Steve Atocha

OWNER
Steve is the owner of Middlebury Mountaineer and founder of Green Mountain Adventures. Steve is a father, an EMT, volunteer fire fighter, and a certified American Canoe Association Kayaking Instructor. He spends his free time hiking for fishing holes or backcountry skiing off of the Lincoln Gap.

Marion Atocha

OWNER
Marion is the co-owner and clothing buyer for Middlebury Mountaineer. She divides her time between the shop and working part time as a nurse in Bristol. An avid hiker, swimmer and nordic skier, Marion’s real passion is raising her three boys and working on her family farm.

Jesse Haller

MANAGER/GUIDE
Jesse grew up camping and fishing in south central Wisconsin. He has completed the Colorado Trail and has climbed more then forty of the surrounding fourteeners. Working as a fly-fishing guide on the Blue, Arkansas, Colorado, and South Platte Rivers, Jesse recently moved to Vermont to be manager of Middlebury Mountaineer and Guide for Green Mountain Adventures.

Chrisandra Sylvestri

Guide/Shop Employee
Over a dozen years ago, after the birth of her fourth child Chris started kayaking. She would throw her boat on the car, head down to the Otter Creek or the flooded flats, and be back in less than two hours a rejuvenated person. She's been hooked ever since. Ratty in the Wind in the Willows summed it up best-"There is nothing worth doing half as much as simply messing around in boats."

Liza Allen

Guide/Shop Employee
Liza grew up in the shadow of Lincoln’s Mt. Abraham, but recently she has traded the green mountains for the high desert of Walla Walla, Washington, where she attends Whitman College. Liza recently retired from ski racing and took up backcountry skiing so as to take full advantage of all the powder in Washington. She is home for the summer, and when not working at the Mountaineer you may find her hiking, camping, or kayaking.

Aaron Mckay-Thorpe III

Shop Employee
Aaron McKay-Thorp III is a cool kid. He has been a retail professional for some time and is widely considered to be a life changing force of wisdom and general awesomeness. He enjoys the wiffle, being outside, skiing, snow, pop music from the 1960's and cougars.

Andrew Jones

GUIDE
Starting his outdoor career at the age of 5, Andrew has been hiking, climbing, skiing, kayaking, and fly fishing ever since. Enjoying a wide array of outdoor pursuits, his passion lies in climbing. Andrew has led climbing & mountaineering trips in the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, and Alaska. He has worked as a lead instructor and course director for Outward Bound Alaska. He lives in Lincoln with his wife Krista and currently teaches earth science at Mt. Abraham Union High School.