Guides
JAKE BOYCE - Founder, co-owner
ABOUT: After three decades of exploring Northern Minnesota, Jake knows just about every rock and root in the area. This Duluth native was practically paddling the lakes of the Boundary Waters before he could walk. He grew up racing for a local high school ski team and later went to race for the nordic ski and bike team for Saint Olaf. There, he earned German and Business Management degrees but realized that the his office needed to be outside. He's had multiple coaching jobs ranging from rowing to cross country skiing. He is a flight paramedic in the area and is sharing his passion for outdoor adventure with Day Tripper of Duluth.
Jake has been a competitive racer in both cycling and xc skiing for many years. Although not racing as much as he used to, he still enjoys going fast.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Jake enjoys Lake Superior surfing, biking, skiing, shipwreck exploring, and camping.
LANGUAGES: English, German
CERTIFICATIONS: PMBIA Level 1 mountain bike coach, NR-Paramedic, Certified Flight Paramedic (FPC), BLS/ALS/ACLS/PALS/ITLS certified
MATTI ERPESTAD - Founder, co-owner
ABOUT: Matti is a native of Duluth, who began guiding at Wilderness Canoe Base in the Boundary Waters during college. After college, he moved to Finland where he got a college degree in Nature Tourism as well as a Professional Wilderness Guide Degree. Returning to Minnesota, Matti taught as a Naturalist at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center for two years, guided Wolf Ridge trips for three summers, and worked as a Naturalist and Songbird bander at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth for three fall seasons. Matti received his Master's Degree in Environmental Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Matti is a naturalist and jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the outdoors and guiding world. He is an Environmental and Outdoor Education instructor at UMD.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Matti really enjoys skiing, biking, paddling, bird watching, and learning about the natural world.
LANGUAGES: English, Finnish, (some) Spanish
CERTIFICATIONS: Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified, CPR and AED certified, Wilderness Water Safety certified for wilderness lifeguarding and life saving (& co-teaches certification course), Professional Wilderness Guide degree graduate (Finland), Masters of Environmental Education graduate from UMD
ABBY PONTYNEN: Head guide, co-owner
About: A native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Abby grew up paddling on Lake Superior, and backpacking its shores. Throughout her childhood, she would be out in a kayak every day, exploring a different nook of Lake Superior, as well as the various waterways in the region. After college, she got certified by the International Tour Management Institute, and started guiding incredible adventures all over the world. Regions of expertise are the Nordic countries, Asia, and America's National Parks. Yet, despite guiding in all these exotic locations, Abby's favorite location to bring visitors is her home, Lake Superior. When not taking folks paddling, you can find Abby still exploring the lake, or researching increasingly odd stories about Superior.
Personal interests: Abby enjoys paddling, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, biking, traveling, and above all, exploring.
Languages: English (Native), German (Fluent), Mandarin (Conversant), Icelandic (Basic), and has a few more in the works
Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, International Tour Guide Institute
KYLE HALOM - Adventure guide, co-owner
ABOUT: Kyle is a northern Wisconsin native who spent his childhood canoeing and fishing the Boundary Waters with his dad. While attending school for a BS in Aerospace Engineering, he had the opportunity to study abroad in Australia. There he joined the local mountaineering club and became hooked on outdoor climbing and kayaking. Returning to the northland after school he has continued exploring the outdoors. During the winter Kyle instructs adaptive skiing.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Kyle enjoys paddling, hiking, camping, skiing, climbing, fishing, gardening, and flying airplanes.
CERTIFICATIONS: Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified, BLS certified
LEXI BRUNO - Adventure guide, outdoor enthusiast
ABOUT: Lexi grew up in central Minnesota but fell in love with the Northwoods early on in life during family camping trips. This inherent draw toward the big woods and Lake Superior brought her to the University of Minnesota Duluth where she studied Environmental and Outdoor Education. During her time at UMD she landed a spot as a sea kayak guide where her love for paddling was solidified. After graduating, she and a friend circumnavigated Lake Superior via sea kayak. Since her trip in 2016 she has been working toward her career as a nature based preschool teacher.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Lexi especially enjoys paddling, camping, bird watching, learning about the natural world and exploring with friends.
CERTIFICATIONS: CPR and Basic First Aid, BAS in Environmental and Outdoor Ed
PHIL KRAMER - Adventure Guide; Outdoor enthusiast
ABOUT: Phil grew up in southern Arizona and Southern California. He started surfing when he was a wee lad and started kayaking, canoeing, open water swimming, and SCUBA diving as a young teenager. He’s lived in six states. Six is also the number of boats he currently owns (he’s weaned down from once having 14). Phil has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, a master’s degree from Sonoma State University, and a doctorate from The University of Utah. He’s a retired professor (statistics) and university administrator. He moved back to Minnesota from eastern Washington in August 2021. Phil has been very active as a kayaking instructor with Team River Runner (https://www.teamriverrunner.org/), a national nonprofit paddling organization that helps wounded veterans heal by participating in paddle sports. He’s also led kayaking trips in Mexico, the west coast of the US, the west coast of Canada, Hawaii, and Minnesota.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Phil loves ocean, lake, and river flat water kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding, whitewater kayaking, Nordic skiing, backcountry skiing, surfing, backpacking, cycling, and snowshoeing.
CERTIFICATIONS: Kayaking instructor, SCUBA instructor, and martial arts instructor. Certifications in First Aid/CPR/AED. Languages: English, Math, some Spanish
KAITLIN ERPESTAD - Adventure guide, outdoor enthusiast
ABOUT: Kaitlin has been canoeing and skiing since she was two. With over 10 years of guiding and naturalist training and experience, she loves to share the natural world with people of all ages. Kaitlin is an environmental educator and the Director of Hartley Nature Preschool in Duluth.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Kaitlin loves to ski, paddle, play in the woods, & be active in the natural world in all seasons.
LANGUAGES: English, Finnish
CERTIFICATIONS: Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified, CPR and AED certified, Wilderness Water Safety certified for wilderness lifeguarding and life saving (& co-teaches certification course), Masters Degree in Environmental Education graduate from UMD
LAURA FRANCIS - Boss of the boss
ABOUT: The Minnesota native migrated south to Georgia where she spent most of her youth. But after visiting snowy Duluth one winter, she knew this was the city for her and moved to Duluth in 2011. Since then, she has spent countless hours exploring the area by bike, foot, and ski (a sport learned once she moved back north, of course). Currently, she is a critical care pharmacist at a local hospital and helps manage Day Tripper of Duluth.
PERSONAL INTERESTS: Mountain biking, cross country skiing, gardening, and enjoying the outdoors in every season.
CERTIFICATIONS: BLS, ACLS, PALS
Join our team! We are always open to applications.