Madalyn Russell
Professional River Guide
Nickname
Mady
Where did you grow up?
Marietta, Georgia
Where do you call home now?
Summer time Vernal, Utah. Winter time Jackson, Wyoming.
Year started at OARS?
2016
What’s the best part of your job?
Sharing the beauty of the river with really incredible people. I always walk away from a season thinking wow that’s actually the best thing I’ve ever done. Every trip is different, providing challenges for me and everyone on the trip. It’s really amazing to see people grow together throughout the course of the trip and the course of a season. Its hard to pick just one part – but if I had to I’d say it’s the daily interactions I get to have with those around me – all just enriching each other’s worlds.
Tell us about your favorite rapid, hike or camp and what makes it special
My favorite campsite still remains on Grassy Island, I’ve spent more of my past 3 summers there than anywhere else. It’s a solitude that will always remain with me as it is the very first place I guided. There’s just nowhere else like it, if you’ve been there you know.
What can you not live without on a trip?
Chapstick & Coconut water, stay hydrated people!
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