Every year at Northwest Rafting Company we dedicate the summer to a special subject we want to focus on. Past summers have seen the “Summer of Sanitation”, and the “Summer of Bags.” This year is the “Summer of Guides.” For those of you who have experienced the magic of river trips, you know that great guides can really make a trip special. Luckily for me, and for our river guests, NWRC has an amazing group of top rated guides who I have the pleasure of working with and who have become many of my closest friends. Our Summer of Guides blog celebrates the wonderful guides who make up the crew of Northwest Rafting Company.
Meet Nathaniel Wilson.
Known as Nate, or “Naaaaate”, this big guy has been an integral part of NWRC for the past four years. Upon first meeting Nate you’ll notice his polite, slow speech tinged with a hint of a Southern accent. But you might not see right away is that hidden behind that soft spoken polite demeanor is a sharp, playful, sassy mind and an excellent sense of humor. Nate’s quick wit has been known to keep an entire trip laughing, and always keeps us guides entertained. He is often considered a favorite guide, and we used to compete to see who could get the most “adoption” offers from families. He usually wins.
I don’t know if you know this, but Nate can successfully carry 17 camp chairs at the same time. We had to count them to ensure he had bragging rights. In addition to always being a charismatic entertainer, Nate is strong and consistently solid. You always know that you can expect hard work and a great attitude from Nate. He is strong and never shies away from picking up the biggest item on the beach. As a woman of small stature, I tend to appreciate this quality a lot. He always has clean lines through the rapids, and packs his boat full of more gear than everyone else, often standing up to row his massive load down the river.
Outside of rafting, Nate is the happiest while on an adventure. Whether it be kayaking (which he tries to do almost everyday) or exploring a beautiful wilderness area, he spends more time adventuring than anyone else I know. When he isn’t living in our guide house, Nate, successfully spent the last 7 years making his home wherever the road took him. I admire his ability to seek adventures, and he always brings that spirit to NWRC trips. During his road trips across the U.S. Nate started taking pictures, and this winter turned that hobby into a passion by launching a photography website. Nate Wilson Photography features beautiful landscapes, and scenery, making you want to hit the road on an adventure right away.
I hope that you get to meet Nate someday, whether on his adventures or on the river. And I especially hope that you someday get to experience him wearing his version of “Dare Wear”; a Canadian tuxedo complete with jean short shorts. But I won’t ruin that surprise, you will have to come on a trip and see it for yourself!
Nate is one of the many who help make Northwest Rafting Company a special place and I am proud to call him my fellow guide and friend.
