2008: Northeast Mountain Guiding (NMG) was started by company President Joseph Vulpis in December of 2008 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.
2009: In the early part of 2009 we started running International expeditions to Nepal, Peru, Indonesia, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, China, Belize, Argentina, Chile, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Spain, Russia, Italy and various other locations.
2011: In 2011, we branched out into the Southeast US and ran programs in North Carolina and the surrounding area. We opened our second office in Huntersville, North Carolina during this time. 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.
2013: 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 were the sole provider for search & rescue training for FEMA and the NJ State Police during his time frame. 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. Matt is a current US Special Forces Green Beret and a former US Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer (AST).
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 positions. We've worked with various special operation units with Department of Defense and Department of Justice. 80% of our work is government based and we continue to provide professional training and curriculum development for agencies looking to advance their current skill set.
2023: As we enter into our 14th year in business, our structure has changed for the better. The Outdoor Adventure & Education industry has slowed in some regions which allowed us to focus on our government, state, county and municipal programs that we provide for rescue, response and procedures. Mountain warfare based operations and remote fugitive apprehensions have become our specialties. This year is going to be amazing! 2019 was our busiest season and we hope that 2023 is better!
We offer courses for the following organizations:
• American Hiking Guides Association
• National Association for Search and Rescue
• Wilderness Mountain Safety Institute
• American Red Cross
• Department of Homeland Security
• Emergency Care & Safety Institute
• American Heart Association
• FEMA
• Professional Climbing Guides Institute
• National Canyon Guides Association
• National Rescue & Response Institute
We are the only full course provider for the American Hiking Guides Association and the National Canyon Guides 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 Canyon 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 and former Chief for Bayshore Search & Rescue, a wilderness ground search and rescue team in Central New Jersey and 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 the PCGI Single-Pitch Guide course in September 2021 and is working toward certification. He is a Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness EMT, TCCC, TECC 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 from 2010 until 2017. South Aberdeen/Bayshore EMS responds to 1200+ emergency 911 calls annually. He currently volunteers at Lincroft Emergency Medical Services in Middletown NJ and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary (Flotilla 26) in Monmouth Beach NJ. Joey is also an adjunct instructor and the Executive Director for the Wilderness & 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. He's developed curriculum for various DOD, DOJ and DHS agencies with main focuses on Federal law enforcement and military operators operating in remote, technical, wilderness environments. In 2021, with Matt Novellino, Joey founded the National Rescue & Response Institute which offers training for Government employees as well as civilians for technical training in various disciplines.
Joey holds first ascent climbs in High Point State Park NJ, Allamuchy State Park NJ, Green Pond NJ, New York 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) and operations, remote environments and operations by the US government and works as a government contractor with various DOD, DOJ and DHS agencies on a daily basis. Joey, his fiance, and 2 children, call New Jersey their 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 & NRRI)
Former 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
Swiftwater Rescue Operations
Swiftwater Rescue Technician
Swiftwater & Floodwater Rescue Instructor (All Levels)
Search & Rescue Technician II & III (NRRI)
AHGA Hiking Guide
AHGA Mountain Leader
FEMA ICS 100, 200, 300, 400 and NIMS 700, 800
FEMA IS 904, 914, 915, 102, 75, 35.23, 703.b, 1150, 2200
FEMA/CDP HAZMAT Awareness AWR-358
FEMA/CDP AWR-914, AWR-915, AWR-341, AWR-923, HID
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)
Tactical Combat Casualty Care Qualified (TCCC)
TCCC & TECC Instructor
S.E.R.E. Level B
Helicopter/Aerial Insertion Specialist (DOD & DOJ)
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
Military Emergency Management Specialist
Rappel Master (DOD)
S.E.R.E. Instructor (Level A & B)
Certified NJ Arborist (LTCO) #767
Remote Operations Specialist (DOD & DOJ)
Author of:
The Mountain Leader Handbook 2016
Garden State Climbing 2018/2020
A Climber's Guide to Knots, Hitches & Bends 2020
The History of New Jersey Rock Climbing 2021
Allamuchy State Park Guidebook 2021
Catskills Canyoneering Guidebook 2023
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 the US Special Operations Command (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 Credentials:
Former US Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer (AST#626)
US Army Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (Green Beret) 2011 to present
Tactical Combat Casualty Care Qualified (TCCC)
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)
US Coast Guard Unit Citation Air Medal
US Navy/US Marine Corp Presidential Citation
Bachelors Degree BFA
Swiftwater Rescue Awareness (NRRI)
Swiftwater Rescue Operations (NRRI)
Swiftwater Rescue Technician
PCGI Top-Rope Guide Course
Former NR-Emergency Medical Technician
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 is a Board Member for the American Hiking Guides Association.
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
Assistant Climbing & Hiking Guide
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
ICU Registered Nurse, CPR, AMGA SPI Course, PCGI TRG Course
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, PCGI Top-Rope Guide Course
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
Assistant Canyoneering Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, LNT Trainer, PCGI Top-Rope Guide, PCGI Single-Pitch Guide course, AMGA Single-Pitch Instructor Course, FEMA 100, 200, 300, 700 & 800, NY DEC Licensed Guide, HAZMAT Operations
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid
Rock Climbing Guide
Rock Climbing Guide
Lead Kayaking & Backpacking Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, LNT Awareness, AHGA Backpacking Guide Course
Rock Climbing Guide
ICU Registered Nurse, CPR, Wilderness First Aid, PCGI TRG Course
Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, PCGI Top-Rope Guide Course
Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, PCGI Top-Rope Guide Course
Rock Climbing Guide
Professional Services Instructor
NASAR Instructor
Lead Caving Guide
Rock Climbing Guide
Rock Climbing Guide
Rock Climbing Guide
Assistant Guide
Yoga Hiking Guide
SUP Instructor
Rock Climbing Guide
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, NJ Search & Rescue Member
Professional Services Instructor
NASAR Instructor
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Aid, AMGA Single-Pitch Instructor
Rock Climbing Guide
Lead Rock Climbing Guide
CPR, Wilderness First Responder, AMGA Single-Pitch Instructor Course
Professional Services Instructor
Send us an email if you're interested in becoming a guide!
Copyright © 2008 - 2024 Northeast Mountain Guiding - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.