Liz Gifford-Thorne
Liz is a wilderness guide, photography instructor, and expedition leader in some of the most remote parts of the world. In recent years her “office” has included sea kayaking and stand up paddle boarding in Antarctica with humpback whales; teaching photography under the imposing edifice of Denali; living her Pippi Longstocking dreams while immersed in the cultures of Fiji and Papua New Guinea; and zodiac driving along the endless glacial faces of East Greenland. Liz first moved to Alaska 20 years ago to combine her love of the outdoors with her passion for education. She enrolled at the University of Southeast Alaska and obtained her Outdoor Leadership Skills certificate. Following that, she worked as a USFS Wilderness Ranger and spent three seasons protecting and educating visitors in the remote wildernesses of Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness Area. Liz firmly believes in lifelong education and takes any opportunity to expand upon her skills. She is constantly working on gaining experience on the ocean and how to help people be safer in the outdoors. She earned her 100-ton captain’s license, trained as a Wilderness First Responder, and is a certified American Canoe Association sea kayak instructor. When she is not guiding or teaching, you can find Liz with a cup of green tea in one hand, her camera in the other, and skis on her feet for eight months out of the year.