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Trip Leaders

Profiles

Alicia LanoAlicia Leah Lano

Major:  Business Administration
Hometown:  Fountain City, WI
Certifications:  Wilderness First Responder
Favorite Outdoor Activities:  Mountain/Road Biking, Alpine/Cross-Country Skiing, Canoeing, Sea/Whitewater Kayaking, Backpacking, Rock Climbing
Quote to Live By:  "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."  - Mark Twain

Jeff KeenanJeff Keenan

Major: Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management
Hometown: Mahtomedi, MN
Certifications: American Red Cross First Aid, CPR, and AED Instructor, American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basics Instructor, Wilderness Medical Associates Wilderness First Responder
Favorite Outdoor Activities:  Kayaking, Backpacking, Downhill Skiing, Cross Country Skiing
Quote to Live By: “The best of all things is to learn. Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.”
- Louis L'Amour

Josh SmeltzerJosh Smeltzer

Major: Graphic Design
Hometown: Middleton, WI
Certifications: American Mountain Guide Association Top Rope Manager
Favorite Outdoor Activities: Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Waterfall Climbing, Kayaking, Wakeboarding, Tubing, Bridge Jumping, Rope Swinging, Muskie Fishing, Bow Hunting, Frisbee Gold, Grilling, Slack Lining
Quote to Live By: “I love climbing because it feels so good when I stop” & “Writing about climbing is boring. I would rather go climbing.”

Justin Dall'OstoJustin Dall'Osto also known as Oste

Major: Construction Management
Hometown: Whitefish Bay, WI
Certifications: American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Rock Climbing
Quote to live by: "Live Life To The Fullest"

Kelly SeawellKelly Seawell

Major: Business Administration and Information Technology
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Certifications: Wilderness Medical Associates Wilderness First Responder, Red Cross Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and First Aid, Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Aide
Favorite Outdoor Activities: Sea Kayaking, White Water Kayaking, Canoeing…Hands down, paddle sports!
Quote to Live By: “So this is the great outdoors? I like it!”

Tim MertzTim Mertz

Major:   Stout Adventures Coordinator, B.S. Outdoor Recreation, M.S.Exercise Physiology
Hometown: Downers Grove, IL
Certifications:  Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness Education Association – NSP, British Canoe Union 3 and 5 Star, American Red Cross CPR, 1st Aid and Wilderness 1st Aid Instructor, Ropes Course Technical Operator, American College of Sports Medicine – Health and Fitness Instructor
Favorite Outdoor Activities:  Paddle sports
Quote to live by: “Do not look to the ground for your next step; greatness lies with those who look to the horizon.”--Norwegian Proverb

Next Training

The general informational meeting is a must-attend for anyone interested in becoming a trip leader! Information for this informational meeting is below:

Who Qualifies?

Everyone and Anyone – This includes Faculty / Staff and Community members.

BUT, we are really looking for mature, outgoing, and responsible individuals capable of learning what it takes to become a Trip Leader.  If you choose to take this on you will be able to organize, plan, pack and lead wilderness trips here in the upper Midwest all the way to the Gulf Coast and beyond. 

What do Trip Leaders Participate in?

Here is a short list of recent trips Stout Adventures has run with the help of Trip Leaders:

  1. Backpacking Glacier National Park
  2. Sea Kayaking Alaska’s Prince William Sound
  3. Sea Kayaking the Apostle Islands and the Florida Gulf Coast
  4. Rock Climbing on the North Shore of Lake Superior
  5. Rock Climbing the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. 
  6. Downhill skiing in Montana

For a descriptive list of current trips, navigate to Trips and Clinics Schedule.

Training Information

Attend this informational meeting and you will learn about the necessary steps in becoming a Trip Leader. 

Stout Adventures provides several training opportunities throughout the year in which you can choose to participant.  Each one will take you closer to becoming a Trip Leader.  From earning your Wilderness First Aid Certification, to attending a multi-day practicum in the wilderness, you will learn what it takes to become a great leader.  This opportunity is not to be taken lightly.  You will be given a lot of responsibility; however you are rewarded with experiences many never receive in places many dream of visiting. 

 

University of Wisconsin - Stout