Company mission
To safely guide people through the ultimate snowmobile and backcountry skiing experience.
Company history
After three amazing winters at the Roost Jason Holzer, founder of Roost Ops, decided he had the right cabin and enough terrain mapped out to host an incredible backcountry skiing experience. Although he was able to keep himself and his family safe out there for three full winters, he didn’t have the comprehensive knowledge and skills to maintain the highest level of safety in this extreme environment.
So in 2018 Jason set out looking for experts in backcountry travel, avalanche rescue, snow pack evaluation and of course they had to be expert skiers or snowboarders. He started local in Bozeman, MT and hit the jackpot! Not only did he find expert backcountry travelers and skiers that had guiding, key avalanche and rescue training, but they were also practicing ski patrollers with all the certifications and training that goes with that. If that wasn’t enough to convince Jason, this was….each of the three individuals graduated from Montana State University’s Snow Mechanics program. Yes, we have snow scientists keeping us safe at the Roost! It was an excellent fit and the connections were quick. Check out their bios below. With Luke, Keith, Jason and Pat having the same passion to share the back country skiing experience with others, all four aligned their visions and through a partnership formed ‘Roost Ops’!
Meet the team
Jason Holzer, Founder
Software Architect with a snowboarding problem. I work for a company that believes in the work and life balance so it’s not much of a problem at all and I try and ski every day. I Developed an appetite for backcountry skiing with awe inspiring views by growing up skiing the Lake Tahoe area. I graduated from the University of Washington with Computer Science Degree. It wasn’t too long before I hatched a plan to escape to Valle Nevado, Chile to conquer a dream of heli-skiing the Andes. It was here high up in the Andes where year after year I reignited my passion for skiing with incredible views. I doubled down and moved to Breckenridge, CO where I could walk to a lift and skied 500 days in three and a half winters. If every turn was a powder turn I wouldn’t have ever got tired, but every turn wasn’t a powder turn. If I was skiing powder, it was usually tracked out a bit by the time I got there. I needed more and google earth showed me more was out there. I zoomed in on Cooke City, MT and went into hyper research mode on this location. Perfect Potential! I found a cabin we dub ‘The Roost’ and bought it. The views are outrageous. The terrain is insane. It will take me a lifetime to explore and ski it all. The Roost is a perfect place to bring my vision to fruition…..To share this experience with others by safely guiding people through this amazing backcountry downhill skiing experience.
Luke Befumo, Partner / Guide
Originally from Missoula Montana, Luke Befumo started skiing with his family when he was only 4 years old. His passion for snow continued to grow and he started exploring Montana’s backcountry in highschool, earning his first avalanche safety certification at the age of 16. Deciding to pursue a career in snow safety Luke attended Montana State University, earning his Bachelor of Science in Snow Mechanics, which is where he met fellow Roost Ops. creators Patrick Finnigan and Keith Kohlberg. Currently, Luke is Level 2 avalanche certified through the American Avalanche Association and holds a current NREMT and Montana State EMT license. Luke’s professional experience includes volunteer ski patrol at Big Sky Resort, seven years of professional first responder experience, and work as a wildland firefighter. In addition to his passion for snow, Luke’s hobbies also include mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing.
Keith Kohlberg, Partner / Guide
Keith Kohlberg grew up on the East Coast outside of Albany, NY and learned to ski from a young age at Jiminy Peak Ski Resort in Massachusetts. His passion for the sport continued to grow and he became a certified PSIA ski instructor for most of his high school career. College brought him out to Fort Collins, Colorado and this was where he was introduced to the backcountry. Trying to learn as much as possible he spent 8 years exploring everywhere he could in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming as well as living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for a couple years. Wanting to learn more about the safety and science in the snow industry he decided to go back to school at Montana State University, earning his Bachelor of Science in Snow Mechanics. This past season, Keith worked Professional Ski Patrol for one year at Heavenly Ski Resort and will continue his Ski Patrol career working at The Yellowstone Club. Currently, Keith is Level 2 avalanche certified through the Canadian Avalanche Association, has rope access and evacuation training, and holds a current NREMT and Montana State EMT license. While not on skis Keith is usually found out on his mountain bike, rock climbing, or camping and exploring the mountains with his wife and golden retriever
Pat Finnigan, Operations Director / Guide
Growing up in western Washington, Patrick Finigan began his life in the snow-covered Cascade mountains. Led by his family’s love for the mountains he knew he had to sustain himself in some way that would allow him to spend his life in the wilderness of the hills. He began exploring the volcanoes and ski areas of the west which reassured his desire to live and work among them. He moved to Montana to study Snow Mechanics and experience the differences the continental snowpack and mountains present. Patrick is currently training a search dog named Koma who shares the same enthusiasm. Patrick is a a volunteer Ski Patroller at Maverick Mountain where Koma gets to train and take runs with his Dad, an EMT in the small community for the Grasshopper Valley Volunteer Fire department, and participates with the Beaverhead County Search and Rescue.