about
Christopher Baker
Founder/Director
Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Chris spent his summers in the Appalachian mountains before heading to college in the Rockies. Inspired by the Alps, Chris moved to Europe in 2017. He started ALP in order to provide unique experiences integrating the Catholic faith, the beautiful outdoors, and the rich culture of Europe.
Chris is an alumnus of Wyoming Catholic College, The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. He speaks French and Italian and is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
Name
ALP stands for Altum l’alto Pilgrimages. “Altum” is the Latin word for “deep” from Luke 5:4 when Christ tells Simon Peter “Duc in altum” which means “Put out into the deep”. St. John Paul II is known for quoting this phrase. “L’alto” is Italian for “the heights” from Blessed Pier Giorgio’s phrase “Verso l’alto” which means “Towards the heights”. We use these two words “Altum” and “l’alto” to signify “Deep heights”.
Logo
Our logo represents our name with an image of a mountain reflecting on the water to signify both the “deep” and the “heights”.