Why We do What We Do

Gus is the boat captain at Tutka Bay Lodge. He is also the self-appointed “minister of fun” at the lodge and you will agree once you experience Gus’ style of enthusiasm for Tutka Bay, the water and mountains surrounding the lodge, and Alaska in general. Gus has been with Within The Wild for the last eleven years. He began in 2009 at Winterlake Lodge as a lodge assistant. For the past decade he has spent his summers at Tutka Bay Lodge. His favorite activities include hiking Grace Ridge and whale watching with our guests. During his free hours in the winter, you can find him biking on the frozen Eagle River.

Carly is Carl and Kirsten Dixon’s eldest daughter. She has traveled the world and fly-fished in many different countries, to name just one of her interests. Carly is also a personal trainer and a massage therapist, although these days, she oversees the front house and guide teams at Tutka Bay with a lifetime of experience, having grown up in Alaska backcountry lodges. Carly managed a lodge in Russia, worked in Seychelles and other far-flung places, but nowadays she is content remaining in Alaska, caring for her family lodges and her eight-year-old son Rohnen.

Wes is our Operations Manager at Winterlake Lodge. Originally from Florida, Wes has made his way to the last frontier with extended stops in Colorado and Montana. An avid fly fisher, rafter and skier Wes spends his time seeking adventure in the mountains and the rivers that run through them.

Taylor is our front of house Manager at Winterlake Lodge. She is originally from Portland, OR but has been living in Montana for the past four years catching brown trout and hiking through the Bitterroot Mountains. Taylor has a passion for the outdoors including fly fishing, camping, backpacking, kayaking and mountain biking.

Graham is our Anchorage-based reservations manager. He is the glue that keeps the bridge between office and lodge together. Graham answers phones tirelessly and hand-crafts detailed itineraries for our lodge guests to perfection. Graham enjoys kayaking, river rafting, and photography. Originally from North Carolina, Graham is a good ole’ Alaska boy now.

Mandy heads our culinary program at the lodges and at the La Baleine Café in Homer. She is a graduate of the Cordon Bleu Culinary School and the Culinary Institute of America pastry arts program. Mandy is the co-author of the Tutka Bay Lodge Cookbook. Obviously, she loves to cook! Mandy is a life-long Alaskan.

Neil, Mandy’s husband, is our company expeditor. He manages freight loads to and from the lodges, organizes the purchasing of all our supplies, including food and fuel. Neil travels between the lodges and Homer frequently in his job and he often helps Carl with the building of cabins and lodge infrastructure. Neil is our star softball player and he enjoys all things related to organized sports.

Rohnen is our resident “kid”, present at both Tutka Bay Lodge or Winterlake Lodge throughout the summer months. He always has his naturalist guide backpack ready for any “kid” guiding assignment. In the winter, Rohnen, seven years old, attends a Russian immersion school in Anchorage.