Our Local Columbia River Angels Organization – Helping Paddlers

Our Local Columbia River Angels Organization - Helping Paddlers

On May 1st of this year, Hannah Griffin was laid off from her job. In the ashes of losing her position at a Canadian tech startup company, she decided to try an adventure of a lifetime and paddle the entire distance of the Columbia River.

This is a herculean trip of over 1,000 miles that involves knowing put-in and take-out points, campgrounds, and various land manager regulations. An endeavor of this magnitude also requires knowing key riverside sites, how to navigate all 11 dams and water releases, paddling times and distances, free-flowing areas, ferry schedules, and much more.

Hannah's goal: Paddle from Revelstoke, BC to the mouth of the Columbia River - into the mighty Pacific Ocean just past Astoria!

Her “Source to Sea” adventure began on August 1st in Revelstoke, BC on Lake Columbia.

Hannah’s quest brought her south across the border to Lake Roosevelt and through the Bridgeport Bar. Upon reaching the banks of Pateros, Hannah sent a dispatch to her good friend Meagan. She confided that she felt worn out and needed some rest. I completely could see why she would want to take a couple of days off. While you and I were indoors away from our recent triple-digit heatwave and the spat of wildfire smoke, she was making steady progress, paddling south.

On Labor Day Monday, her journey brought her to our familiar section on the Columbia River. This is when East Wenatchee resident Scott Kreiter stepped in.

He helped Hannah navigate and get around our Rock Island and Rocky Reach dams. Scott and his wife Amy also gave Hannah a place to wash her clothes, a hot meal, and a room for the night while she was passing through.

Scott Kreiter founded the Columbia River Angels organization to help paddlers like Hannah after being inspired by the Pacific Crest Trail Angels who help hikers on the iconic 2,650-mile path. 

Learn more about their grassroots non-profit here at columbiariverangels.com

We became aware of Scott's organization through the great people at KindnessCountsNCW.org

INFO CREDIT: KindnessCountsNCW.org, Meagan Deuling