Ian has been a nature lover since his childhood days of collecting rocks and exploring the foothills of Central Texas. After earning a degree in Education from UT Austin, Ian spent several years working as a product developer and director of customer experience in the ultralight backpacking industry.

During a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail in 2017, he fell in love with the state and decided to make the permanent transition in 2021, where he finished climbing all 58 Colorado 14ers, then went on to complete Colorado’s 100 Highest Centennial Peaks.

Ian now resides in Boulder, CO, where you can find him climbing at a crag or running one of the local trails. He is excited to expand his alpine skills and is training for 100 mile races. Outside of writing expert gear reviews, Ian works as a national park and backpacking guide, and is studying to become a clinical mental health counselor with the goal to integrate wilderness and nature into his therapy practice. Ian is a big believer in the trail as a common ground to heal and develop strong bonds, and can often be heard extolling the virtues of his favorite mantra — “one step at a time.”