Safety:
Providing a safe Sol Journey for all participants is our number one priority. Our expeditions take place in the wilderness where anything can happen. All of our guides are certified in Wilderness First Response and CPR. We carry a satellite phone, a major first aid kit, and have an evacuation plan in place should the need arise. Our Wilderness Risk Management team includes local National Park and BLM Rangers with back up assistance from Grand County Search and Rescue.
Guide: Alicia Wright
Alicia Wright is a licensed Utah Captain Guide. Coming from a river family, she has been on the river most of her life. Alicia was born and raised in Steamboat Springs, Colorado where the Yampa and Green Rivers were in her back yard. Twice down the Grand Canyon and numerous excursions down Yampa Canyon, Gates of Lodore, and Westwater Canyon over the years have seasoned her to appreciate and humbly respect the power of the River. In 2013 she moved to Moab, Utah, to start anew as a business owner, desert explorer, truth seeker and paddle board guide on the Colorado River. In 2015 she launched Sol Journeys: a guided retreat experience in tandem with her manual. She is passionate about her service of liberation through awareness and facilitates empowerment through tools of introspection and connection.
Guide: Josh Surkes
Josh Surkes grew up in New York City, NY. Playing in the outdoors is not something he grew up doing, but rather fell in love with. His family moved to Virginia just as he was entering his teen years. During that time, Josh found surfing the outer banks of North Carolina. Being in the water became home. After graduating college, Josh joined the Peace Corps where he spent 2 years in Kazakhstan teaching economics to seniors in high school. Shortly after his return home in January of 2002, he packed up his car and drove across the United States toward the surfing promise land, California. He decided to take a detour in Salt Lake City to snowboard and see the 2002 Winter Olympics. He never left. Josh loved how easy it was to access outdoor sports such as rock climbing, backpacking and mostly snowboarding in the Wasatch Mountains. After working in a “big boy job” for a few years, Josh realized the 9-5 life was not for him. He missed water. He decided to try out whitewater rafting in Moab, UT. After years of rowing the big water of the desert, he stumbled upon stand up paddle boarding. Could it be? Rivers and the surfing he had missed? He gave it a go. 2 years later, Josh wanted to share his love of whitewater, rivers and surfing with others and created Paddle Moab, the first exclusive stand up paddle boarding company in Moab, UT.
Outfitter: Paddle Moab
Paddle Moab is going into it's 5th year of service on the Colorado River. Trips offered locally in Moab have brought hundreds of people paddling down both whitewater and flat water sections rain or shine. Paddle Moab accommodates large specialty group trips such as boy scouts, wedding parties, and outdoor recovery programs as well as couples, families, and friends. In 2015, the inaugural trip down Labyrinth Canyon was a huge success. And, overnights at Onion Creek on the Moab Daily with Paddle Moab's flair are the best, bar none! Besides being the most progressive SUP service in the Moab area, Paddle Moab also brings the Back of Beyond SUP race to town in early May. Reserve your space today! www.paddlemoab.com.
