Guide Liaison Program

The Guide Liaisons are a link to their fellow guides to share information about The Redside Foundation’s services and provide on-the-ground feedback to The Redside Foundation Executive Director & Board of Directors. Each Guide Liaison exemplifies what it means to be a healthy guide, is a leader in their community, and provides an open avenue of communication and connection between their guiding community and The Redside Foundation.  

The main duties of Guide Liaisons are:

  • To educate fellow guides on The Redside Foundation’s services

  • Distribute The Redside Foundation’s information in their communities

  • Provide feedback to The Redside Foundation Board and Staff members

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Meet our Guide Liaisons

Sara Sweeney

Middle Fork/Selway/Lochsa

Sara began guiding on a whim after being invited to train in Riggins, Idaho - big water in 2011 - she was hooked immediately! She spent her summers guiding in the Riggins area while majoring in Outdoor Recreation and minoring in Outdoor Recreation Leadership at the University of Idaho. Her passion for river running and sharing wild spaces has deepened over the years, opening the flow to incredible experiences, enriching relationships, and a humbled appreciation of life's interconnected nature. The love is strong in this one! Sara guides for multiple companies on the Lochsa, Selway, Middle Fork Salmon, Main Salmon, and Lower Gorge Salmon. She currently resides in Salmon, Idaho, and spends her winters in self-inquiry through personal reflection and exploration of various interests, proficiencies, and professions. She's got lots of compassion to share and loves long hugs!

Cayla Sanderson

Central

Born and raised in the small town of Page, Arizona Cayla had no choice but to love the outdoors. Her family spent many summers on the Colorado River and Lake Powell. After completing her bachelor's degree in Geography at Portland State University, Cayla moved to Idaho and started guiding for ROW Adventures in 2014. She guided on many rivers including the Salmon, Snake, Middle Fork of the Salmon, Lochsa, Rogue, Clark Fork, Missouri, and Moyie Rivers. This past summer she worked for Middle Fork River Expeditions, staying closer to home on the Middle Fork & Main Salmon. Being able to show others the true raw beauty of nature is what she lives for as a guide. When Cayla is not rafting, she is painting bright landscapes, skiing, backpacking, baking, fly fishing, and kayaking.

Carly Knudsen

Central East

Carly grew up in Salmon, Idaho with a family that taught her the love of the outdoors and small-town community. With close family friends that were outfitters, Carly was always around guides, the outfitting lifestyle, and playing on rivers. Carly graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in psychology, and currently works for Wilderness River Outfitters. Carly is deeply passionate about holistic and accessible health/ health care, and when not guiding usually works on various projects that address barriers and access to services. Carly can usually be found in her kayak, on her skis, or on her bike somewhere.

Mark Martin

Central West

Mark grew up in Maine, generally being pretty feral. He ditched a perfectly good career path in fisheries conservation to take a chance on guiding whitewater and fly fishing trips on the upper Salmon.  He’s been in Idaho ever since. He splits his year between working as a carpenter in McCall, while skiing and flyfishing his home peaks and valleys; and guiding fly fishers on the Middle Fork.  He’s known locally for the flies he ties for that river’s guides and fisherfolk.  He hunts mushrooms, reads a lot, still listens to the Red Sox on the radio, and misses the Middle Fork and his river family every day they’re apart.  So many of his best friends, opportunities, and have come from the guiding community and hopes to pay it forward.



Jonas Seiler

Central

Jonas grew up in Northwest Colorado doing many of the same things that he still loves doing here in Idaho. He recently claimed Salmon, Idaho his home with his partner, Cayla. As a lifelong skier, kayaker, angler, and Dane, some would say that Jonas has not changed much! Most of his motivations are rooted in the same things as most guides: adventure and friends. The Redside Foundation has been an important part of providing him with just that; a foundation for a strong community, self-care, and adventure. Jonas hopes to be a part of continuing the great work that the RSF has done in the past and supporting the growth into the future.

Kate Stoddard

Eastern Idaho

Kate grew up in Boise, Idaho, and was turned on to rivers by her father who worked on the Middle Fork of the Salmon around the time she was a "twinkle". She got her undergraduate in philosophy and photography and went on to earn a master’s degree in the science of nutrition with the help of the Redside Foundation scholarship. Kate is the founder of Orchestra Provisions, a revolutionary nutrient-dense spice and culinary company. She is currently living in Driggs, and is passionate about healthy guides and giving back to the river community that shaped her.

Jon Pruess

Sawtooths/Central

“JP” has been guiding in the Sawtooth National Forest since 2010 and continually sets out to explore its vast mountain ranges. He works as the Operational Manager for Sun Valley Guides year-round and also works for Sawtooth Mountain Guides in the summer months. JP strives to deliver the best overall experience of powder, great views, laughs, challenges, education, and personal growth for those he spends time with in the mountains. He is a certified Ski and Rock Guide through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), and is continuing his education to become an IFMGA guide. JP is a professional member of the American Avalanche Association (AAA) and received a Level 3: Advanced Avalanche Training for Professionals by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). He also volunteers his time with the Blaine County Search & Rescue, helping people find their way back from the mountains.

Mike Bachman

South East/Central

Born and raised in Portland, Mike would take every chance he got to explore Oregon coastal rivers for native fish at a young age. Mike’s childhood also brought him to Idaho annually, spending the summer floating the Salmon River and enjoying time in the Sawtooth Mountains in Stanley. After high school, Mike’s passion for fly fishing took him straight to the University of Montana where he spent every free minute mastering the craft.  Mike has spent the better part of his life rowing western rivers, spending the last 20+ years guiding on the Middle Fork and the Main Salmon.  Mike is a passionate fly fishing instructor, and nothing gets him more stoked than getting people into their first fish, especially kids. When not on the river, Mike is an accomplished photographer and can be found behind the lens all over the west from Alaska to southern Utah or wherever he might find inspiration for his work.