Michael O'Connell

– Wildland Guide and Blog Contributor –

Michael is an avid hiker, skier, rock climber, ice climber, and mountain man, which is surprising given his upbringing in the flat state of Iowa. While pursuing an archeology degree at the University of Iowa, a rural archeological dig in the hills of Peru sparked his love for travel. Since then, his many climbing and mountaineering adventures have taken him across the globe to Argentina, Nepal, Greece, Canada and Mexico, as well as across the US in his van. When he’s not in the backcountry he enjoys baking cookies, playing guitar, doing crosswords, and of course, planning for his next trip. He enjoys guiding for Wildland Trekking because it allows him to share his passion for the national parks with people from different places and backgrounds.