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Learn More About Our Company

North Wash Outfitters was established nearly two decades ago to allow others to enjoy the wild outdoors in the Four Corners region safely. We have spent many hours in and around the canyons and mesas of The Colorado Plateau, North Wash and in the newly established Bears Ears National Monument.

In the early 2000s, Jared Hillhouse, founder of North Wash Outfitters, worked for world-renowned climbing, rigging, and canyoneering guru Dave Black (Author of Canyoneering – Techniques for Wet and Dry Canyons), guiding at-risk youth for a Federal Program. After Dave’s program funding was cut in the spring of 2005, Jared and his wife Amanda opened North Wash Outfitters that Fall with Dave Black guiding and teaching for North Wash Outfitters. Dave eventually moved to Hawaii in 2008, where he then helped build the canyoneering program on Maui. Jared and Amanda have continued to build North Wash Outfitters and welcome students and clients from all over the world.

Originating in Bluff, Utah, North Wash Outfitters moved locations to Blanding, Utah in 2009. This created more opportunities to gain access to the canyons and backcountry.

Fast forward to the present, and the company has guided clients from all over the world during their visits to the area and has been lucky to share with them the vast expanses of canyons and the region’s ancient history. North Wash Outfitters has been featured on multiple episodes of KSL Outdoors, with host Adam Eakle descending the slot canyons in the North Wash region.

Our canyoneering guides are trained and certified to assist you with the knowledge and confidence to take you canyoneering and hiking in these remote areas. Jared has worked with local search and rescue teams for many years, leading missions and training the members. Many clients have sought his knowledge of rope work from across the United States.

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Meet Our Team

Jared Hillhouse

Jared “Canyon Bug” Hillhouse
Certified Pro Guide and ACA Instructor

Jared has been guiding and instructing for nearly two decades. As a certified canyoneering guide and instructor, Jared delights in introducing newcomers to the sport and to this canyon country. Jared loves the expressions that clients have when they accomplish the task for the first time. In the past Jared has worked as the ropes team commander for the San Juan County Utah Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. Jared also works full-time for the city of Blanding as a police officer. His interests include boating, hiking, camping, fishing, video editing and production, economics and stocks and spending time with his family. Jared and Amanda have a beautiful nightly rental that they would love to share with you when visiting the area – Blanding Utah Nightly Rental.

Jeff Tucker

Technical Canyoneering Guide and Instructor

Jeff is an avid outdoorsman that loves getting out and exploring the canyons with his wife. Jeff has been exploring the wilds of southern Utah for many years and has been heavily involved in leading youth groups to many of these destinations. Jeff decided that it was time to get official training and after spending time with Jared in his training courses, he knew he wanted more involvement. When an opportunity opened up for Jeff to jump on board, there was no hesitation. Jeff’s other passions include waterfowl hunting, horseback riding, camping, fly fishing and hanging with his family.

If visiting the Moab area, Jeff and Tammy have some gorgeous nightly rental properties.

Tammy Tucker

Tammy “Desert Dove” Tucker
Technical Canyoneering Guide and Instructor

Tammy is a full-time nurse in Moab Utah and spends her spare time caring for her horses and diving into canyons all over the Colorado Plateau. She was raised on a ranch near Delta, Utah. She is married to Jeff Tucker, a perfect match in their love for the outdoors. Camping, hiking, canyoneering, rappelling, horseback riding, you name it, she does it. Tammy started sharing her love of the outdoors with her kids since they were small and is now working on her grandchildren.

If visiting the Moab area, Jeff and Tammy have some gorgeous nightly rental properties.

Lisa Kussmaul

Technical Canyoneering Instructor

Lisa spent a lifetime teaching and helping others and it shows as she works with students through the techniques and problems solving involved in canyoneering.

After retiring from teaching Lisa and her late husband jumped into their motorhome and Airplane (yes, she was also a pilot) and traveled all across the west working as camp hosts at various exotic locations until they landed in Moab. While in Moab teaching flight instruction they hooked up with a guide that started taking them out and showing them the slot canyons.

Lisa became instantly hooked and started exploring more and more on her own until she decided that it was time to become a student and get some proper training. Lisa breezed through all the classes and even came back multiple times to each to keep her skill set fresh. We decided that we better put her to work teaching again and she is great.

In her non-canyoneering time Lisa has set roots down in Moab with her pets and works part time at the OK RV Park.

Matt Harmon

Technical Canyoneering Guide and Instructor

If you’ve met Matt you won’t ever forget that experience. Matt is the boisterous voice of the teaching cadre at North Wash. Always outspoken and willing to offer a thought, Matt is also one of the best friends you could have.

Matt started his canyoneering experience like most of us tagging a long and jonesing for the next invite into a canyon. Matt participated in the North Wash Technical and Advanced Canyoneering courses with his two boys in order to become more self-sufficient and feel competent to get out on his own.

In his non-canyoneering time and while jonesing for that next adventure Matt travels a lot for work as an agricultural investment consultant and loves to get up early in the morning and watch the stock markets. Matt has been a great addition to the team and he is definitely the life of the party when around.

Amanda Hillhouse

Administrative Assistant
Designer
Advertising

A silent partner in the company, Amanda works in the office, specializing in advertising, marketing, design work and social media. Amanda has a Master of the Fine Arts degree and uses those skills when Jared comes to her with crazy design ideas. She has the final say on video production as well as digital and print materials. She too loves the outdoors. Camping, hiking. and especially fishing. Amanda teaches at the satellite campus of Utah State University as well as tends to three girls. She is the backbone of the company. Jared and Amanda have a beautiful nightly rental that they would love to share with you when visiting the area – Blanding Utah Nightly Rental.

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