Meet our white water rafting guides
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Mark Zoller
Mark has 28 years of professional experience all with Zoller's on the Klickitat, White Salmon and Snake Rivers. While he is the president of Zoller's Outdoor Odysseys, Mark still personally guides over 100 trips per year. “I’m so proud of our team of river guides both as professional guides and members of our community. Daily I am thankful to God for who He has surrounded me with in this fun little business on the river.
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Richard Schneider aka “Rooster"
Rooster spends half of the year in Mexico enjoying the sunshine and then it’s back to his home in Washington between the White Salmon and Klickitat Rivers for a summer of delighting guests with his river wisdom. Rooster has been guiding Zoller rafts for a whopping 28 years and is an absolute master at his craft. One of my favorite things about Rooster is that he has adopted all of my kids as his own and watched them grow from babies to adults. That is what happens when two guys guide side by side for almost three decades.
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Russ Cole Sr.
Now in his 25th season of professional whitewater guiding with Zoller’s on the Klickitat, White Salmon, and Snake Rivers. Russ guides side by side with his wife Joetta, son Russ Jr. and Daughter in-law Angie. In his spare time, Russ is the owner of Allied Sign co. Russ can tell you every bit of river history, identify plant and wildlife all while getting you soaking wet. Without a doubt, Russ Sr. ranks easily as one of the top five guides in the history of White Salmon River running in terms of number of clients served, number of runs down the river and number of years of professional service, and number of smiles he has put on the faces of our guests. While the Zoller name is kind of known as a rafting dynasty, The Russ Cole Sr. clan is every bit as strong and will very soon go into a third generation of river guides.
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Marq Box
Marq has 25 years of professional experience all with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon and Snake Rivers. Marq directs our Snake River operation and has hiked and climbed every peak in Hell’s Canyon. On the side Marq acts as the CEO of Wilson Enterprises. Marq looks forward to becoming a grandpa in 2012. Back in the mid 80’s I met Marq (he was my boss) and very quickly he was training as a guide on the White Salmon River. Fast forward a couple of decades and we have become family since the marriage of our kids, a whitewater wedding to remember for sure.
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Andy Curry
Born and raised right here in beautiful downtown BZ Corner Washington Andy is a 24 year veteran of professional guiding on the White Salmon River, six with Zoller's on the Klickitat, White Salmon, and Snake River in Hell’s Canyon. Without a doubt Andy is one of the most entertaining individuals you could ever hang out with on the river, and he’s fun to hang out with off the river too!
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Joetta Cole
Joetta has 20 years of professional experience all with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon and Snake Rivers. Co-founder and owner of Allied sign. The only grandmother river guide on the White Salmon River. Joetta has her grand daughter in “pre-guide” training and looks forward raising up yet another great river guide. While her husband, Russ Cole Sr. may have been given credit for leading the Cole Family rafting dynasty, everyone knows that it is Joetta that holds the dynasty together.
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Taylor Lindseth
Taylor aka “Tay” has 19 years of professional experience all with Zoller’s on the White Salmon and Klickitat Rivers. Taylor started his guiding career like several of the Zoller rafting team, as a 15 year old needling founder Phil Zoller for a shot at guiding rafts down the White Salmon River. Tay grew up right here in downtown BZ Corner and now is raising a beautiful family just blocks from his childhood home.
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Shawn Lonon
Shawn has 19 years of professional experience, 11 with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers. As a top notch chef, Shawn can make your mouth water… As a top notch whitewater professional, he can water the rest of your body. This southern boy will charm you with his quick wit and “good ol boy” southern manners. Shawn had 15 minutes of fame when he was hired to “protect and rescue” Bear Griylls should anything go wrong during a whitewater episode of “Man VS Wild”. Shawn spent the day hiding behind large boulders in his kayak ready to rescue as needed but never was he called to duty. He is still a hero to all of us on the White Salmon River.
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Ben Kofoed
Ben has 16 years of professional experience, 13 with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers. Hard core, 12 month a year guide, Ben lives for boating. It would be safe to say that Ben also ranks in the top 5 guides in White Salmon Rafting history for the number of guests entertained and trips run. Ben does not believe in taking a day off. He says, “that is what January is for”. Congratulations to Ben! September of 2010 he married his sweetheart, a fellow river runner, Rebekah and in June of 2011 they brought a beautiful baby girl into our lives. Ben was the most requested river guide on the White Salmon River in 2011 and for very good reason. He truly cares about every guest that rides down the river with him.
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Ben Box
Ben has 14 years of professional experience all with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers. Ben started his river running career a little young (as did many of us) at the prime age of 15 (we didn’t have laws back then). The problem with Ben starting to guide at such a young age was that he looked 12… at best. At least now he has a limited amount of facial hair. Ben’s river time might be limited starting in 2012 as he has just accepted an assignment with the Air Force as a Chaplin.
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Morgan Colburn
Morgan has 14 years of professional experience all with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers. Youth pastor for Mt. Adams Baptist church, local basketball and track coach, and not too shabby with a fly rod. Morgan hates it when we tell people that he was the NCCAA National championship team MVP power forward in 1989. He hates it even worse when we point out that his alma mater keeps photos of notable students and famous people in their hallowed halls. Morgan’s photo hangs next to Billy Graham’s. Morgan always says “if you can’t be famous, just hang next to a famous person”.
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Casey Box
Casey has 12 years of professional experience, all with Zoller's on the Klickitat and White Salmon Rivers. After cramming four years worth of college into seven years Casey became bold enough to ask Mark Zoller, company owner, if he could marry Mark’s daughter. Local police and the FBI are still searching for clues in the sudden disappearance of Casey. Legal counsel for Mark Zoller stands firm that the idea of Casey marrying Mark’s daughter had anything to do with his disappearance.
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Mark “Frenchie” Lasage
Mark has 9 years of professional experience all with Zoller’s on the White Salmon, Klickitat & Snake Rivers. For Frenchie there are three loves in life: 1)His family, 2)His sailboat and 3)The White Salmon River. Mark holds a record for running 148 professional trips down the White Salmon River in one season. Mark is one of the friendliest people I’ve ever known, yet he has the terrible habit of bragging about his grandson. If you get Mark as your guide, get ready for an hour of baby photos on his smart phone.
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Russ Cole Jr
Jr. is the son of Russ and Joetta Cole (see above) and a 10 year professional of the White Salmon, Klickitat and Snake Rivers. In 2007 Zoller’s acquired a new rookie river guide, Angela Duke. Five months later Jr. acquired Angie as his bride. In 2010 Jr. and Angie brought into this world future third generation river guide, Ryker Cole. Congrats!
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Ryker Cole Jr
Ryker Cole Bio: Born September 1st 2011 to Russ Jr and Angie Cole. World entrance: Came out of the womb fist first as if he was reaching for a throw bag line. Favorite place: The bath tub, but he won’t get in without a wet suit. Favorite song: Row, row, row your boat. Favorite movie: The River Wild. Favorite diaper: A wet one.
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Rachel "Zoller" Box
Rachel is a 9 year professional on the White Salmon, Klickitat & Snake Rivers. In 2004, Rachel became the youngest licensed guide in the State of Washington on her 18th birthday and celebrated by guiding on the White Salmon River side by side with her father Mark, and grandfather (company founder) Phil. In 2006 Rachel mysteriously disappeared after Casey Box asked about marriage. Some believe she is in hiding, some believe her father has hidden her. I am hoping that Rachel will not be able to guide in 2012 in hopes that she will be carrying a grandchild for me.
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Zachary Zoller
Congratulations! August 2nd 2006, Zach became the youngest licensed guide in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Zach splits his time assisting directors in the film industry (keep an eye out for Oz the Great and Powerful), and summers at home with the family rafting biz. A bigger congrats to Zach for getting married September (2009) to Lacie-Marie. Thanks for giving us yet another beautiful daughter. Now let’s see some grandkids!
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Ryan
After 9 years of professional guiding and managing a neighboring rafting company, Ryan joined the Zoller’s rafting team in the summer of 2008. Ryan has a very short commute being our next-door neighbor with his wife Charlotta and their extra smiling son Lucien. In Ryan’s first full season with Zoller’s he became the 3rd most requested guide on staff. In the off season, Ryan is a stay at home dad, basketball coach for the mighty Trout Lake / Glenwood Mustangs-Eagles and volunteers on local environmental boards. Ryan has consistently been one of the most requested guides on the river and arguably has the wildest hair.
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Sean Woody
Every now and then a youngster comes along who has been running rivers with their parents and gaining professional skills without knowing it. Woody is just that kind of guy. After many family whitewater vacations on great rivers such as the Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Rogue, Woody came looking for some summer work in 2006. Like clockwork, Woody returns summer after summer to the White Salmon River to infuse his boyish charm and whitewater skills into every run down the river. Woody also holds a special record here on the White Salmon River for running Husum Falls twice in less than five seconds. You’re going to have to ask him about that one. It is true… I’ve got pictures.
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Angie "Duke" Cole
What to do with the 15 year old neighbor kid who begs… take me rafting, take me rafting. Well, you take them rafting and train them to become a guide. Angie comes from a family who knows adventure in the outdoors and had made sure Angie got her fill of rafting on the White Salmon with no less than 20 trips over the years. Angie’s first year of guiding was in 2007 where she found she could guide and also found a husband! Congratulation to Russ Jr. You are a lucky boy! Angie had to take the summer of 2011 off from guiding due to a growth in her womb. Now that Ryker has made his appearance we hope he lets mommy get on the river for some guiding in 2012.
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Zak StClair
The summer of 2006 Zak arrived as a guest and quickly asked how he could become a guide. After a month of training in the fall of 06, Zak went home to West Virginia, sold his restaurant and home, then headed out west with his wife Yonah. In Zak’s very short career as a professional river guide, he has become one of the most requested river guides in White Salmon River history. It’s the boyish charm.
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Silas
Guide of the STARS. Silas must be well connected because this seven year professional White Salmon River guide has been specifically requested by cast members of both Seinfeld and Saturday Night Live. You too can request Silas and don’t forget to ask him for an autographed picture!
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Cooper
Need Fun? “Coop” is your man. For the past six years Coop has been putting the “big grin” on customers faces going down the White Salmon River. In real life Coop is a super hero… at least that is what his son tells me. Coop agrees with the Bible when it says “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and that is why he is pleased dunk each and every one of you.
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Derek
Derek is heading into his 4th professional season of guiding after an amazing 2009 rookie year. During the winter Derek (sort of) attends college but truly chases the dream of getting paid to extreme ski. Derek’s enthusiasm is contagious and if you get lucky enough to have him as your guide, you will see that he treats life like a kids in a candy shop with dad’s Visa card.
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Keenan
With a life-time of running whitewater and 12 years of professional guiding in Oregon and Washington, Keenan went from full time river guide and rafting company manager (of another great river company) to part time guide at Zoller’s. Why the switch from FT to PT… He got married and had to take a real job! And, teaching 7th grade social studies and language arts is a real job. Keenan says the only difference between working with 7th graders and rafting guests is that the guests pay attention a little better… once you put a huge wave over their heads.
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Bryce Guske
Bryce showed up at Zoller’s river school in 2009 as an energetic fun loving college grad (political science). Breaking into the team of Zoller river guides is near impossible but because of personality, hard work, and many years of running whitewater rafts with his grandpa, Bryce fit right in with the team. It was not until mid season that we found out his grandpa is Vladimer Kovalik the co-creator of the self bailing raft and a legendary rafter from Russia. If Bryce keeps up the great work, he will become a legend as well.
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McKenzie Zoller AKA “The Boss”
McKenzie first showed her authority at Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys at about age 10. This is when she started to levy fines in the form of tickets to guides for infractions such as leaving their gear out or parking under her rope swing. From that moment on she was known as “The Boss”. The guides put her to early training and started teaching her how to guide at a very young age, but McKenzie says they really just wanted her to do their work for them on the river. Her favorite guide has always been Shawn & “Frenchie” (not Mark, her dad?!). August 9th 2010 McKenzie became the youngest licensed class IV whitewater river guide in the state of Washington and the 11th multi-generational river guide of the Zoller team. McKenzie has spent the last two school years in Canada in a language emersion program. I asked her how it was going and all she would say is… eh?
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Danny Cassell
Danny was once a customer of Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys and he just could not get enough so in 2010 he joined the staff and is enthusiastically entertaining guests on the river. Danny is no stranger to guiding in the outdoors. He has been heavily involved with upper Columbia River trips in dug-out canoes, teen adventure trips and is willing to jump into any adventure. You are going to love Danny’s whimsical (I would never use the word whimsical. It was Danny’s idea) sense of humor, well rounded experience in guiding different outdoor disciplines and passion for showing folks what nature has to offer. Danny has a B.S. in Field Ecology and Natural History… all so he can be a whitewater rafting guide on the White Salmon River!
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Shane Wood
After giving Zoller’s a helping hand here and there over the years we finally got this 15 year pro of the White Salmon River to move to BZ Corner and become a permanent team member. Shane managed the White Salmon River operations of another quality river company that we have worked with for years and we are excited to have Shane living in our community. Shane is known for his ability to get ejected at Husum Falls, which makes us all thankful that “Wood” floats.
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Micah Anderson “Rookie Alert!”
Micah has been hanging out with the Zoller river crew for years and is the brother-in-law to Russ Jr. and Angie. Micah has guided rafts for fun over the years and after four days in our river school with expert trainer Ryan Webb he was ready to go. Mid-way through his rookie year he was dropping rafts over Husum Falls and coming up with a huge smile. We are not sure there has ever been a more energetic river guide on the White Salmon River.
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Dave Hammond
Dave’s professional career started in “98” and he arrived at Zoller’s on the White Salmon River in the spring of 2003 and is an avid kayaker and river guide. Dave and his wife Talia own over 30 kayaks. Dave says, “many are just dropped off like kittens to a cat lady”. Dave is our favorite hoarder. Interesting note about Dave’s Ford pick-up. He converted it to run on straight vegetable oil in 2005 and was WAY ahead of the curve with bio-diesel. For years he got really funny looks from restaurant managers when he pulled in asking for their old fryer oil on his multiple trips to southern Mexico. Can you imagine driving down the highway and rather than looking for Chevron to fill up, you are looking for McDonalds? Keep eating deep fried foods to help keep Dave’s truck on the road!!
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Amanda Zoller
“Rookie Alert!” Not to be outdone by any of her older siblings, Amanda has joined the family tradition of guiding rafts down the White Salmon River and has become the 9th member of our family to do so. Amanda’s company experience goes far beyond the whitewater as she helps manage the retail center, Class V Deli and assist with the company payroll. 2012 will be a big year in the young life of this amazing girl.