Top Guides has two Directors who are well known in the local outdoor community.
Rob Needs
Rob became well known in the outdoor community during his time as owner of Kiwi Outdoors Centre (Army Stores). He has been a Land Search and Rescue volunteer, and has operated the Taranaki Mountain Shuttle since 2006. Likely to be your first point of contact, Rob’s visitor industry knowledge will ensure a successful venture.
george White
After many years in the Police force, including multiple overseas deployments in the tropics, George has strong cultural understanding. He is a former member of the Police Search and Rescue team and was the alpine specialist for this team. George has a significant background in the outdoors as an instructor for the Mountain Safety Council, and has adventured in many places around the world.
George is our Head Guide who assesses and moderates our guiding staff and ensures our safety plan is adhered to.
GUIDES
dave bolger
Dave has 25+ years mountaineering experience and has worked professionally in the outdoor industry for 20 years throughout New Zealand. Dave learnt his craft on the slopes of Mount Taranaki before moving to the South Island to gain more experience and to be closer to the Southern Alps. Dave has since returned home to Taranaki with his family and is enjoying the lifestyle Taranaki has to offer.
Dave has a solid outdoor resume with hundreds of first accents throughout New Zealand to his name, and also climbed Mount Cook for the first time at the age of 15 years. Dave has obtained the highest outdoor instructor qualifications possible for Alpine & Rock in New Zealand (NZOIA Alpine 2 & Rock 2), and he also holds a Stage One Avalanche Certificate and pre-hospital first aid certificate. Dave has been a member of the Fox Glacier, Southern Lakes and Taranaki Alpine Cliff Rescue Teams over the years. Dave brings a wealth of experience to the Top Guides Guiding Team and has in-depth knowledge of the alpine environment. He has a relaxed nature, however an eye for detail when it comes to safety and endless enthusiasm for the sport.
Dave also works as an Environmental Scientist and has a strong affinity with the natural environment. He also enjoys surfing and hanging out with his two boys and wife during his spare time.
Nick Brown
Nick has a passion for facilitating adventure in the outdoors, especially in the mountains or on a river, and has now been doing so professionally for over 20 years including several seasons in Japan cross-country ski instructing and raft guiding. Nick still enjoys working in different outdoor centers around the country. Nick enjoys most adventures that Taranaki can offer such as; white water kayaking, skiing, climbing, surfing and a good, relaxing bush walk and camp in our temperate rain forest.
GRANT UPSON
Grant’s family has been active in the climbing and hiking scene in Taranaki for over 50 years, so it is no wonder that Grant has a strong connection with Mt Taranaki. A member of the Taranaki Alpine Club, he has served on the Committee and has been an Instructor for various Club courses.
Grant has been involved with search and rescue as a volunteer for the Alpine Cliff Rescue (ACR) and also the low level bush teams. The operational activity of these groups requires extensive knowledge of Mt Taranaki, it’s weather patterns and many tracks.
Grant has also been an alpine specialist volunteer crew member on the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, continuing his commitment to helping keep people safe in this very special place.
Katrina Shepherd
A life long passion and involvement in the outdoors lead Kat to a career in outdoor education with time as an instructor with Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits Education Centre (TOPEC), and a ski instructor/guide in Japan. Kat brings to Top Guides a quick smile, some spoken Japanese and a real thirst for outdoor experiences, especially rock climbing and mountaineering. Katrina shares her love of the outdoors with her three children.
Katrina holds qualifications from NZOIA (New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association)
NICK FORD
Nick’s first outdoor experiences were with Scouts in the Waikato and then in Taranaki. While still at school Nick joined the Taranaki Alpine Club where he learnt to climb snow, ice and rock. He was on the Club committee for 14 years and was Club captain for 5 years. He has tramped and climbed extensively throughout New Zealand and in Australia. Following assisting in several search and rescue experiences, Nick joined the Mountain Safety Council and become an outdoor instructor, trained in bush and mountaincraft, and in 1991 was assessed as a MSC mountaincraft instructor. Nick was an active Committee member of MSC Taranaki since joining and the Chairman for 9 years. He held five MSC Instructor awards, he is a national trainer and assessor for NZMSC, and has instructed on hundreds of courses over the last 30 years. Nick as enjoyed the personal and professional skill development he has gained with MSC, including training with NZMGA guides in the Mt Cook and Westland National Parks, advanced first aid and medic skills and adult learning training. Nick has worked and instructed for schools, polytechnics and several guiding operations for over 20 years.
Nick holds qualifications from Skills Active New Zealand
STEPHEN RITSON
SCOTTY MORGAN
