Gordon W Verdugo

About me

I’m definitely an outdoor enthusiast; I love rafting, snowboarding, surfing, hunting, and fishing. I also have a passion for wildlife; it’s what I studied at Washington State University. Go cougs! I love spending time with my friends and family and having adventures and cracking jokes.

The Best Part of My Job

My coworkers! I’ve made some lifelong friends out of these dirtbag river guides that I work with.

How I found OARS

My grandma took my brother and I on our first rafting trip when we were 4 years old. It was with OARS on the San Juan River out of Moab, Utah. That’s where it all started, and she would take us rafting again and again as we grew up (always with OARS), until we found out about guide school. I went to guide school my first year out of high school and worked as a professional river guide over the summer throughout college. And I’m still here!

My Lucky Charm

I always splash my face/neck with river water before a big rapid. I believe it brings me luck, and maybe the river won’t notice me as much if it thinks I’m just part of it.

I Can’t Live Without

Coffee! Gotta have that sweet go juice or I will be grumpy.

My Fun Fact

I am the rock skipping champion!