Walter originally hails from Indiana, but is now based out of Truckee, California. Growing up, Walter spent a lot of his summers canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota where he fell in love with backcountry trips, mosquitos, and campfires. After attending college in southern Tennessee and graduating with a BA in Forestry and Natural Resources, Walter returned to Minnesota to guide canoe expeditions in Minnesota and Canada. In the winters he helped run a dog-sledding program. After four years in Minnesota, Walter moved out west and worked as an instructor at Colorado Outward Bound School for a few years and now works as a consultant and guide for Alpenglow Expeditions. In between his guiding work, Walter loves to rock climb, bake, and has a secret passion for chess.