We at The Northwest Passage are very proud of our family of adventure guides and instructors. And why shouldn't we? Our personable and professional guides love to share their passion for seeking adventure in the outdoors. We select our guides for their experience, attention to detail, safety consciousness, dedication to positive group experiences and in depth knowledge of the trip activities and destination. They hold certification in First Aid (usually Wilderness First Aid) as well as appropriate certifications and/or awards in their area of expertise. Our guides and instructors have honed their skills all over the world, and are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience with you!
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Rick Sweitzer Passion can only describe his 26 years pursuing adventure. Having left no corner of our globe untouched and continuing to explore Rick is sure to share his love through confidence, experience and an uncanny knack for spinning the "fun meter". Never one to settle for the modest in 2010 Rick has already achieved a lifetime of firsts reaching the summit of "the big one" Denali with his 15 year old son, exploring the Galapagos Islands and planning on a full circumnavigation of the island chain of Thira including Santorini. Making adventure dreams a reality is not just the goal but a way of life. Make sure to join Rick on his next adventure. Click here for more. |
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Keith Heger Growing up on Lake Michigan, I often searched the horizon for something that would help me define the unknown. As my horizon expanded beyond the Chicagoland community I continued to wander in search of that unknown. |
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Nancy Vedder Program Manager My first camping experiences were as a baby in diapers, and that was long before the days of disposables! I was fortunate to have parents who enjoyed the outdoors, would load us all in the station wagon and take off for beautiful parts of the US. ThoughI always enjoyed outdoor activities, I never considered any type of career in the field. I took a circuitous route to NWP, starting with a BA in French and English Literatures, lived in France, then got an MSW and worked as a clinical social worker for about 10 years. Burnout hit and by great luck, I ended up landing at NWP. I started here in 1995 and still am amazed that I'm actually doing this for a living! I'm an ACA open water kayak instructor and Wilderness First Responder certified.My favorite part of working here is the people- the people I speak with on the phone about potential trips, the guests who come on the trips, our hosts at the small family owned inns where we stay in Crete, our phenomenal staff of part-time instructors and guides. It's all about people having fun and I feel so grateful that I get to be part of that on a daily basis |
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Annie Aggens In 2000 she co-guided a ski expedition to the North Pole. In 2002 she and her boyfriend paddled their canoe from Chicago to New Orleans. Annie’s passion for the outdoors is contagious, and her broad experience makes her a valuable resource. In 2003 she co-authored The Encyclopedia of Outdoor and Wilderness Skills (McGraw-Hill) which provides practical information on 450 outdoor and wilderness-related topics. She regularly lectures on organizing Polar expeditions, paddling expeditions, adventure travel, and the history of Arctic exploration. |
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Ryan Allen In this day and age the possibilities for travel are endless. I'm lucky to have adventurous parents who took me to Mexico and around the American West while I was a kid. This seemed to have planted a desire within me, and I continue to travel thanks to their lead. I started working at The Northwest Passage in 2003 and over the years have been able to visit many exotic places as a result. The experiences have been phenomenal! |
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Susan Thomson I have been guiding for the Northwest Passage for the past six years. My love for the outdoors started as a child because I grew up in rural southwest Pennsylvania where the opportunities for outdoor adventure were endless. My childhood home was just a few miles from the Youghiogheny River and surrounded by creeks and forest. As a child, I spent countless hours and days playing in the forests and swimming in the local creeks and the “Yough”. |
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Kristin Andrews I first stepped onto the yoga mat in 1998 at my health club however it wasn’t until I stepped back onto my mat (with a persistent friend) at a studio with an inspiring teacher in 2001 that I developed a dedicated yoga practice. I came to yoga looking for a “physical” workout and found so much more with all the benefits of the emotional, mental and spiritual “side-effects”. In 2004, I completed my Hatha Yoga Teaching Training Certification with Suddha Weixler founder of the Chicago Yoga Center. I continue to deepen & expand my knowledge by participating in teacher trainings and workshops. I have also studied with Mac McHugh, John Friend, Rolf Gates, Manju Jois, Martin & Jordan Kirk, Amy Ippoliti, Noah Maze and Desiree Rumbaugh just to name a few. I will be forever grateful for my “persistent friend” and all the inspiring teachers & students I have had the opportunity to study and practice with. Whether I'm teaching Niyama Hot Yoga™, Gentle Yoga, or Vinyasa Flow my main focus is my students connection to their growth/experience of their own essence while keeping them safe on their mat by educating them with correct alignment (based on the Anusara Universal Principles of Alignment). When I’m not teaching yoga I’m massaging. I have my own private practice (massage & private yoga instruction) at WellSpring Integrative Medicine located downtown Evanston, since 2002. I have been studying and practicing Shiatsu since 1999; completed over 700 hours of training and am certified from the Ohashiatsu Institute in New York, NY/Evanston, IL, Soma Veda Thai Yoga Massage, Flying Shiatsu, Lymphatic Drainage, Hot Stone Massage Therapy and Reiki. My hearts intention is helping people heal thru massage and yoga instruction. I integrate many techniques in a holistic approach to ensure the receiver is able to gain access to their own inner healing ability in order to obtain a deeper connection within their body, mind & spirit. I not only listen to what my clients/students are saying but also to what their body's are communicating and meet them exactly where they are in growth and development with compassion, encouragement and reverence. |
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Chris Paustian How to pursue serenity in the Earth’s wild places (or, my fortunate life in outdoor world): |
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Bethany Kondiles Unlike most of our guides, I was a lame kid who was afraid of bugs and never slept (or peed) outside. Yet, when I discovered climbing in college, it opened a whole world to me I never knew, and I learned just how great it is to sleep on a tarp under the stars. |
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Will Thomson As a young kid growing up on the North Shore I have always been looking for escapes and new places to explore. Starting at a young age I had an active role in Boy Scouts which naturally led me to The Northwest Passage. I have been assisting and leading trips for about the past 6 years and have been to almost every trip or program that we offer in the Midwest. As my paddling skills improved my horizon expanded to not only sea kayaking but to rock climbing and white water kayaking as well. |
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Bonnie Perry |
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Peg Cipolla |
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Alex Unger Growing up, my backyard was a forest preserve and the trees were my jungle gym. Now that I’m older I still see the world as one big playground, only the toys keep getting bigger. Like the 500ft vertical climb of Devils Tower, WY that I climbed during a semester on outdoor studies. Adventure runs deep in my family. Together we summited Kilimanjaro, Tanzania to celebrate my dad’s 50th birthday. But I’m just as thrilled by the water as I am by the rock. I first learned how to roll a kayak in high school and knew right away that I was addicted. I’ve been rafting on five different rivers across the nation with no plans to stop anytime soon. I’m recently certified in Advanced Wilderness First Aid. So come on a Northwest Passage trip and I’ll be happy to help you have a fun, safe time playing in the outdoors in every kind of weather!
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North Pole
Lake Michigan
