Welcome to Ashland! My name is Tyler Vandehey, but everyone just calls me “TJ”. I have had the pleasure of exploring many beautiful and serene wilderness places all over Southern Oregon for four years now. Growing up a few hours north from here in Salem OR, most of my childhood was spent playing sports and exploring backcountry ski trails around Mt. Hood.
Being the kid that bounced off all the walls and climbed all the bookshelves; my parents quickly knew that I needed something to channel my energy toward. They introduced me to the outdoors at a young age through hiking, camping and fishing all over the coastal ranges of Northern Oregon and Southern Washington. As I got older, I developed a greater passion for the mountainous climates of the Cascades. My friends and I spent many weekends, and even some (many) class days dropping everything to chase perfect skiing conditions on Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor. These experiences helped shape and develop my love and desire to go out and explore wild places. That passion for the outdoors led me to Ashland, and to an education at Southern Oregon University.
Living in Ashland has only enhanced that love and excitement for the outdoors since the Siskiyou’s and Cascade’s present so many beautiful environments. Through teaching snowboarding at Mt. Ashland; I learned that I wanted to continue sharing the same uplifting experiences that I enjoyed outside. This led me to pursue a degree in Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Southern Oregon University, where I will be graduating from in 2014.
I first fell in love with boating at a young age on the Snake River in Idaho, but truly gained a desire for it after moving to Southern Oregon. Exploring with Indigo Creek Outfitters, I have had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and excitement of many rivers in Oregon and California such as the McLoud, Rogue and Illinois Rivers.
In my free time, you will find me rock climbing, snowboarding, kayaking, rafting and spending time with my dog Ceres. We often make road trips to the desert to climb, mountains to snowboard, and of course the river. After graduating from SOU I hope to explore and work abroad before further pursing a career in Education.
I look forward to sharing memorable experiences on and off the river with the Indigo Creek community and clientelle.
