Mad Desert Trekking Adventure Guides
Adventures guides for Mad Desert Trekking TM, Scottsdale, Arizona, are experts in outdoor trekking, with multi-discipline experience as professional guides in wilderness areas across the country. All Mad Desert Trekking lead adventure guides hold current certifications for CPR and First Aid, Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Training.
Explore the desert wilds just like a local with a local Mad Desert Trekking guide who lives and breathes the Sonoran Desert in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Matt Kalina | Founder and Owner + Adventure Guide
Matt Kalina, founder and owner of Mad Desert Trekking, Scottsdale, Arizona, grew up long-distance running, canoeing, and eating cheese in West Central Wisconsin before pulling up stakes and moving to the dry heat of Arizona in 1999. He has incorporated long-distance hiking, trail running, mountaineering, technical canyoneering and everything else in between, from multi-day backpacking and pack rafting to ultra running and standup paddle boarding into his outdoor exploration pursuits. He continues to explore Western wild lands, taking photos along the way.
Kalina is a professional Arizona adventure guide for a wide range of active-sports disciplines, including hiking, multi-day backpacking, climbing, canyoneering, rappelling, kayaking,, stand-up paddle boarding and mountain biking.
Kalina holds outdoor certifications including PADI Open Water Diver, Basic Sailing and Wilderness First Responder. He is a public health volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps of Maricopa County, an avid wilderness conservationist, member, former chairman and founder of the Canyoneering Committee of the Arizona Mountaineering Club, steward with McDowell Sonoran Conservancy for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve of Scottsdale, and founding board member of Friends of the Sonoran Desert National Monument. He is the first Wilderness Steward of the Arizona Wilderness Coalition assigned to a Wild and Scenic River and the 11,500-acre Fossil Springs Wilderness near Strawberry, Arizona. Kalina is a long-time member and outings leader for Sierra Club, Grand Canyon chapter, and an endorsed partner of the National Concierge Association, Arizona Chapter.
In addition to being founder and owner of Mad Desert Trekking, he is founder and owner of RadPrime, a marketing agency in Scottsdale.
He and his wife Lisa live near Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, raise rescued cats, make pizza from scratch every week, run on the Indian Bend Greenbelt Path and ride their beach cruiser bicycles around Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. They surf when they can, run foot races together across the country and are restoring a vintage 1960s 14-foot camping trailer. They are huge fans of all kinds of live music.
His most vivid outdoor experience? Fording a glacial river in Alaska’s Denali National Park. Matt’s all-time backcountry fear? Being faced with an empty bottle of hot sauce.
Michael Albrough | Adventure Guide
Michael Albrough is an Arizona transplant who grew up in Michigan and made his way to the Valley of the Sun in 2009 from Minnesota, where he spent 13 years in the cryogenic chamber known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
After thawing out, he resumed his enthusiasm for running, fitness and outdoor adventure. Albrough is a U.S. Army veteran, a long-time fitness professional, NSCA-certified personal trainer and an outdoor adventure guide. He has completed many successful adventure trips in and around Arizona, including hiking Grand Canyon rim to rim, the Nankoweap route — considered one of the most difficult named trails in the Grand Canyon — along with many other epic adventures throughout Arizona and Utah.
When Albrough is not out on the trail, he can be found in the gym, and enjoying time with family, friends and his pack of three beagles. He also runs races and raises funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a St. Jude Heroes National Ambassador.
Joe Berman | Adventure Guide
Joe Berman—a third-generation Phoenician—has explored Arizona extensively on countless hiking and mountain-biking excursions.
“Since I was four, my dad and I spent nearly every weekend exploring the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, whether I was into it or not at the time,” Berman says. “That tradition sparked a lifelong love of the outdoors. Over the years, we became avid cyclists, knocking out countless father-and-son century rides.
“From hiking to biking, I’ve covered Arizona from north to south and east to west. I bring with me a deep knowledge of the trails, proper trail etiquette, unforgettable stories and a love for Arizona’s rich history and quirky folklore.”
When he’s not out on the trails or in the saddle, Berman spends time with his wife Tiffany, son and stepdaughter. He’s also a fan of four-legged friends with three cats and a little wonder dog who keeps them all on their toes.
Megan Byers | Adventure Guide
Megan Byers grew up in the wild beauty of Southwest Colorado, exploring the San Juan Mountains first with her father and later with her three children in tow. Beyers has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in healthy lifestyles coaching from Arizona State University and a Master of Science degree in healthcare and healthcare administration from Colorado State University.
Byers’s career has been as dynamic as the landscapes she loves — from personal training and health coaching to helping people find balance and connection through recreation. She’s also spent time in Moab, Utah, leading hiking adventures through Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, plus UTV, Jeep, and zip-line tours through red rock country.
“I’ve always felt at home in the Four Corners — from the canyons of Utah to the peaks of Colorado and the deserts of Arizona,” Byers says. “Each place has its own kind of magic, and I love helping others experience that same connection to the land.”
Whether she’s chasing sunrise hikes, exploring through movement or finding new ways to connect with nature, her mission is simple: share the joy of adventure, wellness and discovery with as many people as possible.
Jason Blackstock | Adventure Guide
Jason Blackstock grew up in Northern Arizona, but has a profound love for the desert.
“I’m an Arizonan with a love for traveling and adventure, because life is too short for dull stories,” Blackstock says. “Arizona is where I will always call home for its amazing weather and the geological variety.”
Blackstock, who holds a master’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, has completed several trips to the depths of Grand Canyon and Havasu Canyon. Most recently, he has completed a five-day trek on the Inca Trail in Peru.
He and his wife have traveled to Europe, Central and South America, and all over the Western United States.
“Arizona is where I will always call home for its amazing weather and the geological variety,” he says.
When he’s not hiking, he’s typically camping with his family and loyal dog. Plus, he has two energetic sons who keep him busy with scouting and activities.
“And, at the end of a busy day, there’s nothing better than some music, a cold beverage and an Arizona sunset.”
Dialinda Campos | Adventure Guide
Dialinda Campos grew up in Texas and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, in 2004. A cardiovascular stress technician in Metro Phoenix, Campos has worked in the health care industry since 2010, including areas of cardiology testing, injury care and workman’s compensation care.
Campos, a mother of two children, is experienced at stand-up paddle boarding on the Salt River and ghost hunting as a lead paranormal investigator with Arizona Ghost Adventures at historical sites in spooky places, such as Globe, Arizona.
Her favorite areas to hike and explore in Arizona, include South Mountain in Phoenix, Superstition Mountain Wilderness and Grand Canyon National Park, where she has completed a rim-to-rim hike in nine hours.
“My favorite time of day to hike is always sunrise, heading out there under the light of a headlamp at the most ridiculous hours to catch the rising sun,” Campos says.
Jason Carr | Adventure Guide
Jason Carr grew up on the California coast and lived in Utah, Brazil and Ohio before settling down in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2009. After earning a bachelor’s of science degree in political science at Brigham Young University, he pursued a career in marketing for the tech industry. Now, he splits his time between working with freelance clients, outfitting customers at the Arizona Hiking Shack and guiding hikes.
Growing up, Carr spent plenty of time outdoors riding bikes, swimming, cross-country running and camping with the Boy Scouts. As an adult, he has continued to pursue those interests as an avid hiker, backpacker and outdoor enthusiast.
Carr loves to tackle endurance challenges such as hiking Grand Canyon’s rim-to-rim-to-rim route and the Cactus to Clouds route to San Jacinto Peak, Palm Springs, California. He has completed multi-day backpacking trips with friends in Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho and Alaska.
Jennifer Clack | Adventure Guide
Jennifer Clack grew up in Colorado as a fitness buff, teaching group exercise classes at the local YMCA. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado Boulder before earning an MBA in finance.
Clack worked in the financial services industry for 30 years, spending her early mornings and weekends hiking, jogging and lifting weights. She has climbed the highest peak in Africa—Mount Kilimanjaro at 19,341 feet—and several 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado. She has led hiking teams on rim-to-rim trips in Grand Canyon National Park.
In addition to being a certified personal trainer most of her life, she has earned Wilderness First Aid certification and has trained in navigation and wilderness survival skills.
Clack enjoys volunteer work with her therapy dog CJ, and serves as a volunteer park steward on the hiking patrol team for the City of Phoenix. She participates annually in the Climb to Conquer Cancer at South Mountain Park, Phoenix.
As a hiking guide with Mad Desert Trekking, she enjoys meeting people from all over the world and helping them reach the mountain peaks of the hiking trails in the Valley of the Sun.
Kyndle Cottrell | Adventure Guide
Kyndle Cottrell, a Phoenix, Arizona, native, grew up exploring backcountry wilderness areas across the Grand Canyon State.
In addition to being a river guide for water sports on the Salt River, including rafting, kayaking and standup paddle boarding, Cottrell is an avid hiker, trail runner and backpacker.
She is a veteran Arizona adventure guide who has earned Wilderness First Aid certification.
As a hiking guide with Mad Desert Trekking, she enjoys getting to know travelers from all across the globe and helping people reach their goals whether it is trail mileage or summiting mountain peaks.
Josh Farmer | Adventure Guide
Josh Farmer, a travel nurse who grew up in St. Louis, Mo., is an avid climber, hiker and backpacker.
“I was raised in the Boy Scouts of America, where I refused to be lured into the outdoors until age 20, when I started solo backpacking and hiking all over Missouri and Montana,” Farmer said, who spent a month in Alaska with his family in 2024. He also works at Arizona Hiking Shack, Phoenix.
“I have completed one through hike and would love to add the Appalachian Trail to my list someday,” he said. “Right now my biggest passion is rock climbing, as I am usually climbing some sort of rock pile somewhere in the desert, but I am also an avid backpacker and climber. I am a nurse by trade and work just often enough to justify my passions in life of getting out there and exploring.”
Caitlin Ford | Adventure Guide
Caitlin Ford, an avid hiker and outdoors explorer in Arizona, is enrolled in nursing school, aiming to become a flight nurse in the short term and to contribute to disaster relief efforts through FEMA. She also is undergoing training to instruct yoga.
Ford is a certified massage therapist, massage instructor and life coach, focusing on empowering others to build resilience and prioritize their well-being.
One of Ford’s proudest accomplishments is completing a 50k Spartan Ultra—an experience that pushed her to her limits and marked a major milestone in her personal growth. She is training toward earning a Spartan Shield..
“My journey is about empowering myself and others, embracing adventure and pushing boundaries—both in my career and in my personal pursuits,” she said. “I’m excited for what’s next as I continue to grow and inspire others along the way!”
Derek Gerson | Adventure Guide
Derek Gerson, originally from the Mitten State, a.k.a. Michigan, grew up exploring the northwoods while hiking, mountain biking and fishing. Gerson headed west after graduating with a bachelor’s degree with a parks and recreation management major from Ferris State University.
Gerson has spent his entire career working in the parks and land management field as a park ranger at the federal, state and municipal levels in Oregon, Washington and Maine, eventually landing in Arizona and making it his permanent home base.
Gerson is a CPR instructor with American Red Cross and a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional. He is a recipient of the Commissioner’s Citation for Lifesaving in 2006 from the Ontario Provincial Police for helping save a life on a backcountry canoe trip in Northern Ontario, Canada.
Gerson enjoys exploring the Sonoran Desert and Arizona high country hiking, backpacking and fishing. His favorite desert tree is the Elephant Tree, Bursera microphylla.
As an adventure guide with Mad Desert Trekking, he enjoys meeting new visitors to Arizona and helping them explore the Sonoran Desert and the Valley of the Sun.
Steve Hill | Adventure Guide
Steve Hill, who has called Arizona home for 25 years, traces his roots back to farm country of Indiana, where some of his earliest memories involve exploring ancient Native American mounds on his grandfather’s dairy farm. After earning a bachelor’s degree in finance from Indiana University, he lived in New York City and Seattle, before moving to Scottsdale, Arizona.
He has raced as a competitive mountain biker, 2003-08, and has served as a steward for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, repairing backcountry trails, monitoring local flora and fauna, and engaging in public outreach. Hill has led sanctioned mountain bike rides to backcountry restoration projects and to construction of the gateway to Pemberton Trail system in the McDowell Mountain Regional Park. He is an active member of Arizona Guide Association.
He’s also an enthusiastic dog owner, 4×4 adventurer, and a Phoenix Park steward, who has helped build the granite steps on Cholla Trail, Camelback Mountain. His other interests include history, mythology, legends, astronomy, ethnobotany and gathering with friends and family.
Mike Hopkins | Adventure Guide
Mike Hopkins, a trail runner and photographer, has spent time in the outdoors while living in Arizona, New Jersey, Tennessee and Utah.
Hopkins, a park ranger for the City of Phoenix, has worked in academic affairs and institutional research, and as an academic coach and advisor.
A Spanish language instructor, Hopkins has earned a master’s degree in Spanish literature at University of Memphis and a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering technology from Thomas Edison State University. He also has studied at Brigham Young University and Cochise College. He was a masonry apprentice at Tumacacori National Historic Park.
Lisa Kelly | Director of Operations and Adventure Guide
Lisa Kelly, who has earned a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisc., majored in merchandising and management with a minor in business administration.
She was born in San Rafael, Calif., grew up in Anoka, Minn., and has worked in Atlanta, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn. She is an avid runner, hiker and backpacker, has completed several marathons, summitted fourteeners in Colorado and has completed a 14-day roundtrip trek to Everest Base Camp, Nepal.
She has volunteered at a no-kill cat shelter in Phoenix, she and her husband Matt raise three rescue cats near Old Town, Scottsdale, Arizona, and are huge live music fans.
Doug Mangum | Adventure Guide
Doug Mangum was born on the East Coast and grew up exploring the Appalachian Mountains. This led him to a successful 21-year career with U.S. Army Special Operations. With his travels across the globe, he never forgot his love for adventure in the outdoors.
Mangum has earned a bachelor’s of science degree in homeland security and emergency management from Grand Canyon University. He is certified as an Alpine Mountain Technical Leader 1 by AMGA, Rope Access Worker – SPRAT Level 1, Leave No Trace Master Educator by American Alpine Institute, personal trainer and group fitness instructor.
An avid climber and alpinist, Mangum continues his education and training with the American Alpine Institute and said he feels that the only things in life worth doing are worth overdoing.
Bella Porter | Adventure Guide
Bella Porter was born and raised in Montana, and grew up climbing, camping and backpacking, before moving to Arizona for college.
Porter, who has earned a bachelor’s degree in design and applied arts at Grand Canyon University, is a practitioner of yoga and working on a teaching certification. She is an experienced technician in outdoor gear maintenance, rentals, repairs and sales.
“An avid rock climber, I’m always looking to find the next project in Arizona,” she said. “And, when I’m not on the trail or the crag, I work as a graphic designer and illustrator, helping local businesses sprout up in Arizona and Montana. I like to find inspiration from the outdoors, incorporating it into my designs and illustrations.”
She has completed a wide variety of outdoor adventures, including backpacking 40 miles on Catalina Island, California, spending 14 days exploring Iceland and backpacking for five days at Havasupai, Arizona.
James Pyper | Adventure Guide
James Pyper has lived in Phoenix, Arizona, since 1982, and grew up riding dirt bikes with his friends where freeways cut through the Sonoran Desert today.
As a young boy, he explored the natural world with his scouting group and during outdoor adventures with his father. Hiking, camping and backpacking have always been his happiest memories.
Pyper earned a bachelor’ of fine arts degree at Arizona State University and has been a teacher of ceramics for 10 years in the Phoenix Union High School District. His appreciation for art and culture drives him to seek out the ruins and relics of indigenous people. In this quest for connecting his modern life to past civilizations, he practices the Leave No Trace principles—always departing a place better than when it was found.
Pyper devotes his free time to organizing outdoor adventures with others and regularly updates his survival skills and first aid qualifications. He is working on backpacking in each of the 90 Wilderness Areas in Arizona and hiking each segment of the Arizona National Scenic Trail.
Jay Schaeffer | Adventure Guide
Jay Schaeffer, who is a hiking, biking and travel enthusiast, has completed marathons, sprint triathlons, running relays and wilderness explorations.
“I grew up in a time when exploring the unknown wilderness and the pioneering spirit was at the forefront of my reality,” Schaeffer said. “As such, I would venture out, experiencing wonder, awe and fear, feeling very much alive.
“After decades of working and watching my family grow up, I am rekindling my spirit of adventure, pursuing outdoor activities, learning more about the environment around me and reconnecting with nature.”
Schaeffer, who had built a career in automotive sales, including as sales director, is also a guide with Wild West Jeep Tours, Scottsdale, Arizona, a member of the Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Henry Ward | Adventure Guide
Henry Ward is a professional adventure guide, ultra runner, running coach, outdoor enthusiast, writer and public speaker.
Ward has completed more than 20 ultra running events of more than 100 miles in distance, including Aravaipa Running‘s Cocodona 250-mile foot race, which has 41,546 feet of accumulative elevation gain.
He grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts, and lives in Chandler, Arizona, with his wife, 10-year-old son, dog and desert tortoise named Rocket. He is an active member and programming director of Arizona Guide Association.
Ward has written three books, including “Running Without the Devil,” “One Too Many Donuts,” and “One Inch at a Time.” He is a professional speaker and coaches runners of a wide range of abilities.
“I feel like it’s important to do what you want to do,” Ward says. “I am a chef by trade, felt completely burnt out and decided to take this leap of faith. It’s important for me to have the freedom to spend time with my family, train and continue on my writing journey.”
Ward said he looks forward to showing guests traveling from all over the world incredibly beautiful places in the Sonoran Desert of Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Curtis Whipple | Adventure Guide
Curtis Whipple, Texan by DNA, Californian by birth and raised in Arizona, is a long-distance hiker and professional DJ, who has lived for short stints in Minnesota and British Columbia, Canada.
Whipple has worked as an operations manager for a large steel company in Los Angeles, DJ for weddings and corporate events, wedding officiant, host for trivia and music bingo games, cognitive music therapist at assisted living facilities, dueling piano player and entertainer of a cowboy dinner show.
He craves hiking, mountain biking, cooking, gardening, woodworking, collecting rare coins, going to live music and theater, plus reading a couple of books monthly.
Whipple — who first adventured in Arizona in the Boy Scouts of America — hikes 800-1,000 miles a year in the Southwest and typically completes a major multi-day trek or two each summer, including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, in 2023.
“‘I’m still coming down from the mountain in my heart on that one,” he says.
