2009: Northeast Mountain Guiding (NMG) was started by company President Joseph Vulpis in January of 2009 and since then has grown into one of the largest and busiest professional guiding, equipment outfitter and outdoor educational operations in the eastern United States. 2019 has proved to be NMG's best season yet! We worked as a sub-government contractor starting in mid-2009.
2011: In 2011, we branched out into the Southeast US and ran programs in North Carolina and the surrounding area. Our instructors taught SERE trainings at Fort Bragg during this time, and we continue to do so. Our international trips were a big part of our company during this time period.
2014: Vice President Bryan Enberg joined the company and helped launch its Professional Services Division. This division of NMG provides equipment, training and consulting to emergency service organizations as well as professional rope access for construction, inspection and other work at height needs. We are currently the sole provider for search & rescue training for FEMA and the NJ State Police. Bryan left NMG and is now working full time for the NJ State Police. This year we also created our Field Director positions and hired 5 guides to fill these positions. Our Field Directors manage our everyday operations in the field.
2016: President Joseph Vulpis registered NMG as a full government contractor for equipment, supplies and training. NMG is currently operating on projects and signed their first contract with the US Navy in January 2017 and second contract with the US Marines in February 2017. We pride ourselves in providing premium outdoor experiences and professional services to outdoor enthusiasts interested in experiencing everything the great wilderness has to offer! NMG has 150+ guides/instructors, all experts and highly experienced in the discipline they guide and people who love the outdoors. Unlike our competitors who only work weekends, we are FULL-TIME career mountain guides. On average, we have 35,000+ clients annually. Our peak season is April through October.
2017: NMG became the first outdoor adventure franchise in the world operating under a different name. The franchise is called 'Ultimate Outdoor Adventures' and has 9 current locations and 3 more opening in 2020.
2020: Our new Vice President, Matt Novellino, came on board bringing on a new skill set for advancing our government contracts and helping bring a new insight on our recreational based courses. This opened up our government bidding for SOCOM, Special Forces and other tiered operator training contracts.
2021: This year brought on many challenges with the pandemic restrictions but we powered through them and created policies to better adapt. We worked on a lot of high end government projects and production shoots. Matt and Joey opened up the National Rescue & Response Institute during 2021 which offers training in various disciplines like rope rescue, swfitwater rescue, technical rescue and much more!
2022: Erin Beach became our Chief of Operations, along with several people to fill our Operations Directors postitions. We're looking forward to another amazing year here at NMG!
We offer courses for the following organizations:
• American Hiking Guides Association
• Center for Wilderness Safety
• National Association for Search and Rescue
• Wilderness Mountain Safety Institute
• American Red Cross
• American Heart Association
• Professional Climbing Guides Institute
• National Canyoneering Guides Association
• National Rescue & Response Institute
We are the only full course provider for the American Hiking Guides Association and the National Canyoneering Association in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We are the only accredited school in the Northeast US for both the American Hiking Guides Association and the Mountain Safety Institute. We are also accredited by the National Canyoneering Association. Here at NMG we practice "Leave No Trace" ethics and have several Leave No Trace Master Educators on staff. Almost all of our staff are LNT Trainers. We instruct our clients on every trip how to protect, respect and preserve the wilderness.
NMG is also a distributor for the best brands in climbing and outdoor recreation. We are distributors for Conterra, Spiroll, CMC Rescue, Sterling Rope, National Geographic Maps, Eureka, JetBoil, Scarpa, Gregory and many more! Stop by our shop for more information and to see our product line.
DUNS, CAGE Code and NJ Start numbers available upon request.
Joey has been guiding for many years and is an essential part of the outdoor education industry in the United States. He founded the Outdoor Adventure & Education industry with the US Department of Labor in 2014. He is a co-founder of the American Hiking Guides Association (Mountain Leader Program) which has established itself in the United States as the governing body for training and certification for hiking and backpacking guides (Mountain Leaders). He was the Secretary of the Board for the Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI) for 2 consecutive terms from 2014 until 2018 and was a member of their Board of Directors for 2 consecutive terms from 2011 until 2014. Joey is also a co-founder, Chief, Technical Team Leader and head instructor for Bayshore Search & Rescue, a wilderness ground search and rescue team in Central New Jersey. He is a co-founder of the Mid-Atlantic Mountain Rescue Team.
Joey is a certified PCGI Top-Rope Guide and works alongside certified guides on a weekly basis. He took the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor course in April of 2018 and is planning on being assessed for certification in 2020. He is also a Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Advanced First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Instructor as well as a High/Low Angle Rescue Instructor. He is a former volunteer EMT with South Aberdeen EMS/Bayshore EMS where he served as Sergeant for 2 terms. South Aberdeen EMS responds to 1200+ emergency 911 calls annually. Joey is also an adjunct instructor with the Center for Wilderness Safety and the Executive Director for the Mountain Safety Institute. He was also a key figure in the development of permit programs for guides in the states of both Delaware and New Jersey. He recently developed curriculum for backcountry water safety and backcountry food handlers.
Joey holds first ascent climbs in High Point State Park NJ, Allamuchy State Park NJ, Green Pond NJ and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on both the NJ and PA sides. His most well known ascents are at High Point State Park and a recent first known winter ascent of the Southwest face of Mount Tammany which is a rock, snow and ice climbing route between the upper and lower head walls. Joey is the author of the 2018 'Mountain Leader Handbook' which is a formal text for hiking and backpacking guides. He is also the author of 'Garden State Climbing' which is a guide book for New Jersey and also an in-depth history book of rock climbing in New Jersey. He is considered an expert in rope related rescue procedures (mountain, technical and swiftwater) by the US government and works as a government contractor with various DOD, DOJ and DHS agencies on a daily basis. Joey, a father of 2 children, calls New Jersey his home.
Joey's Credentials:
Leave No Trace Trainer
PCGI Top Rope Guide
New York DEC Licensed Guide - #8146
CPR for the Professional Rescuer (AHA)
Basic First-Aid (AHA)
Wilderness & Remote First Aid (ARC & CWS)
New Jersey EMT
Confined Space Entry - 29 CFR 1910.146
Wilderness EMT
Wilderness EMT Advanced
High/Low Angle Rescue Technician (Mountain Rescue)
NCGA Level I , II and III Canyoneering Guide
NCGA Waterfall Rappelling Guide
NCGA Canyoneering Rescue Technician
Swiftwater Rescue Awareness
Swfitwater Rescue Operations
Swfitwater Rescue Technician
Search & Rescue Technician II & III (NRRI)
AHGA Hiking Guide
AHGA Mountain Leader
FEMA ICS 100, 200, 300, 400 and NIMS 700
FEMA 904 & 914
A-101 Aviation Safety
Helicopter Operations for SAR Responders
Food Handler's License (for backcountry meal preparation)
Backcountry Water Safety
Basic Water Safety (ARC)
Basic Water Rescue (ARC)
Combat Casualty Care Qualified (TCCC)
SERE Level B
Department of Defense OPSEC certified
Department of Defense Counterintelligence certified
Department of Defense CyberSecurity certified
Department of Defense Insider Threat Awareness
Joint Chiefs of Staff Level I Antiterrorism Awareness certified
Certified NJ Arborist (LTCO) #767
Hey everyone! Over the last couple of decades my path, both in Special Operations and as an outdoorsman, has taken me all over the world, but it all started right here in New Jersey! I grew up exploring the woods near my home in Denville, where I first found my wilderness inspiration in the echoes of the Native Americans who once inhabited our hills. Early on, I became interested in the techniques of survival, tracking, and eventually rock climbing, backpacking, and skiing. In 1999, I visited the Black Hills of South Dakota, and began what has now been a 20 year relationship with the Lakota tribe, and a love for the wild spaces of the American West. In 2003, I decided to follow my interests in self development and service into the military, and I enlisted in the US Coast Guard where I eventually became a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck the gulf coast, I was fortunate enough to be involved in 140 helicopter rescues within New Orleans. Following an extremely rewarding 4+ years in the Coast Guard, I returned to NJ where I began to guide rock climbing, backpacking, and survival training in New Jersey and New Hampshire. It was during this time, while we were both fixtures in the Allamuchy State Park climbing scene, that I first met Joey from Northeast Mountain Guiding.
During this period, I enlisted in the Army National Guard with the goal of entering Special Forces. After completing Infantry training, Airborne school, and a variety of other schools, I was selected as a candidate for Special Forces. In 2009 I reported to Ft. Bragg NC, where I underwent 21 months of training in the SFQC (Special Forces Qualification Course). After making it through training which included small unit tactics, cultural and language training in Arabic, SERE (Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape school), the SF Weapons SGT Course, and an Unconventional Warfare culminating exercise, I finally earned my Green Beret in the summer of 2011. After graduation, I moved to Colorado and reported to my National Guard Special Force unit. Living in and around Boulder, I had the opportunity to take my passion for the outdoors deep into the Rockies where I continued to polish my navigation, survival, and off-trail skills. When not exploring the mountains in the US, I traveled around the world as a Green Beret, including missions in Europe, North Africa, two combat deployments to the mountains of Afghanistan, and countless Special Operations schools and training evolutions.
Following my last trip to Afghanistan, I transferred to my unit’s “training detachment” where I mentor and assess Special Forces hopefuls from the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy. On the civilian side, I’ve been able to remain active in the aviation and maritime search-and-rescue fields through jobs as a Rescue Swimmer instructor for Ocean Rescue Systems International, and a hoist and tactical advisor for SRT Helicopters, as well as an independent training contractor for SOCOM. In my spare time, I have also run my own leadership and team-building company called Origins Training Group and a wilderness mentoring company called Warrior Wilderness Mentoring. I continue to maintain and develop relationships with the Native American nations which have been so influential on my philosophies in wilderness and in life. As an aspiring author of historical fiction and non-fiction, one of my long term goals is to share that positive influence I've received through my writing. In 2018, my wife Aja and I got married in our home town of Denville. Not long after, we bought a home in the woods in Rockaway NJ where we live today with our fat cat Ocho and our Siberian Husky Sky. I still travel regularly to the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest to practice my wilderness skills and philosophy, but I am super excited to be back in the New Jersey area, and honored to have the opportunity to become a big part of Northeast Mountain Guiding! See you out there!
Matt's Ccredentials:
Former US Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer
US Army Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (Green Beret) 2011 to present
Tactical Combat Casualty Care Qualified
SERE C High Risk
High Threat CQB instructor
Colorado National Guard SAR Team Member
Maritime & Aviation Rescue Instructor
US Army National Guard 2008 to present
Helo Cast Master
Fast Rope Insertion Master
USMC Scout Swimmer Graduate (2012)
Bronze Star with Valor (Afghanistan 2013)
ARCOM with Valor (Afghanistan 2017)
Bronze Star (Afghanistan 2017)
Bachelors Degree BFA
Swiftwater Rescue Awareness (NRRI)
Swiftater Rescue Operations (NRRI)
PCGI Top-Rope Guide Course
Growing up in Florida — with no rocks to climb or mountains to hike — I spent most of my time riding horses. After college, earning my BBA in Finance from the University of North Florida, I followed my passion for horses around the country, managing teams of elite show jumping horses on both the national and international level. After 10 years, I “retired,” with a new passion for all things nature — hiking, climbing, mountain biking, foraging; and found a home at Northeast Mountain Guiding in 2020.
I am currently pursuing my PCGI Top Rope Guide certification and my AHGA backpacking guide certification. I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such knowledgeable and inspiring guides who attract fabulous clients. It is my goal is to provide unforgettable outdoor experiences and to inspire others to be confident and connected to the outdoors.
Erin's Credentials:
AHGA Hiking Guide
CPR
Wilderness First Aid
AHGA Backpacking Guide Course
Helicopter Operations for SAR Responders
Leave No Trace Awareness
PCGI Top-Rope Guide course
Bachelor of Business Administration
Department of Defense Counterintelligence certified
Department of Defense CyberSecurity certified
Department of Defense Insider Threat Awareness
Jan is a 25 year veteran of Law Enforcement. He retired as the Chief of Police of the Hamburg New Jersey Police Department. Jan specializes in instructing police recruits and active duty police officers. He is a graduate of West Point Command and Leadership and the FBI Executive Leadership Program at Princeton University. Jan is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200) and teaches throughout the state. An avid Appalachian Trail hiker he recently completed 800 miles in 43 days. In September of 2018 he ran the entire New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail, 73.2 miles in 33 hours. Jan has also competed in numerous Marathons, Spartan races, Multi day Adventure Races and Triathlons. Jan lives in New Jersey with his wonderful wife and their two dogs known as the Wolfpack.
Bio coming soon!
Hellooo there, I'm Molly! I've always been a lover of all things outdoors, it's my favorite place to be. As a kid, my family would go kayaking and camping regularly, and we had a house on the river that has always been my second home. The outdoors has always brought me life and I grew up just craving more adventure. After highschool, I left my hometown in Pennsylvania and joined the United States Marine Corps to explore more! In 2010, after bootcamp, combat training, and schooling to learn how to drive really big trucks... I headed off to Okinawa, Japan. A few months after getting to island, I started to get my exploring in while getting ready for our 7 month deployment to Afghanistan. In 2011, our first training was Balikatan in the Philippines with the Philippine Marine Corps and the Philippine Army. After that was Pohang, Korea training with the ROK (Republic of Korea) Marine Corps, and then Enhanced Mojave Viper in California. February 2012 we deployed providing Tactical Logistics Support delivering and retrograding supplies and equipment, and recovering vehicles. All safely returning home, my next duty station was at Chemical Biological Incident Response Force in Maryland where I honorably discharged from the military a new mom. After the military, I went to school to get my CDL-A and have been driving dump trucks since 2015 - it's really fun! I love to take my daughter Amaya, and pup Thor on as many adventures as possible, recently jumping on the paddleboard train and LOVING it! Throughout the years, I have gained more love and passion for the outdoors and Northeast Mountain Guiding was directly in alignment for me. I am currently in a 200hr yoga teacher training course so when I am finished, come find me for some yoga adventure! I'm incredibly grateful to be able to be a part of such an amazing company with such an awesome and experienced group of people. I can't wait to adventure! Meet ya outside! <3
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