Staff
Christopher Gibson, AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor – Owner
Chris has been an adventurer and dreamer since childhood, running through the woods and streams in his hometown of Maryland where those memories have forged a lifelong desire to bring those same experiences to the masses. Now as a professional adventurer, Chris is living his dreams as the Owner of the North Texas Outdoor Pursuit Center. One of his famous quotes is “There is a fine line between fantasy and reality, and that is where I live.” Chris is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where he earned his BS in Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics and went on to earn a Masters in Management from the University of Texas at Dallas. When he is not out adventuring you can find him at the OPC introducing people to the sport of the outdoors, teaching belay classes, playing seventies rock music, and advocating stewardship for the wild places that we all love.
Jeff Lee, AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor – Wilderness and Climbing Program Director
Jeff has been teaching climbing for many years and works with the Boy Scouts as climbing director in North Texas. At the “OPC” Jeff oversees the day to day operations as well as runs the climbing program. We are excited to have his expertise and teaching skill on board at the OPC.
Dusty Pilgrim- Environmental Programs Director
Dusty is a certified North Texas Chapter Master Naturalist, and an Eagle Scout. He has worked at the Caldwell Zoo and doing paleontology at the Dallas Museum of Natural History. He is currently the official instructor for the City of Carrollton in charge of the Elm Fork Nature Preserve. When he’s not in the field or at the gym he is a gallery artist.
Connor Talon- Lead Rock Guide
Connor is a highly experienced outdoor leader and athlete who has been climbing in all disciplines for 10 years. He was a Mountain Guide for Rocky Mountain High Adventure BASE in Summer 2011, certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR, is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer, and helped teach the Circle 10 Outdoor Instructor Course.
Tyler C Ferguson- Media & Community Relations
Tyler is an all-around adventure athlete. He enjoys guiding and instructing in a wide variety of adventure disciplines, and when he’s not at the gym or out on a trip he is also an adventure/nature photographer and filmmaker. You can see some of his work at TylerCFerguson.com, as well as on the Pro Team section of this site. Tyler graduated from Texas Tech University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, where he was trained in outdoor leadership and scientific research. His adventures have taken him across the country and internationally, and he speaks about photography, adventure, and environmental stewardship to a variety of audiences. He lives in Keller with his wife Karli and dog Gus.
Avery “Buddy” Gibson – The Guru
Avery is one of those rare kids that still play’s outdoor’s, he would rather be outside in the rain than sitting in front of a TV. He has hiked Eagle Rock Loop in Ouachita National Forest, The Buffalo National River Trail, and all throughout the Ozarks and has been outdoor rock climbing since three years of age. At the North Texas Outdoor Pursuit Center you can usually find him bouldering in the training room, climbing to the top of all the 5.10+ routes and fixing spinners. He is an inspiration to all the kids that come to climb at the OPC.