Your Team
“There are two ways get rich. One is to accumulate more. The other is to desire less.”
- G. Chesterton
Megan “Belay” Taylor
Owner & Guide
A long-distance expeditionist, mountain climber, minimalist, life-long learner, and Shih-Tzu mama.
Belay has hiked the entire 2,184-mile Appalachian Trail, 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, 210-mile John Muir Trail, 273-mile Vermont Long Trail, 104-mile Uinta Highline Trail, and 230-mile Ouachita Trail as well as completed a double traverse of Zion National Park.
She has hiked 32 of Colorado’s 54 fourteeners and 44 of 50 U.S. highpoints. Her latest obsession being our Seven Summits and white-water kayaking the Arkansas River.
Belay has been a nomad since 2016 when she gave up her Salt Lake City apartment and moved into her Honda Element then eventually just onto her bicycle. Eight years later, she is still nomadic but keeps in a simple office in the quaint mountain town of Lake City, CO.
Belay has two Shih-Tzus that travel with her and you can often find JoJo or Nells on the BE’s domestic expeditions.
Belay is dedicated to bringing you life-changing experiences around the globe that focus on being outside, simple, & in pursuit. So we can all be ourselves but better!
Reed Maiocco
Guide
Born and raised in the heart of Colorado, Reed Maiocco has spent nearly every weekend of his life exploring the mountains that shaped his deep love for the outdoors. At just 19 years old, Reed has already summited 42 of Colorado’s iconic 14,000-foot peaks, with the goal of completing them all before his 20th birthday.
An avid hiker, backcountry skier, and mountaineer, Reed has ventured into wilderness areas across the West—all the way from backcountry skiing in the Tetons to climbing the high peaks of Colorado to backpacking the desert landscapes of Utah. Whether it's leading friends on multi-day backpacking trip or dropping cliffs through untouched powder, Reed is at home in the backcountry and passionate about sharing that experience with others.
Reed is Wilderness First Responder certified and is continuing his education in Outdoor Recreation Leadership at Colorado Mountain College. He’s known for his passionate and confident presence on the trail, and possesses a unique ability to lead both kids and adults safely and enthusiastically through challenging terrain.
With a strong foundation in wilderness skills, a growing list of personal achievements, and a true love for adventure, Reed is excited to take the next step as a mountaineering guide—helping others experience the same enjoyment and accomplishment that the mountains have always given him.
Journey Fleishman
Guide
Hi, I’m Journey! A student at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, double majoring in Nutrition Science and Recreation & Outdoor Education with a minor in Chemistry!
I am a registered wilderness EMT, WFR, and have participated in search and rescue in the Gunnison Valley.
I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023 after graduating high school and it was an absolutely life changing event in my life! I am on the ski mountaineering and trail running teams at Western and moving my body outside is my favorite thing to do!!!
I love conversations with new people, good music, food, coffee, and exploring new places!
Jenna Reis
Guide
Hi everyone, my name is Jenna! I’m originally from Ohio, but my roots have spread to Gunnison over the past two years. Before moving to Colorado, I guided youth and adults in the Yosemite, Emigrant, and Stanislaus backcountry.
I’m proud of my work expanding access to the outdoors for individuals and communities, from jumping into alpine lakes to flashing their first climbing route.
I live by the idea that, like plants, people cannot grow in isolation. I value symbiotic relationships with the land, our communities, and ourselves, grounded in the curiosity of where we come from and the motivation in where we can go.