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About Us

MEET THE HIGHLAND EXCURSION TEAM

JUSTIN KINGSLAND

Mountain Guide

Former British Army – Special Forces veteran – Commercial Helicopter Pilot – Wilderness Emergency Medical Responder – Wilderness Survival Instructor – NC Wilderness Rescue Technician –  Emergency Medical Responder EMR  – EMS/LE Chaplain, Advanced Individual and Group Crises Intervention ICISF.

KELLY KINGSLAND

Office Manager

Our War Eagle call sign “Whisky Echo” – War Eagle – Graduate at Auburn University.

JUSTIN KINGSLAND

Mountain Guide


Former British Army – Special Forces veteran – Commercial Helicopter Pilot – Wilderness Emergency Medical Responder – Wilderness Survival Instructor – NC Wilderness Rescue Technician –  Emergency Medical Responder EMR  – EMS/LE Chaplain, Advanced Individual and Group Crises Intervention ICISF.

Justin was born in North Wales. He graduated from Military college in and joined the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards where he trained for Cold Weather Mountain survival in Norway and was then selected for British Army Special Forces.

Justin moved to the USA to work as an FAA commercial helicopter pilot instructor. In 1991, he accepted a leadership position with BMW North America.  Justin helped develop the BMW adventure off-road motorcycle school and their Smoky Mountain motorcycle adventure tours. In 2010, Triumph Motorcycle, a British Company, asked Justin to help develop their off-road motorcycle adventure program in the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains.

In 2015 Justin moved to Highlands NC started Highland Excursion. He has worked closely with the US Forest Service and obtained a USDA special use permit which enables him to operate as an official mountain guide and expedition leader in the Nantahala Temperate Rainforest. Justin’s mountain guide qualifications include:  Wilderness Medical First Responder and Wilderness Survival Instructor.

In 2013 Justin founded and became the President (no longer at present time) at Warrior Survival School, a 501C3 non-profit organization teaching both Veterans and First Responders Resiliency against stress and PTSD, Justin is an Emergency Services and Law Enforcement  Chaplain with training in individual and group crises Intervention (International Critical Incident Stress Foundation) – Warrior Survival School is for veterans and First Responders.

a man wearing a hat

KELLY KINGSLAND

Office Manager


 

Our War Eagle call sign “Whisky Echo” – War Eagle – Graduate at Auburn University.

Kelly ” Picklesimer” Kingsland a native Highlander, raised in Dothan Alabama, and graduated from Auburn.

Kelly is the proud mother of two beautiful girls.  Kelly loves the outdoors hiking biking and Kayaking.  Kelly is an essential team member that works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our guests informed and our guides mission ready at all times.

a woman smiling next to a body of water
a person wearing a hat

AMY QUIN

Highland Excursion Guide


Amy was born and raised on the coast of NC. She has always had a passion for epic stories, adventure sports, and the great outdoors. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a major in journalism, she returned to the coast where she raised her three children and invested 20 years in the field of education. She has camped in over 25 national parks, and visited 30 countries, primarily focusing on surf travel.

Two years ago, Amy followed her heart and moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is now blessed to have the opportunity to integrate her background in teaching with her love of the outdoors. She also works at an equestrian center and teaches yoga and cycling classes around town. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, hiking, and mountain biking with her beloved Australian Labradoodle, “Joy”.

Qualified First Aid and CPR.

READY TO START YOUR ADVENTURE?