Russ Turner - Bio
russ turner
Russ Turner is the Founder and President of Skaha Rock Adventures Ltd. He has 29 years of experience guiding, instructing and developing outdoor programs. As an ACMG summer and winter Guide, he possesses a wide variety of technical skills. His personality allows him to naturally blend soft, personable skills together with hard technical skills to provide a unique, supportive and educational experience for clients.
Having extensively explored the continent of North America, his quest for climbing adventures found him living on the road for 14 years in search of new rock and alpine climbing destinations. It was during one of these extended road trips that he happened upon the beautiful Skaha Bluffs of Penticton. In awe he realized his long driving days were over – Skaha Bluffs would now become home.
It didn’t take long before he realized the incredible training potential these diverse cliff formations offered and Skaha Rock Adventures Ltd. was conceived in 1993. By investing 2,000 + hours of labor developing specific teaching sites, he created a premiere novice-advanced rock training area.
As a Ski Guide with 21 years work experience, he has guided helicopter, snow-cat and ski tour groups throughout the coastal and interior ranges of British Columbia. With 14 years of avalanche skills teaching experience, he continues to develop outdoor education contract courses for new clients.
Besides rock climbing and ski touring, other interests include nordic skiing, telemarking, alpine skiing, mountaineering, sailing, mountain biking, golfing, sea kayaking and route cleaning. Born and raised in the central Okanagan, he and his wife Beth now live in Penticton.