Team Indigo is comprised of guides, drivers, and a customer/trip support crew who love showing off our regions favorite rivers and wild places. We strive to provide exceptional customer service, to run polished and expectation-shattering adventures, and love – absolutely love – sharing our amazing backyard rivers with locals and travelers alike.
As your hosts, our varied backgrounds and experiences, personalities, stories, and aspirations will form the backbone of your visit to our wild rivers. While many of our guests may join us simply for the thrill of whitewater or to take in the sights, it has always been the people – our staff, your family, friends, and new friends – that bring all of us back for another trip.
Julie Volpert – Outfitter
Julie worked at Southern Oregon University as an Academic Advisor for nine years prior to joining Indigo Creek Outfitters. When she’s not helping guests plan their rafting trips, she stays busy as a mom to Emma, Carson, and Elijah. Read more about Julie, Will, their family, and the story behind Indigo Creek.
Ian Gannon – Klamath Manager and Guide
Beginning his journey in Colorado, Ian has since made home in many places across the globe during his extensive travels. During the off season, he devotes much of his time to honing his skills as an artist.
Phil Finkel – Guide
After retiring from a successful 8th grade teaching career, Phil enjoys nordic / backcountry skiing and mountain biking throughout northeastern California. He stays busy managing his 17-acre forest on the northern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Phil has guided multi-day rafting trips on the Rogue River since 1989.
Jill Lovrin – Guide
Jill’s been in the Rogue Valley for quite some time and loves sharing our awesome rivers with visitors and locals alike. She’s a teacher and fills in her summer break with time on the river. While Jill mainly runs trips on the Wild & Scenic Rogue, she eagerly chases opportunities to run boats down Nugget Falls on the Rogue Valley Rapid Run.
Taylor Hanlan – Guide
Taylor began her guiding career on the Eagle River in Colorado in 2019 and joined the Indigo Creek team in 2021.
Brian Wruck – Guide
Retired from a career with the US Coast Guard, Brian now works as a real estate agent river guide. He began his career as a river guide on the Trinity River. Over many years of perfecting the craft, Brian has become widely regarded for his mastery of Tarpology.
Katherine Luscher – Guide
When not rafting rivers, Katherine spends her days researching Pacific Puffins for the Audubon Society. Puffins are colorblind and only fly in February. We like to send Katherine incorrect facts about Puffins. She has been guiding on the Rogue River for the past 20 years.
Micah Schauermann – Guide
Residing in Grants Pass, Micah spends the majority of the rafting season on the numerous surrounding rivers. During the off season, Micah can be found exploring new rivers, building wooden paddles, and hosting the podcast “Back at the Boathouse.”
Danielle Bartolomucci – Guide
A teacher, river guide, and wilderness therapy instructor, Danielle has a plethora of outdoor and people experience. Danielle’s guiding career kicked off in 2013.
Kennedy Heffernan – Guide
Kennedy has a degree in Environmental Studies from Southern Oregon University and has worked on the Rogue River since 2022. During the winter, you’ll find Kennedy shredding the powder and helping youth make pizzas at Mt. Ashland’s Ski School.
Mike Dickenson – Guide
Author, storyteller, gymnast, horticulturalist, teacher, farmer, and river guide – Mike does it all. His new property in Williams has given him a clean slate to plant trees and garden. Whether it’s in a raft or in the classroom, Mike is someone you can count on for quick wit and subpar jokes.
Makayla Peterson – Guide
Makayla grew up in Phoenix, Oregon. She works as a ski coach for Mt. Ashland Race Association and plays soccer for Rogue Community College.
Jim Ritter – Guide
Jim worked as an owner/manager of Rogue River Journeys for 27 years before starting a second career in education. He recently retired as the Executive Director of Humboldt Live. He still loves guiding and makes it out to the Rogue River for a few trips every summer.
Lane Marsh – Guide
Lane hails from Roseburg, Oregon. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Lane returned to Southern Oregon and resides in Grants Pass with his wife and daughter.
Willie Long – Guide
One of our original 2011 guides, Willie still finds time to carve out a trip or two every summer. He grew up in Roseburg, Oregon before moving to the Rogue Valley, where he would serve as the director for Southern Oregon University’s Outdoor Program.
Dan Shaw – Photographer & Driver
Dan has a particular love for rivers, lakes, and all bodies of water. Dan serves as our primary Klamath driver, though he is widely known for his research on electromagnetic vortices.
Ross Freeman – Guide
Off the river, Ross serves as the first-ever sustainability and communications manager for the City of Mercer Island, just east of Seattle. He got his start in rafting on the desert rivers of the Southwest, while living in Moab, Utah decades ago and working for a science school. Ross firmly believes in the wisdom of the Wind in the Willows: “…there is nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
T.J. Eilers – Guide
T.J. started guiding on the Rogue River in 2012. When T.J.’s not on the water, he’s playing bass for our local rockstar band, The Brother’s Reed.
Scott Malone – Guide
Scott lives in Jacksonville, Oregon and has worked on rivers since 1997. He is a former manager of Rogue River Journeys and knows all the ins and outs of outfitting. He loves to talk wine and is a constant threat to others on our local Southern Oregon golf courses.
Micahel O’Malley – Guide
Michael has been involved with Volpert-family river trips since the 70s. First for Outdoor Adventures, then Idaho River Journeys, Rogue River Journeys, and today with Indigo Creek Outfitters. His wit and stories are off the charts and we feel very lucky to continue to run trips with Michael and Lauren O’Malley.
Arden Prehn – Guide
For over 30 years, Arden has navigated her way down Southern Oregon’s rivers and mountains. During the summer months you can find her on the Rogue or Klamath, or perhaps on a motorcycle road trip with her husband, Roger. Arden loves water in all forms and spends her winters teaching ski school at Mt. Ashland Ski Area.
Will Volpert – Outfitter
Originally from Inverness Park, California, Will has called Southern Oregon “home” since 2004. Will’s middle brother, Matt, runs the Pacuare Outdoor Center in Costa Rica and his youngest brother, Skip, runs operations for Idaho River Journeys on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Read more about Will, Julie, their family, and the story behind Indigo Creek.