About Us

Ryan Snodgrass

Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Downstream Adventures

A real nature warrior at heart, Ryan is an enthusiast of pretty much everything outdoors, from white water boating and snowmobiling to fishing and hunting. If it’s outdoors, count him in! With more than 20 years of experience in white water, he has found riding rapids to be meditative as it forces you to find peace in a moment immersed in chaos.

He has competed in the Green River Narrows Race, Homestake Race, Gore Canyon Race, Upper Yough Race, and North Alabama Whitewater Festival. Ryan’s passion is offering all guests the best white water experience, and he won’t rest until he has built the strongest and best trained team of professional guides in the industry.

Jonathan Snodgrass

Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Downstream Adventures

Jonathan grew up in northeast Alabama, but Colorado has been his home for the past 8 years. A real white water veteran, Jonathan started white water kayaking with his dad and brother at a young age on rivers throughout the southeast. What started as a fun summer job guiding rafts on the Ocoee River soon turned into a lifestyle choice that he still follows to this day.

In his spare time, he takes advantage of all the other outdoor recreation opportunities the great state of Colorado has to offer, such as skiing, mountain biking, and fishing. His passion is forever the water, and Jonathan’s ambition is to chase other great white water across the U.S. and abroad.

Casey Butler

Casey first got a taste for the water at 15 on his first boating experience with his father on the Amnicola River. After working a conventional job, he left everything behind and followed his calling, relocating from southern to northern Georgia at the ripe age of 24. Casey has been guiding for more than 15 years and is one of the most accomplished steep creek rafters in the nation. He helped to pioneer commercial rafting on the Cheoah and Chattahoochee River and has made first descents on Upper-Upper Conasauga and Roaring Fork. His goal is to tackle the Zambezi and White Nile!

Jordan Mikle

Hailing from Cleveland, Tennessee, Jordan began his guiding career on the Ocoee River during college and instantly fell in love. After guiding on various rivers for more than 10 years, Jordan found Clear Creek rafting and hasn’t looked back! Jordan is a wilderness first responder and level 4 certified in swiftwater rescue skills. He enjoys long river trips and has tackled the Grand Canyon twice! Off the river, you might find him playing drums with his band River Funk or chilling with his dog, Zephyr. His energy on the river is contagious and he doesn’t foresee himself slowing down anytime soon!

Scotty Mann

Scotty is a Texas native who has made stunning Colorado his chosen home and has guided the rivers here for more than 5 years. Scotty began guiding over 10 years ago on the Ocoee River where he proved a real natural at kayaking and excelled in the art of running steep rapids. He boasts an impressive resume, having run many of the nation’s hardest rivers as well as raced on the Green Narrows. Scotty has advanced medical and swiftwater rescue training, so you can enjoy the ride as he takes you out on the river!

Rusty Caspers

Rusty is a real pro on the water, with more than 20 years of guiding experience. Long river expeditions are his forte, and he’s undertaken expeditions such as the Grand Canyon and Dolores River. As if that isn’t impressive enough, Rusty has gained notoriety for his skill in RC racing and has kayaked all over the United States, too! His off-duty persona is equally as impressive — he’s an Eagle Scout, a master fisherman, avid snowboarder, and a jack-of-all trades when it comes to the outdoors.

Hattie Johnson

Born near Atlanta, Hattie was lucky enough to enjoy the mountains and rivers of the southeast as a kid. With over 10 years of whitewater experience, Hattie has guided in Tennessee, West Virginia, and California. She of course eventually happily settled here in the Rocky Mountains. As the coordinator of the Gore Canyon Race, Hattie has been on all sides of white water competition. She has raced kayaks, SUPs, and, in 2016, she and her raft team won the downriver national championship. Hattie also works as a landscape architect and does river restoration work around the country.

Chad Pickens

Although he was born and raised in Nashville, Chad has made the stunning Rocky Mountains in Colorado his home since 2008. With more than 15 years of boating experience, Chad is a real hand on the water. A thrill-seeker at heart, he has competed in the Green River Narrows race 4 times, and the Oh Be Joyful and Cherry Creek Race twice each. Off the water, you’ll find Chad hanging out with his dog, SCUBA diving, skiing, snowmobiling, and kayaking. He prefers to live in the present, and always keeps this quote on his heart: “sometimes you won’t know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

Ivan Binnings

Born in Colorado Springs, Ivan knows the area like the back of his hand! With an impressive resume of more than 15 years guiding white water internationally and at home, you’re in the safest company. Ivan enjoys the rewards that come from putting his passion and stewardship for wild places, nature, and history on display. With competitions under his belt such as the 2012 USA Rafting Championships and the 2013 Gore Canyon Race, he is a real adrenaline-seeker. And he doesn’t slow down off the river — in his other lives, Ivan is a full-time emergency/trauma nurse, avid mountain biker, skier, and general all-rounder!