Head Brewer at the Kennebec River Brewery, Video Boater & Whitewater Guide
Name: Kevin Ross
Hometown: Brunswick, Maine
Age of First Rafting Trip: 14? Maybe 13
Year you started guiding at Northern Outdoors: Started as a video boater at Northern in 2021, trained as a whitewater guide in 2012.
What type of guiding do you do? Whitewater Rafting
What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Outdoors?
I manage and operate the Kennebec River Brewery here at Northern and running a brewery is not boring.
I enjoy that no day is really the same, some days I’m brewing, others I’m out doing deliveries and some days it’s paperwork and spreadsheets.
What is your favorite river to guide, and your favorite rapid on that river?
I love the dead river, maybe it’s because we only get a handful of releases a year to get out on this fun, technical river nestled in a beautiful rolling hill valley. Also the energy from guides and paddles on “dead days” is amazing, people get excited for the releases. I really enjoy “Mile~long” rapid, lives up to its name and has a big hit at the bottom.
What’s your classic Northern Outdoors memory?
My classic memory of Northern comes years before I even thought about guiding.
I came up to visit a friend, went boating, then to northern for drinks. Walking across the parking lot we started to get bombarded by marshmallows. My friends pulls me back to their car where they had a bag of marshmallows stashed away. We returned fire and had the most amazing marshmallow war I’ve ever been a part of. After the skies cleared both sides joined up for drinks inside. After that I knew that this area was a special spot.
Where do you adventure when you are not working?
Right here in Maine mostly. Canoeing, hiking and camping, Maine’s got a lot to offer. I enjoy spending time in the White Mountains as well. I’ve had the opportunity to go out west a handful of times and really like it out there, a different world then Maine.
What do you do in the off-season when you’re not guiding for Northern Outdoors?
No off-season for the Kennebec River Brewery though it does slow down a bit in the shoulder seasons and I’m able to sneak away.
Years past have included canoe trips here in Maine and New York, rafting the Grand Canyon in Arizona, hiking in Utah and New Mexico. I’ve been over to Iceland and Ireland and also enjoy going down to Philadelphia to see some close friends.
What rivers have you run outside of Maine?
I’ve rafted and New and Gualey rivers down in West Virginia and have done 4 trips down the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Nothing like a multi week trip in the big ditch with friends…. Nothing.
Which Kennebec River Brewery beer is your top choice after a day on the river?
Old Canada Road Pilsner