Colorado Rafting Company’s guides live and play in the Rocky Mountains and are here to show you an amazing experience. Get to know us!
Justin Ibarra
COO / Lead Guide Trainer/ Trip Leader
Hailing from Colorado Springs, Justin has been a guide and outdoor educator for nearly 17 years. As a Colorado native, the spark of the outdoors was ignited at a young age which eventually led him to Colorado Mountain College for Outdoor Recreation Leadership. He has guided rivers all across the state and in Alaska with over 12,000 commercial river miles under his belt. He teaches First Aid/CPR Courses, ACA Swiftwater Rescue Courses, and is the Lead Guide and trainer for Colorado Rafting Company. Justin is medically certified as a Wilderness First Responder and has various other certifications and training including High Angle Rescue. His passion, tactfulness, and overall stoke for being in the mountains is contagious and he loves to share these experiences with others. Justin is an athlete for Ortovox, Julbo Eyewear, Weston Backcountry, Spark R&D, and Fitwell Boots. In his free time you can find Justin exploring the next zone on his splitboard, boating off the grid, climbing mountains, or spending time with his wife and little boy. Justin is beyond stoked to be a part of the Colorado Rafting Company team!
Chris Coats
Business Partner/Guide Trainer/Trip Leader
Chris has been rafting and kayaking in Colorado since 2001. He started his professional guiding career on the Cache La Poudre River outside of Fort Collins in 2005. In 2014 Chris purchased Good Times Rafting, an established rafting business with permits on the Arkansas River, Blue River and Upper Colorado River. As the owner and operator of Good Times Rafting, Chris has trained, managed and befriended dozens of professional guides in CO. In 2019 Chris joined forces with CAG to develop Colorado Rafting Company. He brings a wealth of river knowledge and business to the team. Chris loves small boats in technical whitewater almost as much as he loves giant gear boats in the Grand Canyon. When he is not guiding rafts down the river Chris can be found fly fishing, gardening and hangin out with his wife and 2 kids. You will be hard pressed to find a whitewater enthusiast with more dad jokes than this guy!
Pete Gajewski
River Guide/ Guide Instructor/ Trip Leader
Originally from Detroit, Michigan Pete grew up spending most of his time on lakes and rivers from fishing to kayaking or anything he could do to get out on the water. He moved to Colorado in the winter of 2015 in pursuit of the mountains and skiing but knew he wanted to get back on the water any way that he could, which eventually led him to become a white water rafting guide. Pete is Swiftwater Rescue certified and has been a commercial raft guide now for 5 years with over 3,000 river miles on various rivers across the State. He is a Trip Leader for CRC and wants to show you an amazing time down the river!
Tanner Thompson
River Guide/ Guide Instructor/ Trip Leader
Tanner left his southern roots in Arkansas to discover his passion for the mountains and rivers of Colorado at the early age of 15. He works as a Lead Whitewater Guide in the summers, and in the winters manages the Demo Center for CAG’s gear rental program as well as snowshoe guides while expanding his skill sets within the splitboarding and Peak Ascents disciplines. Tanner is adept at crafting comfort out of very little thing in the mountains. He spent a collective 10 years working as a wildland firefighter, Search and Rescue Technician, and acquiring whitewater boating skills on the western slope of Colorado.
Corey McClure
River Guide/ Guide Instructor/Trip Leader
Corey grew up just outside of Kansas City and spent most of his early years helping out on his Grandparents farm or learning to smoke traditional KC BBQ with his brothers. Frequent family trips to snowboard and raft in Colorado throughout those years instilled a sense of adventure and would later draw him to the mountains. After graduating with a degree in Finance from the University of Kansas, Corey moved to Colorado to start his "real job" but would unknowingly begin an outdoor guiding career instead. He has been a professional river guide for the last 6 years and has over 3000 miles of guiding experience on various rivers and creeks around Colorado. While not entertaining guests down a stretch of river, you can find Corey a top one of the many high peaks in Colorado, or kayaking whitewater with his buddies. He is honored to be part of the CRC team and is eager to show you a great time on the water.
Abe Pacharz
River Guide
Abe‘s adventure began in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. Growing up in such a beautifully wild place played a large role in developing his love for the outdoors and a passion for exploring. After getting his start as a guide for the University of Vermont outing club, he spent almost 10 years traveling the western states, guiding French adventurers through our beautiful National Parks. He eventually made his way to the Rocky Mountains, and though he has skied all over the world, Colorado’s fluffy powder always keeps his stoke high. His passion for guiding and outdoor education has inspired him to pursue training from the International Mountain Bike Association, the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, Wilderness Medicine Institute, and continues to pursue other guide certifications.
Abe enjoys pepperoni pizza and good espresso, and when not working in the mountains, you‘ll likely find him planning his next hair-brained adventure, skiing untracked powder, or riding his mountain bike. But, chances are, you won’t find him.
Kyle Ervin
River Guide
Born and raised in a small town in South Jersey Kyle didn’t have much exposure to what
the great outdoors had to offer. He made the move out west to Colorado and discovered what he had been missing out on. In the past 5 years he has had a strong appetite for learning and progression that has led him to gain education through the Wilderness Medicine Institute, Desert Mountain Medicine, Colorado Mountain College, Silverton Avalanche School, and the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. Kyle enjoys whitewater kayaking/rafting, mountain biking, splitboarding, skateboarding, hiking and is currently expanding his skills for ice and rock climbing. He is in his 2 nd year as a guide with CAG/CRC and enjoys sharing his passions with others.
Tammy Clark
River Guide / Trip Leader
Tammy grew up in Colorado where she developed her passion for the mountains and outdoor recreation. She studied nature therapy and loves to be outside with her dog Sunny. Tammy has been a guide for 10 years in Utah, Colorado and Alaska. Tammy is WFR certified and she works as a Lead Whitewater guide in the summers, and guides snowshoeing and nordic skiing in the winter. She is mentoring with an awesome group of women at CAG to expand her backcountry and avalanche knowledge this winter. We are super stoked to have Tammy on the team!
