Leaders
Our guides and leaders are enthusiastic, professional, and interesting individuals who care about giving you the best. These industry pros are highly trained and bring many years of experience and knowledge to our programs.
Ryan Foster
Title: Programs Director and Guide/Instructor
Education: BA Tourism Management> Capilano College, Vancouver BC
Adventure Guide Diploma> Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops BC
Ryan grew up at Sand Creek Ranch and spent his youth traveling through remote and rugged mountains. He has spent much of his youth and adult life seeking out challenges for the sake of personal growth and learning. Ryan holds extensive guide training through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.
Over the past 8 years Ryan has guided and instructed technical and non technical wilderness trips for Outward Bound Canada and for NOLS (the National Outdoor Leadership School). Ryan has also guided hiking and mountaineering excursions for a variety of operators and has spent 5 winters on the Snow Safety team at Whitewater Ski Resort in Nelson BC. Duties on this team included avalanche control, first aid, and teaching avalanche awareness courses.
Interests: climbing, skiing, surfing, horses, reforestation, wood working, world travel, renewable energy, being a new super dad, and developing a most unique and valuable Youth Program.
Fern Foster
Title: Nutrition & Wellness Specialist, Assistant Guide/Instructor
Education: Prince of Whales High School and TREC, Vancouver BC
Growing up in Vancouver, Fern recalls the necessity to self motivate to meet basic needs. Facing challenges known and unknown to many, Fern nurtured a beautiful strength and desire to reach beyond the limitations she faced in the city. Following an innate sense of spirituality and wellness Fern began developing, at a very young age, a great depth of knowledge of all things pertaining to health and wellness.
Fern has held a Yoga and meditation practice since she was a child and has been teaching Yoga and meditation as a certified instructor for the past 8 years. Fern is also a wellness specialist, providing food and nutrition coaching and education. Beyond this she is an accomplished outdoors women with natural ability in all backcountry disciplines.
Interests: skiing, hiking, yoga & meditation, nutrition, art, world travel, reforestation, working with youth, teaching body awareness education for young women, and being the best new mother possible.
Ryan Mark Redmond
Title: Head of Youth Programs and Guide/Instructor
Education: BS Animal Agriculture & Pre-Vet Medicine> Oregon State University, Oregon
Ryan has grown up in the northern reaches of Wisconsin hunting, fishing and skiing. He fondly recalls early backcountry experiences with his father and understands how these occasions sent him perpetually seeking the challenges, the fresh air, and the peace of wild places. Ryan is an accomplished skier, climber, mountain bike racer, and youth leader.
Over the years Ryan has been an extremely active volunteer. To mention a few notable efforts; Ryan has coached youth downhill ski racing for 5 years, volunteered/acted as assistant manager for 4 years with Big Brother while attending university, has volunteered over 300 hours with inner city youth, and most recently has spent 7 months in Piura, Peru, building a hospice for and caring for the sick and dying.
Ryan has worked extensively as a Head Instructor for a specialized wilderness therapy program in Oregon leading at-risk youth through the wilderness. Ryan's leadership in the wilderness is a great strength to our programs.
Interests: Telemark-skiing, climbing, mountain biking, world travel, hunting/fishing, and open water sailing.
Tony Richardson
Title: Guide/Instructor and Head of Creative Design
Education: BA Industrial Design> Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Vancouver BC
Adventure Guide Diploma> Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops
Tony has frequented climbing sites and other backcountry venues since he was a little boy. Growing up only minutes from Skaha climbing bluffs in Penticton BC has allowed Tony to hone his strength and skill on the rock and beyond. The precision and determination displayed on his vast climbing efforts are mirrored by his efforts as an artist. Tony holds extensive guide training through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.
Tony has spent the last 5 years as a guide and outdoor instructor for operations such as Outward Bound Canada, Skaha Rock Adventures, and Yamnuska Mountain School. Tony is a skilled leader who quickly gains the respect of youth and adults alike.
Interests: climbing, skiing, art, world travel, clothing design and manufacturing, surfing and sharing his joy and knowledge of wilderness and adventure.
Brock Anderson
Title: Guide/Instructor
Education: BA Tourism Management> Capilano College, Vancouver BC
Outdoor Rec Management Diploma> Capilano College
Adventure Toursim Training Certificate> Univeristy College, Fraser River BC
Victoria Challis
Title: Head of Womens Program , Guide/Instructor
Walt and Carol Foster
Title: Owner/Operator of Sand Creek Ranch, Horse and Ranch Programs Director
Education: Carol- BS Geology> University of California Santa Barbara
Walt- Thacher School> Ojai, California
Sand Creek Ranch was homesteaded by Walt's parents in the early 60's. Walt worked the ranch as a young boy until he reached high school years. Traveling to southern California was a drastic change from the wild reaches of a BC ranch, but a worthy progression that would be passed on to Walt's sons. As a young fellow, newly educated at the prestigious Thacher School, Walt felt he best test his education on the rodeo circuit which through triumph and physical trauma led him to Carol who was serving at the Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole. Wyoming.
In time Walt and Carol returned to the ranch to raise their new family and have been running a cow calf operation in combination with a registered quarter horse breeding program. Walt is a professional horse trainer along with son Jake. Sand Creek Ranch remains family owned and operated and manages diverse holdings among of some of the most dramatic mountains on the planet.
Walt and Carol facilitate all Horse and Ranch experiences offered by Waddington Enterprises Ltd. and have also been involved in the production and cast of feature films and TV programs such as:
IMAX: Ride around the World, Kundun, No Boundaries, and K2
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