Our Team

Owner

Owner of Great Northern Powder Guides, as well as operator, guide, cook, and janitor. Started skiing at the age of 3 in Steamboat Springs Colorado. Ski raced, ski jumped, and Speed Skied in the U.S. and in Europe.

Guest Services

Jay’s wife, Tarn and Dayne’s mama…Ky handles bookings and guest services (oh, and babysits Sway).

Head Operator / Mechanic

Pisten Bully operator extraordinaire as well as mechanic, and fabricator. Tarn brings years of running and maintaining heavy equipment to our team as well as snow road building. He is safe, brave, and competent in the backcountry. Tarn has grown up skiing and snowmobiling in the very terrain we can now share with the public .

Office Manager

Kasey, Tarn’s wife and our office manager, was born and raised in Olney, Montana. She is a mama of four; two boys and two girls. Kasey loves the outdoors – from fishing, hunting, boating, dirt bike riding, camping, horseback riding, to cross – country skiing. She assists with all aspects of guest services and keeps our office running like a well oiled machine!

HR Intern / Guide Trainee

Brandtyn, Tarn and Kasey’s youngest child – Jay and Ky’s Grandson, is the youngest member of the GNPG team! He is interning / training for not only HR duties, but also has a passion  and goals to be a guide. You will see his big smile most days in the co-pilot seat of one of the cats, or helping out around the office. Feel free to give this little man a big high five, fist bump, or wave when you’re headed out to the hill!

Guide

Ken started skiing in Lake Tahoe at the age of four and spent his early years ski bumming there as a lift-op at Squaw Valley. Ken started Ski Patrolling and continued his way in the ski industry in Tahoe. Ken guided for Pacific Crest Snowcats for ten years, he also worked Heli-guiding in Valdez at Alaska Backcountry Adventures.

Guide / Operator / Mechanic

T.J. has been with Great Northern Powder Guides from the beginning. From fabricating the cat cabins and building yurts to finding the best runs for our clients… he is always passionate about all aspects of the business. In his off time he travels the world competing and performing flyboard shows. He is an auto and marine mechanic by trade so if you need that boat to float or those brakes to stop…hes your man. But in winter you need that steep and deep to put a smile on your face…he’s your guide!

Guide

Calvin grew up in the mountainous state of Ohio. He was lucky enough to call Switzerland home for a few years when he was younger, and that’s where he learned how to ski and appreciate/respect the mountains. Calvin has been in Montana for a few years now and has enjoyed getting to ski the local ranges as well as the Canadian Rockies. In the last five summers he has traveled around the country guiding Whitewater trips.

Guide

Cole is among the few that were born and raised in Whitefish, MT. He grew up competing in local Slopestyle and Boardercross contests that later sprouted into traveling to USASA competitions all over the Northwest. On top of that, Cole has 15 years of backcountry snowboarding experience, and countless powder stashes on GNPG terrain in his repertoire. This will be his 4th season at GNPG. During the summer, Cole spends his time working as a professional rock climbing guide just outside of Whitefish.

Operator/ Mechanic

John hails from West Monroe Lousiana and has dreamed of living in Montana since he was a young man when he traveled to the Big Sky state for work.  He has been operating heavy equipment, farm machinery or in his words, “anything with a motor” for 55 years.  In addition to operating equipment, he is a jack of all trades when it comes to mechanical work, fabrication, etc.  Upon retiring, John and his wife bought a cabin in Rexford, Mt, and he is finally living his Montana dream as an operator for GNPG!

Guide

Returning for his fourth season, Grant is a certified American Avalanche Association Professional, self proclaimed mapping and weather enthusiast, nationally ranked rally car driver, and works as a professional Biostatistician.  Grant effortlessly merges safety, snowpack, weather, and an intimate knowledge of terrain with his infectious addiction to having fun and adrenaline in his efforts to deliver one of the greatest day of riding ever to our guests.

Guide

Adam was born in London, England but has been living and guiding in mountain towns across the world for almost a decade now. He’s spent the last six years in the United States. Obsessed with skiing and mountain biking, it was only a matter of time before Adam found his way to Montana. Now he plans to stay in the Flathead year round to experience all of its wonders.

Guide

Katie started skiing at Nubs Nob, Michigan as soon as she could walk. She raced in high school and for the University of Montana in Missoula and has 7 years of experience living, adventuring, and backcountry skiing in rural Alaska. She puts safety on the mountain first, but fun is a close second!

Guide

Kenny has his Avalanche Pro-1 & W-EMT, ski patrolled and guided for over half a decade, and is working his way through AMGA Ski Guide path. His favorite part of guiding is sharing the beauty and joy that the mountains have to offer with others!

Guide / Operator

Joel OBrien heirs from Columbus Ohio, but don’t let his flat homeland fool you – he is no stranger to the mountains, nor the winter season. After leaving his home behind, he spent his 20’s snowboarding in the Colorado Rockies, running various resorts.  He acquired many useful skills such as mechanics, fabrication, and even culinary skills; which he now uses everyday with Great Northern Powder Guides. As well as learning to operate the snow cats that allow your snow pleasures to take place. He is all about safety, as well as a good time.

Operator

Bill Dial is a 41 + year law enforcement officer. He retired in 2021. He is an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and skier. He holds numerous certificates in first aid, CPR and is a former EMT. He and his wife Jo Ann have lived in Whitefish since 2001.

Guide / Operator

Tyler is our resident fish out of water, hailing from San Diego where he guides offshore fishing trips, surfs, spear fishes, and generally spends most of his time in the ocean. When winter comes he turns his sights to the mountains, skiing and snowboarding across the Sierras, Rockies, and Wasatch mountains. He grew up snowboarding Tahoe and mammoth, although he also enjoys skiing. He has traveled and snowboarded everywhere from Germany, Switzerland, Italy and more. This is his first year with GNPG!

Guide

From the red sand to the snow-covered mountains, Meranda enjoyed all the elements nature had to offer growing up in beautiful Southern Utah. She started snowboarding at Brian Head at 17 and has now lived in 6 different states chasing snow for the past 15 years.  Cliff Drops are her favorite and learning about Safely navigating all different terrains makes her stoke levels high! When she isn’t in the backcountry, Meranda loves raft guiding and is a Level 2 Coastal Kayaker. She also enjoys Glacier Tours and camp trips in Valdez, Alaska.

Guide

Travis moved to Montana from Utah, where he traded a career as an Engineer to seek all the adventures this great state offers. He comes to GNPG with 7 years of backcountry ski experience mainly in the Wasatch and Bear River mountain ranges of Northern Utah, where he also worked as a Backcountry Yurt Host. Travis is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Hydrology and Water Security.

Guide

KC has been playing in the mountains since he was just a young boy in Lake Tahoe, recently moving to Montana to make a professional career out of his love for skiing, and exploring every Cascade Volcano he could on the way. He has his EMT and AIARE 1, and will be obtaining his Pro 1 this spring on his path to become AMGA certified.

Official mascot

SWAY had a cameo in the Warren Miller’s “Ticket to Ride” AND was Ski Magazines “Mascot of the Year”