Welcome to the life of Zoe. I am 20 years old, studying in the Adventure Studies Program at Thompson Rivers University in BC. I have just wrapped up a season of raft guiding and am continuing my studies of the Adventure Guide Diploma this year. I grew up in the small town of Chelsea in the south-western nook of Québec. Growing up with the Gatineau Park as my backyard, I sparked a love and interest for nature from a young age. My father grew up in the backcountry of Ontario and would bring us back to the area in the summers. We would spend lots of time at the lake where many of our ancestors also dwelled. This time spent exploring my roots developed values of family and connection to nature that I still hold close to me. My father has definitely been the main contributor to my adventurous spirit and the reason I have become involved in the adventure community. 

Contrastingly, my mother originates from flat, farm fields of the Netherlands. I have spent many months in the Netherlands, visiting family and discovering Europe. I will forever be grateful for the exposure to the different cultures I experienced while visiting different countries in Europe and for the time I spent there. The dutch in me is slowly fading, the more time I spend outdoors and adventuring – a very “un-dutch” thing to do. One of the biggest takeaways of the traveling I did in Europe has been the greater appreciation and pride in the country we live in and what there is to explore here. 

In beautiful Canada, I grew up with cross-country skiing as my main winter activity. The ski community of Chelsea is unique and offers something for everyone. I took part in the Adventure Program; skiing, orienteering, bushwhacking, canoeing, running, hiking and overall adventuring with a group of peers that quickly became close-knit friends. My time in the program at Thompson Rivers University over the last year has given me a newly developing love for the rivers. This summer, spent raft guiding day trips on the Kananaskis river just outside Canmore, AB, offered me lots, as well as challenged certain aspects of guiding for me. Sharing the river with many eager folks who had never been in such an environment was exciting with every trip. Getting to hear snippets about their experiences in the area and of their lives was interesting, but I had a feeling there was something more out there for me. 

After a couple of weeks of guiding on the Kananaskis, it was a sunny Saturday in Canmore and at the end of a day of work I thought to myself: “I would be excited by a little something different right now”. Perhaps a new river, a new exciting experience or just a little change from lapping the Kananaskis once or twice a day. That same afternoon, my good friend Isaac texted me, asking if I was free the next week and if I wanted to guide an 8 day trip on the Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories. I could not believe it. These opportunities do not come around often, especially so early on in guiding careers. So, I obviously took it. Two days later on Monday morning, I was on a flight out of Calgary on my way North. 

The trip flew by and the 8 days on the river were jam-packed. Early morning to late at night, I was busy. Every day was new and exciting, a surprise around every bend and a different place to sleep at each night. I still remember the names of the 12 folks I spent that week with, as well as their stories and backgrounds. Seeing these strangers turn into friends was so special. They let go of the luxuries they were used to and fully settled into the nomadic river-tripping lifestyle, which was an amazing sight. I know that all 12 of them have most definitely experienced a change in their life from this trip and they will most likely remember it for the rest of their life. Watching them appreciate nature and connect with the beauty around them made me realize the value in these trips. My time up North this summer was short but so full of value and surely the highlight of my summer. The Nahanni has a special place in my heart and I cannot wait to go back.