Sierra Mac River Guides

Our guides are the best on the river—hands down. No company has more river miles and expertise on the T than the Sierra Mac crew. All are exceptional navigators and have advanced certifications in river rescue and wilderness first aid. Sharing their love for rivers and providing a thoroughly enjoyable experience is their number one priority.

 

Aaron Cavagnolo

Coach of Champion Women's Water Polo team at University of Michigan

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1993

Guide Class: V+ Rivers

Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Salmon; Elsewhere—Grand Canyon (Arizona), Middle Fork Salmon (Idaho), Rogue (Oregon), Colca (Peru), Futaleufu (Chile), several in New Zealand

Off-Season Employment: Civil Engineer, High School Math teacher

Home Base: Los Gatos, California

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Jennifer Cook

Team Captain U.C. Santa Barbara Intercollegiate Swimming

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2006

Guide Class: IV Rivers

Professionally Navigated: California—Main Tuolumne, Kern; Elsewhere—Salt (Arizona)

Off-Season Employment: Lifeguard

Home Base: Prescott, Arizona

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Chris Condon

SMRT River Sage Consultant; has navigated Cherry Creek and the Main Tuolumne more than anyone.

River Expertise: professional guide since 1967

Guide Class: V+ Rivers

Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Yuba, Stanislaus, Merced, Salmon; Elsewhere—Grand Canyon (Arizona), Nenana (Alaska)

Off-Season Employment: builder/landscaper

Home Base: Columbia, California

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Adam Crom

SMRT Operations Manager; Revered by peers as being the best navigator in the business

River Expertise: professional guide since 1982

Guide Class: V+ Rivers

Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Merced; Elsewhere—Owyhee (Oregon)

Off-Season Employment: builder/contractor

Home Base: Modesto, California

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Alitia Danciu

Only woman currently certified to guide on Cherry Creek

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1997

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Merced, Kings

Off-Season Employment: Currently studying to be a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Home Base: Portland, Oregon

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Ben Fadely

Has done several first descents and pioneered new rafting runs in Asia and the Eastern Himalaya.

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1988 Guide Class: V+

Rivers Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Merced; Elsewhere—Futaleufu (Chile), Nile (Ethiopia), Grand Canyon (Arizona), Yangtze and Mekong (China), Korah (Turkey)

Off-Season Employment: year-round guide

Home Base: Chico, California

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Jeff Hall

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1991

Guide Class: V Rivers

Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Stanislaus Off-Season

Employment: Landscape contractor

Home Base: Modesto, California

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Andrew McDonnell

Sierra Mac's web master

River Expertise: Family guide since 1998

Rivers Navigated: Tuolumne, Grand Canyon of the Colorado

Off-Season Employment: Computer security consultant

Home Base: San Jose, California

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Tom McDonnell

6'7" tall and can juggle 7 balls at once

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2004

Guide Class: IV

Rivers Professionally Navigated: Tuolumne, Merced, Kings, Grand Canyon of the Colorado

Off-Season Employment: Yoga Instructor, Caretaker

Home Base: Sonora, CA

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Zoë McDonnell

Extraordinary ballerina

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2004

Guide Class: III Rivers

Professionally Navigated: Kings, Green, Yampa

Off-Season Employment: Dance and art student

Home Base: Cambridge, MA

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Gil Phelps

Extraordinary wilderness chef, artist, utopian therapist

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1978

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: California—Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne, Merced; Oregon—Klamath, Rogue, Umpqua, John Day

Off-Season Employment: Year-round guide

Home Base: His pickup truck

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Aly Rogers

Owns a construction business in Kenya

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2004

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: California—Main Tuolumne, South and Middle Forks of the American, Merced, Truckee; Utah—Green, Yampa, Colorado through Cataract Canyon; Elsewhere—Main Salmon (Idaho), White Nile (Uganda)

Off-Season Employment: Instructor, ski patrol, violinist

Home Base: Truckee, California

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Danny Salazar

Kayaks Cherry Creek every chance he gets

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2002

Guide Class: IV

Rivers Professionally Navigated: Cherry Creek, Main Tuolumne

Off-Season Employment: Environmental Consultant

Home Base: Fort Bragg, California

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Olga Schevchenko

Former member of the National Soviet women's rafting team

River Expertise: professional guide since 1984

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: Numerous throughout former USSR, Asia, Europe, Central America and the United States

Off-Season Employment: Civil engineer

Home Base: Santa Rosa, California

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Alek Vey

Loves kayaking, hiking, fly fishing, cycling, snow boarding, and climbing

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2007

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: California—Main Tuolumne; Elsewhere—Upper and Lower Gauley (West Virginia), Futaleufu (Chile), Ocoee (Tennessee), Chattooga (South Carolina), Cheoah (North Carolina)

Off-Season Employment: Food and beverage director

Home Base: West Dover Vermont

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Clint Weakley

Married Monica, the best-looking woman in Groveland

River Expertise: Professional guide since 2003

Guide Class: IV

Rivers Professionally Navigated: Main Tuolumne, Merced

Off-Season Employment: Builder/contractor

Home Base: Groveland, California

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Jesse Wilfley

Owns a construction business in Kenya

River Expertise: Professional guide since 1999

Guide Class: V

Rivers Professionally Navigated: California—North, South, and Middle Forks of the American, Main Tuolumne, Merced, Truckee; Idaho—Middle and Main Salmon, South Fork Payette; Utah—Green, Colorado through Cataract Canyon; West Virginia—Gauley, New; Elsewhere—Grand Canyon of the Colorado (Arizona), White Nile (Uganda)

Off-Season Employment: Ski resort manager, Environmental consultant

Home Base: Truckee, California

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