APD
We are proud to be a part of Alaska Powder Descents, Juneau’s local heliskiing and backcountry guiding operation since 2007.
The Vibe
We’re not just a group of professional guides, we’re an approachable group of local skiers and riders who want to share our mountain knowledge with the community. Let us handle the details, organize the crew, and even break a little trail to keep you skiing and learning all day long.
Our Team
Peter Nave
Program Director and Lead Instructor
Born and raised in Juneau, AK, Peter grew up skiing at Eaglecrest as part of the Juneau Ski Team. As a certified guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, a Professional Member of both the Canadian and American Avalanche Associations, and an EMT, he has worked for many years in Canada, Japan, and Alaska.
Peter has worked as a guide, avalanche forecaster, and instructor of beginner to professional avalanche and mountain skills courses. He has also been fortunate enough to guide in some of North America’s great ranges, including heliskiing and film productions in Alaska, Whistler, Revelstoke, and Bella Coola, BC. He is honored to be a teacher here in his hometown and is stoked to meet you in the mountains!
Kanaan Bausler
Lead Instructor
Kanaan grew up on Douglas Island. The Rock. He is the local zoo keeper, he keeps the animals in line.
Kanaan has long been a part of the local mountain scene in Juneau, and is a professional avalanche forecaster for AEL&P. Kanaan’s backcountry experience spans from the Chilkat Range in Haines where he participated in Alaska Heliskiing’s Guide Training, to Southern BC where he lived for many years and trained with the Canadian Avalanche Association. He has also skied in Patagonia, but only after riding his bike there, from Seattle.
Kanaan is excited to get to work with Juneau’s next generation of backcountry animals.
Johnny Bressette
Lead Instructor, Co-Owner and Lead Guide of Alaska Powder Descents.
Johnny was born and raised in Juneau and has been skiing here for 30 years. He has been guiding heli-skiing in Southeast Alaska for the last 15 years. He specializes in working with film crews and is regularly a lead guide for Teton Gravity Research when they are filming in Alaska. When he isn’t snowboard guiding, Johnny works as an avalanche forecaster for the local power company AEL&P and spends his summers salmon fishing.
Ed ‘Shred’ Shanley
Lead Instructor, Co-Owner and Lead Guide of Alaska Powder Descents.
A Juneau local for over 30 years. Ed has been working as an avalanche professional for over a decade. He’s been a ski patroller, worked on an industrial avalanche team for the local electrical utility, guided helicopter and ski mountaineering trips around Alaska, and guided ski and snowboard film productions including Jeremy Jones’ “Further” and “Higher.” When not working in the mountains he spends the his time climbing around on steel towers as a telecommunications technician and hiding out at his cabin with his wife and son.
Jamie Pierce
Guide and Instructor
Jamie is an IFMGA Mountain Guide, Avalanche Forecaster, and USGS scientist. Jamie is one of only around 200 fully certified Mountain Guides in the USA, and only a handful in Alaska. He came to Alaska to run the Kensington Mine’s Avalanche Program and now works full-time as a field scientist for the USGS. Before coming to Alaska, he owned and operated a mountain school in Colorado and worked for the National Science Foundation in Antarctica for many seasons. We are so lucky to have this humble mountain guru working here in Juneau and a part of our team at Mountain Edventures!
Occasionally, we’ll be getting help from Alaska Powder Descent’s other professional guides. You can read more about them HERE.