The People
of Keefer

Jeff Gostlin

Owner/Operator/Guide

Keefer Lake has been Jeff's dream to create since he was a teenager. Jeff's dad took him and his brother Catskiing at the original Catskiing operation in the Selkirk Mountains. He was hooked immediately. He continued as a guest there for 7 years, and then after taking the required courses, applied to work as a tail guide. That was in 2000. Since then, he has continued his guiding career working at several different heli and cat operations throughout BC. In 2014, Jeff approached his father for support, and together they offered to purchase the tenure and property at Keefer Lake. Construction of the lodge started as soon as the snow melted in the summer of 2015. That winter, they opened the terrain for Catskiing, and the dream became a reality. There has been no looking back since then, as the Gostlin family continues to expand and develop what Keefer has become today, a year round 5 star resort catering to ecotourism with a touch of class.

Jeff lives at the lodge year round, and is always happy to take you on a tour of the property and tell you his story. In the winter you find Jeff with his skis on with his dog Loki ready to show you the best lines out there. In the summer, he is usually soaking up the sun on the dock with his kids having a blast enjoying the lake and the energy of Keefer Lake.

Dave Gostlin

General Manager / Guide

As the General Manager of Keefer Lake Lodge, Dave has been a key figure in the lodge's growth and success since its inception. Having started skiing as soon as he could walk and snowboarding at the age of 12, Dave brings a lifelong passion for the mountains to his role. His deep connection to the sport, combined with his leadership and experience, ensures that every guest at Keefer Lake Lodge enjoys an unforgettable blend of adventure and luxury in the heart of the backcountry. Dave is proud to be a part of a team that has created one of BC premier Catskiing destinations.

Brett Ritson

Operations Manager / Guide

Brett, (code name Skywalker) is basically the MacGyver of Keefer Lake! He grew up in sunny Summerland B.C. and spent most of his time outdoors. Growing up on a cherry orchard allowed him to develop skillsets at an early age that he still utilizes today. He and his wife Jessica currently reside in Cherryville B.C. with endless adventures available by just walking out their front door. Around the lodge Brett is usually behind the scenes ensuring the power is on, water is flowing, and the lodge is warm, as well as a myriad of other things.

Emma Buck

Administration

Emma (Keefer Star Wars name: Ahsoka Tano) has been part of the Keefer family since 2018, when she and her husband George first joined the Lodge team. After spending some time back in the UK, Emma returned to Keefer in 2022 as a year-round team member and now proudly calls it home.

As Executive Administrator and Assistant to the General Manager, Emma plays a key role in keeping the lodge running smoothly. With her experience spanning multiple roles over the years, she knows Keefer inside and out—whether it’s managing operations, crunching numbers, or keeping projects on track.

When she’s not behind her laptop, you’ll likely find Emma outside in the mountains either hiking, mountain biking, or shredding fresh pow!

Brooke Astells

Guest Relations Manager

Brooke grew up in Pemberton, BC where she learned to ski at Whistler Blackomb. She has lived in the Okanagan since 2008. Her favourite things are skiing POW, mountain biking and paddle boarding. Brooke first came to Keefer on her snowbike in the shoulder season where she met the team and fell in love with the lodge. In 2022 she joined the Keefer team and spearhead our summer series of weddings, corporate retreats and private events, along with making sure all of our beloved Catskiing guests have a flawless booking expereince and get to the lodge in time to shred that sweet Monashee Powder!!

Justin "Jay" Darbyshire

Winter Mtn. Operations Manager

Born on the coast, raised in the West Kootenays and matured in the Okanagan Jay is our resident "Jack of All Trades, Master of Some". Jay - AKA Han Solo - started at Keefer as the relief dispatcher and has worked his way into the pilots seat as our Winter Mountain Operations Manager.

When not at Keefer taking care of the long list of "Jay Jobs" he can be found traipsing around the interior mountain ranges of BC or leading his local Search and Rescue Team as a Search Manager and Operations Officer.

A winter resident of Rossland, where he's a Volunteer Ski Patroller, Jay is a super-fan of the steep trees and deep turns the Monashee range is known for.

During the summer months we lose him to the wilds - he can be found riding bikes and building trails across the country with the International Mountain Bike Association Canada and the Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program.

Having explored every resort in the interior of BC, Jay can point you in the right direction if you're looking for some pre-trip turns to get your legs ready for the big days at Keefer and If you're looking for some new tunes to help keep the stoke going Jay is your guy! His musical tastes span nearly every era and range from Punk, to Bluegrass, to Acid Jazz and back again.

Josh Brooks

Lodge Manager

Kate Allison

Guest Relations Assistant

Originally from Princeton, Kate grew up immersed in the small-town and backcountry life before making her move to Vernon. In the winter Kate loves to snowboard and snowshoe with her dog Elliott. She also has a background in Kinesiology and has worked as a personal trainer. If you’re having any issues with your ski legs, she’s a great person to ask! Kate is thrilled to join the Keefer family this year and can’t wait to share her stoke for the mountain with you.

Grace McAuley

Guest Relations Assistant

Grace is thrilled to join the Guest Relations team at Keefer this season, where she can share her love of the mountains with every guest who walks through the door. A proud BC native, Grace grew up on the coast, surrounded by the natural beauty of ocean vistas and towering forests. However, six years ago she discovered the charm and close-knit community of small-town mountain life. Now, she happily divides her time between the coast and the peaks, embracing the best of both worlds.

Grace has a wide array of interests, embracing everything from the adrenaline rush of sledding to the thrill of dirt biking and countless adventures in between. Her quick wit, warm smile, and heartfelt care for others make her an indispensable member of the Keefer team. With her upbeat personality and dedication to creating memorable experiences, Grace ensures every guest feels welcomed, valued, and ready to embrace their own mountain adventure.

Shannon Wespi

Guest Relations Assistant

With a wealth of knowledge and care for Gostlins Keefer Lake Lodge, Shannon has been a cherished part of the team for 7 years. Shannon has been many things to the lodge, including Lodge Manager, and is now honing her passion and expertise to focus on Guest Relations and delivering an amazing summer event experience. Shannon decided "West is Best" when she moved from out East once upon a time, and fell in love with anything and everything that these beautiful, majestic mountains can show her. Shannon (and of course her dog Jasper in tow) enjoys exploring the beautiful area of Nakusp and beyond where she lives full time. Shannon is as excited as ever to see the lodge grow and continuously flow into new and exciting versions of it'self!

Marissa Blaney

Marketing Coordinator

Marissa, a proud native of Lumby, BC, is in her second winter at Keefer, overseeing all our Marketing and Social Media initiatives. As the creative force behind our Keefer social media pages, she brings our brand to life online. When she’s not working, Marissa loves exploring the Monashees, hiking to the peaks during the summer, and has recently discovered her new passion for Pickleball. After an incredible season last year, she couldn't resist returning for another winter. She's excited to share her love for the Monashees and everything the backcountry has to offer once again this season.

Chris Whitehead

Supervising Guide

Chris is Lead Guide at Keefer Lake Catskiing. Chris has a CSGA level 3, CAA level 2 and 10 years experience guiding. He is originally from Vancouver Island but likes to spend his winters in the mountains riding snowboards, skiing and snowmobiling. His life long passion for these sports naturally turned into a full time winter career and he couldn’t be happier about it.

Jon Conway

Lead Guide

Jon is a Lead Guide at Keefer Lake Catskiing accredited by the Canadian Ski Guide Association, and is a Canadian Avalanche Association Avalanche Professional. Back for his 5th year at Keefer, Jon says his favorite part about Keefer Lake is the friendships with guests and the staff. "At the end of a day of shredding pow, I usually find myself laughing till my stomach hurts with the crew while chewing on a slice of pizza fresh out of the woodfired oven. It doesn't get better than this"

Jonathan Mart

Lead Guide

After spending over 23 years in the British Royal Air Force working with and training multiple military agencies in personal development through Physical Education, Adventure Training and Parachute Jumping, Jon returned back home to Canada. Over the last 15 years he has been involved with Ski Patrol, Teaching Avalanche Safety Courses and Ski Coaching. Along the way, he has gained his Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 2, Canadian Ski Instructor Association Level 3 and is a Professional Member of the Canadian Avalanche Associaiton. Jon is very proud to say he is part of the Keefer guiding team, a dream job for sure!

Bill Phipps

Lead Guide

Bill's professional ski career is vast and varied. He has been an avalanche forecaster for ski patrol (yeah the guy that throws the bombs), has taught avalanche courses, was an author/forecaster of a public avalanche bulletin, has worked for Avalanche Canada and has worked as both as a cat and heliski guide. In his spare time Bill manages a climbing gym called On The Rocks and teaches future climbing/mountain guides at Strathcona Park Lodge. When not working, Bill spends his time skiing, climbing, mountain biking, motorbiking and hanging out with his family. Bill loves to be outside as much as the next person and he looks forward to sharing a ski adventure with you.

Michael Wigley

Lead Guide

Michael is an international splitboarder that has ski toured on 5 continents! He plans to do all 7 one day! Michael has worked for guiding operations in far off lands in Kyrgyzstan to working ski patrol at tiny clubfields in New Zealand. From his own expeditions of camping under the northern lights in the Arctic Circle of the Yukon to touring all day long under the midnight sun in the Arctic Circle of Norway. This is his passion and he is so excited to share days in the mountains with more passionate souls!

Karsten Von Hoesslin

Lead Guide

Karsten has a long history of working and playing in the far corners of the world’s oceans. His background is in small team deployments that include field intelligence operations, homicide investigations, hostage rescues, and disaster response in remote and hostile environments around the world. Whether it’s medical, conduct after capture/hostile environment training, or technical rescue, Karsten has a passion for teaching and sharing knowledge.

Karsten now lives in Vernon BC, and although he continues to consult on international investigations relating to homicide and wildlife crimes, he spends much of his time as a Dog Handler working in the explosives and avalanche disciplines. He is a Police K-9 Instructor and Avalanche Dog Evaluator. If it’s happening on his swiftwater IK, touring skis, or the tactical range, Karsten’s trusted K-9 partner, Delphin, is at his side!

Karsten spends his winters on the snow: He is a CAA 3 Avalanche Professional, Ski Guide and primarily focuses on forecasting, guiding and explosives control. Two of his current passion projects are developing new human odour imprinting techniques for avalanche dogs and studying pelvic trauma in avalanche incidents. Karsten specialised in maritime and public international law at the graduate level and in transnational criminal heuristics at the post-graduate level and is now enrolled in the Remote Paramedic Practise BSc programme.

Clayton Marr

Lead Guide

Kris Hawryluik

Tail Guide / Practicum Supervisor

Kris came to Keefer to ski, he loved the terrain and staff so much he now works here. Kris has been a professional ski patroller for 29 seasons.

Jeff Ruptash

Tail Guide

Jeff is back for his 6th season guiding with the Gostlin Keefer lake family. Sharing unforgettable turns and lifetime memories with our guests, is definitely his favourite part of his job. Jeff's favorite new run is BIG NATURALS.

Guillaume Crepault

Tail Guide

Meet Guillaume, aka G$, our towering Québecois who traded poutine for powder and never looked back. In his search for the finest snow in the west, he found Keefer 4 years ago during his CSGA 1 course and never left. You can find him at the back of the pack to find the best secret stashes, the biggest features, or the worst puns.

Andres Dean

Tail Guide

Like many who grew up in the mountains, Andres has been skiing since the age of two. Spending his life growing up in and exploring the Kootenays he developed a passion for nature and the wilderness surrounding him. When not enjoying deep snow at the back of the group on cat days at Keefer, Andres is running his business from his rural acreage in the Monashee Mountains, or volunteering with his local search and rescue team.

Bryn Mitchell

Tail Guide

Joey Ganie

Practicum Guide

Back for his third year on the guide team at Keefer, no one can deny Joey’s passion for the mountains. He has traveled the world honing his backcountry skills from touring in the Southern Alps, base-jumping in the Utah desert to climbing remote granite spires. After a day shredding pow, you'll likely find Joey donning a headlamp and getting in more turns by touring the slopes behind the lodge. Armed with an arsenal of cheesy jokes, he is excited to share his passion for the mountains with you!

George Buck

Practicum Guide

George first came to Canada in 2017 in pursuit of deep champagne powder and was not disappointed! After following the snow around British Columbia, George and his partner Emma first found Keefer in 2018 when they came to work in the lodge as servers and bartenders. 3 years later they are both back and this time you will find George outside chopping wood (or ski-touring) with his little orange dog Rodney.

Zendhar Rockall

Practicum Guide

Cody Rawlinson

Practicum Guide

Andrew Manuel

Practicum Guide

Andrew grew up in St. John’s and like many Newfies before him he moved to Alberta after finishing school. Thankfully he got lost on the way to Fort Mac and ended up in Banff chasing a snowboard dream. He has spent the last 18 years doing back to back seasons between Banff and New Zealand, coaching a handful of Slopestyle athletes and mentoring the next generation of freestyle coaches. Since 2016 Andrew has been spending more time in the backcountry and is super pumped to spend more time away from icy park jumps chasing pow in the woods with the Keefer team this winter.

Loki Gostlin

Tail Guide

Loki is in charge of security and shreds the pow like no other. Follow his yodel down the hill. “woof . . . . woof . . . woof!”

Kyle Sanguin

Photographer

Kyle was born and raised in Kelowna. He was a Wildland Firefighter for 15 years, where he developed his passion for photography; Kyle fought the Okanagan Park Fire of 2003 and had several photos that he took on the fireline featured in different magazines and newspapers around the world. In pursuit of his passion, he attended and graduated from the Photography Program at the Centre for Arts and Technology. Kyle is now working full time as a Photographer. In his spare time he enjoys being in the outdoors, hiking, camping, exploring and playing baseball, volleyball, golf and of course slashing the insanely deep powder in the Monashees at Keefer Lake Catskiing!!!

Jeremie “Jalapeno” Drainville

Photographer

Jeremie “Jalapeno” hails from Gatineau, Quebec. His love for snowboarding brought him to BC in 2008 and he’s been a resident of Nelson, BC for the past 10 years. At the end of the 2014 winter, Jeremie fractured his left kneecap snowboarding in a freeride competition called Wrangled the Chutes.

We first met Jalapeno when he was part of the crew that built the Black Bear Lodge known as Gostlin Keefer Lake Lodge.

After building the lodge Jeremie ventured to Peru to complete a 12-day Full transformational Ayahuasca retreat. From there he learned to confront his fear and enrolled into the Professional Photography program at the Centre for Arts & Technology in Kelowna, BC where he graduated with the best student award.

Soon after graduation Jeremie and Jeff were chatting together, and Jeff invited him to a tryout at Keefer for the photographer position during the Catskiing season. Jeremie’s two weeks tryout turned into 4 weeks and every other winter after that.

Not only can he take good Catskiing photos, but he’s also going to be dropping all the cliffs in sight with his camera gear on!

Since the spring of 2022, Jeremie is now Keefer Lake social media coordinator. We are inviting you to say hello to him on all of our platforms.

Jesse Sanborn

Lead Cat Operator/Road Builder

Jesse grew up in Cherryville and has spent his whole life sledding, biking, hunting in the Monashee mountain range. After finishing college for Aircraft Maintenance Engineering in 2014, he applied at Keefer Lake Lodge and has been here since as road builder and mechanic. You'll find him building roads and jumps during the day on the hill and fixing the cats in the shop during the evening. All requests for side hits and big airs are welcome!

Jackson Prebushewski

Road Builder

Jackson was born and raised in Cherryville. He loves all things outdoors and is back for his 2nd year at Keefer!

Pete Bechtel

Cat Operator

Originally from Toronto, Ontario. I played soccer in the U.S for university. After graduating I moved back to Whistler and started working at Powder mtn cat/heli skiing. I’ve been with them for 4years.

Jim Lagerquist

Cat Operator

"Hello there" -Obi-Wan Kenobi

Jim (recently promoted to “Obi-Wan”) was born and raised in Cherryville, BC. Since he was 18, he’s been working out in the woods Timber Cruising and Firefighting, and now Jim is running passenger snowcats at Keefer Lake Lodge since the 2022/23 season. In the evenings, he can often be found playing music in the lodge!

Liam Sanborn

Cat Operator

Born and raised in Cherryville Liam has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and the opportunity to spend his time in the surrounding mountains. Growing up Liam and his family spend all their time at Keefer lake and he is super stoked that he gets continue spending time at Keefer!

Travis Hoogland

Cat Operator

Travis grew up on a chicken farm in Armstrong BC. In his teens he discovered skiing and fell in love with being in the mountains. From then on, he spent his free time during the winters skiing up at his home mountain of Silverstar and spent his summers dirt biking and camping. After moving around BC for a few years and doing some college, Travis joined the Maintenance team at Keefer Lake Lodge in the fall of 2021 and has now began operating the Keefer snowcats!

Jason Lafaut

Cat Operator

Nate Riehl

Property Supervisor / Head Carpenter

His rugged looks may make him look like a Duck Dynasty brother, but he is way more than that. Nate, also known as K2SO, is originally from High River but is now a proud Cherryville resident. As Keefer’s in-house carpenter, Nate has an eye for beautiful, finished furniture and has all the necessary skills to construct anything to help the vision of Keefer come true.

Jason Cooper

Property Supervisor

You’ll often find Jason deep in the trees, slinging bugs or carving through fresh powder. The further from the city, the better — he's all about embracing the great outdoors and finding adventure off the beaten path.

Daniel McCormack

Labourer

Meet the thunder from down under, ready to shred our finest frozen Canadian waves! Hailing from Australia, Daniel brings the heat and energy to the slopes while also making sure the Keefer property is looking always spiffy. He's eager to carve through fresh powder and tackle every challenge with style this winter.

Dries Van Gorp

Labourer

Justin Sawyer

Labourer

Originally from Ontario, Justin made the move out west to B.C. to pursue his passions for snowboarding and dirt biking. With a love for the great outdoors, Justin is always up for an adventure—whether it’s carving up the slopes or tearing through the trails. When not riding, you’ll find him tinkering with anything that has a motor. 

Joshua Methot

Labourer

Chris Harris

Labourer

Chris, a long-term Vernon resident, is here for his second winter at Keefer Lake Lodge. Chris has brought his love for working in the outdoors and his MacGyver style mechanical skills to become a great asset to Keefer. Although his first year at Keefer, Chris has been riding these mountains since he was young and is happy to show off is snowmobile tricks in the POW.

Shawn Gray

Labourer

Shawn, also known as R2D2, was born in Winnipeg but has since made the move to become a Cherryville resident and a long-time legendary member of the Keefer family. Shawn knows the ins and outs of Keefer’s operations and has many skills that have contributed to making him Keefer’s very own Galactic pyro cannon master.

Derek Ingram

Executive Chef

Chef Derek was born all the way over in Winnipeg and was raised in Ontario. He's cooked his way across the country from St. John's to Vancouver! In his spare he times he likes to bike, snowboard, and make bread for his family. He's stoked to combine his love for the ski and snowboard culture with his passion for food!

Evan Roberton

Head Chef

Jason "Jay" Embree

Cook

Liam Coulombe

Cook

Sunshyne Hunt

Cook

Gavin Bremmer

Cook

Eric Marin-Lamette

Cook

Carey Haslam

Cook

Shadoe Rowe

Cook

Erin Green

Massage Therapist

Erin is back for her second year at Keefer and is the first recipient of the C3PO Sparkle Award. Her magic hands make everything sparkle, from organizing the retail area, to giving magical post ski massages. Be sure to book a massage with her this season, pure bliss! No matter your mood, Erin’s upbeat attitude will put a big smile on your face.

Erin grew up in Blue River and Jasper, making the mountains forever in her heart. She lives in Cherryville, which is not too far from here. A big hugger, Erin loves her days off at home snuggled up with her husband watching comfort shows. In the Summer they enjoy fishing which can’t be argued as Erin has a picture in her wedding dress out on the boat. 

Gareth Smith

Assistant Lodge Manager

It’s Gareth’s first season at Keefer and you will find him shaking things up behind the bar. He has 15 years bartending experience and you will taste that in his delicious cocktail menu. Gareth’s favourite cocktail is a Chamomile Rye Sazerac. He is from New Zealand but has lived around the world, doing seasonal work in Europe and Canada. Currently Gareth calls Nelson home. From the wee age of 3 Gareth has been hitting the slopes. Starting out on skis, he switched to snowboarding around age 10. The board was the right move, in the Summer Gareth loves to keep planking on a skateboard. When not at work he can be found touring, you may spot him trekking the hill behind the lodge searching for a good spot to rip down. He’s got loads of travel stories and liquor knowledge; he’ll be a fun one to chat with at the bar.

Lachlan Dennis

Sommelier

Nathan Milligan

Sommelier

Alex Ross

Bartender

Jenn Kyle

Bartender

Crysta Emerson

Lodge Hand

Crysta is from Lumby and is happy to experience her first winter as part of the Keefer family. Like many of the Keefer staff, she is originally from Ontario and has lived in beautiful BC for a few years now. Crysta is excited to be one of our housekeeper fairies, you won’t see her often but you’ll know she has been working hard!

Crysta has a kind, gentle attitude, which makes sense since she is a busy mom of 3 kids and 2 pups! Her and the family love a good road trip, long drives singing along to their favourite songs. Crysta enjoys living a quiet life surrounded by nature and animals. She has been a vegetarian for many years and loves cooking up tasty veggie meals.

Shevon Purcell

Lodge Hand

Alexis Miletto

Lodge Hand

Danielle Benson

Lodge Hand

Victoria Robert-Gostlin

Lodge Hand

Keena Violini

Lodge Hand

Lachlan "Lochie" Wallis

Lead HD Mechanic

Lochie is the younger of the two Lochie’s on staff and also from Australia. Raised in a small ski town called Jindabyne, Lochie was skiing and snowboarding from a young age and also trained on snow machinery at his home resort of Thredbo. This Lochie’s second season at the lodge and he is keen to get out and enjoy the mountains on his sled and snowboard.

Brent Mazu

HD Mechanic

Along with some of the other staff brent was born and raised in Cherryville. Brent was here at the very beginning of the operation and after working in Vernon for a few years is back for more! He is excited to get out on the mountain and enjoy the winter.