Kelsey Grunigen moved to Hurricane from Washington State and landed in one of the most technically demanding mountain bike ecosystems in the country: Gooseberry Mesa, the Hurricane Cliffs, and the BLM trail network that fans out across the Zion plateau. Her background was in human resources, specifically strategic diversity and inclusion work; her boyfriend Marley Nelson had been guiding the same terrain for six years before she arrived. She absorbed the terrain, built her guide certifications, and launched Wild Mesa Mountain Bike Tours as a female-owned and -operated business.
The operation covers guided tours across Gooseberry Mesa — one of the most distinctive slickrock riding environments in Southern Utah — plus the Hurricane Cliffs trail system, Cedar City riding areas, and Zion-adjacent singletrack. All guides are Wilderness First Responder certified through Wilderness Medicine of Utah, which places Wild Mesa's safety credential above many regional operators. Tours range from half-day intro rides to full-day expert terrain, women's-specific sessions, and a skills curriculum that addresses slickrock technique directly. Shuttle service reaches trail systems across the region: Cedar City, Kanab, Hurricane, Virgin, Rockville, and Springdale.
Guided bike rentals are included with tours — full-suspension bikes, helmets, and gloves.
**Verification notes** Website live; Kelsey Grunigen confirmed as owner via St. George News profile (May 2023). WFR certification for all guides confirmed on website. Female-owned designation confirmed. Phone confirmed. Hurricane-based operation covering Gooseberry Mesa confirmed across multiple pages.
Sources
- https://wildmesamtb.com/
- https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2023/05/25/jsb-mountain-biking-company-in-hurricane-hopes-to-inspire-more-women-and-girls-to-try-the-sport/
- https://wildmesamtb.com/cedar-city-mountain-biking/
- https://wildmesamtb.com/rentals-shuttles-southern-utah-zion-hurricane-area/
- https://www.yelp.com/biz/wild-mesa-mountain-bike-tours-hurricane