Hometown
Bremen, Indiana
What type of paddling do you like to do?
Multi-Day/Expedition, Rafting, Whitewater Kayaking
Where is your favorite place to paddle?
Cop out answer: Cataract Canyon, because it is a magical place that allows for a total disconnect from civilization and who doesn't love exclusive access to parts of a National Park no one else gets?
Real answer: Literally anywhere I can get on the water. It could be the stoutest Class V or the mellowest flatwater, as long as I am on the water I am in my favorite place. The river is where I go to let all other thoughts leave my brain, and it's the one place I feel truly at home.
Tell us about your favorite paddling experience or biggest paddling achievement.
Halloween on the Green--we did a Desolation Canyon trip a few years ago during the week of Halloween and it was epic. The weather couldn't have been better, the people were 15 of my closest friends, we wore costumes in the middle of the most remote area in the continental US, and the beaches were sublime. Trip went off without a single hitch, one of the only times I have been able to say that!
You're leaving for the Grand Canyon tomorrow. What is the one luxury item you packed for the trip?
Disco Kitchen--a set of disco party lights for the camp kitchen, plus a bluetooth speaker for tasty jams.
What do you do when you are not on the river?
Figure out ways to get on the river.
Final thoughts from Ben
I became a whitewater guide at the age of 19, probably against my better judgment. That decision has shaped every facet of my life since then and I couldn't be happier about it. Since joining the whitewater community I have had the opportunity to paddle across the country, and the world. In doing so I have been able to make friends that will last my lifetime, experience things most people only dream of, and it has lead to more enjoyment than I ever thought possible for my life.
