Crew

Javier Placer

General Manager / Co-Owner

An accomplished 16-year river guide with international experience, Javier has safely guided thousands of thrill seekers. Certified in Class III – Class V whitewater in Costa Rica while working 3 years for the internationally renowned outfitter, Rios Tropicales.  He guided extensively on the Reventazon, Pacuare, Sarapiqui, Corobici and General rivers as well as worked on multi day sea kayaking tours subcontracting for international outfitters such as Mountain Travel Sobek.   He guided in California for Earth Trek Expeditions running tours on the South Fork and Middle Fork of the American River.  In 2001 Javier moved to Colorado and began working for Kodi Rafting and worked as a head boatman (2002), trip leader, and safety kayaker and guide instructor until 2005.  He commercially ran the Arkansas River (Numbers’s, Town, Brown’s Canyon, Royal Gorge), Clear Creek (Lawson, Dumont, Town to Kermitz), Blue River, Upper Colorado (Pumphouse to State Bridge) and the Dolores River.

From 2006 to 2010 he worked for River Runners as a senior guide, trip leader, safety kayaker and guide instructor running different sections of the Arkansas River (Pine Creek, Numbers’s, Narrows, Town, Milk Run, Brown’s Canyon, Big Bend, Big Horn Canyon and the Royal Gorge).

In addition to being an active guide, kayaker and at the forefront of the emerging river sport Stand Up Paddling in Colorado, Javier is a graduate from the University of Colorado and a proud loving father of his hula hooping river diva daughter Camille!

Javier spends his winters in Maui, HI with his “modern family” where he focuses on the ocean centered aspects of the sport, sup surf and down winding.  Follow Javier’s adventures on island and on the mainland on his blog Read and Run Daddy.  Join him as he follows his heart and meets characters on his water-bound adventures while living and cruising in his 1987 Westy VW Bus aptly named Faith.