TEAM MEMBERS

Teal is a Durango local, and studies Environmental Policy at Fort Lewis College during the school year. Teal has been selling rafting trips since she was 14, but finished her commercial guide school in the summer of 2016 and has been escaping the office to guide ever since. During the winter months she is a lifty and a snowboard instructor, but during the summer months she basically lives on the Animas river. She is the captain of The San Juan Sirens, the 2017-18 US U23 Women’s Raft-Racing team, and on most summer afternoons you can find them paddling upstream from the 32nd St. put-in for conditioning or messing around with the slalom gates at the whitewater park. Teal loves burritos, puppies and color coordination.

Sierra grew up along the coast of Maine. She headed West to pursue a college degree as well as for Colorado’s legendary skiing! Sierra graduated from Fort Lewis College in 2016 with a degree in Adventure Education. She has spent time guiding on the Lower Animas, Salt River, San Miguel and Upper Animas. She loves anything and everything outdoors, especially whitewater, skiing, mountain biking and season changes! Sierra has a particularly large soft spot for baking chocolate chip cookies, knitting, photography, floral patterns and traveling. She is passionate about whitewater and is excited to share the world of whitewater with others!

Josh is a former guide and dog musher from Alpine, Wyoming. He prepared for his career as a guide by receiving a psychology degree from University of Oregon (go ducks!). He has guided whitewater on the Rogue and Deschutes in Oregon, the Mendenhall in Alaska and the Snake and Shoshone in Wyoming. In addition to whitewater he has Mushed sled dogs in Juneau and Skagway Alaska and in Jackson, Wyoming. He is the current record holder of the John Beargrease sled dog race in Grand Marais, Minnesota. He is now mostly retired and drives the big blue raft bus.

Aaron Schenk, originally from Eldorado Springs, CO, was fortunate to grow up in a rafting family devoted to outdoor exploration. Aaron was introduced to the sport at the age of 7, in a paddle raft on the headwaters of the Rio Grande. His river running addiction exploded after paddling an inflatable kayak down Westwater canyon on the Colorado River at age 13. Later he moved to Durango and attended Fort Lewis College, studying business management. While in college he enrolled in 4 Corners Whitewater Guide School, and there is where he found his true calling. Aaron finds nothing more fulfilling then sharing his knowledge and passion for river running with others. Aside from rafting Aaron enjoys cooking, mountain biking and running chainsaws.

Dana originally hails from Pennsylvania and first started guiding in the early 90’s on the Rio Grande near Taos. He has since logged over 7,500 river miles around the world including West Virginia’s Gauley River, The Rio Futaleufu in Chile, The Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and the first and only raft descent of New Mexico’s class V Embudo Creek. Dana’s favorite river is still the world class Upper Animas river right here in Durango. When not on the river, he is busy raising two little river rats, mountain biking, or skiing.

Stan is originally from Tennessee and grew up boating the rivers of the southeast. He began his paddling career at summer camp and then further developed his skills with the Baylor Schools Walkabout Program. As a student instructor he began guiding climbing, rafting, and kayaking at an early age. After high school he attended Fort Lewis College where he earned an English Degree. While in college he completed a NOLS semester in Patagonia, a season instructing for Outward Bound, and became an ACA kayak instructor. Stan is a ski patrol/guide at Silverton, Mountain in the winter. When not at work he enjoys reading, writing, and adventure travel.

An inexhaustible source of energy “B-Nombs” has been guiding whitewater since 2002 on the Ocoee, Chattooga, Gauley, San Juan, and Green Rivers. Ryan joined 4 Corners whitewater on the Animas in 2010. Ryan has rafted and kayaked in Costa Rica, Ecuador and is also an outdoor instructor for Deer Hill Expeditions. In the winter you can find him ski patrolling in Telluride, CO. He is also proud to say that he is using his hard earned college degree with a B.A. in Outdoor Ed. from Ohio University!

Matt Wilson “El Jefe” has 23 years of commercial whitewater experience. He began his guiding career in 1995 for Holiday River Expeditions on the classic alpine rivers of central Idaho. Since then Matt has guided and completed first descents on practically every continent. Matt’s greatest whitewater accomplishment is completing the triple crown of North American Rivers which include: Devils Canyon of the Susitna, Turnback Canyon of the Alsek and the Grand Canyon of the Stikine. Matt’s unparalleled whitewater experience sets a high bar for which 4 Corners Whitewater adheres to.