Welcome to Allover Diaries, where we get to know the inspiring people who wear our overalls and the adventures they take in them.
For this installation, we chatted with Durango-born-and-bred photographer and Grand Canyon river guide Will Berger, who is living out his childhood dream of spending his days on the water and helping others discover the beauty of our planet.
Tell us a little about why you are who you are today.
A lot of what makes me “me” is growing up in Colorado. I’m from a place where thirty minutes to the south, you’re in Red Canyon desert, and thirty minutes to the north, you’re surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks. My parents really instilled this love of the outdoors in me and embedded this need and desire to protect the places we love. So I grew up playing outside–running, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, rafting, kayaking, exploring. That was my life from a pretty young age. And the passions I had as a kid are what I still do today–ski, bike, run, climb, and play outside. I try to share all of those things with as many people as possible so they also learn to care about the places we need to protect.
When and how did you decide you wanted to be a river guide?
That’s kind of a funny story. When I graduated from college, my mom gifted me one of my assignments from Kindergarten that asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And when I was five-years-old I wrote, “I want to be a Grand Canyon river guide.”
I went on my first river trip when I was nine months old. My parents raised me on river trips; these were our family vacations on San Juan, Yampa, and the Gates of the Lodore, you name it. My parents actually met boating and moved to Durango primarily for the boating. They had a lot of friends who were Grand Canyon river guides, and when I was pretty young, my dad bought Martin Litton's Grand Canyon Dories original dory, the Diablo Canyon II. Martin Litton was prominent in saving the Grand Canyon from being damned. Anyway, my dad took one of his dories through the canyon when I was four years old. I wanted to go down the Grand Canyon ever since. I ended up going for the first time when I was sixteen.
So in a way, I’ve always wanted to be a river guide. But really, I just kind of walked into it from living a life on the river and got really lucky connecting with the right people. I’ve been working down there now for seven years. But when my mom gifted me that assignment from Kindergarten, it was pretty wild. I didn’t even remember making it but I kept thinking: “No way. I’m living up to five-year-old me’s dream. This is crazy.”
What does your ideal day look like?
It always starts with a good cup of coffee. I love coffee, high-quality coffee. We have a few great roasters here in Durango; my favorite is Easy Coffee Roasters and their 81301 Coffee House.
But my ideal day would be super active. Wake up with a good cup of coffee, maybe read for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then go kayak (I love rafting, but I think more recently I’ve fallen in love more with kayaking). My favorite run is a section of the Upper Animas, so I’d either go do that or the Delores River, which is super special since it doesn’t always run. Come home, maybe go for a run or a bike ride. And then I love to cook as well, so ending the day making good food for a bunch of friends, hanging out, laughing.
What’s your favorite thing to cook?
Oh–that’s a good question. Soups. I really love soups, honestly.
Who are the people who influenced you the most to pursue your passions?
There are a few photographers I really look up to. Will Saunders is a really good example. I’ve never actually met him, but I’m inspired by and try to emulate his style. He’s incredibly talented.
I have different people I look up to for various sports. One of my childhood best friends is Christopher Blevins, who just competed in the Olympics for mountain biking. He’s the most humble, amazing human I know.
And then there’s my bike coach from growing up, who is just this goofy and fun individual who lives through his passions. I learned a lot more from him than just how to explore on your bike, but that whatever your passion is, it’s important to share that with other people.
What is your favorite activity to do wearing your Allovers?
Being on the river. They’re phenomenal on the river. Especially while I’m in the desert and need to cool off in the water. I’ll jump in, and then they’ll evaporatively cool you for the next hour once you climb out. I was psyched when I saw you guys at Animas River Days because as soon as I saw them, I thought: “These would be perfect for the Grand Canyon.”
And the stretch is amazing. So many pants constrict you, and having Allovers be so stretchy makes them perfect for a slew of activities. They’re funky and baggy and loose, which is also awesome for bouldering.
Obviously, I love the stretch, and the pockets are pretty rad, but whenever I wear them, I also get a lot of compliments. I met this couple while I was wearing them, and they called me a “hipster hillbilly.” I kind of loved that. That’s awesome.
