Summer may be over, but the adventure doesn’t stop when the last trip wraps up! After weeks of hiking, paddling, riding, laughing, and making memories with campers, our Alpenguides head back to their own lives and adventures. Some return to school, some take on new jobs, and others keep exploring the outdoors in their own way.
We wanted to check in with our Alpenguides and see what they’ve been up to since summer, where their adventures have taken them, and what they’re looking forward to next.
Keren, Alpengirl Director
Once camp wrapped up, Keren traded the Montana mountains for the wonders of Iceland, where she led our Women’s Iceland Adventure and packed in plenty of exploring. The crew soaked in hot springs, hiked across a glacier, and even hopped in a Jeep to explore around a volcano!
Back home in Bozeman, Montana, Keren finally had a chance to slow down and recharge after a very busy summer. While she stays local at Alpengirl Basecamp during camp season, that doesn’t mean things are quiet! When the summer wraps up, she’s grateful for a little more downtime and time to adventure.
This fall, Keren has been enjoying local Montana adventures, a trip down to the desert, and plenty of much-needed cuddle time with her dog, Oscar.
Lydia, Alpengirl Enrollment & Operations Coordinator
Lydia wrapped up her summer with a long-overdue trip back to her hometown on the East Coast! She spent time catching up with friends and family and, of course, made sure to get some much-needed time at the Jersey Shore.
Now that things have settled into the slower rhythm of fall, she’s been making the most of the still-warm Montana weather with plenty of local hikes. She even made her way up to Glacier National Park to take in the changing leaves and all the fall colors!
Back in Bozeman, Lydia is excited to reconnect with new and returning Alpengirl families, chat about 2027 adventures, and start dreaming up another epic summer with everyone!
Payton, Alpenguide
After wrapping up her summer with Alpengirl, Payton hit the road! She road-tripped from Las Vegas to Chicago, making stops in southern Utah, Colorado to visit her Co-Alpenguide Claire W. (yay!), and South Dakota to spend time with family. She then headed to Minnesota to celebrate her sister’s birthday by taking her on very first backpacking trip! Together, they explored part of the Superior Hiking Trail, giving Payton a chance to adventure through her home state while making some special memories with her sister.
Payton then flew back to California, where she is now settling back into her seasonal Outdoor Education job. She’s enjoying a little time in one place after a very active summer, decorating her apartment and catching up on some crafts!
Isabel, Flexguide/Alpenguide
After wrapping up the summer with Alpengirl, Isabel kept the adventures going with a few special trips of her own! She took her dad on his very first backpacking trip in Tahoe National Forest, introducing him to the joys of backcountry camping and, naturally, making sure there was plenty of GLITTER involved.
She also squeezed in a hike along the Six Peaks Loop at Mount Diablo State Park before making her way back across the country to Boston, MA. Now she’s settled into a new job focused on biofuels and recycling, with a pretty great view of the Charles River from the office! We’re excited to see where this next adventure takes her.
Zella, Alpenguide
Zella has kept busy with plenty of outdoor climbing adventures and lots of time exploring new routes! She’s also been working on starting her own Forest Science School, combining her love of the outdoors with opportunities to help others learn about the natural world.
In between climbing and getting her Forest Science School off the ground, Zella has been studying Italian and setting routes at a local climbing gym.
Clara, Alpenguide
Clara has been exploring Colorado, continuing to hike, camp, and seek out alpine lakes for a swim whenever she can! She’s also been enjoying some time with family before making her next move.
In October, Clara will head to Snowmass, Colorado, where she’ll begin a printmaking assistantship. She’ll be supporting artists as they create their work while also getting back into the studio herself and spending more time pursuing her own creative projects.
Jess, Alpenguide
Jessica packed in some more amazing adventures after her summer with Alpengirl! She traveled to Iceland with her mom for a week, road-tripping the Ring Road, seeing puffins, and hiking to some beautiful waterfalls along the way.
She also made a trip to Philipsburg, Montana, where she tried her hand at sapphire panning and stayed in a converted silo on a pig rescue farm!
Now Jessica is getting ready for her next adventure: starting a new job as the lab manager for the Seed Potato Lab at Montana State University. She’ll be helping identify diseases and keep Montana’s seed potato crops healthy!
Julia, Alpenguide
After camp wrapped up, Julia spent some time visiting friends and family in Seattle and Chicago before making her way back home to Yosemite National Park! She’s been settling back into life in the valley, teaching, cooking, and enjoying the beautiful views and sounds of the park.
And as fall settles in, Julia is soaking up one of her favorite parts of being home: the Merced River in the fall. There’s nothing quite like it!
Matreya, Alpenguide
Matreya headed up to Canada to visit family and fit in some beautiful hikes along the way! She then spent a week road-tripping from Portland, OR to Austin, TX, making plenty of fun stops and keeping an eye out for cool birds along the way.
Now she’s settled into life in Austin, where she’s working at a restaurant and making the most of the warm weather. When she’s not at work, you can find her swimming, paddle boarding, and learning the art of two-stepping!
Hay, Alpenguide
Soon after Alpengirl, Hay moved to Oregon and has been making the most of life in the PNW! She’s been rafting the Rogue, mountain biking some swoopy, rad trails, and jaunting around the Pacific Northwest whenever she gets the chance.
She’s started a new chapter as a teacher at a Waldorf school, combining her love of the outdoors with a love of learning and working with kids.
Emily, Alpenguide
After her summer with Alpengirl, Emily headed for Northern Michigan, a place that holds a special spot for her since it’s where she did her first seasonal job five years ago! She spent her time swimming in Lake Michigan, soaking up the end of summer, and eating her way through all the delicious fruit from local farm stands.
Bella, Alpenguide
Bella has returned to her old middle school in Truckee, CA, where she’s been working as an 8th grade special education teacher! It’s a temporary position, since she’s heading off on a three-month backpacking adventure through Southeast Asia next week! When she’s not at work, Bella has been keeping busy by climbing and riding her mountain bike.
Isa, Alpenguide
Since the end of camp, Isa has returned to Australia, where she’s back to work as an outdoor instructor! In her free time, she’s been spending plenty of time canyoning in the Blue Mountains. Even though it was technically winter when she returned, that didn’t stop Isa and her friends from layering up and getting out into the wet canyons early.
She’s also been taking on more social media collaborations with outdoor brands, which has been a fun and exciting new opportunity!
Oscar, Alpendog
Oscar is just happy that things have finally cooled down after a hot Montana summer! When he’s not keeping an eye on his dog mom, he’s on a constant hunt for his next favorite toy and putting those adorable big puppy eyes to work convincing everyone that he definitely deserves “just one more treat.”
With fall in full swing, Oscar is thrilled to join Keren on more adventures around Montana, soak up the cooler weather, and sniff all the new fall smells coming his way.
What have YOU been up to since camp!?
Just because the summer adventures have ended doesn’t mean the Alpengirl connection has to! We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to since your time on the trail with us.
- Send us an update! Share a photo, tell us about your latest adventure, or just say hi. We love hearing from our Alpengirl community throughout the year! Email us at info@alpengirlcamp.com or DM us on Instagram @alpengirlcamp.
- Come say hi! We’re hoping to organize some Alpengirl reunions throughout the year, and we’d love to see familiar camper faces outside of camp! If you’d like to help host a gathering in your area or would just love to see us IRL in the off season, send us a message. We’d love to hear from you!
- Stay in the loop! We’ll be in touch as we start dreaming up another summer of adventures and we’d love to save a spot for you. Where will 2027 take you?
Thanks for being part of the Alpengirl community! We’re grateful to stay connected with you even after the summer is over and can’t wait to see where your adventures take you next.
Happy trails,
The Alpengirl Team 💜