Our Guides
Best in the Business
We Have the Best Guides in the Canyon, By Far.
About Hatch’s Grand Canyon River Guides
In any given year, we employ around 25-35 guides and swampers (assistant guides) who will crew around 64 trips through Grand Canyon over the course of the summer. Most of these folks return to work with us year after year—some for more than 30 years running!
Every Grand Canyon river guide and swamper is certified (at minimum) as a Wilderness First Responder, in CPR administration, and as a Food Manager or Backcountry Food Manager. Many of our guides are qualified above and beyond these minimum requirements as EMTs or even nurses.
Visit our FAQ page to learn more.
Experienced Guides
Meet Our Guides
Carlos
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I feel incredibly blessed to call Hatch my home for half the year, and cherish the chance to work with the amazing guests and guides that have been drawn to this place.
Dan
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David
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Let’s Go Rafting!
Eric
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JP
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The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful and spectacular National Parks, and it’s an honor to work as a river guide in it. I consider the Canyon my home. As a guide, it’s my job to provide safety and to share my knowledge, experience, and love of the canyon with my cliental. I believe the canyon is one of the best natural classrooms in the world. I believe providing extensive interpretation of the natural history of the canyon is not only personally rewarding but also socially beneficial. Educating my passengers opens their eyes to issues pertinent in protecting and preserving our diminishing natural resources and National Parks. My experience as a guide allows me to provide safe and fulfilling trips for my passengers, which allows me to provide impeccable logistical support on research trips geared to preserving and restoring the natural habitat in the Grand Canyon.
Kelly
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Kelsey
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I was taken on a white water rafting trip for my 18th birthday and was so infatuated with the experience I convinced them to let me start training as a guide the next day. I worked as a raft guide on four different rivers before I got the incredible chance to take my first trip in Grand Canyon in 2017.
I feel so lucky to be able to call Grand Canyon home for half the year.
The other half I work on an ambulance as and EMT in Colorado. Along with Skiing, Mountain Biking, Photography and reading about Grand Canyon.
Lars
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Lena
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Mariah
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I have worked in the Grand Canyon since 2009 in a variety of roles. I started working with Grand Canyon Youth engaging students in on-going inventory and monitoring projects focused on side streams and springs on and along the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. I find it very rewarding to take youth down the river and so I have continued to work with Grand Canyon Youth as a trip coordinator. After receiving my Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Northern Arizona University in 2012, I started working as a fish biologist contracted through the USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. We currently conduct sampling trips throughout the year primarily focused on non-native Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the endangered Humpback Chub (Gila cypha). The opportunity to pursue my passion for science in such an amazing place has been an incredible experience and there is still a lifetime’s worth of things to learn about the mighty Colorado River and it’s Grand Canyon. In addition, I have worked for the Grand Canyon National Park as a technician in fisheries and hydrology. I am a Wilderness First Responder and hold CPR and Backcountry Food Handler certifications. This compilation of experiences has provided me with a well-rounded knowledge base that I truly enjoy sharing with folks on the river.
I enjoy working for Hatch River Expeditions because it is a family-oriented company. Hatch also employs some of the most experienced and knowledgeable boatmen working in the Grand Canyon, and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from the best.
When I am not in the Grand Canyon, I love being in the mountains with my family.
Nicky
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My river guiding career began the summer after my college graduation. In the six years since, my love of rivers and adventure have led me to work in Colorado on the Arkansas River, the Yampa River, and the Upper Colorado River, the Rio Tampaón in Mexico, and the Futaleufú River in Patagonia, Chile!
But ever since my first Grand Canyon River trip in fall 2018, it was my NUMBER 1 GOAL to become a Grand Canyon boatman. To me, the Grand Canyon is the most magical place on the planet. I believe it is a place that everyone should experience from river level at least once in their lives. I began working for Hatch River Expeditions in 2020, and I am so grateful and feel so blessed to share this unique and awe-inspiring place with our guests. It is truly a dream job.
When I am not guiding trips in Colorado or in the Grand Canyon, I work as an Instructor of Swiftwater Rescue for the Swiftwater Safety Institute, and as an Instructor of Outdoor Education for Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, where I teach future river guides and kayakers the art of making dutch oven pineapple upside-down cake, playing cheesy folk songs on the guitar, and brewing extremely strong coffee.
Sean
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See you on the water!
Josh
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Coming soon!
Chris H.
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I first went on a Grand Canyon trip in 1990 and then started working for Hatch in 1997. I love working for Hatch and being a part of the Hatch history in Grand Canyon and rafting in general. I feel a strong sense of pride in working for Hatch and have never worked for any other commercial rafting company. My favorite part of working in Grand Canyon is getting the pleasure of taking guests on this life-changing experience. My favorite rapid in Grand Canyon is Hermit, because I always think about the time I got to surf that rapid on a trip. When I’m not running rivers, I am playing the bass guitar with my band Dying Tribe.
I truly enjoy getting to show folks Grand Canyon and see the change it has on them after the trip. Let’s go boatin’!
On Guide Requests
Some guests ask if they can request a specific guide for their trip. We are happy to consider these requests when scheduling, but can never guarantee a particular guide as there could be conflicts or emergencies that prevent a guide from being available. If you can’t get your requested guide, know that we’ll have someone else great just waiting to show you the river!