Sean Neil aka “Bigfoot”

Wilderness / Backcountry Guide

Sean—known to many as “Bigfoot”—is a seasoned wilderness guide and outdoor educator with a lifelong connection to California’s wild landscapes. His path into guiding began early, growing up along the fringes of the vast Los Padres National Forest, where mountains, rivers, canyons, and waterfalls formed his everyday playground. Days spent roaming outdoors, climbing trees, and building forts on a small ranch fostered a deep respect for wild places that continues to shape his work today.

Professionally, Sean has guided and taught across a wide range of environments, from leading expeditions in and around the remote Channel Islands off the coast of California, to educating students in outdoor schools tucked into the Los Padres mountains above Santa Barbara. His experience working with Ventura County Parks and the National Park Service helped shape his belief that there are many meaningful ways people connect with nature—and that this connection is essential to human well-being, as well as the health of the planet.

A longtime backpacker and naturalist at heart, Sean brings a grounded, thoughtful presence to the trail. He values moving deliberately through wild landscapes, reading the land, and helping guests feel both capable and at ease in mountain environments. Whether navigating alpine terrain or sharing quiet moments of observation, his guiding style emphasizes connection—to place, to others, and to oneself.

At Axis Wild Expeditions, Sean is passionate about welcoming guests into the Sierra Nevada backcountry and helping them build their own lasting relationships with wild places. When he’s not guiding, he can often be found exploring California and the American West on road trips, always seeking out the next stretch of beautiful, open country.