Tom was born in Southern California. When he was a little boy he was always spending time in the outdoors and quickly began learning about the history of the land, plants, and animals. His expertise runs through a variety of subjects and his desire to share knowledge is second nature.
Tom’s free-spirited demeanor shows in his appearance and his approach towards life. He and his wife travelled around the United States for 2 years in an open-ended itinerary with eating as their only stipulation before settling in Pagosa Springs, CO. A few years later he and his wife Lynne, went to Moab, UT for a camping trip. He walked into an outfitting business running jeep tours, river guiding, canoe shuttles, etc. and introduced himself as an experienced guide and expert in ancient Puebloan cultures. Without even asking, Tom landed himself a job. The owner of that outfit took one good look at him and said, “you look like a guide, and you’re hired!” It is no surprise CEO Brian Murphy said the same thing. Tom’s guiding experience dates back nearly 40 years and is an accomplishment he is most proud of. “I have been a guide all my life, it’s what I know.” As a young man he was involved in Interpretive Technique Programs where he learned how to put tours together and relate them to people in a way they can understand. “Some people want more, some people want less. You have to be able to pick that out in a person.” Brian and Tom met each other in 2011 and Tom has been working with ULT ever since. When asked what he loves most about ULT he responded, “we all come from different backgrounds. We have a great team here; we all get along. We are all guides at heart.” His knowledge of the great outdoors exceeds any book you may have read or any documentary you may have seen. He can tell you about rock formations and plant species. He can tell you about the Indigenous people and their hobbies, crafts, and legends. He can teach you how to survive in the desert by showing you how to find food or water. Dinosaur fan? Or a history buff? He’s got those topics covered. Being a teacher at heart, Tom brings artifacts, fossils, or children’s activities with him during his tours. He tries to engage his guests and provide them with resources to inspire learning and interest. He’s incredibly inventive, gentle, kind, and humble; a rock star to say the least. Improving his guiding skills through research or physical activity is a lifelong pursuit of his. Hiking and fly-fishing is how he enjoys spending his free time. He and his wife are proud parents of 2 grown men. They currently live in Moab, Utah.