“High above, dark clouds gather; deep blue and far below flows the River Tsang. The brook chatters past pebbles and rocks. At my feet, wild flowers bloom, vibrant and profuse.” — Milarepa, from “Song of a Yogi’s Joy,” in The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, trans. Garma C.C. Chang
It is my pleasure to extend a warm greeting to all of our readers. My name is Noah Jiles. In mid-April, I joined the SLV GO! team as Mick’s new executive assistant. I have a deep admiration for this organization’s mission and I am so excited to contribute my skills as an administrative professional to facilitate the fulfillment of our team goals.
I graduated from Adams State University in December of 2025, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in small business administration and entrepreneurship. I am an avid learner and am currently completing a 500-hour yoga teacher training program. In the past, I have instructed classes at the Monte Vista Athletic Club, Adams State’s REX Center, and more recently at Sweetgrass Therapeutics in Alamosa. I hope to utilize my expertise in yoga therapy as a springboard into graduate studies in cognitive psychology, and overtime build a career and body of work that emphasizes the synergistic potential of incorporating ecological integration with wellness practices. Working at SLV GO! will be a great way to gain experience operating in coordination with community-focused efforts to promote more time spent in nature by all who we serve.
My fondest memories throughout life have often taken place in wilderness settings. From hiking remote sandstone canyons in the Glade of San Juan County, NM from where my family hails, to documenting explorations of ancient lava tubes in the Carson National Forest, I feel right at home under the turquoise skies of the American Southwest. In the summertime, I like to go paddleboarding and plan hikes to remote geological features I stake out with Google Earth and LiDAR GIS data superimposed over USGS maps. I forage for medicinal herbs and gourmet edible mushrooms as the autumn cool-down approaches. My winters involve ample Nordic skiing when snow conditions permit. It is truly a blessing to be working for an organization like SLV GO! where all my cherished outdoor pastimes are made relevant to my professional identity.
Those of you in regular contact with SLV GO!’s administrative team may be seeing correspondence from me in your inbox as I become more experienced in fielding questions directed towards our organization’s leadership. It is going to be great to apply my education and interests to further the interests of SLV GO! and our regional partners. I look forward to becoming more acquainted with the community members who support our mission to steward the plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities we are endowed with in the San Luis Valley.
