Meet the Basecamp Ouray Team
Spencer Purvis, Guide
From his exuberant demeanor to his love of Widespread Panic, Spencer brings a much-loved Southern flair to the Ouray community. Originally from Mississippi, he's been a force in Ouray for years. A consummate professional, Spencer is working his way through the AMGA disciplines and always pursuing more education. He's currently an Apprentice Rock and Alpine Guide, a certified Single Pitch Instructor, and has completed the Ice Instructor Course. He Maintains a Wilderness First Responder Certification and has also completed a Pro 1 Avalanche course. In the past 5 years he has guided primarily on Colorado's Western Slope, but also on Denali in Alaska, the Cascades of Washington, and many of the technical 14ers throughout Colorado. When he's not working you can find him chasing his rugrat Ryder, and slowly introducing him to an adventurous mountain life.
Certifications:
RGC, IIC, AGC
WFR
PRO 1
Highlights:
30 years of climbing from NC to California, and from Mexico to Canada.
Summits of Mount Rainier, The Grand Teton, Mount Baker
32 Colorado 14er's
Two seasons guiding on the West Buttress of Denali.
Nico Leis, Guide
Nico is a native Georgian who traded the beauty of the forested hills for the grandeur of the craggy mountains when he moved out West to pursue his passion for climbing. His original introduction to pushing his body in the mountains came from long distance thru-hiking and trail running. He enjoys the act of moving and connecting with his body and pushing himself to perform even when it gets very difficult. He treats climbing as a spiritual endeavor - he has learned so much about himself and the world around him by challenging himself in the mountains. Whether he’s running ridges, climbing splitter cracks, speed climbing big walls, swinging ice tools, getting pumped on hard sport routes, bouldering or summiting peaks - he is most in his element when he is moving his body through challenging terrain. His favorite places to climb are: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Ouray, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and Indian Creek. Some of his proudest personal accomplishments in the mountains are: climbing “The Nose” on El Capitan in 12 hours, free climbing “Golden Gate” on El Capitan, sending a 20 foot roof crack called “Separate Reality” on his first try, doing a linkup of 7 multi-pitch routes totalling 60 pitches in 9 hours in Red Rocks, and free climbing the spectacular finger crack “Moonlight Buttress” in Zion. Nico’s greatest passion is sharing his personal love for the mountains with others. His proudest guiding accomplishments are: teaching a couple how to self-sufficiently climb multi-pitch rock, taking a dad and his daughter rock climbing for her first time and showing her that she could do more than she ever imagined, helping someone realize her lifetime goal of summiting Mt. Rainier after failing multiple times previously, and watching the excitement in someone’s eyes when he felt the “click” of proper ice climbing technique, and made it to the top of one of the hardest routes in the Ouray Ice Park. When Nico is not climbing, he is seeking a healthy life balance - he enjoys playing ping pong, pool, ultimate frisbee, and chess. He also likes to river surf, cook for himself and for his friends, do yoga, and meditate. Nico is a Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace Trainer, and he has completed his AMGA Advanced Rock Guide Course/Exam and an Avalanche Level 1 course.
Certifications:
RGC, ARGC/AE, ICC
Level 1
WFR
Highlights:
Craig Luebben Scholarship for AMGA Rock Guide Exam
Speed ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in 12 hours
9 times summiting Mt. Rainier including in-a-day ascent of Liberty Ridge
Flash Separate Reality (5.12 roof crack in Yosemite)
7 multi-pitch routes/56 total pitches of climbing Red Rock, Nevada in 10 hours
Thru-hiked northern half of Pacific Crest Trail and full Arizona Trail
Alex Kiemel, Guide
I grew up on the East coast near a small ski resort in New Jersey. At this small resort and on weekend trips to Vermont, I became obsessed with sliding down mountains on two planks. In 2014, I moved West to Summit County Colorado for bigger mountains and better skiing. With the move, I was introduced to climbing and fell in love immediately. Since then, I have honed my skills in skiing and climbing from the East coast to the Pacific Northwest. I received a degree in Outdoor Education from Colorado Mountain College in 2021. Currently, I am enrolled in the Avalanche Science Program at CMC where I will continue my journey in avalanche education. I moved to the San Juans in 2023 and feel that I have found a place to settle. I have completed an AMGA Rock Guides Course and plan to further my education in all three disciplines of practice. As a guide, my goal is to share my passion and knowledge with others. Looking forward to getting out with you!
Certifications:
RGC, IIC
WFR
PRO 1
AA in Outdoor Education
Suzanna Lourie, Guide
I grewOriginally from Vermont, Suzanna has felt called to wild places and big adventures for as long as she can remember. She spent the first iteration of her professional life working as a travel writer & journalist in Costa Rica and Central America. In 2017, Suzanna followed an opportunity from Nepal all the way to southwest Colorado. That year she began guiding and climbing in the San Juan Mountains and the rest, as they say, was history. Like many of us, Suzanna came to climbing after pushing herself to the limit in non-technical mountain pursuits. For the past five years she has relentlessly devoted herself to technical climbing on rock and ice. Suzanna’s favorite mountain activity is definitely swinging tools into sticky blue water ice, but she admits that a good long quest up high on moderate alpine rock is a close second. Whatever the mechanism, Suzanna is most inspired by “alpine puzzles” – any objective that requires multiple skill sets and a sense of adventure to solve deep in unexplored corners of any given mountain range. Suzanna is an AMGA Apprentice Alpine, Ice & Rock Guide. She has taken her Pro 1 Avalanche Course, and is a Leave No Trace Trainer, WFR/CPR. Outside climbing, Suzanna enjoys long runs above 13k with her dog, thrifting for sport, and sometimes drawing with pen. She is a certified yoga teacher and aspires to guide remote high altitude terrain and mountain peaks in the world’s greater ranges.
Certifications:
RGC, IIC, AGC
WFR
PRO 1
Highlights:
Nothin' too special. Climbed all 13,000' peaks within 10 miles of Silverton during covid - 98 peaks in 5 months!
Mallorie Estenson, Guide
Mallorie Estenson is a mountain guide hailing from the Cascades and the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She finds joy in all seasons climbing rock and alpine routes in the summer, and chasing ice and the perfect powder turn in the winters. She has guided in the North Cascades, Nevada, Alaska and Ecuador. Since the very beginning of her climbing career, she knew that she wanted to pay forward the gift of mentorship that others had given to her. She holds the following AMGA credentials: AGC, RGC, SGC, IIC, AAGC and is an AIARE Avalanche Instructor, Wilderness First Responder.
Certifications:
RGC, IIC, AAGC/AE, SGC
WFR
PRO 1
Highlights:
Journalism B.A. from Western Washington University (2015;) published work with Alpinist Magazine
Scholarships: Guide Like Liz (American Alpine Institute,) Backcountry.com Ski Guide Scholarship, AMGA International Women's Day + Mammut
6000M ascents in Alaska, Ecuador and Nepal; first & only climber in my family
Ambassador: LINE Skis, Marmot, Backcountry Access, Wolfe Optics
Dog mama to a beautiful husky!
Kai Parker, Guide
Kai was born & raised in Houston Texas. While there he developed a passion for highlining which he pursued around the country for two years. Once he discovered climbing he started to pursue it avidly until present day. His passion for climbing is through big wall climbing. He’s bagged 10+ ascents of Yosemite’s El Capitan via 6 different routes. Now living in Ouray he spends most of his time training or climbing in the Black Canyon of Gunnison. What He enjoys the most about guiding “Is getting to really challenge someone and be there for them throughout the whole process.”
Certifications:
SPI
WFR
Lexi Cady, Operations Manager
Lexi has worked many jobs in the outdoor industry and has found a love helping others get outside in a multitude of ways. She enjoys getting out on snow or up in altitude on a cliff but also finds joy in setting others up for success. She's has a knack for helping to build up programs and keep an operation smooth. Her role here at basecamp ranges from answering your phone calls/emails, to helping with permits to any other logistics that need to get done. She is the operations manager and if there's a problem she is quick to find the solution. In her free time she can be found skiing, climbing, traveling or enjoying a nice cup of coffee.
Certifications:
PRO 1
WFR
Clint Cook, Co-Owner, Head Guide
Clint is an IFMGA Certified Mountain Guide. He has been guiding in the San Juans for over twenty years. He is a senior member of the AMGA Instructor Team. Clint specializes in coaching ice movement skills and preparing individuals for challenging alpine ascents around the world.
Certifications:
IFMGA
WFR
Scott Rowley, Co-Owner
Scott is a high-performing professional, deeply passionate about peak performance and adventure. His fascination with nature, flow states, and leadership has shaped his personal and professional life. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Scott honed his skills skiing and climbing in the Cascade mountain range. His journey led him from being a sponsored ski athlete to a coach in mindset and business. He has guided U.S. Olympic Ski and Ice Climbing athletes, entrepreneurs, and professionals, combining his love for the mountains with his expertise in peak performance. His adventurous spirit has taken him around the world, including a transformative solo trek to Everest base camp in Nepal and the summit of Chukhung Ri 18208 ft. An Eagle Scout and Wilderness First Responder, Scott is often coined as an 'adventure leader' by peers and family. He applies the principles of leadership, teamwork, decision-making, and perseverance learned in the wilderness to his professional endeavors. These skills are vital in his role at Basecamp Ouray, where he serves as the integrator of systems, supporting our smooth operations. Scott holds a BS in Entrepreneurship from Oregon State University and studied International Business at Lund University in Sweden. His extensive experience spans corporate and startup sectors, where he's contributed to scaling businesses from initial stages to $50M+ in ARR. Driven by a purpose to harness his leadership abilities and adventurous spirit, Scott aims to enhance the performance and well-being of individuals, teams, and organizations. At Basecamp Ouray, Scott not only interacts with clients but also leads his team, integrating diverse systems to maintain seamless operations. In his personal time, he's either investing in his growth, planning his next mountain expedition, or enjoying active recovery by a Montana lake, skiing deep in the backcountry or exploring Glacier National park with his friends and family.
Certifications:
Level 1 AVY
WFR
Highlights:
Climbed to summit of Chukhung Ri 18208 ft.
Earned Eagle Scout
Proposing to my wife Mount Siyeh in glacier park and getting married in Hood River, OR
Logan Tyler, Founder, Co-Owner, Operations Director
Born and raised in the mountains of Ouray, CO, Logan began climbing at age 7 and has not stopped. Logan has always found himself working at heights from climbing cell towers across the Midwest to managing the world famous Ouray Ice Park. He has developed numerous rock climbing and dry tooling routes in the Ouray area and is an avid sport climber and drytooler (even competing in the Ouray Ice Festival!). As the founder of Basecamp Ouray Logan was inspired by the small bouldering halls of West Germany and the community atmosphere it provides. Logan loves to share his passion for climbing through both guiding and teaching the future generations of crushers. After spending 30 years growing up in Ouray and the San Juans, Logan truly is the local expert for climbing.
Certifications:
SPI
WFR
Highlights:
Founder of Basecamp Ouray
Marrying my wife Rebecca Doll.
Visionary behind the gold mtn via ferrata