Grand Canyon Adventure trip

In September 2018, Team River Runner guided 5 well trained blind veterans in their own kayaks on an epic whitewater run down the mighty Colorado River in the Grand Canyon! TRR had previously guided Lonnie Bedwell down these same rapids in 2013 making him the first blind kayaker to successfully paddle all 226 miles. Lonnie coordinated the 2018 adventure, forming a team of 12 sighted veterans and 4 TRR volunteers as the guides. Lonnie had dreamed since his 2013 historic feat to be able to share this life changing experience with his fellow veterans. Take the time to review the journey, along with some videos of one of TRR’s proudest accomplishments.

Meet the Outtasight Paddlers!

In the months leading up the the trip, this group of paddlers will be training hard in the necessary skills to make a successful Grand Canyon run. Click on the profiles below to learn more about the paddlers and the progress they are making at each of our clinics!

Travis Fugate

Kathy Champion

Brian Harris

Lonnie Bedwell

Steve Baskis

Outtasight Guides!

These veterans and volunteers will be the eyes for our blind and visually impaired paddlers. They guide the Outtasight paddlers by voice and are training alongside them!

Craig Larcenaire

Rachael Ward

Russell Davies

Eric Carlson

Seth Dahl

Eric Guzman

Safety Boaters

Ken Braband

Bill Finger

Chip Sell

Joe Mornini

Dave Robey

Jeff Vannoy

In The News

Travis on Lex 18 news

Watch this feature on Lex18 News about Vision Team Member Travis and listen to his story! Video link below.

Watch Here

McCall Digest

In June, I will have the privilege of bringing five blind veterans to McCall. This “Vision Team” – four men and one woman – will be here to hone their whitewater kayaking skills as they prepare to paddle 220 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in September. The Colorado, with its large raft-flipping holes, big waves, long rapids and swirly eddies, provides challenges to the most capable of boaters. Many solid kayakers have had this river get the better of them. Now, imagine being blind and relying on someone else’s eyes to guide you. It requires tremendous courage and trust.

Read The Full Article

Charlotte Vision Team Training

"A group of blind veterans who have been training at the National Whitewater Center in Charlotte this week are planning to kayak down the Grand Canyon later this summer. The veterans are able to do this seemingly impossible act through a guide who calls out commands. The group also has another kayaker behind them who is there if needed."

Read The Full Post

WCCB Charlotte

An inspiring new challenge unfolded at the U.S. National Whitewater Center Friday. Five blind veterans trained to kayak the Colorado River. It’s one of those sports that makes you feel alive. A challenge that gave Lonnie Bedwell a vision when he went blind. “I just want to make a difference,” said Bedwell.

Read The Full Story

The Charlotte Observer

Members of Team River Runner's Vision Team, made up of 5 visually impaired veteran kayakers and 7 safety guides, trained at the U.S. National Whitewater Center for an upcoming 226 mile adventure through the Grand Canyon in September of this year

Watch The Video

Spectrum News

A group of blind veterans who have been training at the National Whitewater Center in Charlotte this week are planning to kayak down the Grand Canyon later this summer. The veterans are able to do this seemingly impossible act through a guide who calls out commands. The group also has another kayer behind them who is there if needed. Despite the help, the veterans say it's one of the most independent things they can do without the power of sight.

Read The Full story

Slide Heading

I am slide content. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Click Here

Previous slide

Next slide

Mike Plourde

Timmy O'Neill

The Action

Our Outtasight Clinics have been around since 2014 and we’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing footage shot of our training. Check out this video that Seth Dahl created this year about our Vision team!

“Paddling the Grand Canyon with TRR was such a powerful moment to know, this is possible. To know that I don’t have to be defined by this box that people put me in as a blind person. I can dream beyond this box. It just truly makes you believe in yourself and the power of what you can do.”

Lonnie Bedwell

Thank you to our sponsors!