How we fell ill with the mountains
Ivanchenko Oleg, founder:
The story about «ExtremeGuide» began when I was in elementary school. Having watched enough of “Travel Club”, I dreamed of how I would make my way through the jungle with a machete and climb Kilimanjaro volcano. Then there was a children’s camp in the mountains of Crimea.
In 2002, I ended up in a “sect” called the Odessa sports and tourist club. There I met Valery Yudin, the president of the club, who said one phrase: “parties and discos at your age are what you want now, but mountains are what you will remember all your life.” I understood the essence of this proverb two years later, when I went to the Caucasus for the first time (2004) on a mountain hike. The first pass was at an altitude of 3850 m. From there the Main Caucasus Range opened up, and I realized that the mountains were mine. It felt as if the mountains were a part of me. After that, tourism and mountains filled 90% of my life.
While still in my fourth year at university, I received the title of tourism instructor and held a gathering for 200 people.
In 2005, I became the head of the Odessa club. In total, I spent 6 months hiking and on various weekend trips. I graduated from university in 2007, but already in my 5th year I began to understand that working in an office and in the specialty that I had been pursuing for 8 years, “design engineer of technical process automation systems”, was not what I needed to do in life. My mentor and friend V. Yudin insisted that I need to look for work in tourism with people. Thanks to him, I realized that a hobby can become a calling and a mission…
I realized that taking people to the mountains, opening up a new world to them, making them happy. After all, happiness is the main aspiration and goal of our life.
In general, 2008 was the year of foundation and transition to professional work as a guide. The first version of the site has appeared. In the beginning, the entire «ExtremeGuide» consisted of one guide, manager, coordinator and director. I’m done with the job of “process control system designer”…
My mother was very worried (like any person of the old system) that I did not go to work “at a factory as an electrician” and, for some unknown reason, I studied for 8 years, graduated from two universities with 2 honors diplomas. I stubbornly sat at the computer, filled the site, led groups. I myself don’t understand why I studied at a university for so long, although as a student I always had time, but not always the opportunity to go somewhere…
In 2010, new employees appeared, the number of trips began to increase, and global goals and aspirations appeared. A general course for development and expansion was chosen.
At first, our hikes were in the Crimea and the Carpathians in the summer, then in 2010 the Caucasus and Altai appeared with climbs to Elbrus and Belukha. In 2015, we opened a representative office in St. Petersburg, and the key structure of the company was formed.
In 2020–2021, we went through a difficult period associated with COVID restrictions, and on February 24, 2022, the war began in Ukraine. We closed our representative office in russian federation and all areas that used to be in russia. The war made us look at our business differently. We continue our work, opening new routes and at the stage of opening a representative office in the EU.
See you on the trail, may you always have time to travel, and may your opportunities coincide with your desires!