Store Information

The Staff

Steve Atocha

Owner

Steve is the owner of Middlebury Mountaineer and founder of Green Mountain Adventures. Steve is a father, an EMT, volunteer fire fighter, and a certified American Canoe Association Kayaking Instructor. He spends his free time hiking for fishing holes or backcountry skiing off of the Lincoln Gap.

Marion Atocha

Owner

Marion is the co-owner and clothing buyer for Middlebury Mountaineer. She divides her time between the shop and working part time as a nurse in Bristol. An avid hiker, swimmer and nordic skier, Marion’s real passion is raising her three boys and working on her family farm.

Jesse Haller

Manager/Lead Fly Fishing Guide

Jesse is from Southern Central Wisconsin and attended school in Durango, CO, later residing in Breckenridge. In 2003 he completed a thru-hike of the the Colorado Trail. In his decade in Colorado, he climbed more then forty of the surrounding fourteeners and worked as a fly fishing guide on several Colorado rivers. Jesse moved to Vermont with his wife, daughter and 2 dogs. He is the Manager of Middlebury Mountaineer and Lead Fly Fishing Guide for Green Mountain Adventures. He is also the current President of the New Haven River Anglers Association, our local non-profit watershed conservation group. Jesse founded the Otter Creek Classic Opening Day Fly Fishing Tournament, currently the largest fly fishing tournament in Vermont. Jesse is a 2-time Otter Creek Classic Professional Division Champion. He has contributed and been featured in Eastern Fly Fishing and VT Great Outdoors publications, Outdoor Journal Television, and other local media. In 2013 Jesse was honored as a Professional Guide Ambassador for Simms Fishing Products.

Chrisandra Sylvestri

Shop Employee/Guide

Over a dozen years ago, after the birth of her fourth child Chris started kayaking. She would throw her boat on the car, head down to the Otter Creek or the flooded flats, and be back in less than two hours a rejuvenated person. She's been hooked ever since. Ratty in the Wind in the Willows summed it up best-"There is nothing worth doing half as much as simply messing around in boats."

Andrew Jones

Guide

Andrew has been instructing in the outdoors for over five years, from Alaska to Vermont. He spent three seasons leading extended wilderness mountaineering courses for Outward Bound in Alaska and most recently has been guiding rock and ice climbing trips in the Northeast. Andrew lives in Lincoln with his wife.
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Aid Certified
AIARE Level I Avalanche Course Training
First Aid and CPR Certified

Wesley Butler

Guide

Wesley grew up hunting and fishing in New Haven, VT. He attended Paul Smiths College in the Adirondacks where he earned a degree in
Fisheries and Wildlife Science as well as an appreciation for
smallmouth bass and big brook trout. He has fished from Maine to
Oregon to Alaska and always looks forward to coming home and fishing Vermont, especially Otter Creek. Wesley has a one track mind and his free time is spent fishing, collecting local tying materials from
waterfowl, or tying flies.

Arne Mckinley

Fly Fishing Guide

Arne Mckinley hails from across Lake Champlain in the Adirondacks. growing up around such quality fishing opportunities, he has spent countless hours exploring the Champlain Valley and it's tributaries. Upon transplanting to Burlington Arne fell in love with Vermont and it's fishing opportunities warm water and cold.

Levi Doria

Fly Fishing Guide

Levi loves Bees!

Dave Konopke

Fly Fishing Guide

I grew up in rural northeastern Pennsylvania, fishing at an early age. Boating came later in life, primarily canoeing. I've paddled about 2000 miles in the Quebec wilderness with Keewaydin Camps based out of Salisbury Vermont. Recently, I've been boating and fly fishing in the summer months for pike and bass on the Otter Creek.