Eric Schmidt grew up with an Air Force family, and spent his childhood in Europe and America. The travelling and trekking lifestyle is his family's heritage. He speaks three languages and loves a mix of cultures and customs. As a child he developed a love for wild places and this has evolved into a true passion for wilderness and a deep knowledge of remote landscapes. He pursues his chosen lifestyle from his hand-built homestead in the Alaskan Bush, far from the confines of civilization. Eric's career in the wilderness began over 20 years ago in Canada's Yukon Territory, with wilderness skills courses. At the University of Alaska, he trained in Arctic Survival, Mountaineering, and Wilderness Emergency Medicine. He completed several stints at the Alaska Avalanche School. Commercial work began in the mid-1980's as a tour guide at the Valley of 10,000 Smokes out of Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park. Spring and Fall seasons were spent at Kulik Lodge, in a area world-renowned for its high density brown bear population. Eric's knowledge of and experiences with Alaska's huge brown bears are exceptional. In 1988 he began an apprenticeship with Sepp Weber, an internationally known mountaineer and wilderness explorer. Sepp began as Alyeska Wilderness Guides in 1977 and is the current owner/operator of Denali View Chalet, in the south foothills of Mt McKinley. Here Eric learned the business end of guiding clients in remote places. Sepp thought so highly of his student that he turned over the business to Eric in 1992. Sepp continues to be Eric's esteemed mentor. During the years of owning and operating Alyeska Wilderness Guides, Eric has pioneered routes through rarely visited wilderness, guided adventurers via river raft, hiking, skiing, and snowmachine, and shared his considerable knowledge and experience around the campfire with hundreds of satisfied clients. Eric conducts EarthFoot's "A 5-Day Treehouse Stay in Pristine Wilderness" experience.