I miss Ryan very much and find it hard to believe that he is no longer with us. The thing that Ryan and I had in common was a love for being on the water. Other than that, I should never have been privileged to know such an excellent person.
On the afternoon of August 9, 2009, Ryan Morgan became entrapped in a logjam on the Little White Salmon in Washington. He was found on August 10. As word spread of our loss, my thoughts turned to the many days I had shared with Ryan on the water.
There are many people who got to know Ryan through whitewater. After meeting him and his wife Danielle during a Grand Canyon trip, we began boating together in Oregon and Washington. He showed me some of his favorite runs and I showed him mine. He was like a magnet to be around and someone who could always be relied on for good information when it came to lesser-known runs. He thrived off of others’ successes, making each accomplishment feel so much better.
Most of the trips I shared with him were a total group of three or four. Danielle would sometimes ride or paddle in my boat as Ryan kayaked. Ryan was confident, extremely bright, and had an amazing smile. His laugh was unmistakable and his “Hey Will --- how’s it going?” over the phone is sorely missed.
The biggest lesson to take from Ryan’s life is not in the way he died, but in how he lived. He believed in community, in helping others, and in protecting beauty. He was passionate about his interests and worked hard to share his passion with others. He was a member of the Molalla City Council and was a coordinator of juvenile justice community service programs in the Molalla area. He was, as many would put it, an outstanding citizen.
I realize now that the Ryan Morgan I knew was just a glimpse of the tremendous man he was. Ryan's paddling partner that day and friend, Markus Fant, seemed to put it best at Ryan’s memorial. “He was a good friend,” said Markus, “he was a good friend.
To learn more about Ryan's adventures, visit his excellent blog, Testing the Waters.
Some of my favorite Ryan photos:
Running Big Brother, Green Truss, White Salmon
Scouting Bob's Falls, Green Truss, White Salmon
Floating the Clackamas
Crystal Rapid on the Colorado River
Take-out beer. I made him wear the hat and sunglasses for the photo. Clackamas River.
Scouting a rapid on the Grand.
Hiking group up Tapeats, Grand Canyon, Christmas Eve.
Motoring out to South Cove, Grand Canyon.
Surfing on the North Santiam.
Wildlife on the Grand Canyon
North Santiam
Surf's up on the Washougal, February 9 or 10, 2008
Green Truss group, April of 2008
Take out for the Washougal, February 2008
Upper Wind River put in.
Upper Zig Zag
