Brian Okonek, ADG Inc`s. co-director and chief guide, has been climbing in the Alaska Range since 1973 and has completed 35 expeditions up Denali, including 16 traverses. Brian`s lifelong dedication to Denali, combined with his many years as a professional guide, gives him a depth of knowledge and expertise equalled by few people. ADG`s trips utilize this knowledge as their base for training guides and planning expeditions and hikes. His individual interaction with our guides, clients and staff is an intregal aspect of every trip at ADG, Inc.

Kirby Spangler
Kirby,28, has a deep appretiation for the outdoors which began at an early age in the north woods of Wisconsin. When Kirby was 10 years old he and his father began taking trips "out west," to the mountains. These trips came to an apex in 1989, when they rode their bicycles from Missoula, Montana to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

That journey began what has become a life devoted to exploration ans adventure. Following the trip, Kirby entered the University of Oregon. He eventually earned a degree in geography, but the most important lessons were learned during the weekends, on the summits and crags of the Oregon Cascades. After graduating, Kirby began his career as a mountain guide on these very peaks. Kirby has since returned to Alaska many times, and has been guiding on the mountains and rivers here for the past three seasons.

Through his work, Kirby enjoys sharing with others the landscape that
originally inspired him to pursue a career in guiding.

Julie Faure
Julie, 28, was born and raised in France and started mountaineering in the Alps. She has rock, alpine and ice climbed throughout the Western US, Alaska, France and the Northern Himalaya. She has led two Denali expeditions, completed the first ski descent of neighboring Mt Forakers Sultana ridge, and summited 23,000 ft Khan Tengri in the Tien Shan Mtns. of Kyrgyzstan.

In the fall of 1995, Julie traveled by bicycle through Western China, Tibet and Vietnam. Her outside interests include culture, politics and cinema. Julie is currently winter program director and a senior guide for Exum Utah Mountain Adventures. In the spring, she guides on Denali for Alaska-Denali Guiding and in the summer, in the Tetons for Exum Mountain Guides. In June '98, she was guest instructor for Women Rock Day in North Conway, NH. Julie also works in avalanche control at Snowbird Resort in Utah.

Georgie Stanley
Georgie Stanley,32, has been leading people in the mountains since 1989 when she started teaching for NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). She led mountaineering, rock climbing and winter courses in the Rockies, the Cascades, the Chugach and Alaska Ranges of Alaska, and the Himalayas for 11 years, while also developing as a mountaineer.

In 1996 Georgie started guiding in the Tetons for Jackson Hole Mountain Guides. In Alsaka Georgie has climbed two routes on Denali, the remote Mt Hayes, the classic West Ridge of the Moose’s Tooth, and completed a traverse of the Chugach Mountains to name a few. In 1994 Georgie led a women’s team to the East ridge of Baruntse in Eastern Nepal, where snow conditions thwarted their attempt. In 1995, she attempted Gashabrum 1 in Pakistan with a strong team, but weather conditions kept them from reaching the summit.

Last spring Georgie finally reached the summit of a Himalayan peak when she and two others reached the summit of Cho Oyu (8201m) and became the first American Women’s team to summit an 8000 meter peak without supplemental oxygen or sherpas! This will be her first season with ADG.

Evan Howe
Evan, 28, will assist Brian on the West Buttress climb for his first year with ADG. He resides in Wilson, Wyoming, where he guides rock climbing, alpinism, ice, and skiing for Jackson Hole Mountain Guides. When not working in Jackson, he instructs for the National Outdoor Leadership School and trys to find time for his own climbing.

Evan has passionately pursued climbing in it's various forms since he was 13, and has made ascents of El Capitan, Denali, Mt. Logan, and recently returned from Pakistan where he completed a new big wall route in the Charakusa Valley of the Karakorom.

Eric Remza
Eric, 25,has guided on expeditions and climbs in Nepal, Alaska and Colorado. His professional training stems from his Wilderness Leadership degree from Prescott College.

Eric apprenticed for ADG, Inc. last year and will be assisting on climbing expeditions in 2001. He currently resides, skis and climbs in Colorado.