Bruce’s exploration of extreme places and environments started early because his parents had adventurous spirits, and moved their young family to remote parts of Alaska in the 1950’s. He was raised in native villages from northern and western Alaska to western New Mexico. Wandering the vast tundra or high mesas was his recreation.
Bruce began technical rock climbing as a young teen in Central Oregon in the mid 1970’s when very few people were doing it. He learned through trial and error, before vast changes in equipment, long before climbing gyms and the internet made so much information available at the fingertips.
Bruce found the right companions, which led them to success from big mountain ranges to the soaring heights of Yosemite Valley’s big walls. This included early ascents of world class routes on El Capitan, Half Dome and many other walls. His lifelong relationships with these people and travels in other countries have led Bruce to the conclusion that adventure isn’t in a number or a speed ascent, but resides in the heart and the people he chooses to share experiences with.
Bruce Birchell is an experienced survival instructor and outdoor enthusiast with 48 years of rock climbing and mountain experience. He served as a USAF SERE Specialist and transitioned to civilian life as a Survival Instructor and Arctic Seismic Safety Officer. He enjoys 
music, painting, traveling, exploring other cultures, and spending time with his wife Jill and four children. Birchell has dedicated his life to educating others about survival and outdoor activities.