CRMS Participants

Nicole Lipe
17
Seattle, Washington.

In my free time I enjoy to rock climb, snowboard, play piano, and kayak.

I first began kayaking 5 or 6 years ago at Camp Green Cove in North Carolina. I started running rivers in canoes, and then learned my roll and started running rivers in a kayak. Kayaking is how I found Colorado Rocky Mountain School. I felt like kayaking in the summer wasn't enough for me, and that I wanted to be on the river for more of the year.  

I am extremely excited to go to the Grand Canyon, and in Chile not only for kayaking but for the cultural experiences. I have only been to South America once before when I was younger, and I'm excited to learn about life in Chile. In addition, I am excited to practice speaking spanish with the Chilean students. Kayaking wise, I'm excited to try out two completely new stretches of river. Throughout the time that I have been kayaking, I've mostly repeated certain stretches of river over and over again, so I'm excited to try something new. I'm really hoping to help encourage people to improve their skills in their kayak while having others help me improve my skills on this trip.


Emma Crane
15
Hotchkiss/Carbondale CO

Playing music, soccer, rafting and drawing.

I grew up on the river and when I was around  8, I wanted to be more independent and try kayaking. I have been on and off kayaking since then. I had an experience where I could not get out of my boat and was stuck under water in the Virgin River. This year I did kayaking with the school and learned how to roll though I still need a lot of practice with it.

I am excited about mostly just being down in Chile again and being on the river with friends. I really want to keep on learning my roll. I had such a good time on the Futaleufu last time and I am hoping for that experience again. I consider Chile like my third home.  





Cleo Ulatowski
17
Dobbs Ferry, New York

Rock Climbing, Guitar & Drums, Soccer, Ceramics, Adventuring

Last Fall, I was taught the fundamentals of kayaking. I went on a 4 day trip kayaking trip later that Fall, where I learned how to surf and started rolling.

I am so excited to simply be in Chile. The fact that we are going to be on the water, kayaking with the Chilean students, and staying with local families every night, makes it so much more incredible. I have learned a lot about water and the effects of damming rivers, but I cannot wait to see for myself the wild and free flowing Baker and Pascua, because then I will understand how harmful the construction of a dam could potentially be. This is experience will not only be cultural exciting, but it will also be educationally fascinating and challenging for my kayaking abilities. I’m excited to hang out with the students, eat local food, talk in my limited Spanish, and be completely immersed Chilean life.




Riley Ames
16
Basalt, Colorado

Mountain Biker, Photographer, Telemark Skier

I have spent plenty of time in open kayaks and in big ocean kayaks on flat water. I have never been in a playboat or been white water kayaking but am super siked to learn! I am going to be spending pretty much all of my free time in a boat learning to get ready for this trip.

The Spanish language it great! and am very exited to get an opportunity to be immersed in it and get better at speaking in it. I also love photography and cinematography so this is a invaluable experience to get to peruse those passions on such a level in such a neet location. For me doing new things and getting pushed out of my comfort zone is what I'm all about. Kayaking is that for me. Having little experience and not liking water, I get a great opportunity to push my self in ways I have never been able to before. I am also super glad that this isn't 'playing for the sake of fun.' Being able to have a positive humanitarian and ecological impact and help others makes this experience beneficial to others than just me. I think that it is important to give when every possible, especially when I get to play and do what I love so often. Incorporating the two, now thats special. Overall I'm siked to get better at Spanish, get some film and photos in, and learn a completely new thing.





Mollie Podmore
17
Glenwood Springs, Colorado

I love kayaking, skiing, playing games, rock climbing, guitar, banjo, adventuring, exploring, biking, rafting, and camping

For my whole life, I have always done a lot of rafting every summer and always loved rivers. I started kayaking two years ago, and I love it. Since then, I have spent a lot of time on the rivers near where I live, as well as throughout Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. Mostly, I have spent time with fun and exciting rapids, but I have also done a little bit of playboating and slalom racing. This fall, I helped teach kayaking to students who hadn't done it before, and I learned a lot from seeing it from a new perspective.

With Rios to Rivers, I am very excited to see a new place, learn more about water issues, and connect with new people. I have never been to Chile, so I am excited to explore it. I have spent a lot of time on the rivers near where I live, so it will be fun to get to see a new and different river. Also, I am very interested in water and the issues surrounding it. I hope to learn a lot about what is happening in Chile, and I think it will be wonderful to get to understand that from directly spending time on those rivers. I would love to bring back that perspective and apply it to my connection with rivers at home. In addition, I am really excited to see and connect with new people from a culture that I don't know. I would love to learn more Spanish from the exchange and connect with people who I would otherwise probably not meet. Because of our different backgrounds, I think that there will be a lot to learn from being exposed to different viewpoints.