JAKE TROTTER, ACE OCOEE ADVENTURES

How long have you been a raft guide? 14 years.

What led you to become a raft guide? A great friend pulled me out to the river and changed my life.

Tell us about the training process. You start off on ride-alongs with seasoned guides. Then you slowly start to guide all the rapids on the river in a boat with the other trainees. Once they feel you are ready, you get to bring a boatload of friends and family and do your checkout run. You also get medical training and certifications. Every trip and every crew is different, so you are always learning how to give the best trip and keep everyone happy and safe.

What do you love about whitewater rafting? Getting to meet new people and make new connections is a special part of rafting. You get to share a passion with people who may have never experienced it without you.

What’s special about rafting the Ocoee? The Ocoee is unique because the flow is predictable, so we get to know it very well. The

Ocoee is a very safe river with a lot of playful moves and tricks. This gives us the opportunity to customize the trip for our crew. You can make it as safe or as rowdy as they want.

What’s your favorite rapid? I couldn’t pick a favorite on the Ocoee. My favorite rapid in general is Mike Tyson’s Punch Out on the Raven Fork River. It’s a big, dynamic rapid in a beautiful gorge that has always felt special to me and my paddling group.

Tell us a memorable story from the river. Some of my favorite memories are overnight trips on the river. Our favorite trip was spending 21 days floating in the Grand Canyon. The rapids and scenery are incredible, and the bonds you make are never-ending.

What advice would you give a first-time rafter? Tell your guide you want “the ride.”

Anything else you’d like to add? Rafting is a special experience, and the Ocoee is a great place to have that experience for the first time or the hundredth time.

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