Mike Hinkle and Tim Pote each have roughly 20 years of guiding experience in Southern Utah. Hinkle has been operating in the Capitol Reef corridor since 2005, with a background in education from Indiana University before the canyons pulled him west. Pote brings comparable tenure and wilderness depth. Together they founded Capitol Reef Adventure Company in Teasdale — a small community about 11 miles west of the park entrance — with 35 combined years of working the plateau on the ground.
The company's specialty is Capitol Reef's canyoneering terrain, which is significantly less saturated with guided operators than Zion. Their featured routes include Na-Gah (a striking off-the-beaten-path canyon with rappels and wade-throughs), Cassidy Arch Canyon (150-foot rappels through a natural arch formation), and Pete's Dragon — a route they've developed themselves, located outside the park boundary on the surrounding canyon lands.
Hinkle and Pote also build custom multi-sport itineraries: half-day mountain bike, half-day canyon; overnight backpack finishing with a slot canyon rappel. The approach matches a clientele who've already done Zion and want something that requires more navigation.
**Verification notes** Website live; Mike Hinkle and Tim Pote confirmed as owners and lead guides on the website. Teasdale address 45 N 100th E confirmed on Yelp. Founded 2017 per search results. Route names confirmed on website. Capitol Reef guides directory listing confirmed.
Sources
- https://www.capitolreefadventurecompany.com/
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57147-d17373582-Reviews-Capitol_Reef_Adventure_Company_Adventure_Guides-Teasdale_Utah.html
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/capitol-reef-adventure-company-teasdale
- https://www.facebook.com/capitolreefadventurecompany/
- https://dev.capitolreef.org/guides-and-outfitters/