Biographies
Andrew Crawford-White
Avalanche Skills Training 2, Ski Instructor (CSIA Level 1), Climbing Gym Instructor (ACMG Level 1), Wilderness First Responder, Canoe Flatwater Instructor (Level 2 RCABC), Swift Water Rescue Technician, Canoe Tripping Instructor (RCABC), Commercial Canoe Guide, Apprentice Hiking Guide (IGA), Assistant Hunting Guide (GOABC), Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art – Sculpture)
Andrew Crawford-White has always had an interest in the wilderness and bushcraft. At the age of 10 he built and slept in his first shelter in some common woodland in Devon,UK. He is the director of Backwoods Bushcraft and has been trained by some of the foremost educators in bushcraft. Taking a year long Immersion with Tim Smith of Jack Mountain Bushcraft and following a Mountain Adventure Skills Program on which he now returns and teaches the Survival curriculum. Andrew has always been a maker and craftsman and gained a BA in Fine Art Scuplture from Falmouth College of Arts, UK.
Andrew loves to make almost anything! His favorite projects are knifes, bows, arrows and just about any thing he can use in the woods or mountains. His love of making and understand materials from the natural world is a underlying current of his passions. Like tanning hides to make mukkluks and mocassins. Or even making your own bow and arrows to hunt with to get the hide to make the mukkluks. The purity, in depth learning and self reliance to achieve this are important to Andrew. It underpins the goals and aspirations for Backwoods Bushcraft.
Andrew spends his spare time hunting, tuning his archery skills, hiking, rock climbing, skiing and enjoying time with his wife Roxane and young son Leo. He can often be found in the workshop making another set of arrows or tinkering with a knife design. Having just completed building his own house he is returning to many of his passions and the mounting pile of wood waiting to be turned into projects.
Leo Stevens
Standard First Aid- CPR C and AED, Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), Swift Water Rescue Technician. British Military Veteran
Leo Stephens grew up with the outdoors as his home and the British countryside as his garden. As a young child, he learned to hunt and fish, developing his own techniques but also devouring any information he could obtain through books and country folk. As a young adult, he joined the British Army.
Leo’s passion for ecology and wilderness conservation led him to taking an Environmental Science degree from Plymouth University, UK. He travelled around the world, including South America, Australia, Africa, India and South East Asia, studying wild cats, learning foreign languages and adventuring into some of the wildest corners of the planet.
Leo began teaching outdoor skills and leading expeditions as a social-worker, taking troubled children and teens into the woods and wilds on excursions to help them reconnect with themselves and their natural world. He continued his fight against injustice in Africa where he became a Wildlife Conservation Officer, working to implement an anti-poaching program in the Rift Valley (Africa).
Leo is committed to sharing his love for the world around him, passing on his knowledge and love of Bushcraft, aboriginal life, ancient peoples, history, botany and wildlife. He is an avid aviator but also enjoys aeroplane and boat-building, canoeing, falconry, rock climbing and skydiving in his spare time. Leo is a small-arms marksman and has shot in many international competitions.
Jeremy Buzolitch-Roy
A Cook by trade and Hiking guide by passion I decided to combine both world and make it one. I can do it, in english, in french or in spanish.
For 5 years I spent all my winters in South America, mainly Colombia, Peru and Chile. I learned spanish, hiked, backpacked and rock climbed where ever it was possible. I also soak in the culture as much as I could, and not to forget all the good food I discovered during that time .
Born in Quebec, I now live in the beatiful Valley of Slocan in British-Columbia, with my partner and our two children. Since we moved here I have discovered the beauty of our mountains, rivers and lakes.
After guiding for different companies for 6 years around British-Columbia, Alberta and the Southwestern United-States. Now it’s my turn to share with you what I know best, the Kootenays, South America and Cooking.
Jeremy works with us instructing on the backcountry backpacking and navigation courses. He also turns his hand as a professional chef to the food preservation and backcountry chef weekends. He has his own company for bespoke guiding called Gimli Guides