Dale R. Croes received his B.A. in anthropology from the University of Washington (UW) and his M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology at Washington State University (WSU).

He did his Ph.D. dissertation research on basketry and cordage artifacts from the Ozette Village wet site; conducted post-doctoral research with the Makah Tribal Nation at the Hoko River wet site and Hoko Rockshelter shell midden; directed first-ever archaeological excavations at the National Historic Landmark wet site of Sunken Village with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indians; and co-directed excavations of the Qwu?gwes wet and dry site with the Squaxin Island Tribe. He is currently working with Ed Carriere, Suquamish Elder and Master Basketmaker in writing Memoir 15 for the Journal of Northwest Anthropology, highlighting their work to analyze and replicate 2,000 year old Biderbost wet site basketry housed at the UW Burke Museum. They call their work Generationally-Linked Archaeology.Ed Carriere is a Suquamish Elder and Master Basketmaker. He has been making baskets since he was 14 years old, having learned the skill from his great grandmother. Basketmaking fell by the wayside when his great grandmother passed.

He returned to the craft nearly 10 years later. He since learned to make a wide variety of baskets. He mostly uses western red cedar bark, limbs, and roots to make coil baskets, straight and crossed warp clam baskets, clothing, and hats. In 2004 he met Dale Croes and since they have worked together to revitalize lost basketmaking techniques.