Meet The Team

Meet the team including experienced fishing guides who will introduce you to the gold medal trout waters of the Roaring Fork River for the angling adventure of a lifetime! Whether you are an experienced angler looking for some local knowledge or a first time caster, the guides at Elk Mountain Anglers are sure to show you a good time.

Chris Tatsuno

Chris, or "Tats" as we call him, hails from the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, where he honed his sense of adventure on the ski slopes. But, it was after graduation from the University of Colorado's business program when he found his way to the Roaring Fork Valley and discovered the thrills of rafting! With 8 years of guiding under his belt, Tats takes pride in engaging visitors & locals alike and inviting them to enjoy the natural wonders Aspen has to offer. Join Tats on the river to hear stories from his years of ski bumming, adventures on the road, insights on Aspen's natural surroundings & river culture, or just to relax like our zen warrior himself. Ask him about being named the Ultimate Ski Bum or what it's like to travel with a plastic penguin on ski trips around the world. He might even let you in on his secret chocolate chip cookie recipe. Just make sure to bring a smile and get ready for some serious high-fives!

Evan Belknap

Evan was born to hippie River Rat parents in the mountains of New Mexico. As a baby, he was stuck in the front of a canoe and plunged through icy waves in order to build character and a kinship with the river. As he grew older, he began to explore the rivers and mountains of the world by himself—learning most important lessons the hard way as the mountains got bigger and the rivers fiercer. He has put up first ascents on 2,000-foot-tall Patagonian rock faces and rowed boats through many torrents of white frothy water. Somehow, he has survived to ripe old age of 28, and now he’s your guide—good luck!

Conor Uris

Conor, another born and raised Aspen local, grew up fishing the beautiful waters of the Roaring Fork Valley. As soon as he graduated from Aspen High he took off to travel the world. After a few years of adventuring abroad, Conor returned to Colorado to study biology at Fort Lewis College and learn to guide whitewater from his childhood friends, James and Lange. After 5 years of mastering the art of rowing rapids, Conor decided to combine his passion for rowing boats and fly-fishing. When he's not behind the oars or casting to trout you will probably find him streamside with a textbook and a bug net nerding out on aquatic insects. During the off season, Conor's sense of adventure leads to all sorts of crazy places from running rapids in the Grand Canyon to chasing down a new species of fish in Mexico.

James Foerster

James, also a Roaring Fork Valley native, graduated from Aspen High alongside fellow whitewater addict and current business partner, Lange Adams. Spurred by his passion for the outdoors and insatiable hunger for adventure, James earned a degree in Environmental Studies and Adventure Education from Fort Lewis College. James has played in Colorado’s creeks and rivers for 16 years, over half of which he gained experience as a commercial whitewater raft-guide and safety kayaker. He has worked on rivers throughout Colorado and West Virginia, including the Roaring Fork, Upper Animas, Piedra, Upper Gauley, and Arkansas Rivers. He is a certified Colorado Guide Instructor and Wilderness First Responder. When James isn’t trip leading or serving up stoke, he’s motivating for another awesome adventure.

Trevor Clapper

Trevor, born and raised in Aspen, received his first fishing rod at age 7 and hasn't let go since. After high school, Trevor went on to study Environmental Geology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. He has been guiding in the valley with a few outfitters for over 6 years, but has found his home with his buddies at Elk Mountain Expeditions! In a perfect world, Trevor would spend the off-season traveling and fishing salt water & other exotic places. When he's not out guiding, you'll find him on the riverbanks casting dry flies hoping to catch a prize or out teaching his new wife Carrie all the fishing tips and techniques. The most exciting fun fact about Trevor is that he and Carrie will be welcoming their first child in October! You can bet he'll have a fly rod in hand as soon as he's walking.

Wade Finn

Wade was born and raised by wolves in the hills of Colorado. Hailing from the Denver area, he moved to Southwest Colorado in 2007 to attend Fort Lewis College, graduating as a classically trained violinist and with a degree in Anthropology. There in the San Juan Mountains, he discovered his passion for all things river-related and within his first year he was guiding whitewater on the Upper and Lower Animas Rivers, the Piedra, San Miguel, Colorado River and the Salt River. Now with two trips down the Grand Canyon under his belt, as well as a season of Class V boating on the clear waters of the Pacific Northwest, Wade has found himself back in Colorado. Here in the Roaring Fork Valley, he considers himself lucky to be back with old friends and continuing to feed that insatiable appetite for whitewater and adventure. While not rafting, Wade is probably rafting... OR you may find him rollerblading, road biking, tele-skiing, hunting down the nearest gluten free bakery, or working on his sarcasm.

Michael Bone

Michael Bone, or Bone, is a transplant to Colorado from the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Bone moved to Colorado in 2012 in search of the gnar! Bone has a background as a hydrogeologist, so don't hesitate to ask him about the local geology or streams. As a lifelong lover of all things white water and a gravity sports addict, Bone can be found in the winter ripping around Aspen-Snowmass on his skis or coaching a team of local skiers. In the fall you can find Bone flying around the trails of the Roaring Fork Valley on his mountain bike. The real magic happens for Bone when the winter snow begins to melt in the springtime and the water turns on in our rivers. You might meet Bone as your raft guide on the Roaring Fork, or a day trip over Independence Pass to run the Arkansas River. Bone is also a whitewater kayaker and he might be keeping an eye on you and your crew as the safety kayaker on the class IV Slaughterhouse run, a section that most will agree, could be the best class IV stretch of white water in the state of Colorado! When Bone isn't launching off waterfalls in his kayak or skiing powder lines, he can be found chilling out with his 12-year-old black lab or traveling far and wide in search off multi-day river trips in the Grand Canyon or the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho.

Kira Vicenti

Also known as Mom, our amazing office manager Kira has spent the last 8 years working in the rafting industry. Kira met James, Lange, Delfo, Conor, & Wade while attending Fort Lewis College. Kira’s love for the outdoors and rafting industry brought her to the wonderful Roaring Fork Valley to help EME grow and flourish. When Kira isn’t answering your calls and emails she’s probably making awesome cupcakes, blowing bubbles, working on "Raft!" the musical, or playing in the Colorado sunshine.

Langdon "Lange" Adams

Langdon is a local of the Roaring Fork Valley and has been an avid river enthusiast for most of his life. After graduating from Aspen High School in 2004, Langdon took his thirst for whitewater south, to Durango, Colorado, where he earned a degree from Fort Lewis College in Environmental Studies and Small Business Management. With 16 years of kayaking under his belt and 12 years of commercial raft-guide experience; Langdon has worked on rivers throughout Colorado and Oregon, including the Class V Upper Animas, Piedra, Roaring Fork, Colorado, Arkansas, Rouge and Klamath Rivers. He is currently a certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician, Wilderness First Responder and Colorado Guide Instructor. When he’s not soaking up the summer sun with a paddle in his hands, “Lange” is skiing hard and praying for snow.

Maddy Fones

Maddy moved to the Roaring Fork Valley from the Northeast in 2013 to find better snow and bigger mountains to ski. Since moving here she has spent most of her time adventuring and trying new things in the amazing outdoor world Colorado has to offer. She finally made it on a rafting trip and joined the EME office staff in the Summer of 2017. In her free time Maddy can be found running, biking, skiing, hanging out with puppies, or searching for the best froyo and ice cream she can find.

Tom Wills

Tom Hails from the small town of Placitas, New Mexico. But don't let his small town charm fool you into thinking he's simpleminded. He went to college at the University of Western Washington and received degrees in international business and Spanish. Once receiving his degrees, Tom traveled the world for 3 years. He moved back to the Southwest region to refresh his soul with fresh pow lines and rough & rowdy rivers. He's quick on the paddle and strikes the rapids like lightning. When not on the river, you can find him seeking out good food, surfing, mountain biking, and EXTREME paddle boarding.

Tyler Bell

Tyler moved to Colorado in 2015 from North Florida and hasn't left since. He grew up surrounded by water in Florida so when he moved to Aspen it was only a matter of time before he found his way to the river. He went through guide school with EME in 2016 and is back with us for another great summer! Tyler loves the outdoors. His favorite birds are Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, and American Dippers. He loves rafting. He is swift water certified & an EMT. Fun fact: he uses koozies to keep his hand warm, not his beer cold. In his free time, you can find Tyler in the great outdoors either climbing, boating, camping, surfing, or canyoneering.

Meet the Team