HCR Guides

Kurt & Heidi Armacost

Kurt & Heidi
Heidi and Kurt met on the ski slopes of Utah, while Heidi was attending the University of Utah. Kurt managed a children’s ski school and Heidi was his prized instructor. In 1996 they took over the Armacost family business, where Kurt started guiding at the age of 16. During the early years Kurt would row the gear boat and follow his dad down the river. Heidi now manages the HCR office, while balancing two amazing future guides. Both of them have degrees from the University of Utah. At last count Kurt has logged over 500 trips in Hells Canyon. “It never gets old going to the best office in the world”. Family -time consists of river trips, camping, teaching two little girls how to fish. In the winter they never miss a weekend at the local ski resort.

Lee

Joe

Lee is from McCall Idaho. His love for the outdoors comes from a childhood spent fly fishing, backpacking, peak bagging, skiing, paragliding, and soaking up the sun in his local mountains. His eyes were opened to the thrill of whitewater rafting during his junior year of high school when he went on his first trip working as a swamper for Hells Canyon Raft. Since then, he’s been hooked. On the job, Lee loves catching bass on his fly rod, spotting wildlife amongst the scenery, and showing whitewater who’s boss! During the off season, he is a student at Boise State University, balancing his time between hiking in the Boise foothills, flyfishing the Boise River, and working towards a degree in environmental sciences.


      

 

Ethan

Joe

I was born and raised in Vermont.  I grew up spending my time exploring the wilderness near my home and mountains of Vermont with family and friends.  I have always loved loved creeks and rivers but never found an avenue to explore them further until venturing out west.  Mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, and climbing became my main focus and passion as I grew older.  The White Mountains of New Hampshire became my favorite place to spend my free time before traveling west towards the desert.  I am a sophomore at Prescott College, studying adventure education. I have continued to develop my passion for the outdoors and have become more focused on a future in snow science throughout my time at PC.  My interest and excitement for rivers was sparked on a San Juan river trip during my freshman year.  From then on, I have continued seeking out ways to further my time both fishing and floating on rivers!


      

 

Lily

Joe

      

Lily grew up in Portland, Oregon. Weekend trips to the coast, building tree houses, and frequently visiting the free cheese sample bar at the Tillamook cheese factory. She then lived in Midway, Ut for 8 years until moving to Baltimore, Maryland where she graduated from high school. Post graduation she took up her studies at Utah State University, studying printmaking in the Caine College of the Arts. In her free time she enjoys skiing, crafting, biking, swimming in any body of water, rafting, playing guitar, metal detecting, and being around friends and family. She has spent the past three years guiding on the Colorado River, while ski instructing at a local resort in Logan during the winters.

Gabby

Joe

Gabby is a Mainer who found her way Out West in search of bigger water, deeper snow and to delay graduate school as long as possible, if not indefinitely. After graduating Bowdoin College with a BA in Biology, Gabby got her wilderness EMT and started ski patrolling in Utah. When she’s not working on the slopes or on the river, Gabby enjoys mountain biking, trail running, cribbage and starting books she’ll never finish. Fun facts: she used to ride Giraffe unicycles in hometown parades, she always favors the chip crumbs over the intact pieces and she’s a telemark skier (mostly to make the powder that much deeper). 


      

 

Bobbie

Joe

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, and moved to Missouri for school where I played rugby and received my BA in cinema arts at Lindenwood University. I have always loved the outdoors but didn’t realize how deep my love actually was until college where I was deprived of quick access to the mountains and my other go-to biomes. From there, I started guiding in the summers in Moab, UT. I love climbing, surfing, snowboarding, and just about any other outdoor sport. Although basking in the sun is when I feel the most content, when I am letting my skin take a break from the sun, you can find me creating something in a studio whether it be ceramics/pottery, creating films, photography, jewelry making, or just about any other art form.


      

 

Trey

Joe

Born and raised in Colorado, I quickly developed a deep passion for all things outdoors. I grew up spending my free time hunting, fly fishing, mountain biking, and skiing in the Rockies. More recently, after living in the Gunnison River Valley, I discovered my love for river running and rock climbing. I studied Adventure Education and Human Development/ Psychology at Prescott College in Arizona and plan on pursuing a masters degree in counseling. I enjoy exploring and working in wild places, especially on the river, and sharing those spaces with others! If I don’t have oars or a fly rod in hand I’m most likely pluckin my guitar and singing an ole Townes Van Zandt tune! 

      

 

Lydia

Joe

I grew up in Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in environmental science.  During college, I studied abroad in Costa Rica, interned in Florida, and worked as a counselor at an outdoor adventure camp in California. After graduating, I moved into my van and headed out to Oregon to guide on the Clackamas River. Rafting quickly became a passion, and I was very excited to find my way to Hells Canyon. In the off-season, I have spent time working on a farm near my hometown and teaching at an outdoor science school in Southern California. Off the river, I love to rock climb, hike, paddle board, unicycle, and craft – pretty much anything creative or outdoors!        

 

Jackson

Joe

I was born in Seattle and my family moved to New Hampshire soon after I was born so that’s where I spent most of my early years. I lived in a small ski town growing up and fell in love with skiing and competed in slope style, half pipe and big air through middle and high school. I gave up competing towards the end of high school and since then my life has become more focused on other passions. I worked on a lobster boat in Maine after high school for a few years with intermittent traveling throughout. I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail during the summer of 2021 and then started my higher education at Prescott College, where I’m currently a sophomore studying adventure education. I have become passionate about rafting since then and at school and it has become a main focus of mine along with avalanche forecasting. My dream is to live a balanced life of river running and skiing and to help people experience these things that have enriched my life so much!

 

Chloe

Joe

I grew up just outside of Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Forestry. During college I was introduced to whitewater rafting and from there I worked as a guide on the Ocoee River in Tennessee. I previously worked as an consulting ecologist in Alabama after graduation, while continuing to guide during the summer. After leaving the Southeast, I made my way to McCall to pursue my love of guiding. When I am not working, you can find me kayaking, climbing, biking, or just enjoying being outdoors!

 

Collin

Joe

Born and raised a city slicker from Kansas City, Missouri but found my way to the great outdoors! Out of high-school I earned a scholarship to kick as a true freshman on the Indiana State University football team. After a tough back and forth decision I decided to hang up the helmet and transfer back to my home state to attend the University of Missouri, where I graduated with a major in communication. I spent my college summers in Alaska then upon graduating I moved out to Crested Butte, Colorado to be in close vicinity to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, my all time favorite climbing area. After four years of ski instructing, two years of guiding on the Taylor River, and many epic Black Canyon adventures I decided to move to Idaho and better my river days.

Eileen

Eileen

I was born and raised in southern Virginia and earned a degree in Fine Arts at James Madison University.  A trip to the Futaleufu River in Chile my senior year of college solidified my love for rivers and inspired me to get into guiding after graduating in 2008.  Over the years I’ve had the privilege of guiding rivers in Canada, Mexico, West Virginia and here in Idaho.  After a recent hiatus to pursue a more traditional career in hospitality, the river has called me back and I’m home again in Hells Canyon!  When I’m not working on the river, I’m most likely playing on other rivers with my husband or going on adventures with my German Shepherd dogs.  Our home base is here in McCall.

Ethan

Shane

Hailing from Amarillo, Texas, Ethan quickly found his way north to Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, where his adventures in the wilderness began. He guided trips through the BWCAW, the American and Canadian Rockies, and the Alaskan Arctic and developed a love for paddling rivers and backpacking. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Sustainable Systems Management, he left the north in search of majestic mountains and bottomless powder. Ethan has been a ski patroller at Park City in Utah for three years, where he holds an EMT license and rescues injured skiers and riders (and skis bottomless pow).  When he isn’t ski patrolling or on a trip sharing his passion for the outdoors with others, you can likely find Ethan hiking, throwing a round of disc golf, or in a hammock reading a book.

 

Haley

Shane

Born in Fort Collins, Colorado, Haley has been a lover of the outdoors her entire life. Coming from a long line of river guides, she’s excited to show you the beautiful rivers of Idaho this summer! To pass the time between rafting seasons she loves to bike, climb, and ski in the Rocky Mountains in between her studies of Environmental Public Health at Brigham Young University. She also loves to talk about her other interests including books, public health, and what beverage you would be if you were a beverage (she would be a peanut butter smoothie). 

 

Kirk

Shane

Originally from Arnold, CA, Kirk started guiding in 1996.  He has guided in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Alaska.  Kirk absolutely loves music and fishing.  Prior to guiding, Kirk spent time working and mushing on the Iditarod in Alaska.  Kirk currently owns and operates his own steelhead fishing company on the Salmon river.

 

Hayden

Shane

Hayden is an avid outdoor enthusiast. He started  mountain biking and snowboarding from a young age, so river guiding came very naturally to him.  He loves to spearfish, surf, rock climb, snowboard, and ride anything with two wheels. He is studying Electrical Engineering at BYU to become a solar engineer  to develop clean renewable energies. He loves to help people feel the happiness he feels from being outside and enjoying what nature has to offer. He started guiding rivers in Moab, Utah where he fell in love with rivers, and Southern Utah’s unique landscape. If you get to have Hayden on your trip, be prepared to laugh a lot, have a ton of fun, and learn to love the outdoors as much as he does. 

 

Robinson

Shane

Robinson is from Logan Utah. He has been around white water his whole life and is always in search of more time on the river. His passion for the river and the outdoors brought him to Hells Canyon. He is a certified Advanced EMT and during the school year works for the ambulance service in his hometown. He is currently studying nursing at Utah State University.

 

Jack

Henry

 Jack’s a mountain boy. Born and raised in McCall, Idaho, he grew up climbing, hiking, mountain-biking, fly-fishing, cliff-jumping, backpacking, trail-running, canyoneering, nordic skiing, peak-bagging, snow-shoeing, river floating, bivouacking, paragliding, and generally milking every last drop of fun out of the mountains. On the river, he loves shooting rapids, eating PUD, and chatting with all the cool people he gets to meet. And when he’s not immersed in the grandeur of the American West, he’s at the University of Idaho, chipping away at an English degree, and planning his next round of shenanigans.

Finn

Henry

River trips are always the highlight of my summer. I’ve been a boater since my first river trip when I was 6, and haven’t spent a summer without the river since then. I grew up in Boise, ID before I moved to Bozeman, MT. Before I guided for HCR, I was the swamper (camp helper), and their trips keep me coming back for more every year. If I’m not sitting at the bottom of the deepest gorge in North America, you could find me backpacking the Sawtooths, playing ultimate frisbee, skiing the cold smoke in the Bridgers, or just hanging out in McCall. Hope to see you on the river!

Brian

Henry

After growing up with the city life and traditional sports back East, Brian made his way to Idaho in the mid ’90s where he found happiness and true love! Happiness took the form of outdoor sports and recreation – whitewater rafting/kayaking, mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding and backpacking. True love turned out to be a local Idaho girl who wanted to join him in the wild adventures of life. After many river miles floated, vertical feet climbed and descended, travel across the world and back, and nearly 20 years of marriage, they are still taking on the challenges of the outdoors and life…albeit with a crew of 5 kids in tow! As the years tick by, the kids are starting to lead with us in tow! McCall, ID will always be home for Brian and the crew, but as new adventures call, we may find ourselves out across the world…again!

John

Sean

John grew up in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.  He has lived and worked through out the mountain states. Currently he splits his time between McCall and Colorado.  John enjoys exploring the recreational opportunities McCall offers, rafting, canoeing, fishing, hiking and numerous mountain bike trails.  He professionally raced mountain bikes and co-designed the 1996 Atlanta Olympic mountain bike course.  He’s happiest when he’s in the outdoors with his wife Liz, three sons and cattle dogs.  

 

Shane

Jamie

Shane is from Knoxville Tennessee and has been guiding whitewater trips in the Southeast since 2002. He really enjoys sharing Idaho’s river canyons with all of the guests and guides during these great whitewater adventures.  Shane has been guiding trips at HCR since 2018, he really loves Idaho and considers it his second home.    Running rivers and spending time caving, canyoneering and mountain biking are some of his favorite outdoor activities.  Shane is a wilderness EMT and works full time as a technical rescue instructor teaching courses all over the U.S.  He has made some lifelong friendships through his many river adventures, and can’t wait to continue the journey this summer with you.  See you on the river soon!

Arden

Jamie

Despite being raised in the suburbs of southeastern Pennsylvania, I quickly gained an affinity for rock climbing and river running when I started college. I attended Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and attained a BA in Anthropology, in addition to leading climbing, backpacking, and rafting trips for my school’s outdoor leadership program. Since graduation I have spent two seasons guiding on different sections of the Colorado River near Moab. In the winters you can find me chasing a goggle tan and waist deep pow!

 

Michael

Jamie

I’ve been guiding since 2014, and I first got my feet and the rest of me wet in Oregon. Since then I’ve guided all over including: California, Arizona, Idaho, Washington, Utah, and Chile. I grew up in Boston, but went west for college and stayed. I enjoy playing stringed instruments, biking, kayaking and learning Spanish, math, science. I once explained system collapse in quantum measurement to a kayaking client (at their request). I currently spend the off season teaching math and science at McCall Donnelly High School. 

 

Catherine

Jamie

Catherine is from Long Island, New York, and grew up waterskiing, sailing, and kayaking on the bay in the summers and skiing/snowboarding in the Catskills during the winters, where she later became a snowboard instructor. Her love for the outdoors started through camps with overnight trips on the Appalachian Trail and canoeing down the Delaware RIver. After graduating college with a degree in Environmental Studies, she lived in Washington State for a year where she fell in love with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. After spending some time in the hustle and bustle of 9-5 life in NYC, she decided it was time to get back outdoors doing what she loves. She is also a big fan of doughnuts and funky sunglasses.

 

Courtney

Jamie

I grew up in San Diego, California, but have been coming to McCall pretty much since I was born. My love for rafting started young, doing some day trips in Idaho as a kid. My first multi-day rafting experience was through the University of Utah and we did a trip down the Green River through the Gates of Lodore. That first trip inspired me to become a guide, the people I got . After I graduated college I went to a week long guide school and proceeded to get hired. I worked full-time in Dinosaur National Monument for 3 seasons. I fell in love with rafting and working outside. Now, I work in healthcare but raft whenever I can in the summers and teach skiing and ski patrol in the winter on days off.  I love being outside with all my heart whether it be climbing, mountain biking, skiing, backpacking, I just love being outside and sharing that love with others. I make a mean dutch oven pineapple upside down cake!

 

Gus

Jamie

I grew up just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to Utah to take advantage of all the West has to offer. I’m an avid mountain biker, skier, and outdoor enthusiast. Recently, I’ve picked up backcountry skiing which has made my connection to the mountains even stronger. My love for rafting comes from doing multi-day trips with friends on the Green and Colorado Rivers. I’m a University of Utah student majoring in business management and working my way towards a career in the outdoor industry. During the school year, I work at an after-school program for children in grades 1-5 as well as enjoy volunteering with various organizations.

 

Chris

Kort

Chris grew up in the suburbs.  His life changed when he went to school in the mountains before he turned 18.  He earned a BS in Math and Environmental Sciences, and did graduate work in Atmospheric Science, Environmental Engineering, and Public Health.  He spent his 20s exploring as much wild country and ecological integrity as he could, eventually settling down in central Idaho’s mountain and canyon country.  Between working as a river guide and telemarking ski patroller, he owns and runs an environmental science consulting company and maintains an extensive organic orchard.  His soul is soothed by getting out and sharing his experiences and love for nature.

 

Tasha

Kort

Tasha grew up in New Hampshire and Maine where she fell in love with the rooted mountains and babbling brooks. She moved out west in search for bigger mountains, roaring rivers, and wide open desert. Tasha is a Wilderness EMT who is a ski patroller in Flagstaff Arizona in the winter. She is an avid adventurer who has traveled extensively through South America and is fascinated by language, art, and culture. When she has free time she loves to be outside on her bike, make art using clay or glass, and go wandering through the woods. At home she likes to listen to music while sipping tea and making sourdough bread.

 

Abe

Abby

Growing up in the mountains of Utah, Abi has had a lifelong passion for all things outdoors. A guide since 2012, she has logged thousands of river miles on the Salmon and Snake rivers in Idaho. While not on the river, she works as a Lift Operator at Solitude Mtn. in Salt Lake, UT. Abi has two degrees in economics and political science from Utah State University, is trained in swift water and wilderness rescue, and is currently working on obtaining an EMT license.  Abe will forever be remembered as a beautiful member of our family.