Ian Ferrier
High up on the Cliffs of Moonarie, Flinders Ranges, SA.
Ian’s background has always been in the outdoor industry starting as a bushwalking guide on the famous Overland Track I 1989. During the 5 years Ian worked on the track he travelled the trail over 50 times at all times of the year. One of the guests was the inimitable Dick Smith who along with his CEO Ike Bain were sufficiently impressed with Ian to offer him a job managing the first ever Australian Geographic shop in Tasmania, located in Hobart.
After 2 years with Australian Geographic the well know Australian outdoor brand Mountain Designs opened a shop in Hobart, with Ian being employed as Manager. Prior to this, Mountain Design’s and Australian Geographic had been a sponsor of an expedition Ian was on to successfully climb Denali, the highest Mountain in North America.
After 2 years with Mountain Designs’s in Hobart the opportunity arose for Ian to become a franchisee of the brand by opening a store in Launceston. This was operated till 2011 when the business was sold back to the parent company. During this time Ian enjoyed the interaction with the wider outdoor community, with many customers being guides and tourists visiting the state.
Eventually the guiding/school work became a full time career with Rock Climbing Guiding Tasmania starting in May 2013 after one of Tasmania’s climbing legends, Bob McMahon, unfortunately passed away. Bob ran the only climbing guiding business in Tasmania for many years and developed a fantastic following due to his energetic friendly personality and unequalled knowledge of Tasmanian climbing.
Ian often worked with Bob and when approached by many of Bob’s former customers it was decided to keep the service running.
Ian has been climbing in Tasmania and other places around the world since 1987. This has included longer rock climbs in Canada, high altitude mountaineering in Alaska and Africa as well as rock and ice climbing in New Zealand. More recently this included a trip to Yosemite Valley in California, one of the iconic climbing areas in the world. He has also visited most of the main climbing areas in Australia during holidays with his wife Charlotte, also a keen climber.
Ian is qualified with the Tas Climbing Instructors Association as Single Pitch Guide and all guides have a sound background in guiding areas such as Climbing, Mountain Biking, Overland Track Bushwalking and many school outdoor education programs.