Carrie grew up in Madison, WI as the youngest of six kids—which means she mastered the art of scream-talking early. As a kiddo, she always felt most at home outside, spending long summer days in the local forest preserves building forts, catching bugs until sunset, hunting and fishing with her family, and going on camping trips in the Summer.
Before stepping into guiding, Carrie followed a winding trail. Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology and working as a restoration ecologist across the Midwest, reviving prairies and stewarding native landscapes. Then managing multiple restaurants in small mountain towns in Colorado. Through every chapter, one thing stayed constant: she ran toward the mountains in her free time. She built her life around shoulder seasons, carving out space for road trips to climbing destinations across the country—seeking out new rock and landscapes to play on.
In early 2020, Carrie decided to take the leap to nomadic life and prioritize climbing and travel. She and her partner bought a school bus and hit the road, spending the winter in the American Southwest climbing, hiking, biking, and running beneath wide desert skies. The future was uncertain—but the direction felt true.
Along her travels Carrie met the owner of Devil’s Lake Climbing Guides, and they immediately hit it off, and was hired on the spot. She worked her way from apprentice to lead instructor and helped develop new programs and events for the community. Now, she’s thrilled to bring her Midwestern hospitality, dirtbag spirit, and deep love of wild places to Joshua Tree. For Carrie, guiding is about more than climbing—it’s about connection: to yourself, to your partners, and to the landscape around you.
When she’s not guiding, you’ll likely find her trail running, hunting, reading, practicing yoga, crushing a basket of french fries, or wrangling her 17 nieces and nephews—still working on recruiting all of them into climbing.
Certifications: AMGA Rock Guide Apprentice; Wilderness First Responder