Meet the Lodge Family
Our top rated local Alaskan team makes sure that each guest has a tailored, in-depth experience offering a trip of a lifetime. Let us show you the best of Alaska!
Your Hosts
The McBride Family
Morgan McBride
Morgan is a lifelong Alaskan, world traveler and jack of all trades who grew up at the Lodge. He has spent most summers of his life on Kachemak Bay and is a talented naturalist guide with a wealth of local history. Morgan is a boat Captain who co-owns the Lodge with his sister, Shannon and is the one who keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes. In between traveling and exploring the world, he has spent winters in Hawaii, in India, and at a Buddhist retreat center. He loves to volunteer and is supportive of various charitable organizations in the community.
Shannon McBride-Morin
Shannon grew up at the Lodge and now co-owns and operates it with her brother, Morgan. Shannon was lucky enough to come home to the Lodge with her husband Chris, and raise their two girls Sophie and Sabina spending most summers with her in China Poot Bay. What a great place to grow up! Now her girls are grown, and she enjoys winter skiing, women's hockey, and traveling the world in the off season. She recently did a 200 mile walk with girlfriends, and is excited to be planning her next adventures.
Meet the Team
Sam Buenting
Lodge Team
Sam has been a part of the lodge team since 2021. Originally from Ohio, he moved to Homer to be immersed in the surrounding wilderness. In his free time, Sam enjoys hiking with his dog, Forrest, as well as hunting, fishing, foraging, and cooking with wild foods.
Eryn Field
Lodge Team
Eryn was born and raised in Homer, spending her whole life exploring the Alaskan wilderness. Now she splits her time between Alaska and college in Florida, studying biology and marine science as well as running competitively. She enjoys tide-pooling, kayaking, and pretty much anything active in the outdoors.
Olivia Glasman
Lodge Team
Olivia is a recent graduate of the University of Vermont and is excited to be back in her hometown for the summer. She enjoys staying active through a wide range of outdoor pursuits, from surfing to ski touring. In her free time, she teaches yoga and enjoys knitting, baking sourdough, and playing music. This fall, she will participate in a community health program in rural Peru as she prepares to apply to medical school.
Denise Jantz
Reservations/Marketing
Denise has lived in Homer for over 27 years and is the first point of contact for the Lodge. With a passion for Alaska and Kachemak Bay, she loves assisting guests with their trip of a lifetime. She also enjoys exploring with her dogs and spending time at her second home located in the Wrangell St Elias National Park. Denise has been with the Lodge since 2013.
Summer McGuire
Lodge Team
Summer grew up in Homer and has a degree in sustainable community economics. She is an avid mountain runner, skier and loves introducing children to the outdoor world through painting and drawing. This will be her fifth season working with the Lodge family.
Mariah McGuire
Lodge Team
Mariah was born and raised in Homer. She travels a few months out of the year and is on a continuous language learning journey. Her joys include painting, instruments, dance, flower arranging, and cooking. When not working at the Lodge, she's often eager to join her friends and family on trails and the water.
Cole Pomaikai
Executive Chef
Cole comes to us from Santa Cruz, California, with his roots originating from Kaua’i, Hawai’i. This is Coles’s third season at the Lodge. He has been cooking professionally for over 20 years and loves to fish and forage for wild foods. When he’s not in the kitchen, you can find him outdoors, either exploring new terrains, or enjoying familiar trails.
Jayson Ramos
Sous Chef
California-born and Washington-raised, Jayson joins the Kachemak Bay crew for the first time this season. Based in Honolulu, HI, Jayson shares his love of food and connects it to his Filipino and Puerto Rican roots at his cafe, Bintana. When Jayson isn’t cooking, he’s most likely getting lost in the mountains looking for the freshest powder lines, jumping from rock to rock exploring streams, or kicking a ball around with the local community.
Anna Rath
Lodge Team
Anna is an experienced guide in Alaska, with a background in science communication and a strong interest in local environmental conservation. She spends her summers foraging and fishing around the Kenai Peninsula, and enjoys getting outdoors with her dog.
Martine Sorensen
Lodge Team
Since 2015, Martine has been the person behind the scenes procuring all that is needed to keep the Lodge up and running, from lumber for building projects to fresh ingredients for your Chef. A Homer resident for over 40 years, her passions include gardening, propagating and selling houseplants.
Parker Sorensen
Co-Manager
Parker has been with the Lodge since 2013, and his family ties to nearby Homer go back three generations. He has a degree in Environmental Ethics from Quest University in British Columbia. Parker is a bush pilot, mountaineer, and backcountry enthusiast who has a passion for wild unexplored places.
Lily Westphal
Co-Manager
Born and raised in Homer, Lily has been with the lodge since 2014 and considers it one of her favorite places in the world. She has a background in marine biology and enjoys baking, skiing, and gardening. Lily’s connection to the marine environment extends into her work as co-owner of Kachemak Kelp, a local seaweed processing and product development company.
Bek Weston
Lodge Team
Bek is an experienced guide in Kachemak Bay, with several seasons in the field. She grew up in Minnesota and has a background in Environmental Studies, with a focus in geology. She has a passion for creating community and cultivating curiosity while exploring wild places. In short, she may not have the answer, but she certainly has more questions.
Sitka
Lodge Team
Sitka is friendly, energetic, adores hikes, and watching over the Lodge grounds. She especially loves chasing squirrels.
Our Founders
Diane McBride
Diane and Michael built the lodge in the late 60's and early 70's. She is an extra tough pioneer. As an educator, she worked with Homer public schools to provide an environmental education camp at the Lodge for every fourth grader in Homer for over 35 years. Diane is an avid gardener, artist and has sewn all the handmade quilts in the Lodge cabins.
Michael McBride
Michael has more than 50 years’ experience as a master guide, interpretive naturalist, and bush pilot. He built and created the Lodge with Diane from the ground up. He is enjoying semi-retirement with his family around the Lodge and at Loonsong Lake. Michael has served as a Smithsonian National Board member and is a member of The Explorers Club.
Our Beginnings
The Last Wilderness describes Mike and Diane McBride’s remarkable journey as they built Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge.
The Last Wilderness - Alaska's Rugged Coast
The Last Wilderness describes Mike and Diane McBride’s remarkable journey as they built Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge. The stories convey the beauty, the joy and dangers of Alaska, the Natives they came to know and the settlers. Beautifully written with humor of stories of people and events, this is a book everyone who likes adventure or eco-travel should read.
National Geographic Voices Ideas and Insight from Explorers
Follow Michael's commentary.
Follow