Keith Garvey

About Keith

I currently reside in Ridgway, Colorado, home to the beautiful San Juan Mountains. Growing up in Illinois I had limited exposure to the outdoors. It was through a ski program at my elementary school that got me into snowboarding and ultimately paved the way to become a Colorado transplant. First, attending school at Colorado State University and later getting a job as a guide with the Colorado Mountain School in Estes Park.

Career Background

After learning to rock climb my freshman year at C.S.U. I knew a career in climbing and skiing was in my future. In 1998, I started the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) training and certification process and become an IFMGA licensed mountain guide in 2005. At which point, I started my own company All Mountain Adventures. We are a small international guide service offering climbing and skiing to the greater mountain ranges around the world. To give back, I have donated a lot of my time to the guiding industry. I sat on the AMGA board of directors from ‘07-’13, have been an AMGA technical committee member for 8 years, and the past president of the Certified Guides Cooperative, a non-profit organization aim at opening up access for certified guides.

Treatment Procedure and Recovery Plan

Due to prolonged chronic spraining in my right ankle, The Steadman Clinic repaired multiple tendons and ligaments as well as some micro-fracturing in my right ankle on November 14, 2012. After six weeks of non-weight bearing and a healthy dose of atrophy I slowly began to walk again. Now, three months after surgery I am walking normal and just yesterday had an incredible day of ski touring on Red Mountain Pass. I leave to Europe in two weeks to guide off-piste skiing and couldn’t have recovered as quickly or been back on my feet so fast without the excellent care and surgery from The Steadman Clinic, the amazing help from my physical therapist, and a little determination on my part to get back into the mountains. I feel as though I am coming back stronger in my body, mind, and spirit.

Testimonial

"I’m not sure I could have done this without the help from the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation. Surgery, even with insurance is a very costly endeavor. To have access to the best doctors in their field was a dream come true. The care and attention to detail the Steadman Clinic provided was world class and the financial support provided by the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation made it all possible. Though I had insurance, with my high deductible and all the peripheral costs of hotel rooms, travel expenses, and physical therapy, I don’t think I could have done it. For that, I can’t thank the Kees Brenninkmeyer Foundation enough for getting me back on my feet and into the mountains! "

- Keith Garvey