Voice of Wilderness | Backpacking Camp

2023 Guides

Meet our Staff

Life and Wilderness Experience

Maintaining competency in the leadership of VOW has been a priority since 1973. Through continued experience in wilderness skills and programming, by maintaining the up to date emergency medical certifications needed for these trips and also training and study in biblical principles, the staff of VOW is truly committed to excellence in Christian backpacking.

Our dedicated staff maintains their employment in various professional careers, including the medical profession, petroleum industry, computer technology, various business, and financial occupations, as well as ministers and teachers. Each guide is handpicked based on his or her background, experience and training in wilderness activities and adventures, his or her desire to serve and teach others, and conviction to communicate the reality of Jesus Christ and the principles found in the books of the Bible. In addition to their experience in wilderness skills and leadership, this unique group offers a wealth of knowledge in life experiences that can relate to the roles of the business professional, parent, and student.

Required Criteria

for Guides

Wilderness First Aid- Designed for those who work or spend time in remote environments, this course teaches advanced skills to be used in emergencies when help from professional first responders may be far away. Based on current Wilderness Medicine Institute and Red Cross standards. This course aligns with OSHA’s Best Practices for Workplace First Aid Training Programs and is a basic course as an industry standard for Backpacking Guides.

Must be at least 14 years old and hold current adult CPR/AED certification. 2-year certification

CPR – Includes instruction on Basic Life Support – CPR, Automatic External Defibrillator, and Rescue Breathing.

Must be 14 years old. 2-year certification.

Leave No Trace- Online Awareness Course provides a better understanding of recreation-related impacts, the Seven Principles and how Leave No Trace skills and ethics can help protect our Wilderness Areas.

*Background Check

*Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training Course

*For trips with minor children

Harold Andrade

Rocky Mountain Challenge

Bio coming soon!
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Todd Bryant

Conquer the Divide

Todd Bryant has been involved with Voice of Wilderness since 2011. He serves as a trip guide, and in the off-season he volunteers on various projects for Voice Of Wilderness.

Todd is involved with Voice of Wilderness because it gives him the opportunity to be in the midst of God’s creation in the mountains and share how God is working in his life and in the lives of others. He believes being in the wilderness and having quiet time allows for a deeper relationship with God – Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”.

On the professional side, since 1994 Todd has been involved in the employee benefits arena. He is Founder and President of SB&K Benefits, LLC, a benefit consulting and brokerage firm. SB&K Benefits helps business owners design, implement, and maintain employee benefit plans and commercial insurance protections.

In his spare time, Todd enjoys cycling, running, and other outdoor pursuits. He is a former bicycle racer, professional bike mechanic, and has competed in ultramarathons.

Todd is married to Pati Bryant and they are raising two daughters, SaraBeth and Kate.
Conquer the Divide
Debra Cagle

Couples Retreat (Fall)

Debra is married to Tim Cagle, who is also VOW staff, and very involved with the operations of VOW. When Debra was growing up, if she was outside, it was most likely in the pool, on a track, or on a tennis court. She did not spend much time doing outdoor things like camping, fishing, or hiking.

However, Debra and Tim have 3 sons (now grown men) who he wanted to be exposed to the outdoors and spend time teaching how to camp and hike. When they were younger, Debra saw this as father/son time. As a result, all three of their boys love camping, hiking, and just being outdoors. Seth, their youngest, is also on staff with VOW.

She's still not much of a camper, but Tim's passion for the outdoors eventually pulled her out into it. Debra loves being in the mountains and enjoying the beauty and majesty of God's creation. After going on the Colorado Fall Colors trip in 2016 for the first time, she became eligible for VOW staff and has been on two additional Fall Colors trips.

These are right up her alley because you get to enjoy the wilderness by day and the lodge by night! The day hikes allow her to experience the vastness and quietness of the outdoors and she is reminded of how creative, powerful, and loving our God is. Debra has also enjoyed meeting all the people who have come on the trips and hearing their stories. One of her main roles as a staff member has been helping with the lodge and meal preparations preceding our Colorado Fall Colors trip. Debra and Tim, along with Meg & Glenn Davis, will be leading the trip again in 2023.
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Tim Cagle

Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing (TN)
Couples Retreat (Fall)

This will be Tim's 15th season as a VOW mountain guide. He has led several father-son trips and ministry group trips in the Weminuche Wilderness Area. Tim is also responsible for the VOW fly-fishing division.

Tim is a retired engineer, having spent 37 years in the oil & gas industry. He has worked in many countries and lived as an expat in Scotland and in the West African country of Equatorial Guinea. Now retired, he and his wife live in west Tennessee. They have three grown sons who also love to hike and backpack.

Martin Luther is credited as saying “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” Tim believes spending time outdoors, in God’s creation, be it in the mountains, in the canyons, on the boundary waters lake, on the trout stream, or the coastal salt marsh exposes us to reflections of the infinite beauty and glory of Jesus Christ, that lead us to worship Him and love Him. Tim wants to help people experience and behold the beauty and the glory of Jesus Christ reflected in His creation.
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Danny Call

Compassion International (group trip)

Danny and his wife Debbie have been married for 43 years. They have three children and six grandchildren and are so very blessed to have all of their awesome family in close proximity to their home in Spring, Texas.

Danny's passions are serving God, spending time with his family, and fishing. He is very active with his church singing in the choir and praise team, ushering, being a member of the Sunday morning collection count team, and for the past 12 years being the Men’s Ministry Leader. The men of his church enjoy many different scheduled events throughout the year, especially their Fresh and Salt Water Fishing Extravaganzas.

Danny retired in 2018 from the Oil and Gas Engineering business as a Piping Design Coordinator. He really enjoyed his career of 44 years.

In 2021 he was blessed to be a participant of a fly fishing trip with VOW up at the Mountain Light Lodge. Danny fell in love with it all; the Christian fellowship, the beautiful lodge, the awesome VOW guides, God’s beautiful wilderness creation, and of course the Fishing. He thought it was perfect!! Even more perfect, he will be assisting as a staff member on the 2023 Compassion International trips and believe God is so good to him.

Come and participate, it’ll be great for your body and soul.
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Katie Campbell

Ladies Fall Colors

Katie Campbell is a photographer based out of South Mississippi. For several years she has photographed weddings, people and pet portraits, nature, and landscapes. Her love for travel and the outdoors has forged a passion for photographing nature and landscapes. Katie is honored and excited to be a part of the team at VOW where she can share her knowledge and experience to help anyone better capture the beauty of the outdoors.
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Mirick Cox

Across the Continental Divide

Mirick Cox is a Trail Leader for Voice of Wilderness.

He has been married to his wife, Debbie, for over 25 years and they have two adult daughters living and working in North Texas.

Mirick is originally from Fort Worth, Texas, and attended Texas Tech University in West Texas. He has always enjoyed sports and the outdoors, but while in West Texas he discovered God’s gift of upland bird hunting and the nearby (6-8 hours is nearby in West Texas) Rocky Mountains of New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Mirick loves to experience new places and new cultures. As a Petroleum Engineer, he travels extensively and has had the opportunity to see the world, including visits, hikes, and safaris in multiple African countries. While living in Aberdeen, Scotland, not only did he play several historic golf courses, but he also gathered a stack of maps and made it a mission to hike to remote areas of the Cairngorm Mountains, using only a map and compass. Mirick often had conversations with himself. He would say, "I don’t know where I am, but I’m not lost." He can relate to that on a mountain and in his walk with Christ.

Mirick discovered Voice of Wilderness when its founder, Chet Russell, visited his church. After his first trip, he was blessed to be asked to join the staff. This has become his calling to serve. The newly developed Across the Continental Divide trip is his fourth different trip to lead, or be a part of. He enjoys new and different challenges.

Mirick is looking forward to more Across the Continental Divide trips and meeting new friends, or perhaps reacquainting with previous trippers. In 2020, they literally blazed a new trail, set new cairn markers, and navigated by map and compass. "It’ll be interesting to see what lies ahead after the snow melts. Either way, we’ll all get to experience the spiritual refreshment, educational adventure, and physical challenges that are core to the Voice of Wilderness mission."
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Jesse Crawford

Rocky Mountain High

Bio coming soon!
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Glenn & Meg Davis

Couples Retreat (Fall)

Meg has spent a large part of her life overseas, and in every place found God in His awesome creation. Her parents introduced her to the beauty of nature as they camped and hiked before she could walk. Once married, Meg introduced her husband, Glenn, and their children to the joys of camping, although she has to admit to enjoying the warmth of a fireplace more than traipsing in snow.

Meg believes there’s something special about being outdoors away from the city and daily distractions. It gives one time to be still, to reflect, and to see the majesty of the land and our place within it. She encourages everyone to take a trip with VOW and experience for themselves, the majesty of God’s creation.

Glenn grew up in Texas with lots of relatives living in the country. He has always enjoyed traipsing through the fields and woods, especially at his grandparents’ farm. Glenn met his wife, Meg, in engineering school, and they were blessed to live overseas for 13 years while raising their 3 kids.

That experience opened Glenn's eyes to the amazing diversity of God’s creation around the world and made real His calling for people from all cultures and nations. After retiring from a 30+ year career with an oil and gas company, Glenn joined Meg in becoming a Texas Master Gardener and has enjoyed learning about the diversity and complexity of nature. He has also enjoyed having more time to pursue a variety of interests, which include regular exercise (walking, yoga, etc.), DIY projects, reading, (primarily non-fiction), travel, and serving at their church in The Woodlands, TX.

Their friend, Tim, introduced them to VOW and they've been on multiple trips. They have found the fellowship invigorating, and the scenery refreshing.
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Amanda Duerksen (Wertz)

Father Daughter Adventure

Originally from Texas, Amanda has called New York City home away from home for almost 14 years and lives in Manhattan with her husband. She has a degree in Musical Theatre and moved after college to passionately pursue those dreams. Amanda made a change from performing on stage to running things behind the scenes and is the Operations Manager for FPA - Fellowship for Performing Arts, a non-profit organization creating and producing professional theatre from a Christian Worldview.

Amanda has been leading trips with VOW since 2012 and enjoys the time she gets to spend out on the trail escaping from the concrete craziness to reconnect with the Lord and the Word, as well as with her dad and those alongside for the journey. She is so thankful to have experienced how God uses the week in the wilderness to strengthen relationships between fathers and daughters, and with Him, and is excited for all still to come.
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Chris Ely

E210 Outdoors (group trip)

Grandfather, Father, Husband, servant leader and avid outdoorsman, Chris has volunteered in inner-city ministries since 2014 to connect and recruit young men for challenging outdoor adventures. Passionate about his faith and the beauty of the great outdoors, Chris has been called to offer inner-city youth a chance to experience once in a lifetime adventure trips. Along with close friends, Chris established E210 Outdoor Ministries in 2017 with the purpose of taking at-risk youth men on challenging and faith-based adventure trips into the San Juan National Wilderness. E210 Outdoors is proud to partner with Voice Of Wilderness to offer these youth an experience that connects them with nature and can guide them in their discovery of identity.
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Ken Gallegos

Compassion International (group trip)

Since Ken was young, he has enjoyed the outdoors and the sport of fishing. He has participated in the VOW Men’s Fly Fishing trip on a yearly basis since 2013. The 2018 VOW season was his first year on staff where he assisted with the Fly Fishing trip and a couple of other trips by cooking meals and assisting at Mountain Light Lodge. Ken is looking forward to co-leading the 2023 Compassion International group trip.

Ken retired after a 35-year career as an Air Traffic Controller; 4 years in the Marine Corps and 31 years with the Federal Aviation Administration. He and his wife, Carol, reside in The Woodlands, TX, and Pagosa Springs, CO. He recommends participating in a VOW trip as a way to renew your mind through Christian fellowship and enjoy the awesome nature of God’s creation!
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Keith Harrison

Rocky Mountain Challenge

Keith Harrison is excited to be a part of Voice of Wilderness. He’s been married to his amazing wife, Christina, for over 26 years and have four sons (Hunter, Jacob, Luke, and Noah).

Keith grew up in the Houston area, lived in the Denver area for about five years, and currently lives in The Woodlands, TX. He has spent his entire adult life working in full-time ministry (mostly as a pastor) and currently serves as the Director of Guest Relations and Church Partnerships at Carolina Creek Christian Camps just outside of Huntsville, TX.

Though he’s only been involved with Voice for a year, he’s known Chet and the Ministry of Voice for well over a decade. Keith has been on more than 30 backpacking trips and led more than two dozen groups in the wilderness throughout the years. He does not think there is a more intentional or intensive way to get to know the Lord and other people than to leave our normal pace in life and spend time in God’s creation. It’s one of Keith’s favorite things to do every year.

He looks forward to sharing this incredible experience with other people who seek to grow closer to Christ and closer to each other during this amazing experience. Keith knows God is going to do great things in us and through our time in the wilderness. He can’t wait to see you in the mountains!

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Jacob Helmka

Appalachian Trail

Jacob Helmka's outdoor experience started at a young age. Growing up in Michigan, he experienced mild summers and some harsh winters. In 1996 his family moved to Idaho, where he soon discovered fly-fishing and hiking in the mountains. Jacob also joined the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) through his church.

After a year in Idaho, his family moved back to Michigan where he continued scouting in Traverse City. Jacob also continued his outdoor adventures. Eventually, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2007 and has been Scouting as an adult since that time. He was commissioned as a U.S. Navy Officer in 2012 and stationed in Virginia. He became a member of Oak Grove UMC and their BSA troop as an adult leader. Jacob was awarded the Cross and Flame award from his church for his dedication to youth and the promotion of scouting.

Jacob works as a Security Manager (FSO) for a government contractor, earned his Master of Divinity at Regent University, and started an outdoor guide business: Creative Guiding LLC. He discovered Voice of Wilderness while writing his Master’s Thesis, “God’s Word as Revealed in Nature: An Analysis of Outdoor Ministries God’s Presence.” In his Thesis, he wrote about various scouting programs for youth. With his education and outdoor experience, he hopes to add to the mission and purpose of VOW.

Jacob and his wife, Rachel, look forward to their adventure of life together since getting married in January and moving to Colorado!

He has traveled around the world for both pleasure and work. On any trip he goes on, he does his best to experience the culture and the wilderness. His mission is to continue teaching and leading others to enjoy life in the outdoors and share with others all that life has to offer through the God of all creation.
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Cullen Landis

Trail Blazers

Cullen Landis considers himself blessed to be involved with VOW for the past few years as a participant and staff member.

He has been married to his wonderful wife since 2000 and they have two awesome teenage children.

Cullin has been a professional firefighter and EMT since 2007. He has been an avid hunter since he was a child and has always been in awe of our Lord's creation.

He looks forward to seeing you on the trail this year!
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Josh Landis

Trail Blazers

Josh has been married to his high school sweetheart since 2003 and together, they have three active boys! Growing up in South Texas has given Josh a love of all things outdoors, including hunting, camping, and hiking!

He is a certified EMT, Firefighter, and Paramedic, and has worked for the Houston Fire Department since 2005. Josh and his family are active members of their church and community in Montgomery, Texas. They stay pretty busy with football, soccer, and other various sports, but their favorite activities involve backpacks, tents, s'mores, and stars!

Upon discovering Pagosa Springs in 2010 and joining VOW in 2020, Josh and his family have grown to love everything the area has to offer, from the vast beauty of the mountains to the natural healing of the springs. God has truly provided an oasis for all to enjoy and truly experience His wonder! Come explore with us!
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Tandy Martin

Ladies Fall Colors

Tandy Martin has always loved spending time in God’s creation. She and her husband were blessed with six wonderful kids and through the years have made many happy memories exploring trails, primarily day hikes in the Smokies. A few years ago, Tandy began extending trail time into overnight backpacking trips, finding joy in the minimalist life of what fits in a backpack, the physical challenge of the terrain, and the simple time with God in nature. As she lives in Mississippi, most of her elevation experience has been in the southern Appalachian Mountains. She has also enjoyed exploring areas in CO and the southwestern US as well.

In 2020, she considers herself blessed to have connected with VOW and participated in the Women’s Backpacking Trip which she considers spectacular. Subsequently, she considers herself fortunate to be able to return and assist in the leadership of future trips.

"It was such a treat to share the trail and fellowship with such adventurous ladies who see God in the wildness of nature, and I look forward to more journeys with Voice of Wilderness.:"
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Lori & Mike McMullen

Couples Retreat (Fall)

Mike has always been a backpacker. He started hiking the mountains of San Gorgonio Wilderness in SoCal as a teenager, to The Tetons, Denali Range, and Wrangells of Alaska. After discharge from eight years in the Army, he started hiking the Grand Canyon logging over 350 miles on various trails. The vast expanse of the Canyon made it a place he wanted to share with family and friends. GOD’s plans are always bigger and better than our plans. In 2017, Mike and his wife of 23 years committed to a “Clean Water Climb,” raising money to repair water wells in Malawi for Child Legacy International by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. They connected with Voice of Wilderness halfway around the world as Chet Russell was also on that trip. They knew VOW was to be part of their retirement plans. Mike retired from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in 2019 as Digital Forensics Investigator/Cybersecurity Director combining 40+ years of service working in Army Secure Communications, NASA Mission Control development at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Information Security Management in the private sector.

Lori grew up a waterskier. She always adored the beauty of lakes and mountains and the sound of moving water. While active, she wasn’t ever an avid sportsperson. She then fell in love with Michael, and guess where he took her on their honeymoon? The Grand Canyon—and not just the rim of the Canyon—no, they hiked to the bottom—in January! Hiking has since been a source of pleasure and accomplishment for them. Lori prefers day hikes. After six days on Mt. Kilimanjaro without a shower, she’d prefer hotel-to-hotel hiking. She and Mike met at a Vineyard Church and have been involved in numerous bodies of Believers since then. She's a mother of 3 and “Lolli” to nine grandkids. (Yes, Mike is “Pops.”) As they travel, they enjoy finding brothers and sisters in Christ wherever they go. Their ministry has been to young adults and the homeless. Mike and Lori love small groups and hearing people’s stories.
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David Morrison

Conquer the Divide

David and his wife have 4 grown children, and the entire family enjoys outdoor activities. Despite working in an office environment, he spends time outside as much as possible, where God’s majesty is evident in His creation. David enjoys sharing outdoor experiences with others, when we see God’s handiwork and His glory as we get away from the hustle & bustle of the city and the busyness of our everyday lives.

He has been hiking & backpacking for over 30 years, and is experienced in a variety of outdoor activities. David is an expert snow skier, and has been ice climbing and mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies. He likes mountain biking, but especially enjoys running distances up to a half marathon, leading age group divisions in both trail runs and road races.

David believes that as we spend time outdoors, the peace and quiet we experience helps us become more attuned to God’s leading in our lives, as our hearts become more receptive to Jesus Christ. When we are challenged in the outdoors, we become refreshed and renewed, both physically and spiritually.
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Marcos Omelanczuk

Fly Fishing Adventure - Colorado

Marcos was born and raised in Argentina, came to the USA when he was 17 years old, and has been here ever since. He grew up in the foothills of the Andes (Mendoza), and always loved and been passionate about the outdoors, hiking, fishing, snow skiing, mountain biking, running, and cycling.

When he is not in the mountains or enjoying the outdoors, Marcos spends his time volunteering for different organizations, such as Voice of Wilderness and Habitat for Humanity.
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Brent Phillips

Fall Colors Photography
Mountain Light Music Festival

Brent is a proud VOW guide and has been participating in VOW backpacking trips since he was in the 7th grade! Brent grew up in north Houston and lived down the street from a little mom-and-pop backpacking shop called Trekker Mountain Sports. Little did he realize at the time how significant an impact this shop would have on his life! Chet Russell owned and operated the shop and that is where he learned of Voice of Wilderness' ministry.

Brent has spent most of his life in the mountains and through VOW, has come to understand how God heals, restores, and speaks to us through the solitude and beauty of His creation. A return to the wilderness is a return to both freedom and strength.

Brent has guided for VOW since 1995. He is the Professor of Trombone at Baylor University and the Faculty in Residence in Baylor's North Village which is home to 165 first-year students. Brent loves backpacking, triathlons, fly-fishing, bow hunting, mountain biking, and road cycling of all sorts.
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Oliver Phillips

Run The Rockies

Oliver Phillips is a dedicated Father, Husband, Adventurer and Follower of Christ. He has been exploring the mountains and chasing adventures his whole life, from High Alpine Ultra-Trail Running to BackCountry Skiing, Long Treks up the Colorado Rockies to Climbing Volcanoes in Guatemala… let's go live life!

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DeEtte Philips

Run the Rockies

DeEtte is wife to Oliver Phillips and they have three children, Hadley, Weston, and Amon. Together they are a fun having and fun loving family. You can usually find them on trails around the San Juans either running, hiking or mountain biking.

They were introduced to Voice Of Wilderness years ago when Oliver began leading backpacking trips with our organization. DeEtte came on board to help assist in our Running the Rockies trips.

They live in Pagosa Springs and are so happy to call this beautiful place home. She spends most of her time being a stay at home mom and part time Art teacher at the middle school in Pagosa.
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Heather Robards

Ladies Fall Colors

They say there are people that gravitate more toward the beach, and there are those that gravitate more toward the mountains. Heather enjoys a mixture of all nature but finds herself traveling more and more to the mountains each year. Her love for the outdoors started as a young child with family… camping, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors together.

Her first experience with Voice of Wilderness was in 2016, and like many others, she fell in love with the wilderness experiences Voice Of Wilderness offers; the treks, the challenges, and the community of people who love the Lord. With each year, she likes that no trip or trek is ever the same. Heather feels there are stunning views in every direction, the solitude is refreshing, the encouragement from others is always strong and the feeling of accomplishment on the trails is incredible. Being able to meet a range of people with diverse personalities and professions, and celebrating Jesus is a favorite part of each journey Heather embarks on. Heather believes in the end, the newfound accomplishments, the new friendships & memories made, and the community in Him is the best reward!

When she is not trekking in the mountains, Heather is a professional photographer. For over a decade she has been photographing weddings, families, portraits, events, and more. When Heather is not working, she finds herself outdoors on trails with friends and her pup, painting, woodworking with family, and spending as much time with her son as he allows (22 yrs old).

Heather considers it a true blessing and an honor to be able to serve Jesus and Voice Of Wilderness on wilderness adventures. She looks forward to trekking with everyone!

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Austin Rumpel

Joshua 1 Ministries (group trip)

Austin feels he has had the honor and privilege of serving with Voice of Wilderness and Joshua 1 Ministries for several years. Not only does he love these trips but he is continually encouraging others to go on these trips. He believes meeting God and fellowshipping with other believers while getting to disconnect from electronics and the rest of the world creates space for God to speak and move.

Austin has always loved the outdoors and thoroughly enjoys reading and writing, and enjoys using communication, verbal and written, to share God and His incredible love and desire for us.

Currently, he is serving with Voice of Wilderness on the Joshua 1 Ministries trips. Austin is already super stoked to get to share our incredible Jesus and share time with Him and others in the beautiful Colorado wilderness.

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Warren Rumpel

Joshua 1 Ministries (group trip)

Warren grew up in the mountains of northern New Mexico, where he has always been interested in the outdoors, people, culture, and travel. Warren has three degrees from New Mexico Military Institute and New Mexico State University. He has over 40 years of work and leadership experience; commissioned as a military officer and served as a battery commander in the Army National Guard, almost 20 years in mid-level retail management and business consulting, and a dozen years serving in various leadership roles at WoodsEdge Community Church, The Woodlands, Texas.

In addition to his everyday work, he has led over a dozen mission trips to Honduras, Ecuador, Malawi, Kenya, and Mexico, as well as Israel, and has been highly involved in ministry within his community.

Warren has been married to Donna for 29 years, and they have four children (three married) ranging in age from 18 to 28. Warren has a passion for adults of all ages to find their identity in Christ and find their unique calling and purpose in life. Warren desires for Joshua 1 Ministries to produce generations of World Changers, Kingdom Workers, and Servant Leaders for Christ Jesus.
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Chet Russell

Peak Bagging Challenge
Wilderness Skills

Chet has a B.A. Degree in History from the University of Houston and formally studied Bible through the Institute of Biblical Studies and Moody Theological Seminary. He taught History, Political Science, Special Education, and Entrepreneurship in the public school system for 20 years. Chet was also an EMT for the past 45 years. He was a staff member of Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) for two years and has been the founder and owner of Trekker Mountain Sports for 25 years.

Chet designed, patented, and licensed products for specialty backpacking and mountaineering companies for many years. He is the founder and owner of Mountain Ligh Gear and Apparel, which presently produces its own unique products.

He is the developer and owner of Mountain Light Lodge, which serves as Base Camp for Voice of Wilderness and is the founder and president of Voice of Wilderness, which began operating in 1973.

Chet has hiked a lot of miles over the past 50 years and is still going - to God be the glory. He is a strong believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and is committed to making Him known through His ingenious creation - Romans 1:20
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Randy Skinner

Warrior's Blueprint for Life

Randy’s experience with Voice Of Wilderness began as a senior in high school in 1975 on a trek to the GrandTeton Mountains Wind River Range, which included glacier ice climbing. He then began as a guide for VOW trips for the next decade. His experience with Voice Of Wilderness opened the door for him to be one of the few who climbed Mt. Ararat, Turkey in Search of Noah’s Ark with former Apollo 15 Astronaut, Jim Irwin (8th man on the moon).

Randy is an urban strategist and criminal justice consultant engaged in public policy, civic engagement, and political appointment by mayors of the nation’s largest cities. He has served with the White House Faith-Based Office, the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & Agriculture, and the U.S. Dept. Of Housing, Urban, and Development. He has overseen disaster relief, urban development, homelessness, and hunger challenges with a free market response. He is currently involved in urban development in Dallas, Texas, West Palm Beach, FL, and St. Louis, MO.

You can probably find him and his wife Tammy mentoring young leaders at their favorite coffee shop alongside their daughters in sunny South Florida. Randy has most recently re-engaged with Voice Of Wilderness trips focused on life coaching skills to help participants move into success with significance. He is a certified life coach with JML (John Maxwell Leadership) and holds a B.A. and Master’s Degree in Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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Justin & Jordan Strecker

Smoky Mountain Fall Colors for Couples

Jordan & Justin Strecker's first VOW experience was the Rocky Mountain High Challenge Series trip in July 2016. That amazing trip mixed their love for Jesus, His Creation, awesome fellowship & great physical challenge. They knew they would be part of this ministry in some capacity to help others see God’s goodness through that powerful combination! Not only did they become guides, but have also partnered with VOW to serve as ‘base camp’ for all of the Spectacular Smoky Mountain adventure trips (https://genesisranch.org/).
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Kevin Talley

Peak Bagging Challenge

Kevin is a retired oil and gas executive with a passion for international ministry work. He spent 40 years in the industry, including 14 years as President of Tana Exploration. He has a degree in Geology from Oklahoma State University. He has been involved in international ministry work for the past 20 years. Kevin is now Chairman of the Board of Child Legacy International and has been a board member for the past 10 years. He was International Ministry Coordinator for Church Project in The Woodlands and helped found Church Project Winter Park in Colorado and serves on its Board. He is also a Staff Guide for Voice of Wilderness.

As Chairman of the Board of Child Legacy International, Kevin is committed to helping CLI achieve its mission of bringing hope and a future to rural Malawi and Zimbabwe through sustainable development programs in Clean Water, Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He believes that CLI's work can serve as a model for other rural
ministries throughout sub-Sahara Africa.

Kevin has participated in 14 Child Legacy Clean Water Climbs, leading four trips to South America and three in Colorado. The Clean Water Climbs are designed to raise money for Water Well repair in Malawi, Africa through Child Legacy International. He will lead the joint Voice of Wilderness/Child Legacy Peak Baggers Challenge in August. Kevin has climbed Aconcagua
(22,838’) in Argentina twice, Cotopaxi (19,347’) in Ecuador twice, Kilimanjaro (19,341’) in Tanzania twice, Pico de Orizaba (18,491’) in Mexico, and 15 Fourteeners in Colorado multiple times. Kevin loves the outdoors and especially being in the mountains enjoying God’s creation.

Kevin and his wife, Lesa, have 4 children and 8 grandchildren. They split their time between homes in Granby, Colorado, and Montgomery, Texas, and desire to make a better world for future generations.
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Rick Wertz

Father Daughter Adventure
Father Son Adventure

Rick Wertz, Founder & President of Faithful Fathering, has been married to Linda for 41 years. Together, they have two grown children, Amanda and Tom who help run the father-daughter and father-son trips respectively. Rick earned a B.S. Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas, 1980, worked in the corporate world 15-years, completed Graduate Course Study - Dimensions of Fathering Abilene Christian University, 1996, and founded Faithful Fathering in May 2000.
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Tom Wertz

Father Son Adventure

Tom Wertz was born and raised in Texas with a passion for sports and adventure. He has been a part of Voice of Wilderness since 2013, and professionally is a design engineer for OneSubsea in Houston.

I grew up playing sports and witnessed how competition forms a brotherhood between teammates. Early morning workouts, coaches pushing us beyond our limits, and intense competition has forged lasting friendships. My first trip into the wilderness revealed how the freedom from all the distractions, all the noise, and all the barriers in our lives fosters an ideal environment to heal, form, and deepen relationships. I’m thankful to be able to see and be a part of God using the sunrises over mountaintops, physical exhaustion on the trail, and campfire chats under the stars to nurture relationships between Him and His sons and daughters.
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