Our Guides
Ella Spillane
Ella brings a heart for connection and stewardship to every trip. She draws on her own personal experience navigating life’s ebbs and flows to craft adventures with thoughtful themes, tailored to the unique energy of each group. Her hyperattention to detail ensures every trip feels intentional and memorable.
With a vision for creating meaningful experiences, Ella combines big-picture thinking with hands-on expertise, setting the tone for the team and shaping the adventures Trailbound leads. She is passionate about creating space for real human connection in an increasingly digital world.
She lives by the belief: “To know that even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Founder, Lead Guide, Yoga Instructor
Michael Spillane
Growing up in Alaska, Michael became comfortable in remote wilderness early on. He has spent much of his life working in and around wild places, shaping a career in civil and environmental engineering that reflects his curiosity and commitment to land stewardship.
Michael brings a steady, can-do attitude to every trip, grounded in the belief that progress comes from action, not ideal conditions. His guiding principle remains: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
If you’re hiking beside Michael, ask him about hunting on Admiralty Island, traveling deep into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, designing and building bridges in Tibet and Nepal through his company, boating and fishing in the Puget Sound with family, or climbs and rescues on Mt. Rainier in his twenties.
Wilderness Guide
Chef & Guide
Ryan Lindsay
Ryan grew up in the Appalachian Mountains fishing, hunting, and living off the land. From an early age, he embraced challenge and adventure—competing in GNCC races up and down the East Coast and later racing on his collegiate snowboard team.
That same drive led him to become a commercial flight instructor and eventually pack up to explore the West Coast. Today, you’ll often find Ryan surfing in San Diego or snowboarding, fishing, and backpacking in the Sierra Nevada.
Ryan brings a light-hearted, welcoming presence to Trailbound trips, jumping in wherever needed—from offering steady morale on the trail to cheffing up camp meals.