Age: 21 | Vitals: 5’10”, 140 | Years Paddling: 10 | Current Residence: Colorado
Background:
I started paddling as a teenager on a week-long camp trip to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, a trip that culminated with an exhilarating lap around the “loop” on the Youghiogheny River. As soon as I got home, I got online and bought the cheapest boat I could find, and asked my Mom to drive me to the local play spot as often as possible. Once I got my driver’s license, I was at the playhole during lunch hours and every other chance I could get.
Once I made it to Colorado College, I got sidetracked by the abundance of good climbing in the area before the other boaters at school quickly helped me find my way again. Since then, I have been balancing my time between studying geology and getting out on the water as much as possible. Fortunately, the two complement each other very well, and together they have sent me around the country and abroad, searching for new rivers to paddle and new canyons to explore.
Whitewater Kayaking is where my passion lies, but in the past few years I have also expanded more into the the realms of rafting, stand-up paddle boarding, and sea kayaking. I have experience guiding day and multi-day trips in Colorado and Idaho, as well as whitewater and flat water kayak instruction in Connecticut.
Some of my favorite runs include: Gore Canyon of the Colorado, South and North Forks of the Payette, Cataract Canyon of the Colorado, and the Upper Nevados in Pucon, Chile—though I can’t seem to remember a river that I didn’t enjoy paddling!