Derek Steffens will be joining our team for his 13th season of guiding on the Cache La Poudre River. He is the operations manager of the company. Derek is a certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician Instructor. A Fort Collins native, Derek loves the outdoors and can’t stand being inside all day. The past few winters Derek has been loving warm weather, and warm water, teaching Scuba Diving in Hawaii, guiding on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica, working with the humanitarian aid organization Aqua Aid International in rural Nicaragua and working as a canyoning guide in Queenstown, New Zealand. Derek enjoys many outdoor activities including river trips, kayaking, riding his motorcycle, camping, hiking, traveling, mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing and learning new things.
Paula Hodgson has guided on the Cache La Poudre River with the company for the past 30 seasons. She attended college at Colorado State University where she earned her degree and discovered her love for the outdoors and rafting. During the off season Paula has worked with youth at risk, taught environmental interpretation at youth camps and instructed skiing at Steamboat and Jackson Hole. She earned her Masters in Counseling in 2007. Paula has a passion for traveling, especially in Central and South America. Some of her favorite experiences include kayaking on the Futalafu River in Chile, kayaking thru the Grand Canyon, trekking on the Inca trail in Peru and thru the Himalayas of Nepal.
Lucas Stanley has been guiding for Wanderlust for the past 21 seasons. He also spent one winter guiding on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica. Lucas is certified as a Swiftwater Rescue Technician. He is originally from Colorado Springs and moved to Fort Collins to study at Colorado State University. Lucas earned a degree in History from Colorado State University and also earned a Masters Degree in Special Education. He currently is a Moderate Needs Teacher at a local Colorado high school. Lucas loves to fly fish and spends much of his free time enjoying this sport in the Poudre Canyon. Lucas also enjoys rowing his raft down the Poudre River and other rivers.
Peter Mosby started guiding back in 1986. From the years 1988 through 2023 Peter has guided for our company on the Poudre River. He is back again to guide for us part time this summer. Peter is a certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician. Graduating from Colorado State University with a teaching degree along with a Masters in Technology and a Masters in Education-Administration. Peter has taught high school math and other subjects for many years. He has also worked as a Principal at several high schools in the Denver area. He is currently a principal at Rock Ridge Elementary School. An avid outdoors-man, Peter has competed in the Field & Stream Total Outdoors-man Challenge for several years. He placed third in the Total Outdoors-man All star Edition in 2013. Peter loves fly fishing, hunting, snowboarding and rafting with his family and friends.
Dan Piper has been guiding rafts on the Cache La Poudre River for 19 seasons and is entering his 13th season with A Wanderlust Adventure. Dan is certified as a Swiftwater Rescue Technician. Dan was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado and moved to Fort Collins in order to attend Colorado State University, where he earned his degree in Technology Education and Training. Dan has been teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade Industrial Technology at Eaton Middle School for the past eight years. He greatly enjoys both his “real job” and his “blissful job” taking people whitewater rafting. Dan enjoys most sporting activities and spends much of his free time rafting, golfing, frolphing, fishing, camping and traveling.
George Hatch will be guiding for his 12th season on the Poudre River. He has his Wilderness First Responder certification from the Wilderness Medicine Institute. He earned degrees in Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism and Applied Computing Technology at Colorado State University. George grew up in a rafting family and has been kayaking and going on multi-day whitewater adventures for many years. George is passionate about the outdoors and loves to mountain bike and downhill ski.
Paul Kelly began guiding rafting trips in 1981. He guided professionally on Colorado rivers for the next 13 years. He decided to take a hiatus from professional guiding in 1994. He got a degree from Colorado State University in 1989, and for the next 25 years taught middle school P.E. and biology. Throughout his teaching career he never lost his passion for the river, he completed ten Grand Canyon trips and dozens of multi-day river trips during that time. He has returned to his passions – teaching and river rafting, as one of Wanderlust’s guides. OK, so he’s not our youngest, but he’s a wise one.
This is Dakota Squibb’s 5th season of guiding on the Poudre River. He’s a Colorado native and grew up in the mountains. Along with being a guide, he is also an EMT and Volunteer Firefighter! Dakota is a 4-H archery coach where he helps motivated youth achieve their goals that reach as high as being State and National level athletes. In 2018, he was an exchange student in Bjerkreim, Norway where he hiked and fished a lot. When he’s not outside doing something fun, you can find him indoors playing guitar, or sitting by the fire when it rains.
This is Taylor Beach’s 5th season guiding with us on the Cache la Poudre River! Her family is from California and she was born and raised in Colorado Springs, so her love for the mountains and the outdoors is in her blood. When she’s not on the river, she enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, gardening, and camping with her dog whenever possible! Taylor is also certified in CPR/AED and First Aid, and uses it for babysitting in her free time. During the winter months, Taylor goes to Colorado State University, working towards earning a degree in Fish and Wildlife Biology and minoring in the Role of Sustainability in Peace and Reconciliation.
Austin Smigelski is joining our team this season for his 5th year guiding on the Poudre! He’s originally from Michigan where he was a certified SCUBA diver (since 14!) and just moved to Colorado in 2018. Austin learned to love rafting on the New River in West Virginia, and spends most of his free time hiking or camping in the canyon, or exploring the live music scene!
Andee Dow has been a professional guide on the Poudre River for the past nine seasons. She has also guided on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica and the Gauley River in West Virginia. Andee also works for the company Backroads guiding trips in the US and internationally. She also spent a couple of winters in New Zealand as a canyoneering guide. Andee loves to kayak and go on multi day trips as much as possible. She recently did a three week trip rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.
Nate Bell has been guiding commercially on the Cache La Poudre River for the past 14 seasons. Nate loves to row on multi day trips and recently rafted through the Grand Canyon this past spring. Most of the time you can find Nate enjoying the Poudre River paddling with friends. Nate is a professional Swiftwater Rescue Technician.
Cameron “Murph” Murphy returns for his 5th year of guiding with our company on the Poudre River. Murph has over ten years of experience in emergency and combat medicine. He was with the 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment for 4 years where he received a Purple Heart. During the off season Murph attends Colorado State University where he is obtaining an engineering degree. He loves the outdoors and hunts as much as he can. Murph has training in Swift Water Rescue and also is certified as an EMT.
Trinity Robinson joins our company for her 4th season of guiding on the Cache La Poudre River. She is originally from Buffalo, New York. Trinity is studying to get her Emergency Medical Technician this fall and plans to guide on the Poudre River for many years. She absolutely loves rafting and most of the time you will find her paddling with friends in her free time.
Eric Winnie has 13 seasons of guiding experience on the Poudre River. He is certified as a Swift Water Rescue Technician. Eric guides part time for our company in the summer months and works full time for his business High Country Fine Furniture. He is also an instructor at Red Rocks Community College’s Department of Fine Woodworking. Eric and his wife Liz love to go on multi day rafting trips as much as possible.
Colin Fanselow returns for his 5th season of guiding on the Poudre River with our company. Colin also guided one season on the French Broad River in North Carolina. He is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. Colin received his degree from Colorado State University. He is a world traveler and looks forward to rowing a raft down the Grand Canyon this fall.
Landon Burke is returning for his second season on the Cache la Poudre. He has previously guided on the Watauga River in North Carolina, where he was born and raised. Landon has his CPR, First Aid and Swiftwater Rescue certifications. In his free time, he enjoys snowboarding, foreign films, and long walks on the beach. But most importantly, he loves to raft!!
Josh Chavez is joining us this year from the Animas River for his first season on the Wanderlust team! He is a senior at Colorado State University, studying computer information systems and doing research for the School of Business. When he’s not drowning in schoolwork or traveling the world, Josh spends as much time as possible in the mountains, as he is an avid skier, telemark skier, snowboarder, runner, and cycler (He’s a bit of an overachiever, if you ask us).
Bob Klein has been guiding on the Poudre River for the past 31 seasons. He holds a degree in Natural Resources Commercial Recreation and Tourism from Colorado State University. Back in the day Bob enjoyed living the ski bum life and taught snowboarding at Steamboat Ski Resort and Jackson Hole. He is originally from the western slope town of Hotchkiss, Colorado. Bob enjoys rowing his raft on multi-day river trips, mountain biking, snowboarding, hunting and traveling. Some of his favorite experiences include rafting through the Grand Canyon, rafting on the Zambezi River in Africa and traveling to Costa Rica, Ecuador, New Zealand and Australia.
Emma Bohrer will be joining us for her 4th season on the Poudre! She was born in Indiana, but moved
to Colorado 5 years ago to pursue her dream of being a ski bum and a river rat. working the slopes every winter and guiding the river in the summer. On top of all that, she’s earning her Natural Resource Tourism degree at Colorado State University. She also loves multi day rafting trips, most recently rafting through the Yampa River! Some of her other interests include hiking, painting, crocheting, camping, paddle boarding, and making music with friends.
Laura Shockley has been guiding with Wanderlust for 3 years now! She is a Nebraska native and has lived in colorful Colorado for 4 years now. Laura loves getting to spend her days on the river, and loves sharing her love for the great outdoors with you all even more. She has a degree in Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Southern Oregon University and enjoys rafting (obviously!), hiking, camping, reading a good book, and curling up by the fire after a long day outside.
Brian Cobb returns as a Celebrity Guide for 7th year at Wanderlust! With 10 years of guiding under his belt, Brian has even taken Kevin Bacon down our beloved Cache la Poudre! As a Celebrity Guide, he may only be here a few times this season, so be sure and say “Hi” if you happen to spot him!
Kelsie Anderson is joining us for her first season at Wanderlust! When she’s not down in the canyon on the river, up in the mountains skiing, or backpacking through the woods, she’s studying Fish and Wildlife Conservation Biology at CSU and traveling the world, even visiting several countries in Asia and Africa just this year!
Maranda Wiese returns for her 6th season taking photos for our company. She is originally from Olney, Illinois. She obtained an Associate Degree of Science from Front Range Community College. Maranda loves living in Colorado and spends as much time as she can taking outdoor photos and playing in the mountains!
Kyndra Johnson is taking on her second season as a photographer for us! She has her Masters Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, speaks 3 languages herself, and has lived in 17 countries! Kyndra loves the outdoors, nature, and hiking, having done the Matterhorn in Switzerland and the Tour du Mont Blanc throughout Europe.
Chris Weist is joining us as a photographer for his very first season at Wanderlust! Our very own jack-of-all trades, Chris is not only a freelance photographer, videographer, and drone pilot, he’s also a professional touring musician! Wood Belly isn’t just notable for having our very talented Chris Weist; they also won the Telluride Bluegrass Band competition in 2018! When he’s not capturing awesome footage for us or making great music with his band, Chris also enjoys playing chess, snowboarding, camping, biking, and everything outdoors, even thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2013!
Kimberly Nichols is joining us for her first ever season as a bus driver for A Wanderlust Adventure! Born and raised in Wisconsin, she went on to horseback trail ride all over Arizona, where she was introduced to whitewater rafting. Her first trip on the Upper Salt River had her hooked, with her love for rafting bringing her all the way to Colorado, and, most importantly, all the way to us!