Meet Richie Samora | Wilderness guide

We had the good fortune of connecting with Richie Samora and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Richie, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
It’s all about having passion for what you do. I look at it like this…hard work is always good no matter what you are doing and it will get you far in life. When you mix hard work with your passion you will never give up.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I owe all my knowledge and love for the mountains to my Dad. He’s has had me in the backcountry at a very young age. I still remember his telling me not to tell mom about some sketchy game trail we took! He also taught me wilderness etiquette and how important it is for us to take care of the land. With the growing amount of people now showing interest in the wilderness I feel it’s important to pass that along. We are all Stewart’s of the land and no matter where you are you should always respect nature.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wild Durango is all about supporting local businesses. Taking friends and customers to the local breweries and restaurants gives you that small mountain town feel. I also work at the Durango Outdoor Exchange. It’s a place where you can go to get quality second had gear at an affordable price. This is a valuable resource for the community as well as a way to reduce our impact by reusing and recycling. Then of course a trip to the mountains for a few days to catch a high alpine sunset and the morning cup of coffee under a 14er

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The driving force behind all of this is my son. Wild Durango was our way to work together doing what we love and a way to share our love for the outdoors with others. He passed away last June unexpectedly. My world collapsed around me when that happened. I was drowning in a sea of grief for months and still struggle with his absence daily. Picking up where we left off has been a life raft for me. No one can go it alone. Thanks to the support from my wonderful family and my fearless friends the dream lives on.

Website: staywilddurango

Instagram: @wilddurango

Image Credits
I took the photos