October was raised on an island in Washington state’s Puget Sound. October started paddling at the age of nine, was an active Boy Scout, Western Washington University graduate, an avid outdoorsman and community leader throughout his career. In 2022, he and his wife, Zoe, moved to the St. Croix River Valley where they operate a micro-homestead in Polk County, WI. His background in youth programs, paddle sports, and environmentalism called him to the Conservancy’s mission, originally as a volunteer, and now as returning seasonal employee.

October’s favorite section of the river is the confluence of the Namekagon and St. Croix River. The sensation you get as the current begins to pull you south makes you feel very connected to the Earth’s natural rhythms.