STAFF HIGHLIGHTS: NICHOLAS ASHER FARLEY

NAME: Nicholas Asher Farley

Nicholas is rarely seen without a giant smile on his face

GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was born in Indiana and raised in rural Missouri, but I have also lived in France, Argentina, Indonesia, and various locations on the West Coast. I’m proud to tell anyone that Nelly, Eminem, Tech N9ne and Budweiser represent my home state. I currently live in Portland and spend a lot of time/money going to live concerts, but I also enjoy freebies like cycling, cooking, reading and writing.

Taking in the sites and beauty of the sunset

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER AT WILDWATER?

The White Salmon River.

The put in of the beautiful wild and scenic White Salmon River

WHAT GOT YOU INTO WHITEWATER? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A GUIDE?

I worked in the fast food industry in Missouri (home) during high school and my first summer of college. I soon grew weary of deep fryers and resolved to find the most interesting and fun job that I could the following summer. An acquaintance of mine recommended a company in Northern California. Using my savings to pay for camping equipment, whitewater gear, guide school and transportation to the American River in Coloma, CA, I began my whitewater career in the summer of 2010 and have worked in the industry every summer since then.

Nicholas kayaking through "Hell Hole" on the Trinity River

Nicholas and Neils in the cave on the Wenatchee River

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD/MEAL?

Indian food, especially garlic naan with palak paneer.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

“True, we love life, not because we are used to living but because we are used to loving. There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

Climbing in Memanjat near Bogor, Jawa Barat

WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL, AND WHY?

I do not have a spirit animal per se, but Mogli from The Jungle Book is definitely my spirit character. I feel like Mogli posses the very same mixture of primal instinct and juvenile curiosity that make me happy. In an ideal world I would be free to wear a loincloth, play games all day, and tromp around the jungle with a fun-loving gang of animal friends.

Pramuka Island

Nicholas joined the Wildwater crew in the Spring of the 2013 season. Nicholas contributes great energy, a warm smile, and a friendly - positive attitude to the Wildwater family. We are excited that he will be making his way back up to Wildwater in the end of May for the 2014 season. You can raft with Nicholas on the Wenatchee River, Skagit River, or White Salmon River and join him for a Stand up Paddling trip. 

STAFF HIGHLIGHT: LANCE REIF

NAME: Lance Reif
NICKNAME: Fancy Pants, or just Fancy.
This was the name given to me when I was a "rookie" guide on the New and Gauley rivers of West Virginia where I trained at Songer Whitewater. I am not sure how it came about, maybe because I had a pair of board shorts with flowers, or just because my guiding style was so slick.

Lance at the top of Glacier National Park, BC

GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF.

Growing up I played soccer year-round. I was really competitive and had a lot of energy, so soccer was a great sport for me. Eventually I got a new passion after a high school teacher introduced my to whitewater kayaking. I didn't know many people that kayaked, so I decided to try and get a job as a guide. Every day I wasn't working I would kayak along with raft trips trying to get better.

Lance surfing on the New River Dries, WV

Eventually I entered a few kayaking competitions to see how I compared. My first claim to fame was in the 2007 Wavesport Open on the Upper Gauley river, where I took home a brand new Sweet Protection helmet for the best (worst) carnage of the day for getting stuck in the "room of doom" on Pillow Rock rapid for over 4 minutes but managed to not swim. In the same event I also took 3rd place in the boater cross race through "Lost Paddle" rapid.

Lance competing in the 2008 Big Air competition, Clackamas River Festival

 Here as some other events I have taken part in:
-2nd place 2007 ASCI Wavesport Freestyle Rodeo
-2nd place K-1 playboat category, 2008 Upper Gauley Animal race
-Finalist in Big Air competition, 2008 Clackamas River Festival
-5th place 2009 nation wide Eddy Flower Vertical Challenge, kayaked 24,755 vertical feet in 32 days
-4th place 2010 nation wide Eddy Flower Vertical Challenge, kayaked 28,205 vertical feet in 32 days
-2nd place short boat category, 2010 Upper Wind River Festival
-17th place (in a 3 way tie!), 2012 Little White Salmon Race
-8th place Long boat category, 2014 Upper Wind River Festival

Lance running S-turn rapid on the Rio Alseseca, Mexico

Aside from competitions I have kayaked class V rapids and big waterfalls in Ecuador, Mexico, British Columbia, and all over the United States.

Lance dropping 50 foot falls on the Rio Texolo, Mexico 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER AT WILDWATER?

This is a hard one to answer with so many great rivers, but if I had to choose a favorite river that Wildwater runs it would have to be the Green River Gorge. It is a hard one to get on due to its unpredictable flows and early season, but the combination of amazing scenery and exciting whitewater make it my favorite.

Green River Gorge, WA

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER OR MULTI-DAY TRIP?

Favorite river would have to be the Little White Salmon in Washington. This class V river drops almost 1,200 feet in 4 miles and has some of the best whitewater in the world. The water is perfectly clear and turquoise in color. There are several springs that you can pull over to and drink from and the rapids are top notch. It may not be the hardest river in the world, but it sure is one of the best.

Lance boofing Stovepipe rapid on the Little White Salmon, WA

WHAT GOT YOU INTO WHITEWATER? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A GUIDE?

My first time in a raft, I was probably 5 at the time, was on the Snake River in Wyoming on a gentle scenic stretch outside of the Grand Tetons where my cousin was a guide. Then, while I was in 5th or 6th grade, my family did a whitewater trip on the New River in West Virginia. For the next few years I rafted almost every Summer on the New River with friends or Youth Groups. My senior year of high school I got introduced to kayaking from a teacher and quickly bought a kayak. That Summer, my Dad took my brother and I down the Grand Canyon for 13 days and I started thinking about becoming a guide. Through friends I met a guy with a raft and my freshman year of college he invited me and some friends to raft the Gauley river. He wanted to sit up front for the last big class V rapid called Sweets Falls, so he asked who wanted to guide. Being the only person in the boat who kayaked and with the most rafting experience I stepped up and he let me guide Sweets Falls and several other class IV-V rapids. In the Spring of 2004 I became a guide for Songer Whitewater in West Virginia and I have never looked back.

Lance getting the pillow ride at Pillow Rock rapid on the Upper Gauley river, WV

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Green

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD/MEAL?

Pizza! I know it's cliche but melted cheese with any toppings and sauce on a delicious crust is hard to beat.

Lance catching some air in the Wasatch back-country in UT

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

"Would you rather have bankruptcy of pocket or bankruptcy of soul?"

Lance dropping Punchbowl Falls on Eagle Creek, OR

WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL AND WHY?

I have always been drawn to the cheetah. They are beautiful, elegant, fast, and determined. They rest most of the time so that they can devote all their energy to one thing, which in their instance is to eat, but I think there is some deeper meaning in that.

Lance took over Wildwater in October 2012. He re-branded the company, changing the name and introduced ACA kayak instruction, stand up paddling trips, and private rowing instruction. Wildwater was founded in 1980 and will continue to grow and progress for years to come. 

STAFF HIGHLIGHT: JAIME SCHULTZ

NAME: Jaime Schultz

Jaime rockin' one of her custom hats. 

GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF.

While whitewater is a huge passion of mine there are many other activities that bring me a lot of happiness in life. I'm currently a Music Education major at CWU where I play the saxophone. It's a difficult major but by the time I graduate I'll know how to play about a dozen instruments and I get to create music in multiple ensembles for hours on end every day... so I'd say I'm pretty lucky for that! 

Jaime playing her saxophone at CWU. 

I'm also very passionate about rock climbing. I first went outside two years ago and have been scaling up big walls ever since. It was what ignited the fire that is my love for outdoor adventure and last year I even became a PCIA certified climbing instructor.

Jaime rock climbing at Vantage.

 Lastly (and probably most random) is that I custom paint hats and shoes! I absolutely love to paint and while it started out as a way for me to make cool personalized and wearable gear for myself, my friends soon started to ask if I would make custom hats and shoes for them as well. After a while I decided to take it public and have actually gotten orders from all around the United States and even different countries around the world! Crazy how things work out sometimes.

Another one of Jaime's custom hats, you can get them here.

Jaime's custom painted shoes you can get them here.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER THAT WILDWATER OFFERS?

This is such a hard question because every river is awesome for its own unique reason! But if I had to choose, I'd have to say the White Salmon for its BIG hits and the unreal fun of Husum Falls or the Green River at high flows for its almost constant rapids and unbelievable remote scenery.

Jaime's perspective from her GoPro while running class V,  Husum Falls on the White Salmon River.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER OR MULTI-DAY TRIP?

My favorite river I've been on is the multi-day I did on the Lower Salmon. We spent 7 days on the river, and while the rapids were not huge, the whitewater offered plenty of fun during the day and the endless white sandy beaches were unbelievable. It was truly an experience unlike any I'd ever had before and I can not wait to do it all again this summer!

A photo from the Lower Salmon River multi-day trip Jaime went on last year.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO WHITEWATER? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A GUIDE?

I had always wanted to go whitewater rafting, but my family wasn't exactly what you would call "adventurous". So, the summer after my first year of college my mom said I could plan a family road trip around Washington. I quickly booked spots to go bungee jumping in Amboy and whitewater rafting on the Skykomish River in Index. While the trip terrified my mother beyond all belief, after we went through that big first rapid on the Skykomish I was instantly hooked. I couldn't believe that our guide actually got paid to do this every day, so after the trip I asked him how he got so lucky. He told me I just had to take guide training and I could get hired on for a summer. That fall I took a whitewater kayaking course, which only solidified my love for the river. I'd never felt more alive in my life than after a day full of whitewater, so after meeting the right people at the right time and never losing that desire to become a guide I found myself at Wildwater's guide training last spring. It was a huge game changer- and I can't imagine it any other way.

Jaime bungee jumping. 

Jaime exploring Vernal Falls, Yosemite National Park.

Jaime rowing on the beautiful Skagit River during Guide Training 2013.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

Anyone who knows me knows that I love quotes and while its a bit long, this one has always been my favorite:

“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

Jaime hiking at Rattlesnake Ridge. 

WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL AND WHY?

It sounds cliche when talking about whitewater- but I'd have to say my spirit animal is a fish. I'm one of those people who just loves the water in any form and would rather swim than walk any day. I grew up next to the ocean and the water has always been and continues to be a huge part of my life. And heck... my astrological symbol is even Pisces! So I suppose it was all just meant to be :)

Jaime stand up paddling with her dog Ralph on the Puget Sound in her hometown of Kingston.

Written by: Jaime Schultz

Jaime joined the Wildwater crew after participating in our Guide Training course in 2013. We are happy to have such a fun loving, friendly individual working for us. It didn't take long for Jaime to pick up the skills to guide the Wenatchee River, Skagit River, and guide down river stand up paddling trips for Wildwater. 

SPRING TIME RAFTING IN WASHINGTON

Join Wildwater this Spring for a rafting trip on one of Washington's many classic rivers. What could be a better way to kick off Spring time and enjoy the sunshine that we all have been missing during the winter months?

Washington has some pretty amazing rivers to choose from and Wildwater has the privilege of offering eight different rivers so you can find the perfect river trip for you during the rafting season. We know many of you probably don't think of rafting until late June, July or August and don't get us wrong, we love rafting those months too, but there is something special about Spring rafting in Washington. 

Happy Rafters enjoying a sunny Spring day on the Wenatchee River.

Something that the Spring months can't compare with when it comes to rafting are the peak flows you will experience. Most of the rivers you can raft on in Washington are fed straight from the beautiful mountains in the Cascade range, which means that Spring time is the best option for getting out on the rivers of Washington while the river levels are at their prime.

Rafters on the Green River experience waterfalls cascading from the 300 foot cliffs.

The Wenatchee River, Green River Gorge, Skykomish River and the Toutle River all offer up their own take on incredible whitewater rafting in Spring.


The Wenatchee River has the biggest waves in the state during the peak months of late April, May and June during the start of the sunshine and snow melt for the season. Just east of the Cascade Range the Wenatchee Valley has 300 days of sunshine making for warmer weather rafting trips and great flows for the months leading into Summer. Our guides will tailor your trip to fit your wants and needs and can make any rafting experience as WILD or MILD as you wish. 

Peak flows on the Wenatchee River make for the biggest waves rafted in the state of Washington.

Desert weather makes for warmer rafting trips on the Wenatchee River. 

The Green River Gorge is an experience of a lifetime with its beautiful lush green scenery and short window to raft in April and May. The whitewater and scenery that the Green River provides in unlike any rafting trip you will experience in Washington. Ages 16 years and up. 

You can learn more about rafting the Green River from our Green River blog post. 

Lush green scenery makes for a beautiful sight to see while rafting the Green River Gorge. 

Whitewater action mixed with amazing scenery makes the Green River a rafting trip you can't miss out on.

The Skykomish River is the best mixture of class IV-V rapids, turquoise glacial melt, and views comparable to Patagonia. Just an hour east of Seattle and our most challenging whitewater rafting trip that we offer the "Sky" is a guest and guide favorite.  Ages 16 years and up.

With views that are out of this world, the "Sky" is a gorgeous whitewater rafting experience. 

Class V "Boulder Drop" rapid will get your heart pumping. 

The Toutle River, a class III-IV stretch has more than just exhilarating rapids to offer. The bedrock walls of the canyon contain years of ever changing historical value providing a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in rafting this gorgeous and famous whitewater stretch. Join us one weekend only for a Mount St. Helens whitewater rafting trip on the Toutle River. You can read more about our Toutle River rafting trip from our blog post. 

A beautiful photo of Mount St. Helens captured by Backpacker Magazine. 

"Hollywood Gorge" on the Toutle River. Photo credit: Kira Marley.

Don't wait until Summer to book your whitewater rafting adventure for 2014. 
Don't wait until the river level is low or gone for the season. 
Don't wait to head out and explore the beautiful rivers of Washington State. 

When you decide who to raft with for the 2014 season don't forget about Wildwater, your one stop destination for river adventures in Washington. 

Wildwater offers top of the line equipment and the highest certified guides in the state of Washington. Join the experience today!

STAFF HIGHLIGHT: ANDY LOCKEY

NAME: Andy Lockey
NICKNAME: "Full Face"

Andy surfing a SUP on "Turkey Shoot" rapid on the Wenatchee River.

GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF.

Before I became a whitewater nut I've had many passions and hobbies. The basic life long passions include skiing, backpacking, biking, hiking, and general adventuring. After graduating high school I dove into some more specific interest like things that go vroom and elevating myself far above the ground. For a couple years the main passion was rally racing in my first car, 1997 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport.

Andy and his Subaru featured on one of Subaru's adds. 

Won some, lost some, and always was able to fix it myself. Since the first one I've owned four Subaru's including a 1986 BRAT that has a few modification I did myself.

Andy's 1986 BRAT and his pups Casper and Lexie.

The elevation gain I'm talking about is my passion for rock climbing. In college I became a climbing instructor and guide. I also competed in the Northwest Collegiate Climbing Competitions and took podium finishes at several events.

Another passion of Andy's is climbing.

Now days I enjoy tall moderate traditional climbing and mountaineering, more adventuring and less envelope pushing. Some of my climbing buddies were also whitewater kayakers and after trying it in the pool for the first time I was hooked. By hooked I mean changed my life forever. To see what I mean check out my video series "Full Face Chronicles". Almost forgot to mention I have become a self taught professional videographer. One more hobby to throw on top, motorcycles.

Andy taking a break from riding his motorcycle.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER AT WILDWATER?

My favorite river to work on is definitely the White Salmon. Summer is in full swing and it's just plain beautiful in the basalt gorges. Husum falls is a ton of fun too!

Andy and his crew after running "Top Drop" the first rapid on the Wild & Scenic White Salmon River.

Andy taking his crew over Class V Husum Falls on the White Salmon River.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RIVER OR MULTI-DAY TRIP?

How can I choose!? The Wenatchee has it all, class 5 stoutness in Tumwater Canyon and the best play waves in the state further down stream. But I can say my favorite river experience so far was on the Upper Upper Cispus River. I've never felt so "in the moment" until paddling into a difficult rapid right above a 30 foot waterfall that you have to run with no way to change your mind after you take that first stroke.

Andy in the green kayak on the left and co-workers Lance, and David with friend Luc on the Upper Upper Cispus.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO WHITEWATER? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A GUIDE?

After kayaking took over my life I knew I wanted to find a way into the industry. With an instructing and guiding background in climbing it only seemed right to become a raft guide and kayak instructor.

Andy kayaking over Husum Falls.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Orange!

Andy wearing his favorite color orange during a day of climbing.

WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL AND WHY?

Definitely the Arctic Snow Fox a.k.a my boy Casper because we both like long walks on the beach and have deep conversations that last into the wee hours of the night.

Andy's fiance Anna, and dog Casper enjoy the sunshine. 

Written by: Andy Lockey

Andy joined the Wildwater crew in the Spring of 2013 after participating in our Guide Training course. Andy now guides on the Wenatchee, White Salmon, Tieton, Skagit and Green Rivers. Andy also support kayaks for our Skykomish trips, guides our down river SUP trips, is a kayak instructor and makes the majority of the marketing videos for Wildwater. You can watch the videos Andy has edited at our YouTube channel. We are very happy that Andy decided to take our Guide Training course last season, he has been a great addition to the crew.