Tim McGough new program manager at Telluride Adaptive Sports Program

30 Oct Tim McGough new program manager at Telluride Adaptive Sports Program

Tim McGough took some time out of a crowded schedule to talk to me last week. Tim is the new program director at Telluride Adaptive Sports Program, and is very busy getting up to speed in this new position. There is training to schedule for the instructors and volunteers, returning and new, for the upcoming season. In addition, school groups, who represent a large part of TASP’s client base have to have their time blocked out, and requests for lessons are beginning to come in from our out-of-town guests.

So I was glad that Tim was able to spend some time with me. In the interest of full disclosure, this will be my 10th season as an instructor for TASP. So the conversation was much more about how to make the most out our mutual relationship than an interview. I’ll do that later in the season, but I did want to introduce Tim to our readers. Following is the bio I received from TASP.

TASP Welcomes Our New Program Manager: Tim McGough

     TASP would like to announce the arrival of our new Program Manager, Tim McGough. Tim joins us from the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center where he has spent over 7 years working in adaptive recreation, as a PSIA Adaptive level III certified ski instructor/clinician, and wilderness program course director. Tim brings a vast knowledge and passion of the adaptive skiing world; we are grateful he has joined our team at TASP!

     Tim graduated from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin in May of 2002, receiving a B.S. in Outdoor Education, with an emphasis on Adventure Education and a minor in Environmental Education. He spent numerous summers as a climbing, backpacking, and canoeing guide for Camp Menogyn in Grand Marais, Minnesota, leading adolescent males into various wilderness areas of Minnesota, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, and Canada. Following college, Tim joined the United States Antarctic Program for a period of six months as a prep cook at McMurdo Station. A few months after returning home, Tim embarked on yet another adventure, this time to Nepal on the 2003 Mt. Everest Region Environmental Expedition as a member of “Enviro-Treks Canada.” Tim led numerous wilderness first aid courses for local porters and sherpa’s in Kathmandu and the Khumbu Valley. He also worked with his expedition team to pick up, separate, weigh, and document over 1800 pounds of solid waste and recyclables from Mt. Everest Base Camp to the Lukla airport. Upon returning to the U.S., Tim reunited with the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center as a full time instructor, where he had previously spent a winter as an intern.

Falling in love with the adaptive ski world, Tim rejoined BOEC and passionately continued training as an adaptive ski instructor. In the 6 years that would follow, Tim became well-versed in a wide variety of adaptive ski and snowboard techniques tailored to many different physical and cognitive disabilities. While he spent a few summers involved with BOEC’s summer program, Tim left two summers ago to join the United States Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger in the Mission Mountains of Montana. With years of on-snow adaptive teaching experience, TASP is ecstatic to welcome Tim to Telluride this fall, where we are certain he will help our program continue to rise to the next level.