PMBI (Professional Mountain Bike Instructor), BBI Certified Bike Technician, LNT Master Educator.

Born in Southern Maryland, Sarah grew up hiking and backpacking the East Coast. Her love of all things outdoors led her to manage a local outdoor gear shop, where she facilitated outdoor education and training for backpacking, kayaking, SUP’ing, snowshoeing, fishing and climbing.

Sarah first migrated west to Colorado in 2009 and fell in love with fly fishing the canyons and exploring the far corners of the state. She primarily spends her time fly fishing, skiing, trail running, and backpacking. Sarah loves the challenge and beauty that comes with all seasons in the outdoors and especially loves sharing that enthusiasm with others through guiding.

Born and raised in Marietta, Ohio, Kody grew up spending every summer in the mountains and forests of Appalachia. From a young age, he had a passion for the outdoors and sharing that passion with others.

In 2018, he joined the U.S. Navy where he served as a Mass Communication Specialist for 5 years. He honed his communication and storytelling skills while stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, working in places such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Middle East. In 2023, he was honorably discharged from the military and began looking for the next adventure, at which point, he packed up and moved across the country to attend the University of Colorado, Boulder, pursuing a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Whether he is backpacking in the remote wilderness of Alaska or photographing the wildlife of Yellowstone National Park, his mission is to share authentic, impactful experiences that resonate with a wide audience. Kody takes pride in using his photography to raise awareness about conservation, wildlife education, and the beauty of exploration. He is always looking forward to the next adventure and learning new skills.

When he’s not guiding, he enjoys making and dehydrating his own backpacking food, camping in remote mountain campsites, and finding new and unique landscapes to photograph.

Brad has worked as a Grand Canyon National Park Ranger, a Sea Kayak Guide in Monterey Bay and Tomales Bay, California, an Adventure Guide in Vietnam, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., and a naturalist in Boulder, Colorado. Brad explored vast areas of Colorado working in wilderness-therapy programs for adolescents and their families, serving variously as a Field Instructor, Logistics Coordinator, Education Director, and Family Counselor. Brad was also a support team member of the Extreme Ice Survey, a global project documenting the rapid retreat of the world’s glaciers and leading to the film Chasing Ice.

Brad has a passion for sharing the outdoors and a connection to Nature with other people. Between guiding trips, Brad is usually hiking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, practicing Tai Chi, watching a mountain sunset with good friends, or planning his next winter trip to Mexico.

Tye is Colorado Wilderness Rides And Guide and Colorado Wilderness Corporate And Teams official outdoor and therapy dog educator. Tye is a F2 Golden Doodle; Thus he has hair instead of fur and is non-shedding, and has a hypoallergenic coat. His father was a full poodle and his mother a golden doodle. Like his roots, Tye has a gentle and calm, but appropriate energetic disposition.

Tye is a quick learner and has mastered the “touch down shake” for Sunday football events, how to travel the bike Multi-use trails of Boulder (running 3-7 miles at a sprint), and rescue swimmers or paddlers perceived in danger.

Tye was born in the town of Herber City Utah but has spent the majority of his young life in Colorado helping in outdoor adventures, facilitating leadership and team-building events, and being a source of healing for many of our guests and participants.

Tye recently turned two and qualified for the service dog program based on his sweet disposition, good nature, and is a great healer. You will see him around our offices, guided tours (outside of the following: wilderness areas, class III or below rapids, and avalanche terrain in our mountains), or at one of our education and training events. Organizations and clients that join us or have previously joined us can give special requests to have Tye on sight to help promote healing, tranquility, and increased productivity or learning.

Tye favorite activities include dawn patrol (chasing randonee skiers up and down Arapahoe Basin Ski Area); Any day in the snow or river; Playing fetch with a ball; fly fishing (bobber chasing and teaching our guests when to set a hook as a trout strikes); or helping to bring love, compassion, and empathy to our and your day.