Meet Dave Nettle

Dave Nettle’s deep-rooted connection with the outdoors began in 1967 with the Boy Scouts, sparking a lifelong journey of exploration and adventure. At age 17, he hiked solo from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail and from Canada to Mexico on the Continental Divide Trail the following year.  

His passion for rock and alpine climbing has led him to the mountain ranges of the world with ascents from the big walls of Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada backcountry to the summits of iconic peaks that include Denali, Cerro Torre, Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, and Trango Tower. 

With 20 years of experience as an industrial rope access and technical rescue instructor, Dave has been instrumental in applying state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to ski lift gondola, high-angle, and crevasse rescue procedures. A SPRAT-certified Rope Access Level 3 Technician since 2002, Dave has worked with high-profile clients like Cirque du Soleil and the US Bureau of Reclamation. 

His current role as an instructor for gondola rescue and evacuation training at renowned ski areas and attractions like Palisades, Snow King, Alpine Meadows, Legoland, and the Oakland Zoo highlights his expertise and commitment to advancing safety in adventurous and industrial environments.

Dave leverages his extensive experience and commitment to safety to guide each client through every step of their evacuation plan and training. He helps develop site-specific ANSI B77 gondola evacuation plans, designs tailored equipment packs, and trains rescue teams to perform efficient evacuations for new gondola installations. Dave conducts practice evacuations with the rescue team and supervises their mandatory evacuation demonstration for state authorities.