Carla Demyen

I’ve been instructing in the Adventure Tourism Business Operations program for the past six years, and it’s been a meaningful part of my career in the mountains.

I’m originally from Saskatchewan—Canada’s flattest province—but I’ve now spent more than half my life in the mountains. I moved west in my early twenties and quickly became obsessed with skiing and climbing. Guiding felt like a natural next step as I worked to deepen my skills and experience. In the summer of 2023, I completed my final exam to become an IFMGA Mountain Guide. These days, I work mostly as a heli-ski guide in the winter and freelance as an alpine guide in the summer. Teaching with the college has been a wonderful addition to my guiding life—it gives me the chance to connect with people in our community and pass along knowledge to the next generation of mountain lovers.

Learning through experience and embracing a growth mindset have always resonated with me. I try to model my instruction after the ACMG guides training format: share the information, demonstrate the technique, and then let students explore and build their skills at their own pace. Together with the other instructors, I aim to create a supportive, open environment where students feel confident to learn and grow.