SME Family

Winter Family


The SME winter family


At Selkirk Mountain Experience, our staff lives with us for months at a time. So we feel they are our family; a big extended family. This connection and warmth felt by the staff extends to our guests, who are visitors in our home, making them feel this warm welcome as well.

SME Head Guide

Ruedi Beglinger

Certified Mountain Guide with:

  • Canadian Mountain Guide Association ACMG, Swiss Mountain Guide Association SBV and International Mountain Guide Association IFMGA
  • Avalanche Operations Level 3 with the Canadian Avalanche Association, CAA
  • Professional member Canadian Avalanche Association, CAA
  • Started his guiding career in the Swiss Alps in 1976

Ruedi was born and grew up in the Kanton of Glarus, Swiss Alps. He started skiing at age 2 in Linthal GL, in the Swiss Alps. He started ski-mountaineering at age 6 with his dad, who nurtured Ruedi's love for the mountains.

Ruedi is inspired by remote mountains, adventures into wild places and most of all by his ski and climbing guests he guides in winter and summer.

His lifetime goal is to still ski, climb and guide guests at age 90.

 

 Ruedi Beglinger



SME's Heart and Soul

Nicoline Beglinger

While Nicoline prefers to call herself a housewife or the food and beverage manager, she truly is the heart and soul of SME. Between raising her children, taking care of staff and guests and tending to Ruedi and Rosie the cat, she rarely gets a day off. Nicoline is the oil that keeps the SME operation running. She makes the beds, does dishes, packs the helicopter, organizes the summer hikes, goes skiing with the winter guests, does the bills, bakes, cleans, rakes the summer trails, shovels snow, does firewood, manages the office, answers emails… Nicoline is the modest warmth of SME. The welcoming hug and the cheerful wave goodbye as you depart on your days adventure.

Nicoline is inspired by her family and by the anonymous donor. Her lifetime goal is to continue having her children spend time with her at the chalet.

 

 Nicoline Beglinger



SME Lead Guide

Ian Snowsell

  • SME Lead Guide
  • Canadian Avalanche Association: Operation Level 2

Ian was born and raised in the Canadian mountain resort Banff, Alberta, where he learned how to ski at the young age of 2. Already as a young teenager Ian started to ski-tour in the Canadian Rockies.

Ian is a very passionate mountain person who lives for the snow and the inspiration of mountains. His gentle personality, quiet sense of humour and incredible mountain knowledge is well liked by all ski guests and everybody who knows him. Ian is a genuine friend to all people.

Ian likes guiding for the simple reason of sharing true skiing experiences and the endless mountain environment with as many people as possible.

 

Ian Snowsell



Ski Guide

Florina Beglinger

  • ACMG Ski Guide
  • Canadian Avalanche Association: Operation Level 2

Florina was born in Revelstoke, B.C. She grew up and went to school at the Durand Glacier Chalet. Yes, she is an authentic mountain girl: funny and friendly and an absolute joy to spend time with. Florina loves shredding deep powder in mean slopes. Florina completed a degree in film production and creative writing at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Her years in Vancouver made her realize that her rightful home is in the mountains. In the winter 2017 Florina came home to the Durand Glacier. Florina now can follow her true passion, skiing great mountain terrain and its untouched powder snow, spending time with people who have the same interest. Living her dream of living in the mountains and sharing the experience with her friends and guests and also continuing writing and filming.

 

Florina Beglinger



Assistant Ski Guide

Tyler Jay

  • Assistant ACMG ski guide

Tyler is as passionate about ski touring and mountain adventure as peanut butter is to jelly. He is currently pursuing his certification in Rock, Ski and Alpine in the hopes of becoming a ACMG certified Mountain Guide. Tyler is inspired by the enjoyment of experiencing wild, untamed landscapes and is fueled by a passion for human-powered exploration to push deeper into the backcountry or higher up the mountainside. With a heart firmly anchored in the mountains, Tyler is motivated to guide by the opportunity to share in these unique experiences and learn about what drives others to do the same.

 

Tyler Jay



Apprentice Alpine Guide, Apprentice Ski Guide

Shep Howatt

  • ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide
  • ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide

Shep is a favourite among guests and staff. His passion for the mountains, and for life, is infinite. Guiding comes naturally to him, growing up in Revelstoke with a Mountain Guide father. Shep's enthusiasm is contagious. He is able to make tough decisions while at the same time keeping a warm sense of shared camaraderie in the group. And his story telling is legendary!

Shep lives with his wife Julie and dog Yuki in Revelstoke.

 

Shep Howatt



SME Head Chef

Carl Wilks

Carl's chef experience ranges from Michelin starred restaurants in Europe to luxury sailboat cruises in British Columbia. His extensive resume reads like an adventure travelogue. Carl has a passion, not only for cooking, but also for nature, travel, wildlife, and photography. 2023/24 will be Carl's first season with us at the Durrand Glacier. We are looking forward to sharing happy hour cocktails, tours to Woolsey and many meals with Carl.

 

Carl Wilks


Office & Operations manager

Bree Northway

After many adventures all around the world Bree found her home just 80 km east of where she grew up. Bree has been in Revelstoke since 2019 and is passionate about all that Revelstoke has to offer. Mountain biking, climbing, snowboarding and the great active outdoor social life that the community is known for. Bree spent part of the winter at the lodge and is now running everything from town. She takes care of us all!

 

Bree Northway



On-call consultant

Aimee-Leih Dillon

While Aimee has taken on a position in the Revelstoke School District she is still part of the SME world. She helps out in the office and with the exchanges, she continues to be the on-call consultant and friend to all of us.

 

Aimee-Leih Dillon