Born and raised in Northern New Mexico, Andy has been adventuring in the wilderness his entire life. His parents’ philosophy was that for every year he was old he could hike that many miles with his pack in one day. His family hiked often and he climbed his first fourteener at age 7. For his family it was a pilgrimage every year to get above the treeline and embrace the harsh circumstances of high elevation. His first spiritual and religious experiences happened in the mountains. 

Andy’s childhood explorations evolved into a deep passion for spending time outside and for helping others to do so as well. Having spent 11 years living alone on 14-acres of rural property in Northern New Mexico, Andy experienced firsthand the deep learning and connection that can happen through being immersed in nature, in all its rawness. 

The last time Andy had a job where he worked indoors was in high school. For a season, Andy did outdoor education with children and adults at Ghost Ranch in 2013. Last summer he helped work a rafting expedition through the Grand Canyon. He’s been working on the land at Tara Mandala since June of 2018. Andy currently lives in Pagosa Springs, CO with his wife, Jennifer, dog Ama, and Patches the kitty.