Ben grew up outside of Spokane, Washington skiing and backpacking with his family. He moved to Bozeman, MT in 2013 to attend Montana State University. He became a key part of MSU’s Outdoor Recreation Program where he led trips hiking, whitewater rafting, rock and ice climbing, skiing, and more. Ben first joined WRFI as a student on Montana Afoot and Afloat in the fall of 2016. He returned the next fall to intern on the course before heading back to Bozeman to finish a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies. When not leading and teaching outside, Ben will likely be found whitewater kayaking, climbing, or backcountry skiing as much as he can manage. Having led trips across the Greater Yellowstone area as well as exploring personally, he is excited to join this year’s Restoration Ecology course.