Guides
Owner Carl Sullivan is a lifelong climber/skier and former Wilderness Medicine Instructor, who is also a retired Associate Professor of Asian Studies/Japanese/English as a Second Language; he is currently a nationally-recognized Japanese/Korean translator, as well as Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves. As professor, Carl conducted annual study abroad tours to Japan and Korea for many years, and also conducted numerous outdoor and language-learning tours to the U.S. for Japanese groups during his professorship and also during his period of employment in Japan as a language program director. In MasaCa Adventure Tours, Carl combines a lifetime of backcountry, language teaching and tour/business experience with his love of various cultures and a desire to share his passion and knowledge with others.
Co-owner Masae Sullivan is a highly-educated language professional and multicultural expert who is also a superb mountain athlete and one of those Dosanko (Hokkaido-born Japanese) who was born with skis on her feet! A highly-recognized translator, Masae is currently the Assistant Administrator of the 850-member Japanese Division of the American Translators Association. In 1995, Masae brought her four children to the U.S. in order to attend graduate school, and never looked back. Today, Masae shares Carl’s outdoor passion through MasaCa tours and trips together across the world.
Takumi Ichikawa (one of those four children whom Masae brought to the U.S.) is MasaCa Adventure Tours’ Hokkaido-based resort/logistics expert. Having been educated in both Japan and the U.S., Takumi is bilingual, and is a master of detail in planning the perfect tour for your group or individual tour! He is also very talented at “drifting” (Japanese street drift car driving)!
Sully Sullivan is MasaCa Adventure Tours’ outdoor guide professional. Raised by father Carl to climb and hike from his days in diapers, Sully went on to teach rock climbing, ice climbing, kayaking, backpacking, wilderness survival, backcountry skiing and mountain biking at the college level, has worked as a professional guide in Alaska and Utah, and has been certified as an Emergency Medical Technician. Sully combines superb physical skill/conditioning, technique, backcountry knowledge and a constant safety-first approach with a desire to share his love of the outdoors with you!