Our Coaches
Mike has been passionate, deliberate, and serious about training since he ran his first race–The Bridger Ridge Run–in 1996. He has since dedicated his life to mountain sports pursuits and adventures, and the training it takes to perform at the highest level in the mountains.
Though known most for his mountain ultra-running exploits, Mike is a diverse mountain athlete who loves it all. He has paddled 1,600 miles over a period of 90 days across Canada to the Arctic Ocean, climbed first ascents on the 3,000-foot granite towers of Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, raced 100-mile mountain bike races, climbed El Capitan in Yosemite numerous times in a single day, snowboarded first descents in Grand Teton National Park, raced collegiate Nordic skiing, and he has been a passionate big game hunter since a young boy growing up in Montana.
Mike has been racing competitively as a professional mountain ultra-runner for over a decade. Mike has competed in over 100 ultra-distance mountain races around the world. Among the many races he has competed in, he holds numerous course records, and has placed top-3 at the world’s most competitive and prestigious mountain races: the Western States 100, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, and the North Face 50-mile Championship.
Mike’s commitment to the mountain sport community is evidenced by The Rut Mountain Runs in Big Sky, Montana which he co-created with Mike Foote.
In addition to being a professional mountain athlete and coach, Mike loves spending time with his amazing wife Stephanie and his kids Colt and Wren. Mike is also an attorney. Previous to taking a break from the full-time practice of law, Mike was a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Emily’s quest for balance was born in a cabin in the woods. Hailing originally from the Green Mountains of Vermont, Emily first instilled her passion for the outdoors roaming the woods around her family’s home. The desire to live a life of outdoor pursuits brought her to Missoula, Montana, where she pursued a degree in Exercise Science. Here, Emily found her calling; the intersection of sport, training, and the mountains.
Following her passion for cycling, Emily then moved to Arizona to work as a cycling guide. She has been leading road and mountain biking trips for The Cycling House for the past six years. She has lead groups of serious cyclists training for competition in locales including Tucson, California, and North Carolina. At these camps, Emily is guide, trainer, cook, motivator extraordinaire, and teacher.
She has been coaching and training athletes in Missoula since 2013. She coaches individuals at the University of Montana, teaching classes in cycling and circuit training. She has been coaching private clients for sports and competition in ultra running, cycling, and triathlon. She previously worked for Momentum Athletic Training in Missoula teaching ski conditioning classes.
A serious mountain runner, cyclist, triathlete herself, she has competed to top finishes over the years in cross country mountain biking, triathlon, marathons, and ultra-marathons. Tough, wild-hearted, and playful, her motivation comes from time spent in wild places, and spending time adventuring with close friends and trusted partners.
BS — Exercise Science
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
Precision Nutrition Licensed Nutritionist
Born in Bozeman, Eli was raised among the mountains and rivers of Montana and the surrounding mountain west. As a toddler he went on family adventures, floating the entire Yellowstone River before his first birthday, and joining his family on hiking, skiing and paddling adventures from the Arctic Circle to Mexico. He spent summers and vacations on long river trips in northern Canada, exploring the deserts of Utah, or backpacking along the west coast. He was not above skipping school for Bridger Bowl on cold-smoke powder days. When not in the outdoors he played soccer, football, basketball and everything in between. A focus on soccer in high school turned into a college soccer career at North Idaho College. He then finished his BS in Exercise Science at Montana State University. Following college, he worked in a physical therapy office in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho before the draw of Montana pulled him back.
Eli is ACSM CSCA certified and continues to grow as an athlete and outdoorsman. He is eager to engage with people who share his passion for outdoor exercise and fitness.
He has a great passion for bow and rifle hunting in the Montana backcountry, long days of trail running, and rafting/fishing trips on the Yellowstone. He’s a fun loving, energetic person who loves to socialize and is always up for the next adventure.
Born and raised in the small western town of Cody, Wyoming, Bailey has spent the majority of his life in the both the outdoors and the gym. Growing up in an athletic driven family, he was exposed to various training regimes for as long as he can remember. This pattern of movement led him to study Kinesiology at the University of Wyoming and pursue a certification as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Upon arriving in Montana, he continues to study the science of exercise in accordance with outdoor pursuits and athletic performance. However, his foundation for movement and strength training is deeply rooted in his passion for mountain sports. From chasing snowy winter summits in the remote Absaroka Mountains, he developed a love for adventure and a curiosity to explore rugged environments. This curiosity has led to both international and local mountain pursuits with a primary focus on climbing technical routes of rock, ice, and snow. He has established first ascents on both frozen waterfalls and granite walls in Northern Wyoming and is continually seeking out new heights in the vertical realm. Even if it’s not climbing, as long as there’s a healthy dose of type 2 fun and some greasy breakfast burritos involved, you can count him in.
Kindhearted, driven, and passionate, Bailey draws his psyche from big days in the mountains, training hard, connecting with likeminded outdoor athletes, and helping others achieve their fitness goals.
Growing up in Bozeman, Cam learned how to ice climb from her father which jump started her love for winter and the outdoors. The vastness of the opportunities in Hyalite Canyon grew her eagerness for outdoor pursuits. During high school she participated in the Junior Mountaineering Team stepping outside her comfort zone to see what she could achieve. She learned what it meant to have grit and persistence through successes and failures.
Cam realized how important fitness was to her overall wellbeing and started her fitness journey at TMP. She became passionate about the community that TMP fosters, skilled mountain athletes working alongside those who are just starting their journey. Along with dry-tooling and ice climbing Cam has also recently taken up olympic lifting. Although she’s in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology she's passionate about athletics and TMP.
Colleen grew up in a small town nestled in the mountains of western Maine. With the desire to experience the beauty, outdoors, and character of the west, Colleen transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula to complete her degree in Exercise Science. She immediately joined the university's outdoor recreation group and fell in love with the outdoor culture Montana had to offer. Through her own endeavors in trail running, learning to mountain bike on a bikepacking trip across the desert, skiing in the mountains, and general adventuring in the woods, Colleen has discovered she's happiest when playing outside... and eating.
If there's one thing Colleen loves more than the intersection of endurance sport and the mountains, it's food. Colleen is a board-certified Registered Dietitian who loves to guide athletes of all levels and abilities through their own unique nutrition journey.
BS - Exercise Science
BS - Food and Nutrition: Dietetics
Registered Dietitian
Rachel grew up along the small coast of New Hampshire. While she enjoyed all the outdoor activities that came along with the ocean, her true passion lay among the mountains and the sport of ski racing. After many dedicated years of training and competitive racing, she pursued Division 1 ski racing for the University of New Hampshire. There she learned the true importance of fueling the body for high level competition. She graduated with a degree in Nutrition and went on to complete her Dietetic Internship at Montana State University, moving across the country to Bozeman. With Montana as her new playground, she can be found alpine skiing, backcountry skiing, hiking, trail running, and exploring the outdoors. She’s always up for a new challenge and loves pushing the boundaries of her performance, keeping grounded with her nutrition and fueling techniques.
Rachel is a licensed Registered Dietitian and is pursuing a career working with athletes and individuals. She seeks to combine her competitive drive and experience to aid active, like-minded individuals in reaching their lifestyle and performance goals.
BS - Nutrition and Dietetics
Licensed Registered Dietitian
Growing up in Western Oregon, Ty was an active trail runner, biker, boater, and general outdoor person. He spent many weekends as a child on his family’s raft or camping in the central Oregon desert and exploring the western United States.
Ty and his family moved to Bozeman in 2017 to be closer to the outdoors and family. He and his wife have three young kids and are well-versed in the art of time optimization in pursuit of family and personal adventures.
He has spent the last 15+ years immersed in the outdoor education/recreation industry doing a little bit of everything from raft & rock climbing guiding to wilderness medicine and survival instruction. He currently works for the Sierra Club’s National Outing Program as the Training Program Manager, helping train volunteer trip leaders.
As an active trail runner who loves competition, Ty has been racing trail events all over the West for the last 10+ years. He has run everything from 5k blitzes to 100 miler self-supported adventures and enjoys pushing his limits almost as much as eating junk food at aid stations. 😉
BS – Biology
MS – Health Education
UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach
Rachel grew up in the great state of Alaska. College brought Rachel to the North Country of New York state where she played four years of college volleyball, learned to rock and ice climb in the Adirondacks, and studied biology. Post-college, Rachel's interest in the intersection of sports and nutrition really began. She has worked as a glacier ice climbing guide for six years in Seward, AK. She loves long days climbing, running, and skiing with lots of snacks. Rachel has completed many ultra distance races and adventures, including the Teton Crest Trail, Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, the Rut 28km, Resurrection Pass 50-mile, and the Moab Marathon. She is finishing her MS in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at MSU and will complete her Dietetic Internship in Montana after earning her degree.
BA- Biology
MS- Exercise Physiology and Nutrition (in progress)
UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach
Born and raised in Austria, my athletic career began with indoor cycling, a popular sport in my hometown. As an adolescent, I honed my gymnastic and cycling skills to become a top-ranked indoor cyclist on the Austrian UCI team. However, the mountains beckoned, and I took my tricks to the terrain park, where I excelled as a snowboarder. After a few broken bones, I got serious about rock climbing. Lucky me, I met the right people and was off to a great start in the climbing world! Climbing took me to destinations across Europe, including the south of France, where I met my husband, a native of Bozeman, Montana. Flash forward and I have started a family, moved to Montana, and been fortunate enough to climb extensively in the Alpine region and the North American Rockies. These days, as climbers and parents of two young girls, my husband and I love spending time climbing as a family. Since moving to Bozeman, 6 years ago my passion for climbing and coaching has only grown, and I am excited to pass on my knowledge to you!
I have been a rock climber (indoor and outdoor) for over fifteen years, and I have coached climbers - of all ages and abilities - in Austria and Switzerland for nearly a decade. Also, I founded a climbing apparel and equipment company called Mio Mi Climbing. I hand-make custom chalk bags, chalk buckets, and more right here in Bozeman, and Mio Mi Climbing gear is sold at climbing gyms across the US, at retail outdoor stores, and direct to consumers.
I enjoy working with climbers at any ability level and building training programs for students to learn and understand the sport. I am a confident teacher, and my years of experience have made me flexible; I easily adapt to my students' particular needs and preferred learning styles while helping facilitate their success as they work to learn the ART of climbing.
Certified climbing coach/instructor from the Austrian Alpine Academy.
Danton comes from a big family in a small town of Mason in rural Michigan. He has two younger brothers and an incredibly supportive set of old school-style parents. He grew up swimming in the lakes in the summer, which involved into competitive swimming in high school. After high school, climbing and just enough odd jobs to support the climbing habit became Danton’s focus. Learning to route set came by way of a unique opportunity to mentor and apprentice in a small gym similar to The Mountain Project Bouldering Gym.
After moving out West to route set, he landed in Bozeman and has been putting up plastic ever since. Danton is excited to continue the awesome foundation The Mountain Project has established and take the Bouldering Gym to the next level for the Bozeman community.
— USA Climbing Level 1 Route Setter
Jonas is an endurance athlete, coach, and geography student based out of Tübginen, Germany who grew up in Colorado and got his pre-med degree in Bozeman where he lived for the last 10 years. Jonas found his love for training and racing when he was gifted skimo racing skis in 2018, and has since spent the better part of his days learning the ins and outs of endurance training. While racing is a big motivator for Jonas, he is ultimately rooted in the love of the mountains and wilderness, and sees training as a tool for exploration.
From ultrarunning in Switzerland, ski-mountaineering in the Tetons, and skimo racing in Montana, Colorado, and Utah, he is excited to see where training will take him next!Jonas has worked with USA Skimo to grow the sport in the USA, along with developing a youth training plan for Montana Endurance Academy’s former youth skimo team. With an extensive background in healthcare, 4 years of endurance coaching, and 6 years of committed training in trail running and skimo racing, he is excited to work with new and old athletes alike. He is excited to share his passion for improvement with you.
Favorite All-Time Trail Run: Hardergrat, Switzerland
Favorite Skimo Race: Whitefish Whiteout, Whitefish MT
Current Favorite Trail Snack: Soft pretzel Nutella sandwich, sprinkled with salt
Favorite Ski Touring Gear: Thermos of hot chocolate
Growing up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Julia spent her youth exploring the outdoors through skiing, mountain biking, climbing, and running. That exploration turned into a passion for fitness and love of sport. Her competitive spirit landed her at Montana State University skiing on the cross country ski team, pursuing a degree in Exercise Science.
Julia spent five years coaching the Bridger Ski Foundation Nordic comptetion team. Taking junior skiers to national and international competitions, even coaching with the US Ski Team at the highest level on the World Cup, she helped BSF become one of the top junior programs in the country.
With a love for the mountains and pushing boundaries, Julia constantly strives to push herself and others’ to be their best self through personal growth and athletic development.
Julia enjoys full days in the mountains, scaring herself with new challenges and high stakes adventures, working hard to lead with energetic optimism for the best possible outcomes.
BS - Health and Human Performance and Exercise Science
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM Stretching and Flexibility Coach
NASM Sports Nutrition Specialist
Dalton grew up on the East Coast immersed in the world of team sports, fueled by both the joy and community that comes from doing hard things with others. After playing college lacrosse at both a D1 and D3 level, she started exploring the broader world of endurance sports as a way to maintain these types of connections, gain access to new places, and push limits to see what’s possible.
Continuing this pursuit, Dalton and her family moved to Bozeman in 2017 to be closer to mountains and open space and all the recreational opportunities that these landscapes support. She shares her days with her very enthusiastic husband, three daughters, and two high maintenance dogs and is constantly pursuing the balancing act of it all. She is a teacher with a background in science education, a “yes friend” who’s always up for an adventure, and a gritty competitor who believes that smiles and gratitude miles can serve as a superpower. She has experience in running all types of trail and ultra events, most recently leaning into longer distances completing five, 100-mile races in the last 3 years and finishing top 3 in four of them. Dalton loves long, hard days in the mountains and geeking out on gear, training, and nutrition strategy just as much as putting on a race bib. She also prides herself in keeping her pack full of all the (just in case) trail necessities and adamantly believes that every run is better with some salty potato chips and a few gels in her pocket.
Dalton continues to see running as a vehicle for connection and adventure and an opportunity to chase big scary goals and share miles and stories with new and old friends. Nothing makes her happier than supporting others in gaining both the fitness and confidence to do the same.
BS- Environmental Studies
MS- Science Education
UESCA Certified Ultrarunning Coach