The River Radius Podcast

Sam Carter
  • 5.0 (4)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
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This is a river podcast, and a great story, boating, science, adventure and conservation podcast.

  1. Live with The Returning Rapids Project, at the America Outdoors Conference

    MAR 3

    Live with The Returning Rapids Project, at the America Outdoors Conference

    This episode was recorded live at the America Outdoors annual conference and is a conversation with three members from the Returning Rapids Project in Utah.  The Returning Rapids Project is documenting the changes and restoration happening to the reservoir-affected areas of the Colorado River and the San Juan River as Lake Powell continues to recede out of the river canyons it inundated with reservoir waters for the past several decades.  The deeper focus of this episode beyond this research project is the powerful observational ability of river guides who work on rivers day after day, year after year, and how they can notice the most minute changes.  In the case of the Colorado River and the Returning Rapids Project, it was this guide observation that witnessed a subtle shift to the river.  This observation has developed into a powerful project that is learning how rivers recover from life under a reservoir.  THUMBNAIL PIC  Stephen Martin@finding.stephen@explorewithmedia GUESTSThe Returning Rapids Project Isabel Adler Davide Ipolito Mike DeHoffMedia about Returning RapidsA Ledge in the River: New feature documented by the Returning Rapids Project Mike Fiebig, American Rivers CONFERENCE HOST America Outdoors2027 Conference Watch this episode on the America Outdoors Youtube Channel SPONSORS Giveaway: "Raft the Last Wild River Sweepstakes" live March 9, 2026   OARS@oars_raftingStillwater & Cataract Canyon HikerCataract Canyon Whitewater Rafting AMERICAN RIVERS@americanrivers   THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    1h 21m
  2. National Paddling Film Festival 2026

    FEB 17

    National Paddling Film Festival 2026

    Rivers are always photogenic, even telegenic, and rivers often become the setting for many films. Each year since 1981, the National Paddling Film Festival (NPFF) has provided a collective presentation of river films. This year’s festival is happening on February 21, live and in person in Kentucky with a virtual streaming option available for the price of a cup of coffee. We have 3 guests bringing us details about the NPFF. Stephanie Hoelscher is the director; Devin Ashley Brown is the featured paddler in the film “Mother River” about her Mississippi River run; and Nishan Thapa is the creator of the film “The Jewel of Wild West Nepal” about paddling the rivers in his home country of Nepal.  GUESTS Stephanie Hoelscher Devin Ashley Brown @afrodiskayak Harvest Film Company Nishan Thapa @riverratmountainkat @summit_to_sea2026   SPONSORS Denver Area Nissan Dealers @nissanusa FILMS NATIONAL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL @npff.paddling Tickets: live & streaming THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    42 min
  3. 3 Women 300 Miles, River Boarding the Grand Canyon

    FEB 10

    3 Women 300 Miles, River Boarding the Grand Canyon

    Do you ever get those wild ideas about running a river in a unique way, but they just stay ideas, and you kinda always wish you had followed through?  This episode is about an idea that became a reality.  In November of 2001, 3 people zipped up their drysuits, pulled on their swim fins, strapped their dry bags to river boards, and slid into the Colorado River beginning a 300 mile trip where river boards were their only water craft.  Kelley Kalafatich, Julie Munger and Rebecca Rusch floated, swam, kicked and paddled their way in and down the Colorado River, successfully and joyfully, and they have a film documenting this story.  The film has just published and they joined The River Radius to have a reunion of sorts and tell their river boarding story 25 years later.    THE FILM:   "Three Women, Three Hundred Miles: Introduction by Meryl Streep" Producer: Carr Clifton GUESTS Kelley Kalafatich TEDX Kelley Kalafatich IRF Julie Munger Rebecca Rusch website Instagram Facebook Youtube   SPONSOR Denver Area Nissan Dealers @nissanusa   EPISODE THUMBNAIL IMAGE Carr Clifton   ARTICLES "Grand Adventure: River Boarding the Colorado" "Three Women, 300 Miles" RIVER BOARD Carlson River Board at NRS Churchhill Swimfins   THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    1h 13m
  4. Ben Stookesberry, Exploratory Kayaking & Ecuador

    FEB 3

    Ben Stookesberry, Exploratory Kayaking & Ecuador

    Ben Stookesberry paddles kayaks in his home state of Montana, and around the world. In his teen years he learned to make home movies showing off his rollerblading moves, and in college he learned to kayak. Today he blends the paddling and film making as he runs rivers in global settings. He has created deep and lasting friendships in his travels, and returns to rivers again and again, to paddle more stretches, to learn more, and sometimes to engage in protection work. In this episode, Ben talks through all of this with us, and goes into depth about his current paddling and film efforts on the Jatunyacu and Mulatos Rivers in Ecuador. GUESTS Ben Stookesberry @benstookesberry Bio @ Kokatat Bio @ Jackson Kayak Latest Film:  ¡Ay Chihuahua! Diego Robles:  @ecuskayaker   RESOURCES Ecuadorian Rivers Institute @ecuadorianrivers Steven Donzinger story Savages, book, by Joe Kane   PADDLERS TO FOLLOW @ecuskayaker (Diego) @williehenkel @wyatt_doyle @salmonsourcetosea @elizabeth.tobey @brookehess @oceansandmountains (Hailey) @pedroolivakaiak @riverratmountainkat @mayuwarmikayak @teepee_boys   SPONSORS Denver Area Nissan Dealers @nissanusa         THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    1h 3m
  5. Ed Roberson, Mountain & Prairie Podcast

    JAN 6

    Ed Roberson, Mountain & Prairie Podcast

    Podcasting is incredibly unique and fun work that has allowed me to meet so many rivers and river people. And podcasting is a job that I really just created for myself. Yes there are other podcasts and podcasters, but by nature of the work, we are all kind of hidden in quiet places behind microphones and editing screens, so finding a podcasting friend is so helpful. Ed Roberson has built the Mountain & Prairie Podcast and we have become colleagues and friends that can support each other when we have questions and challenges. For this episode, Ed and I decided to interview each other in a single episode and go deeper into our work, and publish it on both of our respective podcasts. Ed is a leading interviewer finding some of the most humble and impactful people of the American West and Ed is in the process of writing his own book. To start off 2026, here is an episode with two podcasters talking about our work, focus and plans for this coming season of episodes.    GUESTS Ed Roberson Mountain & Prairie Podcast website On Apple On Spotify @mtnprairie SPONSORS Denver Area Nissan Dealers @nissanusa THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    1h 46m
  6. Albania's Vjosa River

    2025-12-18

    Albania's Vjosa River

    The Vjosa River in Albania is one of the largest of the last free running rivers in Europe and recently it was protected with the new Vjosa Wild River National Park. The Vjosa sources from the mountains of Greece and flows north through Albania where it meets the Adriatic Sea. Eco Albania has led much of the work to create this National Park and our guest Dr Olsi Nika founded Eco Albania.  Dr Nika tells us about this long and beautiful river in his home country, how people in Albania use this river, about life in Albania, and how they did the work to project this river.    GUESTS Dr Olsi Nika   RESOURCES Vjosa River Vjosa Wild River National Park Eco Albania Albania Balkan Peninsula Mediterranean Basin Rewinding Europe Video:  Blue Heart - Eco Albania SPONSORS Denver Area Nissan Dealers Over It Raft Covers   THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    33 min
  7. This Moment Has Been Prayed For

    2025-11-25

    This Moment Has Been Prayed For

    Amidst a flourish of media about Paddle Tribal Waters, a new film has published from Oregon Public Broadcasting & Jessie Sears, giving focus to the 2025 source to sea run completed by the indigenous teens of PTW. The film, “First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath”, is there to meet the paddlers at the Pacific Ocean when they complete their journey, is with them along the river and the film also engages with the families of the paddlers to hear their perceptions of their kid’s work and pursuits. And finally, the film’s producer, Jessie Sears, is a member of the Karuk Tribe from the Klamath River basin, and by creating this film, she is exploring her own connections with this river and these families.  The Film:  “First Descent: Kayaking the Klamath" Jessie Sears professional website Instagram Jessie Sears at Oregon Public Broadcasting Karuk Tribe Oregon Public Broadcasting Paddle Tribal Waters & Rios to Rivers New York Times about Paddle Tribal Waters Underscore Native News Instagram Swiftwater Films Instagram  River Roots Instagram     THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    45 min
  8. "The River's Daughter" with Bridget Crocker

    2025-11-13

    "The River's Daughter" with Bridget Crocker

    In the spring of 1980, nine-year-old Bridget Crocker, while playing next to her home river, fell from a downed tree into the cold swollen Snake River — a scary swim that initiated a deep, lifelong relationship with rivers and river people. This year in 2025 her memoir “The River’s Daughter” traces a thalweg of traumas, challenges and joys that played out in both her river life and her family life. Today Bridget hosts retreats and workshops on rivers, guides on special occasions, and is creating her dream life with her family.  GUEST Bridget Crocker Instagram Book Audio Book   RELATED EPISODES FROM THE RIVER RADIUS Sexual Harassment in River Guide Culture Queer River Guiding; 1 Professional's Experience Tools for the River Guide River Guide Unions Endless Summer 1: The Guide Life Endless Summer 2: A Guide's Sunset Endless Summer 3: Guiding with a Healing Intention   ORGANIZATIONS FROM EPISODE A Dash America Outdoors River Management Society Responder Alliance Whale Foundation Redside Foundation     SPONSORS THE RIVER RADIUS Website Runoff signup (episode newsletter) Instagram Facebook Apple Podcast Spotify Link Tree

    1h 7m
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

This is a river podcast, and a great story, boating, science, adventure and conservation podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    Sam Carter
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2018-2019, The River Radius LLC, The River Radius Podcast

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