Calvin has been a professional in the outdoor industry for over a decade. He has led groups of varying experience levels into the backcountry to climb 14,000-foot peaks and bonded with a wide range of ages on expeditions across hundreds of miles of trail. Increasing his performance in alpine climbing and backcountry skiing may be high on his list of personal goals but staying inspired to explore and take risks are the fundamental building blocks he enjoys sharing.
Ever since he was a teenager in the greater Boston area, the woods of New England have provided a refuge for him. The Appalachians taught him to dig deeper and grit it out through the steep sections, knowing the reward at the summit and the feeling of good clean air and exercise awaited him. This led him to attend Unity College in Maine where he received a bachelor’s degree in Adventure based Environmental Education. After which he traveled the world as a guide and educator.
While in Nepal he aided in the development of youth interested in becoming professional guides by accompanying treks, planning climbing and caving trips and running a small bouldering wall. In Vietnam he took clients to explore tidal caves by kayak, established new routes up karst island towers and tried hard to not only share the stoke for adventure sports but relay the cultural and environmental value of the area.
Once back in the states Calvin worked for years in the Sierra Nevada, honing his technical knowledge and teaching classes like snow skills and river crossing. It is his hope to continue this journey not only as a technical mountain guide but as mentor for aspiring youths.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
My favorite thing about Oliverian is its willingness to be honest, and to first and foremost, be honest with ourselves and how we perceive life. No one thing is inherently bad or good, life is not this or that, it is a blend, and the Oliverian core values show us that. Only after accepting the full spectrum of experience, can we work toward our goals.
What motivates you to work with kids?
As an outdoor educator, I find it vital to share the importance of environmentalism with younger students. Not only to help instill an early appreciation for the flora and fauna as stewards of the land, but, to show them their direct connection as part of that web of life and the positive human response when connected with the natural world.
