Kaitlyn is in her third year as an Guide and is a proud native of Toutle, Washington, where Mount St. Helens is a prominent part of local history and culture. Whether as a young student on school field trips or absorbing family stories or her own wilderness adventures, her love and fascination with the mountain has created an unbreakable bond. She is in love with hiking and backpacking and hopes to help others share in the healing beauty of nature. Off-trail, Kate is a Biomedical Engineering student and an artist of many mediums. She is a self-professed nerd that is always accepting suggestions for new sci-fi and fantasy media. Most importantly, she is a mother to a fiery little lady and perhaps the next generation of explorers and protectors of Mount St. Helens.