Leon "Buckshot" Anderson represents a bygone era of fishing lore. At 66, he still practices the time-honored craft of shore lunches that he learned from his father, Roy "Andy" Anderson. He's a Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer who began his guiding career under the watchful eye of his father as a 13-year old upstart back in 1951. He is one of the lucky ones who has a lifetime of adventure stories.
John Bates is an author, naturalist, and educator. His books include Trailside Botany; Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year for Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin; A Northwoods Companion-Fall and Winter, and River Life: The Cultural and Natural History of a Northern River. He has worked as a naturalist for the Wisconsin DNR, and currently owns Trails North, a naturalist guiding service.
Scott Bradley is a veteran of numerous wilderness canoe trips in northern Canada, including adventures on the God's River, Red Sucker, and North Knife, to name a few. He's American Canoe Association certified in flat and moving water. Scott has been canoeing for 36 years.
Mary Burns works primarily as a fiber artist and incorporates elements of the Northwoods into nearly all her pieces. She has been teaming with John Bates for over 16 years to lead an array of natural history trips.
Dan Clausen teaches canoeing, sea kayaking and windsurfing. He has lead many trips on Lake Superior and in 1994 led a sea kayaking expedition around the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. Dan has been a certified ski instructor for 26 years including 8 years in Australia. Dan is serving his 14th year on the Professional Ski Instructors of America National Demonstration Team and represented the United States at the Interski in Cransmontoma, Switzerland.
Paul Ehlers is a native of Cornucopia, Wisconsin's northernmost village. Paul has had a lifelong interest in the natural environment. A geography major at UW-Stevens Point, Paul received his M.A. in Geography from the University of Nebraska. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Rhinelander and is currently the geography/geology instructor at Nicolet College. He travels extensively on his bicycle, most recently on the Turquoise Trail between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Ruth Jaeger subscribes to the philosophy that a day isn't complete without time outdoors, along a river, lake, road or trail. Ruth playfully competes at whitewater canoeing, cross-country skiing, and running and also likes to kick it back a notch. As a physical therapist and a Feldendrais Method movement educator, she can help you with your body needs and then turn to her background in biology to identify plants and aquatic bugs.
Wil Losch has been kayaking for more than a decade, completing his first ACA instructor course in 2001. His favorite kayak students are his young children. His favorite place to paddle still remains the cool waters of Lake Superior. Wil is an educator in the Rhinelander School District and has been an integral member of two of the district’s Charter Schools; Northwoods Community Secondary School and the Rhinelander Environmental Stewardship Academy.
Donna Kallner is known for the contemporary ways she uses ancient fiber techniques to tell timeless stories. She teaches and exhibits her work across the country, and writes about fiber arts. Visit her website www.donnakallner.com for a wealth of information about looping techniques, reading recommendations, and much more. Donna's home is in White Lake, Wisconsin.
Kirby Kohler has been teaching environmental science at Rhinelander High School for seven years. He grew up in Northern Minnesota where he forged his connection to the land and today passes those beliefs on to others through his teaching and as founder of the Hodag Adventurers, a student organization that examines environmental issues through outdoor exploration.
Karen Knight is a four-time national champion in Interpretive Freestyle Canoe. A versatile paddler and innovative instructor, Karen is recognized for her ability to teach and motivate students of all ages, levels and abilities. With a meticulous eye for detail and stroke nuances, students can't help but leave her class a better paddler than when they came in. When she is not paddling she practices and teaches yoga. Karen was featured in Paddler Magazine as one of the "Top 7 Cool Canoeists You Should Know."
Bob Knops - Ever since he was a teenager, Bob has preferred the canoe over any other watercraft. He has tripped, fished and whitewatered all his life and has raced competitively for 23 years. An American Canoe Association certified flat and moving water instructor, Bob has logged more than 7,000 canoe miles in the past 30 years. He recently completed his 30th wilderness river trip in Canada and Alaska.
Rae Lundberg has been paddling for several years and guiding since the summer of 2003, mostly on Lake Superior. Rae is certified through the American Canoe Association and is a Wilderness First Responder. She is an avid teacher both on the water and off. When not in a kayak, Rae is an avid rock and ice climber. She is equally at home on the water, frozen waterfalls or vertical rock. Rae is recognizable in the cedarstrip kayak that she and her husband built and is often seen paddling with the Greenland paddle her father built her.
Melanie Lindert Panush has been teaching yoga and dance for years. She lives in California during the school year where she teaches dance to children and submerges herself in as much yoga as possible. She makes her way to the Northwoods in the summer to breathe, stretch and visit family and friends. Melanie holds an MA in Dance, has 3 music recordings on the Northsound Label, and has a dance film, In Vivo, that has enjoyed international acclaim.
Bill Peshel canoes whitewater, races, and has been wilderness canoe tripping for many years. Bill is American Canoe Association certified in flat and moving water canoeing. He is also a PADI certified scuba diver, and he snowshoes, skis, and mountain bikes. Bill has a B.S. in physical education from UW-Oshkosh and an M.S. in guidance and counseling from Illinois State University. He is the Financial Aid Director at Nicolet College.
Robin Peshel has assisted in leading canoe trips for nine years throughout the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area. In addition to canoe tripping, Robin is actively involved in tandem canoe racing. An avid backpacker, her hikes have included the Mt. Everest region of the Himalayas. She also spends time mountain biking, Nordic skiing and scuba diving. Robin is a registered nurse in Rhinelander.
David Phillips has had a long career involved in adventure education, consulting, program development and world travel. David developed and managed SPRITE, an adventure education program for the Wisconsin Division of Juvenile Corrections and has consulted internationally with public and private agencies involved in issues of juvenile justice. He holds a B.A. from Morehead State University in English and Philosophy and has completed all course requirements for a M.A in Teaching from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Additional credits in environmental education and anthropology were received from University of Wisconsin, Madison and the University of Pittsburgh. David began his adventure travel as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa and has since traveled extensively on five continents. Travel highlights include: a successful climb of Mt. Logan (second highest mountain in North America) and a natural history survey for the World Wildlife Fund on the Thelon River in the Northwest Territories. Currently, David leads adult groups on walking tours of wilderness areas in Wisconsin.
Martha Schouweiler is Nicolet's Outdoor Adventure Series coordinator. Martha develops the series of offerings each year, instructs several of the courses, and attends to the details of each one. She is an avid cross-country skier, biker, paddler, dogsledder, and mom. She has been a ropes course facilitator since 1989 and is American Canoe Association certified in coastal kayaking and moving water open canoe. She holds a B.S. in physical education from UW-River Falls and an M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Bill Sherer is a World Line Class Record holder for walleye on fly tackle and a nationally acclaimed fly tier. The Boulder Junction resident is a published author and recognized authority on musky fly-fishing. He is a former state council chairman of Wisconsin Trout Unlimited and a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Fly Fishers Great River Council. Bill has been a professional fishing instructor and licensed Wisconsin guide for more than 20 years.
Susan and Andy Teichmiller operate the Chequamegon Adventure Company in Minocqua. Andy is an American Canoe Association certified coastal kayak instructor. Sue is an orthopedic physician's assistant with the Marshfield Clinic. They both have a passion for kayaking and world travel.
Shane Tulowitzki is an avid canoeist and kayaker. He works at Mel’s Trading Post in Rhinelander, one of the Northwoods' biggest sports and adventure outfitters, so he does literally live and breath canoeing, kayaking, camping, and all other outdoor adventure pursuits. Shane can be seen surfing the wave at Smokestack Rapids on any given release on the Rhinelander whitewater course.
Mickey Wurl-Koth has hiked, backpacked, skied, and/or canoed in no less than 16 national parks, numerous national and state forests, 14 different countries, and three continents. He is an American Canoe Association certified canoe instructor in flat and moving water. Mickey holds a B.S. in political science and a B.A. in secondary education from UW-Madison.