Meet Kat Mast | Adventure Navigator

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

Hi Kat, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always enjoyed planning weekend activities, vacations and adventures for my family and also planned for work teams traveling. When I started working at Monarch Mountain helping visitors plan their ski trips to the area I was constantly asked for advice about what else I would recommend for their group to do in the area. When I did make recommendations they were always pleased. So I decided that there might be a need for my services. After several sessions with a business consultant provided by the Colorado Central Mountain Small Business Development Center and polling local providers I was urged to move ahead. So here I am at the helm of Adventure Navigators!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The main goal of my business is to enrich the lives of others by ensuring that visitors to our area have their best experience with the local natural world as well as the fantastic people of the area who have skills, knowledge and love to share with them. The locals who have businesses that visitors enjoy do this because they love living here and enjoy sharing that with others. By appropriately matching visitors with activities and providers, we have shared experiences that are positive and draw us together despite our differences. We’re all on this earth together and mutual appreciation makes life easier, more enjoyable and the way it should be.

I have been on the receiving end of so much love and support from others already in business here and other creatives who have encouraged me to be the best person I can be that I want others to have that same experience.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend lives in a large midwestern city and has worked at a corporate job for many years. Her typical vacations involve a tropical beach setting with not a lot of activity, but she does enjoy staying fit. She has yet to visit me here in Salida but the following would be a sampling of what I might recommend for her. Remember that I support all local businesses and do not just create partnerships with some providers so this description will not be as detailed as my customers’ but a general description of activities.

The first place I would take her would be for a glass of wine (she loves wine) and a great meal downtown Salida or BV with a moderate hike to get her acclimated to the area and the altitude. Making sure she has the appropriate gear she will need is easy with the suppliers in the area. If it is winter, I would take her up to Monarch and arrange some lessons for her to feel more confident. If it was summer, we’re for sure going rafting on a gentle introductory short trip.

Great coffee, pastries and food is abundant in the Valley so we will intersperse our adventures with some delicious treats. Some other things we might do is make some jewelry, macrame, or paint with guidance from some wonderful local artists.

Whatever time of year she comes, we will rent some bikes to hit the trails and I’ll surprise her with a cool picnic waiting for us at the end of the trail. Local brewpubs will be on the itinerary with some fun music and dancing.

My favorite thing to do is SUP so if the time of year is anytime between spring and fall, we’ll head out early for a beautiful paddle and hike followed by a class with an instructor to bring her up to speed for more aggressive flatwater paddling or if she’s feeling up to it and ready to progress, we’ll definitely book a guide to SUP the river. Beers at the end of the paddle and a trip to the hot springs.

I could go on and on as there’s so many great activities and providers in our area so this is just a sampling.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents are no longer living, but I have to give the shoutout to them for instilling in me from a young age the joy of sharing the beautiful outdoors with others. I grew up on a summer resort in Northern Wisconsin and it was my family’s passion to be able to share the wonder of the place we were lucky enough to call home. Although I have had numerous career paths, I have always stayed in touch with tourism through work or volunteering to keep this tenet alive. I also have to shout out to the rest of my family and especially my adult children who have been so encouraging, supportive and helpful with my new venture.

Website: adventurenavigators.com

Instagram: adventure_navigators

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalildaAdventures