RIVER PEOPLE PROFILES EPISODES

Les Bechdel is a river runner, an outfitter, an author of the first comprehensive book on modern river rescue techniques, a kayaker, a husband, a catarafter, a father, a river ranger, a grandfather, an instructor, and a soldier. In the 1980s, river rescue became a more organized and developed concept and practice, and Les Bechdel was at the center of that movement. In 1985, the first edition of the book "RIVER RESCUE" was published with Les and Slim Ray as the authors. The book is now in its 4th...

Devon Barker-Hicks is an Idaho born and raised river runner, growing up in the Barker family of river outfitters. She is a lifelong public school teacher, a global kayak competitor, and a dedicated advocate and protector of the waters and rivers of Idaho. Her program "Dare to Kayak," brings kayaking to the public schools of Idaho, and a film about that same program premiers on July 22nd in Riggins, ID. She grew up running rivers with her family, working as a guide at the family outfitter company...

Ben Stookesberry paddles kayaks in his home state of Montana, and around the world. In his teen years he learned to make home movies showing off his rollerblading moves, and in college he learned to kayak. Today he blends the paddling and film making as he runs rivers in global settings. He has created deep and lasting friendships in his travels, and returns to rivers again and again, to paddle more stretches, to learn more, and sometimes to engage in protection work. In this episode, Ben talks ...

Podcasting is incredibly unique and fun work that has allowed me to meet so many rivers and river people. And podcasting is a job that I really just created for myself. Yes there are other podcasts and podcasters, but by nature of the work, we are all kind of hidden in quiet places behind microphones and editing screens, so finding a podcasting friend is so helpful. Ed Roberson has built the Mountain & Prairie Podcast and we have become colleagues and friends that can support each other when we ...

Dr Len Necefer opens up 2025 for The River Radius. Len is the mind and perspective I wanted to welcome me and you both into this 6th season of The River Radius. We talk through the relationship of rivers and elections, of books for this year, the work and impact of Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and other river and life layers. Len is the founder of Natives Outdoors, the Sonoran Avalanche Center, runs rivers, is articulate and intelligently humorous. This is the 2nd episode with Dr Len N...

To move from 2024 into 2025, we have one guest in two episodes for you. Our guest is Dr Len Necefer. This is the first episode. We talk through life wrapped in intellect and self facing humor, 6th grade reading levels, native art and the modern retail market, an upriver bike ride, and river runs at the northern most reaches of the North American continent. Len is the “star” of his Outside TV show where he is riding his bike up the Colorado River from Mexico to Colorado. He is the founder of Nati...

There are numerous authors and media professionals doing work to explore river topics. To close out the 2023 river and podcast year, this episode hosts two of the best. Heather Hansman is an author writing books and magazine articles. Teal Lehto, a.k.a., “Western Water Girl” is a social media content creator. We talk through their respective crafts, leadership in river conservation and trending topics. SPONSORS Covered with Carrie Denver Area Nissan Dealers Instagram GUESTS Heather Hansman Web...

The Klamath River 2nd episode. In the Spring of 2025, a group of teenagers from several Tribal Nations of the Klamath River Basin and greater region will descend the newly undammed Klamath River from source to sea. These teens began learning how to kayak in 2022 and 2023, began learning about river policy and fish science, and are bringing their family stories to the river with them. In the summer of 2023 The River Radius spent a week with these young paddlers on the water and on the microphone ...

After 100 years of dams stagnating the flows of the Klamath River and killing the Salmon runs, a group of teenagers from the tribal nations of the Klamath Basin will paddle the Klamath from source to sea to usher in the post-dam Klamath. In this 1st of 2 episodes on the topic, the founders of Rios to Rivers & Paddle Tribal Waters explain how their own paddle experiences and time travel, brought the inception of this powerful passage. SPONSORS NRS @nrsweb Mighty Arrow Foundation Virga Foundat...

Payson Kennedy at 39 was a career academic, and with his wife Aurelia had four kids, a house, and two cars in Atlanta. After working on the stunt team for the film Deliverance in 1971 and a summer running a raft company, he and his wife decided to leave it all behind and with a good friend, started the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Today, 50 years later, the Nantahala Outdoor Center is one of the most important and successful river guide operations and instruction schools in the river world. SPONSO...

Losing the Stanislaus River under the New Melones Reservoir made an impact on the people who loved the river. This episode documents three methods that transform the pain of losing a river into proactive measures to further knowledge of, connection to, and action on behalf of rivers not yet lost. This is the companion episode of The Last River Lost.

During the birth of the whitewater boating industry, the Stanislaus River in California quickly rose to popularity. In 1966 a new dam on the Stanislaus would flood this beloved stretch of river. For over a decade, river lovers and guides led campaigns, engaged in nonviolent direct action, and used rafting to let the river speak directly to the hearts of voters and representatives.

American Rivers celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. Founded in 1973, American Rivers is a national level river conservation organization. To understand how they see the future of rivers, we interviewed their Executive Director to hear his story and what American Rivers is focusing on in the next few decades. ADVERTISING SPONSORS NISSAN DENVER AREA DEALERS DOWN RIVER EQUIPMENT RAFTOPIA AT DOWNRIVER EQUIPMENT GUESTS TOM KIERNAN AMERICAN RIVERS AMERICAN RIVERS MEMBERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT I...

Running waterfalls in rafts is not overly common, but some rafters do it. Tony Glassman and his river crew built a film about running waterfalls that eventually lead to people following their lead, but not following their path of gaining experience and skills. Tony explains the layers of training and safety and experience and communication that he and his river crew have worked through to become competent waterfall running rafters. ADVERTISING SPONSORS Down River Equipment Company Instagram Ame...

Hayley Stuart learned to kayak while attending an international traveling high school. Today she works with indigenous river communities in South America to prevent dams from changing their rivers into reservoirs. She is teaching these river communities to kayak, building films about this work, attends the United Nations COP meetings as a linguistics translator working to UnDam the UN, and recently earned a Masters from Oxford University in water science, policy and management. ADVERTS Jack's P...

American Whitewater is one of the oldest whitewater clubs in the United States, has become the club of clubs and is a modern leader in access to whitewater rivers and river conservation. Recently the leadership at American Whitewater shifted as Mark Singleton stepped down after 18 years, and Clinton Begley became the Executive Director. We talk with both Mark and Clinton to learn about AW, their history and their future. ADVERTISING SPONSOR Jack's Plastic Welding Website and link to "Discounted...

For the past 27 years in November, class 5 kayakers have assembled at the Green River in North Carolina for the Green Race. And a couple thousand hardy spectators hike the miles down to cheer on these rowdy kayakers. In these two episodes we tell the story of the race and we meet two of the women racing. One has won the race 12 times. The other is a first time racer, and an Olympic kayaker. Come mad bomb the Green River with us. ADVERTISING SPONSORS Native Teen Guide in Training Program CFI w...

For the past 27 years in November, class 5 kayakers have assembled at the Green River in North Carolina for the Green Race. And a couple thousand hardy spectators hike the miles down to cheer on these rowdy kayakers. In these two episodes we tell the story of the race and we meet two of the women racing. One has won the race 12 times. The other is a first time racer, and an Olympic kayaker. Come mad bomb the Green River with us. ADVERTISING SPONSORS Native Teen Guide in Training Program CFI w...

Ben Knight builds powerful films with his partner at Felt Soul Media. DAMNATION, RED GOLD, IN CURRENT, and now LEARNING TO DROWN. In the past few years, Ben also became a father. In this episode Contributing Host Greg Cairns talks with Ben about the inside of his life, some of the process of creating his films, and his path of becoming a powerful filmmaker. And, his daughter. TODAY'S ADVERTISING SPONSORS Down River Equipment Company Nissan and the Denver Area Nissan Dealers GUEST BEN KNIGHT ...

The Gila River and Gila Mountains of New Mexico have been home for Indigenous people for thousands of years, for colonial Spanish and Mexican people for hundreds of years, and now for all of those folks under the United States since 1912. This river along with The San Francisco River and The Mimbres River were just nominated for Wild and Scenic River protection. This is a river of families, lineages and gathering. GUESTS Nathan Newcomer Guadalupe Cano Patricia Cano Michael Darrow Simon Sot...

Rafael Gallo began kayaking at the University of Tennessee in the 1970s, founded Rios Tropicales in Costa Rica in the 1985, prevented the Rio Pacuare from being dammed, was inducted into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame in 2009, taught ex-Columbian FARC soldiers to become river guides in 2018, was known and respected across the globe for his river work, and during his life helped plant nearly 31,000 trees, all to protect and support rivers. In March of 2021, he passed away. This episode...

This episode is floating down the river with Matt Moseley before, during and after his open water swim in the Green River of Utah in June of 2021. This swim down a river flowing at record low levels becomes a vessel for deep dives into the blue mind and the health of western rivers.

Cataract Canyon is welcoming some of its rapids back to the flow of the river as the Colorado River is recovering from a reservoir. A crew of river runners has been there witnessing and documenting the Returning Rapids.

Rowing Home is the story of one person paddling and rowing from Montana and Minnesota on the biggest rivers of North America, to the Gulf of Mexico, and then to Texas. All by water. Canoes, kayaks, planes, headwaters and ocean waters.