SGT Argentina Guides, Coaches, & Staff

SGT Argentina is staffed by the best guides and pros in the business. Some have been coming to Argentina for the better part of the last decade, and are responsible for delivering the experience that SASS is famous for.  All our coaches and guides have at minimum achieved their Level 1 AIARE avalanche safety certification, and all of our guides have Level 2 or 3 certifications, have attended guide school and are certified in wilderness first aid.

These are the people that separate SGT Argentina from all other camps and guided experiences. Instead of watching the pros from a distance, they will be leading small groups around the mountains personally. Feel like hitting backcountry a kicker? Andrew Burns will not only teach you how to build it, but show you how it hit is as well. Feel like lapping the deep in perfectly spaced trees? Michelle Parker will bring you to her personal hidden stashes. Feel like exploring the big mountain lines the Andes have to offer? Chris Coulter will bring you along. Feel like learning your first 360? Garrett Russell will coach you all the way around to that pow landing stomp. There is no better way to improve your skills or crush the lines you have been dreaming of than to follow this crew around their playground.

The SGT Argentina Staff will bring you the best winter you have ever had this summer. Sound good? CLICK HERE.

We’ll be adding more coaches and guides in the coming months so stay tuned…

SGT Argentina Guides, Coaches, & Staff

SGT Argentina is staffed by the best guides and pros in the business. Some have been coming to Argentina for the better part of the last decade, and are responsible for delivering the experience that SGT is famous for.  All our coaches and guides have at minimum achieved their Level 1 AIARE avalanche safety certification, and all our guides have Level 2 or 3 certifications and have attended guiding school and are certified in wilderness first aid, along with several of our coaches.

Skylar Holgate – Head Guide

[SinglePic not found]Skylar is the Head Guide for SGT Argentina and has been instrumental part of the SGT Argentina experience since it started six years ago. During the winter, Skylar is Head Helicopter Guide for Silverton Mountain has guided everyone from expert skiers and snowboarders to film crews from Mack Dawg and Warren Miller. As a native of Durango, Colorado, Skylar knows every line in Southwest Colorado and is one of the liasons for The Bonnie Belle Cabin in Silverton, CO. Skylar rides professionally for The North Face, Smith Optics, The Levitation Project, Venture Snowboards/Split, Spark R&D, Mountain Approach, Air Blaster, and Burton Boots.  In association with The Bonnie Belle Cabin, Silverton Mountain Guides & Alaska Heli.

Andrew Burns – Head Coach

[SinglePic not found]Burns is another OG SGT Argentina character and regularly pulls off the longest days out of anyone on the staff, running between helping Lucas to run the program to building massive jumps with clients to doing double-corks off of them to filming others landing their own doubles to logging and editing the footage that night. Burns is a human nuclear reactor and every ounce of his energy during July, August, and September goes into making the SGT Argentina experience better for our clients. Burns is also teaches the Sierra Nevada College freeriding course at SGT Argentina. Andrew rides professionally for Capita, Levitation Project, Dragon, 32 Outerwear & Boots, MyPakage, Etnies shoes, Union Bindings, Drop, SEABA Heli. Follow Burns’s shred life at www.thepirateburns.com , on instagram @burnshimself and on Twitter.

Michelle Parker – Ski Coach

michelle-head-shot Michelle joins the SGTcrew for her Fourth season as a ski coach. Hailing from Lake Tahoe, CA, Ms. Parker is pure dynamite on skis. She simply destroys any terrain she lands on. As a leader in free skiing her presents makes everyone she rides with better. Michelle lives for skiing and showing clients the best backcountry experience of their lives, drawing from her extensive experience filming big-mountain lines all over the world and attending guide school in Alaska. Michelle also does extensive volunteer work for organizations like the High Five Foundation and Alpine Initiatives, and SGT’s own sustainability efforts in Argentina. MP had another huge year in 2011-2012 while  filming with Matchstick Productions she logging some serious footage, look for her video parts in the fall of 2012. Michelle skis for Mountain Hardwear, Atomic, Dakine, Kicker, Smith, Squaw Valley, Tahoe Teas, and Wildflour Bakery.  Follow Michelle’s travels on her blog or Twitter.

Chris Coulter – Snowboard Coach & Guide

coulter-headshot If you’re familiar at all with freeride snowboarding, then Chris Coulter needs no introduction. While he’s too humble to admit it, Chris has been responsible for countless riders getting more interested in the backcountry thanks to his years of experience absolutely crushing lines from New Zealand to AK. Coulter is always leading the biggest missions and loves to get riders trying splitboarding for the first time, either for a quick tour or a multi-day mission to the Frey hut. Coulter has been @ SGT’s Argentina since 2005.  In 2012, he started working at Silverton Mountain in Colorado as a snowboard patrol and guide and at SEABA Heli in Haines, Alaska. He is currently Avalanche Level 2, OEC & WAFA certified. Chris rides for the First Ascent, Bluebird Wax, and Smith. Follow him on his blog CCoulterShred.com.

Garrett Russell – Ski Coach

Garrett Russell The Garrett Russell Experience. An adventure that’s kept people coming back for years. While he wouldn’t want us to say it, Garrett inspires people to take a different view on life and how sweet it is on a pair of skis. Garrett is stoked in every moment of skiing and approaches backcountry riding in a completely different way. You’ve seen the Youtube videos – now get The Experience. Garrett noseblocks and pow slashes for Line skis, Full Tilt boots, Dakine, Trew Gear, Smith optics, Marker bindings, Joystick poles, Telluride, and Develop clothing. Enjoy irregular updates from The Experience on Garrett’s blog.

Nicki Slechta – Snowboard Coach

Nicki Slechta Nicki came as a client in 2009 and proved herself as a member of the SGT family, coming back in 2010 as a full coach. Nicki’s a Tahoe local who is secretly really good at snowboarding… but we won’t blow up her spot. Other then having a wicked good style and the best hair in snowboarding Nicki also finished in 4th place overall on the Dew Tour in 2012. With skills like Nicki’s SGT and our clients know that we are stealing one of the best in the business even if the rest of the industry does not recognize how sick she is. Nicki is the best un-sponsored rider in the game and companies have lost there minds to not offer her huge pay days, but their inability to identify talent is our gain and we love her.

Jon Conway – Head Video Artist & Tail Guide

conwayhs “The Fat Kid”. Jon Conway is a hard working, non-complaining, shot getter. Who’s constant wind burnt cheeks let you know that he stays on the grind in all elements. “Jonway” also happens to be a maple syrup drinking, lumber-jacking, poutine eating Canadian shredder that is nice on his stick. Jon has “OG” status as a filmmaker and is charge of capturing all the radness going down at SGT Argentina each and every day. Conway has almost ten years experience as an action sports film maker, and creates many of the videos from the SGT Argentina Program. He also works as a tail guide for SGT with certification from the Canadian Ski Guide Association. Jon is an active member of the Canadian Avalanche Association and will be teaching the C.A.C Avalanche Skills Training level 1 course in Bariloche, Argentina. check out Conway’s work: http://dojomagicstudio.com/ — http://www.vimeo.com/dojomagcstudio

Ben Girardi – Head Photographer

[SinglePic not found]While he’s got enough skills on his snowboard to have earned the reputation “Sir Lands-a-lot,” Ben really creates magic when he’s behind the lens – check out our photo galleries for evidence.  As Head Photographer, Ben makes sure he’s got his finger on the shutter button whenever coaches and clients are slashing pow on Nubes, getting airborne off the Condor hip, or sending cliffs in Laguna.  A long-time client who’s now made the switch to the staff, Ben G. is the real deal check out is work http://bengirardiphotography.wordpress.com/

Pete Connolly – Ski Guide

[SinglePic not found]Pete Connolly has had his hand in just about every aspect of SGT at one point or another. Back in Argentina for his third season, “Sneaky” Pete is always down to keep skiing, hike farther and show those looking for a soul-shred mission what that really means. He spends his winters under the alias of “Pedro” guiding at Silverton Mountain in Colorado. He is also the Director of Visual Communications for SGT as his company Solid Citizen Design creates the branding aesthetic for all of SGT’s online and in print presence. By far the lankiest member of the crew, Sneaky aslo enjoys being harassed for his love of Phish.

Lucas Moore – Program Director

[SinglePic not found]Lucas Moore is pure energy, his relentless non-stop movement sets the tone for the SGT Argentina experience. His hyper focus on horrible movies, dancing, and party boy music make “The Lucas” a fan favorite and one of the reasons almost all of our clients return to Argentina. “El Mas Blanco” also heads up on-site operations, event planning, and assists in every aspect of SGT. Even with all his responsibilities he finds a way to ski everyday, hang out with clients and add media to the SGT valut of awesomeness. 2 billboard appearances at the base of Cerro Catedral and 3-time Hampton Beach dance champion — ladies and gentlemen Lucas Moore.

Tyson M. Crockett – “The Dean” of Communications

creepy-crockett-bw Tyson brings an extensive background in public education and has actually been employed as a dean of students (just a head’s up that if you are under age and you do not like to follow rules, you and Mr. Crockett will be meeting in a less then epic manner). Tyson can be found on his MacBook Pro drinking coffee and reminiscing about his past glories as an “American Legend”. As all Minnesotans do, he spends a lot of time with Prince swimming in any of the 10,000 lakes with his above average friends. “T-Bone” will be pumping the media with the real life tales of the mystical SGT experiences all summer long as well as ripping pow laps and probably hiking faster then you. Tyson Crockett he is half black but all business.

Travis Moore – Managing Director

travishs Whether he’s running the show from SGT’s New Hampshire office or keeping the staff on their toes in Argentina, Travis is the face of and driving force behind SGT, thanks in part to his diet of pure caffeine and red meat.  He was South America Snow Sessions’ Director of Sales for 7 years, and was directly responsible for 95% of all sales, boosting the program from its initial enrollment of 14 to nearly 200 clients, and before that, was the Director of Snowboarding & Freestyle at Loon Mountain.  Travis is a fixture at any asado pit, having mentored under countless Argentines over the past six summers, and is known for cooking up the best lomo of any gringo in the land.  The elder of the team, Travis’ office responsibilities now mostly revolve around watching live webcasts of surf contests, training athletes at an elite level, and figuring out which sport his first child will become pro at.

David Burg – Office Ninja & Technical / Logistics Director

n10209117_39256067_8700 After 8 years in Boulder, Colorado, David was brought into the SGT fold while living abroad in Argentina on the promise of a ski pass. In addition to his unofficial role as SGT “Office Ninja,” David manages much of SGT’s off-mountain operations in Argentina; including logistics, transportation, finance and whatever else clients need. In the off season, David manages all of SGT’s finances and contracts as well as online development.  After two seasons living in New Hampshire, David now resides in Steamboat Springs, Colorado during the North American winter. David  is an accomplished pilot (that’s too broke to rent an airplane), and is constantly harassed by Lucas to pilot his skydiving missions.