About Us

Alex "Longers" Longbottom

Guide to the Stars
Maitland, South Australia

I've been in Canada for almost 18 months now.  I work for Kumsheen in the summer and snowshoe guide in the winter.  Life is sweet.

Hobbies and passions: Driving tractors
Dream place to vacation: The Greek Islands
Aspired to be as a kid: Cory the policeman

Allana Barbour

Server
Vancouver, BC

I'm halfway through my program to become a Registered Nurse.

Hobbies and passions: Playing chess with Shelby
Dream place to vacation: Backpack from the coast of Vietnem to the coast of India
Aspired to be as a kid: A nurse

Andrew Hoar

River Guide
Oxford, England

Finished the season in October, had 2 weeks in England, saw the family, ate some good food, drank some real beer.  Then spent 2 months in Argentina and 1 month in Bolivia on a bird and research project. A month traveling in Chile and Peru.  Then 3 months teaching scuba diving in the Galapagos.

Hobbies and passions: Climbing, guitar, anything outdoorsy
Dream place to vacation: Ouagadougou
Aspired to be as a kid: A commodities broker

Ben Richet

Customer Relations (Guide)
Lytton, BC

My job is pretty cool. I'm allowed to have fun and really need no vacation during the winter. I basically spend time staring at my life size cardboard cutout of Tom Selleck, trying to replicate the pinnacle of facial hair that was bestowed upon him by the universe.

Hobbies and passions: Outdoor recreational activities, planning new subsidiary companies for my future multinational corporation and growing a fine mustache
Dream place to vacation: Summerland... sounds amazing!
Aspired to be as a kid: A profession that would allow me to grow a nice full beard...

Braden Fandrich

Farmer/ Pencil Pusher
Lytton, BC

I've been chainsawing, tractoring, welding, and also finding some time to work at my desk and do some glider flying  in Pemberton.

Hobbies and passions: Kayaking, biking, flying
Dream place to vacation: Lytton in the summers and somewhere warm with a good beach, surf break and exciting river on the off-season
Aspired to be as a kid: The Mennellator

Chris Finn

Chef/ Restaurant Manager
Prairie Boy

Stay tuned...

Hobbies and passions: Cooking, reading, diving, hiking, snowboarding, surfing, camping, jogging, traveling
Dream place to vacation: Peru- ocean, beaches, jungles, mountains & rivers
Aspired to be as a kid: A veterinarian

Chris Mennell

Trip Videographer
Cawston, BC

The last few year's I have been super-busy finishing my Bachelor of Fine Arts at Simon Fraser University; traveling around the world (twice) and backcountry skiing have definitely been the highlights. I'm looking forward to this summer and being back at Kumsheen Rafting Resort, the best place to spend your summer! 

Hobbies and passions: Kayaking, orchard-ing, eating, movie-making!
Dream place to vacation: New Zealand/ BC
Aspired to be as a kid: A raft guide

Cynthia Gagnon

Guide Extraordinaire
Vermilion Bay, Ontario

This winer I've been snowboarding in Revelstoke.  I'm really looking forward to spending time on the river with some of the best guides ever!

Hobbies and passions: Long walks on rattlesnake beach, being on the river, snowboarding, and cuddling up with my hunny Cody
Dream place to vacation: Toronto - to visit my dad!
Aspired to be as a kid: Superwoman

Elice Sandison

Office Staff
North Delta, BC

This year in Sun Peaks, I became a housekeeper and since then I've been busy taking care of my new puppy Alex.  Oh how I love him!

Hobbies and passions: Counting sheep and wrangling cows
Dream place to vacation: Home
Aspired to be as a kid: An environmentalist

Heather Mather

Campground
Toronto, Ontario

I just got back from traveling in Australia for the past six months. Before that I have been spending my winters as a ski bum at Sun Peaks. Over the next while I am volunteering at an SPCA and upgrading some school courses in the hopes of getting into the Animal Health Technology course at TRU!

Hobbies and passions: Snowboarding, animals
Dream place to vacation:
Aspired to be as a kid: A veterinarian

Jade Baxter

Restaurant Staff
Lytton, BC

This year I finished grade nine. I'll be going in to grade 10 in the Fall. I quite enjoy working here.  I have a passion for drawing, reading, comedy, acting, and I'm currently a green belt in Karate. I have three pets: a dog Diva and two cats Angel and Popcorn.

Hobbies and passions: Drawing, comic books, anime/ manga, reading, Karate, scuba diving
Dream place to vacation: Kyoto, Japan or Nara, Japan
Aspired to be as a kid: A vet or mechanic

Jamie Birtwistle

Sous Chef
Vancouver, BC

I started working as a cook for the Vancouver Canucks 2 seasons ago.  I hope to first see a Stanley Cup in Vancouver and then work across the country seeing the world's greatest stadiums and sporting events.

Hobbies and passions: Sports and fantasy leagues
Dream place to vacation: New York, again!
Aspired to be as a kid: Candy store owner

Jayson Ryland

River Guide/ Lawn Tractor Mechanic
Spuzzum, BC and Bright, Australia

After 7 years as a raft guide, I've decided to keep guiding.  If Big Wave can do it, so can I.

Hobbies and passions: Kayaking
Dream place to vacation: Lytton, BC
Aspired to be as a kid: Bigger

Jessica Hall

Baker
Lytton, BC

I just finished grade 11. This last year I have been busy recording and touring with an orchestra and choir. I look forward to graduating and then going to college to take Health Management en route to Physical Therapy.

Hobbies and passions: Practicing violin and piano, cooking/ baking, crocheting, wakeboarding, hiking, reading, travelling/ road trips
Dream place to vacation: New Zealand
Aspired to be as a kid: A restaurant owner

Jessica Thomson

Photographer
Texada Island, BC

I'm at Kumsheen this summer for my second season. I've spent the last couple years traveling and experiencing small town BC. In the Fall, I plan on returning to school to obtain a diploma in publishing.

Hobbies and passions: Camping, napping, hammocks, rafting, and chalkboards.  I love chalkboards!
Dream place to vacation: West coast BC
Aspired to be as a kid: A singing farmer

Johnson Dunstan

Campground
Lytton, BC

Well, I've finished my grade 12, got my learners and hope to be driving shuttle next year.

Hobbies and passions: Sketching, rafting and playin' hockey
Dream place to vacation: Brazil
Aspired to be as a kid: Famous BMX Racer

Lauren Sims

Office
North Vancouver, BC

For the past few years I have been living in Victoria finishing my writing degree and managing a shoe store. I am looking forward to living a life of leisure like the raft guides, skiing this winter then chasing the summer for the next few seasons.

Hobbies and passions: Reading, writing, dancing, my dvd collection, and shoes!
Dream place to vacation: Greece or Bali
Aspired to be as a kid: A chef

Lorna Fandrich

Owner/ General Manager
Consort, Alberta

The last couple years have been a lot like the last 10 years with regards to Kumsheen but I am still keenly interested in history of BC, family genealogy and what the grown-up kids are up to.

Hobbies and passions: Until 1980 I was passionate about nursing, then the development of Kumsheen- but mostly I just wanted to be a good mom.
Dream place to vacation: Scotland- because I love the history, country and part of my roots
Aspired to be as a kid: A nurse and I was until 1982

Margo M. Soper

Housekeeper
Lytton, BC

I found myself at Kumsheen Rafting Resort, hoping for an interview with the boss and found she was away, so I started working any way and came back the next day, and kept on working. Eventually had to fill out the appropriate papers and here I am still working. Kumsheen is a very nice place to work; everyone is pleasant and happy.

Hobbies and passions: Reading, gardening and listening to good music
Dream place to vacation: New Zealand or Switzerland
Aspired to be as a kid: At one time, I thought I wanted to be a nurse

Marylene Martin

Raft Guide
Ste-Hyacinthe, Quebec

I started working for the army at 17 years old in the infantry reserve and really enjoyed the challenge. I also went to New Zealand and Australia by myself for a year to learn English. I tried every crazy thing including a bungee jump and learned kayaking too. I did my solo skydiving course in Quebec, my advanced scuba diving in Malaysia. I also started boxing for physical training and discovered it was my newest passion. It's so challenging all the time and so funny to kick boy’s asses! I would like to always do something physical and challenging like raft guide or firefighting but for the moment I do what I like!

Live your dream instead of dreaming your life.

Hobbies and passions: Kickboxing, whitewater kayaking
Dream place to vacation: South Africa to see the amazing Zambezi River and wild life
Aspired to be as a kid: Aerobic instructor

Maya Chang

Marketing Director/ River Guide
Nepean, Ontario

My sense of home used to be jumping between Kumsheen's staff house, New Zealand, Vancouver, and the Yukon; juggling performing arts with the outdoors. Since becoming a resident Lytton-ite in 2007, life has struck a balance for me. I've been offering weekly yoga classes to the community staff after teacher training in Baja, Victoria and Whistler.

Hobbies and passions: Being with friends & family, yoga, gardening, dancing... the water
Dream place to vacation: Great Bear Rainforest, Uruguay, Madagascar...
Aspired to be as a kid: Freelance journalist & photographer, entertainer

Niceto Yalan Quintana

River Guide
Chosica, Peru

I was working for a rafting company in Rishikesh, India and kayaking in the Himalays of Nepal when I was invited to work at Kumsheen, where I'm returning for my third season.

Hobbies and passions: Kayaking, photography, cooking, dolphin trainer & journalism
Dream place to vacation: Alaska, Northwest Territories & Peru
Aspired to be as a kid: A journalist

Peter Dizall

Professional Driver
Lytton, BC

Over the last winter I was working with NASA to help future astronauts. I would mentor them as they worked under water doing repairs to mimic that of zero gravity. It was turning out to be too mentally draining so I took the summer off. Next winter I'll be back drawing up solutions to get one of the Mars rovers unstuck from a soft mud-like substance it slipped into and probably drink some green tea without any of that honey or sugar nonsense.

Hobbies and passions: Growing a mustache, fishing with a mustache and professional driving with a mustache
Dream place to vacation: Spuzzum
Aspired to be as a kid: I always thought dinosaurs were pretty rad

Rosie Reynolds

Server
Surrey... woohoo

I've been working/ skiing at various resorts over the past 5 years.  I plan to continue working in tourism & traveling till I've seen everything!

Hobbies and passions: Sun & snow
Dream place to vacation: Chile
Aspired to be as a kid: I'm still little right?

Sam Gandossi

Guide
BC

This past winter I spent in South America learning Spanish, surfing, trekking and adventuring with my guitar. I'm looking forward to spending another summer in the magical White Canyon of Kumsheen, and following the sun somewhere warm for the winter once again.

Hobbies and passions: Traveling, scuba diving, hiking, climbing, music making, surfing, cooking
Dream place to vacation: If there's somewhere I can visit and want to go, I'll go!
Aspired to be as a kid: A marine biologist specializing in warm water dolphins, a singer, an actress, or an animal

Shelby Penrice

Front Line Restaurant Manager
Red Deer, Alberta

Stay tuned...

Hobbies and passions: Lawn bowling, polo, chess
Dream place to vacation: Not sure
Aspired to be as a kid: A robot!

Stephanie Hall

Office
Lytton, BC

I have been going to college and taking psychology.  I love doing gymnastics, when I'm not studying and now I am working.

Hobbies and passions: Scrapbooking, horseback riding, music, reading
Dream place to vacation: Europe and PEI
Aspired to be as a kid: A veterinarian

Steve Schadinger

River Guide
St. Catharines, Ontario

After completing my Masters of Science last August, it feels great to be back on the river. My personal advice: stay in school, but leave some time for whitewater! 2 years away from the Devil's Gorge is much too long. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, which couldn't be more true. See you on the river!

Hobbies and passions: Cooking and international cuisine, experimental music, and fighting crime
Dream place to vacation: Back to Berlin, my favourite city
Aspired to be as a kid: A chef

Tiffany Adams

Office Staff
Lytton, BC

I just finished my 2nd year at University in Kamloops and will be returning for my 3rd year in September.  I am studying to be an elementary school teacher.  I was on the Wolf pack Varsity Cheer team at TRU and I have a cat named Squeaker.

Hobbies and passions: Love playing basketball and watching hockey
Dream place to vacation: Paris to shop
Aspired to be as a kid: A veterinarian

Willis Norrie

Guide
Maple Bay, Vancouver Island

Stay tuned...

Hobbies and passions: Climbing, kayaking, fishing
Dream place to vacation:  South America
Aspired to be as a kid: A climbing guide