Susan and Bob - your Experienced Guides

A little about your tour guides...

Bob was raised west of Oklahoma City on a self supporting farm where his dad took he and his twin brother Bill, who also guides arrowhead hunting as young children.  From this they developed a love for the outdoors and nature.  They were taught to appreciate all that the outdoors had to offer .  Over the years, and after reading many National Geographic magazines, their interests opened up to scuba diving.  At the age of 15 they began taking lessons, and at the age of 16 they began giving lessons at the local YMCA. 

The next summer of his teen-age years,  Bob worked in Colorado Springs on a cattle ranch.  The large mountains reached out and beaconed and it was not long before he climbed Pikes Peak.  This left a longing to leave Oklahoma and make the Four Corners area home.  Shortly after this they started skydiving and flying Cessna 150, 180 and 172.  They taught skydiving for seven years.

In 1968, they took a vacation to Durango and climbed several mountains.  They moved to Colorado in late 1973.  Since then they have climbed above 14,000 feet thirty-six times on mountains such as Mt. Sneffles, The Wetterhorn and Uncompadre Peak to name just a few.  They also climbed above 13,000 feet numerous times in all kinds of weather including snow and ice.   They have served as guides to singles groups, church groups, scout groups and taken individuals to the tops of mountains and on mountain and desert trails. They are experienced in rappelling and teach the safety of climbing to beginners.

In 1990, they purchased property in a remote area of Southeastern Utah where they explored canyons, ruin sites and ancient writings.  They found literally thousands of seldom-seen sights which they enjoy sharing with their guests on their tours. 

They are members of the Colorado Archaeological Society and the Trails of the Ancients Chapter of the Utah State Archaeological Society.  They also are members of the Cortez and Dolores Chamber of Commerce and are licensed commercial guides with the Utah Bureau of Land Management.  They have attended numerous tours of Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelley, Bittatican Ruin, Lowery Ruins, Hovenweep Ruins, Cannonball Mesa Ruins, San Canyon and East Rock Canyon at Canyon of the Ancients with and without Archaeologists.  They have explored Canyonlands National Park, The Arches, rafted down the San Juan River and viewed ruins and petroglyph sites along the river edge.  In the Lake Powell area, they have explored ruin sites at the Bridges National Monument.  They have attended archaeology tours at the Ute Tribal Park and the Reed Lance Solar site west of Blanding, Utah where they explained solar sites. 

Last year they identified six new solar sites in Montezuma Canyon Utah.  Working with known Archaeologist Virginia Wolf of Chico, California they will be beguining a documentation program where they will go out on two and three day expeditions to document the sites.  The first will begin on April 1, 2008.  Under the supervision of Virginia Wolf and Ed Wheeler and working along with Four Corners School of Outdoor Education in Monticello, Utah they will be excavating a large ruin site on their property in this area.  Four Corners School will be providing food, lodging and education to elder hostile groups and others in the are for weekly excavation of this site.  Virginia Wolf also gives educational tours of the Ute Mountain Tribal Park and Chaco Canyon.

During their explorations, they found various locations which have dinosaur tracks imbedded in the river bottoms and on rocks along the cliff lines.

Susan and Bob operate a small cattle ranch and raise registered quarter horses on their Dolores, CO ranch.  Bill lives on the Utah farm and takes care of the organic garden along with guiding our guests.  On their tours, they do photography also.

They enjoy guiding and seeing the pleasure others get from viewing their findings.   Both Susan and Bob are CPR and Basic First aid certified. With this type of experience, you should feel comfortable on your tour throughout these remote areas.