Meet the Pilot/Guides of Sky Trekking Alaska

Your hosts Lori Michels, Dan Michels and Bill Dorman look forward to conducting your adventure. Each have thousands of hours of safe flight experience and years of hospitality experience. Each undergo flight proficiency testing, conducted by an Federal Aviation Administration Examiner, at least twice each year.

Lori Michels: Pilot/Guide

Lori founded Sky Trekking Alaska in 1992 and co-owns it with her husband, Dan. She grew up in Washington State and graduated from college in Moses Lake, WA with a BA in aviation and her Commercial Pilot certificate. In more than 20 years since, Lori has since logged over 11,000 hours of flying time, most of it in Alaska. She holds FAA certificates for Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial, Instrument, Multi-Engine Land, Multi-Engine Sea, Single-Engine Land and Single-Engine Sea. Lori is also a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain. From the early 1980's into the mid 1990's Lori lived a life of adventure working as an air taxi pilot, a commercial fish spotter, a commercial big game hunting guide and transporter pilot. She also worked with a French television company as a pilot during film shoots that took her from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. Lori has thousands of hours flying and guiding all over Alaska.

Dan Michels, Pilot/Guide

Dan, co-owner of Sky Trekking Alaska, grew up in Minnesota, living the outdoor life from a young age, and obtained his college degree from the University of Minnesota. He began his aviation and guiding career in the Bristol Bay Area of western Alaska in 1988. Dan was awarded the Orvis Company's Orvis Endorsed Guide of the Year award in 1993. He is also a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain. Dan holds FAA certificates for commercial Pilot, Instrument and Single Engine Land and Sea. He has over 4000 hours of flight time piloting float and ski aircraft while guiding Sky Treks over every region of Alaska.

Bill Dorman, Pilot/Guide

Bill has guided Sky Treks since 1996. His knowledge of Alaska, attention to detail, sense of humor and pleasant personality have made him a longstanding guest favorite. A lifelong Alaskan, he and his wife Cheryl make their home in Anchorage. Bill began an aviation career immediately after high school and has commercially flown every region of the State, from the Arctic Slope oil fields to the Aleutian Islands. He currently works as a Captain for American Airlines, flying routes from New York City to Europe and South America, and guides Sky Treks during his monthly leave periods. Bill has logged over 15,000 hours of flying time.