Casey Tango has 9 years of professional guiding experience.  He is also a safety kayaker for our expert raft trips. Casey is originally from Neptune City, New Jersey.  

• What Casey does when he isn’t working at TAC? “Guide and explore as many rivers as possible.”
• Casey’s favorite rafting memory:“Taking my Dad down West Virginia’s Upper Gauley River.”
• Why Casey loves rafting: “It’s a great team or group activity with options for many ability levels.”

John Anicito has 11 years of professional guiding experience. He is from Long Valley, New Jersey but now lives in Breckenridge, Colorado.

•  When John isn’t at TAC? “I spend my time with my family (my wife, Clair and our 3 dogs). We try to be outside as often as possible, enjoying all that Colorado has to offer.”
• John’s favorite rafting experience: “I love surfing down the Numbers with my wife, Clair.”
• Why John loves rafting: “I love seeing and feeling the waves break over the boat and over the heads of the paddlers.”
• John’s life motto: “We’re Doing It!”

Tim McDonald has been a professional guide for 20 years.

He’s a California surfer from Big Bear Lake, CA, but lives with his family in Leadville, Colorado.

• When Tim isn’t at TAC? “I seek adventure with my son-surfing and S.U.P., riding dirtbikes, skateboarding, skiing…”
• Tim’s favorite rafting memory: “Rafting the Desolation Canyon section of the Green River and meeting a direct descendant of John Wesley Powell. Spent the evening riverside, chatting about J.W.P. and how our rivers are vanishing.”
• Tim’s life motto: “Live the life you love. Love the life you live.”

Mark Hammer has been a river guide for an amazing 25 years!

He is originally from New York, but now lives in Buena Vista, Colorado.

• When Mark isn’t at TAC? “I can’t stop thinking about TAC!  I spend time with Sarah and our best friend, Peyton: kayaking (not in a while), skiing, snowmobiling, working on my house…anything that sounds like fun!”
• Mark’s favorite river experiences: “Pushing the envelope on high water Lochsa River, Piedra River, Gore Canyon, Upper Gauley and Pine Creek trips. Taking it to the edge, but landing on the safe side of the line!”
• Why Mark loves rafting: “Reading water and the way that it moves, understanding it’s power and challenge so that you can easily navigate. Using this knowledge to guide rafts commercially and safely share this passion to help create lifelong memories for our guests.”
• Marks life motto: “Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’!” 

Liz Bruner, a guide of 9 years, is originally from Ventura, California.

Liz spend her winters going wherever the winds blows her….

• Why Liz loves rafting: “It’s my church. Keeps me calm and puts things in perspective.”
• Life motto: “Be happy!”

Joe Sialiano has been a river guide for 10 years. He was born in Centerport, Long Island but lives in Breckenridge, Colorado.

•  Joe’s favorite rafting memory:“Traveling in Bosnia and competing in the World Rafting Championship in 2009. We came from behind and beat Brazil and Russia in the Head to Head Sprint Race. We took the Silver Medal in the event.”
• Why Joe loves rafting: “I love rafting because when you’re in that boat there is nothing else except the other paddlers and people on the trip. It’s a great way to clear your mind and do what you love!”
• Joe’s life motto: “Hard work always pays off!”

Karah Frizzell has been guiding rafts professionally for 11 years. She was born in Placerville, California but spends the off-season skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado.

• Karah’s favorite rafting memory: “Rafting the Klamath River with my family as a child, we filled two rafts and had the most epic water fights that turned into throwing algae and dry cow pies at each other! Great family bonding!”
• Why Karah loves rafting: “It feels like home. No matter what river I’m on, I feel at home.”
• Karah’s favorite quote: “I’m just smiling, smiling is my favorite!”-Elf

Jere Burrell has 6 years of river guiding experience. Originally from Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Jere has relocated to Copper Mountain, Colorado.

•  Jere’s favorite rafting memory: “After 2 nights of high winds and pounding rain we ran through Westwater Canyon. The rapid “Sock it to Me” unleashed as I gutted the wave. The gear boat I was rowing flipped. John climbed up the canyon walls to the eddy I was in and helped flip over the boat. It was snowing the whole time and my hair didn’t even get wet!”
• Jere’s life motto: “The board will ride, the strings will play and the river will flow.”

Mark Flatt has 11 years of experience as a professional river guide. He is from Indianapolis and is always planning the next seasons’ adventure!

• Mark’s favorite rafting memory: “In 2000 I took a group of BMW motorcyclists down a 3-day Westwater Canyon trip on the Colorado River. They had been down the Grand Canyon, a trip I was hoping to do sometime, and we swapped river tales the whole time. As part of a gratuity, they were kind enough to mail me a book about the Grand Canyon called “The River That Flows Uphill”, which I read while floating down the Canyon 9 years later.”
• Why Mark loves rafting: “I get to meet interesting people from all over the world and share an adventure that is outside on a beautiful river, exposing people to a pace of life that is slow and peaceful at times, interspersed with exciting whitewater. I love exploring rivers all over the country and the world and thrive in the community of adventurous people who share the river love.”
• Mark’s life motto: “You’re not here for a long time, your here for a good time, so don’t sweat the petty things, and always pet the sweaty things!”

Reilly Frakes has been guiding rafts for 4 years and kayaking for 15 years. He is one of our safety kayakers for our expert raft trips.

He is from Fayetteville, Arkansas and spends his time away from The Adventure Company racing mountain bikes in Arkansas and Texas.

Eric Knierim has been a professional river guide for 13 years. He is also an experienced safety kayaker for our expert trips. He is from North Creek, New York where is spends his winters as a Speech-Language Therapist.

• Favorite rafting memory: “Checking out on Pine Creek Rapid with Hammer so that I can guide future Pine Creek trips.”
• Why Eric loves rafting:“To introduce first time rafters to whitewater experiences.”
• Eric’s life motto: “You only live once!” 

Brian Russell has 10 years of river guiding experience.

He spends his winters chasing whitewater in South America.

Anna Sitton has been guiding professionally for 9 years.

Anna lives in Buena Vista, Colorado and is a school teacher when she isn’t guiding rafts!

Nathan Sievers has 5 years of guiding experience. He was born in Barstow, California but resides in Denver, Colorado.

• Favorite rafting memory: “Everyday on the river is a favorite!”
• Why Nate loves rafting: “Being in the outdoors with awesome people!”
• Nate’s life motto: “It’s just life! Enjoy!”

Justin Shurr has been guiding rafts for 11 years.

In the off-season he runs his own adventure company, Shurr Adventures with his wife Alli in Florida.

Eddie Doud is a 17th year professional river guide.

He lives in Buena Vista, Colorado where he works as an EMT.

Alli Shurr has been a raft guide for 4 years.

In the winters, she works with her husband, Justin, at their company, Shurr Adventures in Florida.

Adam Dickson has been a raft guide for 14 years.

He is a Colorado native who lives in Salida, Colorado.