About us

Almost two decades ago we created Katabatic Consulting and Katabatic Mountain School to provide remote medical consulting and training for companies and individuals operating in remote environments. We have provided wilderness medical support, training and consulting for programs and individuals from Everest to Antarctica and from Patagonia to the Bahamas.

As fly fishing guides and avid anglers and sportsmen, we noticed the limited focused training opportunities for guides and outfitters as well as individuals seeking further first aid training that was more appropriate for the environments they worked and played in. We developed our wilderness first aid course ,”Freestone First Aid” to meet the needs of guides operating in the wilderness environment. We basically took our current wilderness first aid curriculum and tailored to it accommodate the “real” scenario’s anglers and hunters may face in their environment.

Let’s be honest, medicine is medicine until it is not, right? Basic standard first aid training is fine, but may not be appropriate when an emergency, illness or injury occurs away from quick 911 or rescue response. Critical thinking and steps to be taken after “that first 10 minutes” is crucial. Our courses address these situations. We rely on evidence-based medicine to ensure the most up-to-date and appropriate medical training.

We took our wilderness medicine consulting a step further by offering training and consulting for lodges and outfitters to ensure their clients, guides and staff had an up-to-date, reasonable and realistic Emergency Action Plan in place as well as the appropriate first aid kits and training to support the environment they operate in.

Again, as fellow guides, sportsmen and sportswomen, we understand the working environment you operate and play in. As medical professionals and educators, we understand what you need to be prepared for an emergency, illness or injury in the field.

“Tayloe” has been involved in pre-hospital emergency care for the past 25+ years focusing on remote and wilderness medicine. As director of operations and co-founder of Finns West  / Katabatic Consulting, he has provided remote medical services from Mount Everest to Antarctica and from Belize to the Bahamas.

Tayloe spent several decades guiding for several fly fishing outfitters in Colorado and spends his winter season in Chile guiding for Lakutaia Heli Fishing on Cape Horn-Patagonia. Tayloe currently resides on the Inner Banks of North Carolina working as an inshore Charter Captain for his company Finns East.

Tayloe has combined his passion for fishing with his profession as a wilderness and remote paramedic and educator to create a comprehensive, fun and important service for the fly fishing industry and community.

Kristin is the CEO and co-founder of Katabatic Consulting / Katabatic Mountain School.  Kristin specializes in emergency medicine, orthopedics and family medicine with a focus on wilderness and remote medicine.

Kristin claims to be a “fair weather” fly fisher and prefers sandy flats to frozen snake guides but doesn’t mind the occasional mid-winter midge day.

Kristin combines her decades of experience providing medical care in such environments as Antarctica and Nepal and teaching wilderness medicine courses from Patagonia to the Bahamas to provide enlightening and comprehensive consulting and education programs for the fly fishing community

Chad has been a field medic for nearly two decades as well as a lead EMS instructor for UCHealth. Chad has been an instructor with Finns West since the very beginning.

Chad guides for several fly fishing outfitters in Colorado / Rocky Mountains.

With his background in EMS, EMS education and water time; Chad brings a level of experience and knowledge to our program that guides and staff understand and enjoy.