Our Guides

How did you become a guide?

Back in the 1970s you had to get a outfitter to certify you as a guide. I had a rafter friend who I worked with wanted to be a guide also. We took the classes from Ken Warren, noted outfitter and guide. He was the first to do the Yangtze River in China. I got my guides license in 1979. What rivers have you done? Favorite river? I've done a lot of the major whitewater rivers in the United Sates and Western Canada. I've also done most of the rivers in Costa Rica. I've done several first descents of rivers in Oregon, Washington and Canada. My favorite river is right here in Oregon, the Crooked. It doesn't flow all the time. There has to be a large snow pack in the mountains and a lot of spring rain to make it bostable, but when it is it's, a lot of great class V water.

Experience in years.

I've been rafting since 1975 and a licensed guide sine 1979. I teach rafting, seakayaking and canoeing at Reed College in Portland, OR.

What would you like the people to know about you?

I have three grown children. Two grandchildren, one my wife and I are raising. I'm 62 years old. I am an Army Veteran with two tours in Vietnam. I'm a retired firefighter for the City of Portland, OR.

What do you do when not raft guiding?

I'm very involved with Veteran's issues. I'm commander of my local VFW Post (Gresham United Post # 180, Gresham, OR), I also am a member of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter #1 in Portland, Or., and the Americal Legion. I am the founder for the Portland chapter of Team River Runner Team River Runner (TRR), established in August 2004 by kayakers in the Washington, DC area, is a primarily volunteer non-profit organization run by a council of kayakers and overseen by a board of directors. TRR was initially established to help active duty military personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan who were recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. With the success there obvious and the opportunity elsewhere apparent, TRR expanded to other Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) chapter sites in 2007.

More about Val

• Reed College Bio
• OregonLive Article: "For a day, blind veterans take to the river"
• Outside Magazine Article: "Team River Runner: A Blind Veteran Paddles the Deschutes"
• Portland Monthly Article: "Emotional Rescue" (Whitewater legend Val Shaull has navigated the Northwest’s most treacherous rapids. Now he’s facing the toughest challenge of his career— a 9-year-old girl named Jodie.)

 

How did you become a guide?

I had the great opportunity to join a two week expedition through Oregon's wilderness in my late teens, much of our travel was down the Deschutes river where my passion for whitewater was born. I spent the next few summers rafting with friends and decided to officially become a guide in 2005. I signed up for the All Adventures guide school and trained with many of the great boaters in the Northwest, spent the rest of the summer honing my skills, and have been working there ever since.

What rivers have you done? Favorite river?

We're so lucky here in the Northwest, there's so much great whitewater. Some of my favorites are the White Salmon, Sandy Gorge, and upper Clackamas.

Experience in years.

I've been a professional river guide for five years. I also teach rafting, seakayaking, and canoeing at Reed College in Portland, OR.

What would you like the people to know about you?

I take great pride in doing this well........ I'm certified in Whitewater/Swiftwater rescue through Rescue 3 and am working towards my Wilderness EMT license. I really enjoy sharing the beauty and history of our NW Rivers with people from all over the world.

What do you do when not raft guiding?

I work part-time for a health care provider in Portland, OR and split my time between there and White Salmon, WA. When not on the river, you'll find me mountain biking, camping, taking in some great music around town, and figuring out a way to get back out on the river.

Here's a link to a story that ran on the news recently, (I guide and speak in the video).
http://blog.traveloregon.com/2010/04/16/grants-getaways-clackamas-whitewater/

Ryan Seaton

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1635468735

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon!

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1635468735