Maranda Stopol

Growing up in Idaho in the summers and Mexico and Central America in the winters, Maranda was introduced to whitewater kayaking through her parents, who were constantly on the search for the ultimate surf wave. As she grew up, her attention was quickly pulled from the world of spandex and ski racing and she soon immersed herself into the lifestyle of traveling and exploring new rivers. After testing the waters of life as a Wilderness EMT, Maranda’s love of whitewater led her to pursue a degree in Squamish, British Columbia, where she spent four years studying ethnoecology and journalism, and kayaking year round. While in school, she went on a number of international paddling trips to Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador. On these adventures, as well as spending a number summers exploring the Coast Mountains of BC, Maranda became fascinated with expedition kayaking, as it allowed her to move through terrain and access some incredible places with her pals! After graduating, Maranda moved to White Salmon, WA, where she is able to enjoy all aspects of the sport. Maranda spent the 2017/18 school year with WCA, sharing the stoke and teaching World Literature, Comparative Literature, and Economics, and inspiring impromptu river-side dance parties.