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About Dale Kiselyk
Like many young boys, I grew up spending much of my waking hours outside with a frog in my pocket and a stick in my hand. I was born and raised in a small town along the Athabasca River and Muskeg Creek watershed. Mom and Dad encouraged me to learn fishing, hunting, camping, and canoeing, and through that I become proficient with firearms and hand tools such as the axe, knife, various saws, hammer, and nails while building forts, campfires, shelters, and exploring the forest. I had a generous amount of free time to roam trails, climb trees, swim in creeks, rivers, and lakes, and I learned to operate motorbikes, quads, and snowmobiles. I developed strong empathetic bonds with the natural world and dreamed of meeting an old Indian in the forest to learn from.
As an adult, I began researching and experiencing the outdoors through hiking, backpacking trips, rock climbing, ice climbing, canoe tripping, backcountry skiing, and mountaineering in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and National Parks. I took courses in avalanche safety, wilderness first aid, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and mountain leadership and adopted a ‘No Trace’ perspective when travelling in popular recreational areas and parks.
To further my knowledge and skills, I attended Tom Brown’s survival school (3 levels), Wilderness Awareness School (Coyote Mentoring, Art of Mentoring, Naturalist Training level 1,2), and took courses from Mors Kochanski.
My desire to find an old Indian mentor led me down a journey of exploration into Native teachings and spirituality, and so I began learning from various elder teachers and eventually a Sioux Medicine Man who mentored me through ceremony and rituals (sweat lodge, vision quest, yuwipi, and sundance ceremonies). After 17 years, I felt I’d reached the end of this Native path and I moved on.
In 1998 I began teaching outdoor programs as a volunteer and as a paid instructor for many clubs, schools, and special interest groups across Alberta.
In 2003, I was hired as Program Director and eventually became Director of Camp Encounter – a year-round outdoor/retreat center run by the Catholic Church. It was here that I catapulted my experience as an instructor by offering programs such as archery, rock climbing, ropes course, canoeing, tipi camping, outdoor skills, leadership workshops, religious retreats, and team building initiatives to close to 3000 visitors per year. I also joined the local Search and Rescue group and was rewarded with excellent training such as Mantracker, Swift Water Rescue, Team Leader, SAR Fundamentals, and Wilderness First Aid. This is also where I began facilitating Drum Circles as a recreational music making and fun experience for groups of all ages and backgrounds.
In 2007, I started up my business “Nature Alive” and together with my wife, Colleen, we continue to offer programs throughout Alberta. ‘Nature Alive’ is a multi-faceted school offering numerous levels of Survival Courses, Bushcraft Courses, and Outdoor Education workshops, as well as Guided Canoe Trips, National and Provincial Canoe Certifications, Recreational Drum Circle Facilitation and Djembe Instruction.
- Klondike Trail Search and Rescue - SAR Fundamentals, Swift Water Rescue, Man Tracking, Team Leader
- Avalanche Awareness - Yamnuska Mountain School
- Paddle Canada Certifications Listed Below
- Intermediate Tandem Lake Canoe Instructor
- Intro Tandem Moving Water Canoe Instructor
- Introduction Tandem Lake Canoe Instructor
- Waterfront Canoeing Instructor
- Intermediate Tandem Moving Water Canoe Instructor
- Intermediate Leader Big Canoe Skills
- Introduction Paddler Big Canoe Skills
- Advanced Tandem Moving Water Canoe Skills
- Introduction Solo Moving Water Canoe Skills
- Waterfront Canoeing Instructor Trainer
- Recreational Drum Circle Facilitator - Circles of Rhythm, Calgary
- Director of Outdoor Programs 8 years - Camp Encounter
- Rock Wall Certified Instructor
- Art of Mentoring - Wilderness Awareness School
- Kamana Naturalist Training - Wilderness Awareness School
- Tracker Level III - Sign and Tracks - Tracker Evaluation North America
- Outdoor Council of Canada Field Leader Instructor - Calgary, AB
- Industrial First Aid 80 hour course - Vancouver, BC
- Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified consistently since 1992
- Resident Trapper Certification - Alberta Trapping Association
- Junior Partner Trapline Operator - Goose Lake, Alberta
- Tom Brown Jr Survival Tracking School - Standard course, Advanced Standard course, Advanced Tracking course
- Wilderness Living Skills Instructor - Mors Kochanski Certified
- Wilderness Living Skills Instructor - Karamat Wilderness Ways
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Dale - Peanut Lake Shelter
Dale - Drum Circle at Alberta Senior Games
Dale - Athabasca River
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About Colleen Kiselyk
Colleen was raised in the city of Edmonton and found every excuse to be outside; whether it was climbing trees, splashing in puddles or exploring the river valley on foot or by bicycle. She completed her Bachelor of Education degree and promptly exchanged the confines of the city for small town life. Colleen is still in the process of raising five girls and keeps busy running, swimming, cycling, paddling, camping, hiking, coaching, teaching and creating healthy, wholesome food for her family. She is an accomplished marathoner and triathlete and she is known locally as the ‘crazy running lady’ who braves -30 degree weather, wind, and rain at all costs to satisfy her passion for running and cycling.
Colleen is a certified Waterfront Canoe Instructor and has spent countless hours every summer in the bow of a canoe, challenging and developing her skills on the many rivers that she has been able to explore with her husband, Dale. And together, they spend countless hours every winter wishing that they were back in a canoe on a river!
Colleen excels at creating an inviting and open atmosphere on all our canoe programs, drum circles, and bushcraft courses and trips. Colleen’s enthusiasm and excitement for anything outdoors is contagious and she is always ready to dig in and work hard behind the scenes to ensure the success of all our adventures. |
Colleen - Vermillion River, Kootenay National Park
Colleen - in the Super Shelter
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About Scott Williams
Scott grew up in a true wilderness setting on the family homestead, miles from the nearest neighbor, along the banks of the Athabasca River. Hunting, fishing, farming, quadding, and snow mobiling were common activities and exploration of the great forest surrounding the family farm was a regular occurrence. As an adult, Scott became a junior partner of one trap line, and a half partner of a second trap line. To become proficient at trapping, Scott had to study forest ecology, animal behavior, animal tracking, and seasonal movements of fur-bearing animals in the boreal forest. Trapping demands great skill in bushcraft and survival to be effective and safe while working in remote areas in bitter cold and inclement weather. Scott also became very familiar with the Athabasca River and all its’ moods while travelling many miles of the river in canoe or riverboat.
In the last five years, Scott’s expertise expanded into the area of flat water and white water canoeing and he has worked hard to become certified as a lake and moving water instructor with Paddle Canada. Scott is the training officer for the Klondike Trail Search and Rescue Group.
Scott is well known for his great sense of humor and strong work ethic, and he is quick to jump in and help with any project or craft (but not cooking - ha ha). Scott is an easy going “Red Neck’ and is always willing to share a good story, teach a skill, or chat about the latest outdoor gear and tools.
Scott is a regular contributor to the Nature Alive Team of talented instructors and guides.
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Scott - Winter Camp 2014
Dale and Scott - Bow River
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