Michael Crooks Named 2026 “Paddler of the Year”

Andy Steffan, left, presents Michael Crooks the 2026 Paddler of the Year Award on Friday, April 24, 2026, at the TEHCC Spring Dinner Meeting in Kingsport, TN.

Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts (APEs) and the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoe Club (TEHCC) have named Michael Crooks as the 2026 Paddler of the Year. This annual award, which has been presented since 1990, recognizes exemplary service and active involvement in TEHCC, APEs, and the regional paddling community. The award was presented by Andy Steffan on Friday, April 24, 2026, at the TEHCC Spring Dinner Meeting in Kingsport, TN.

Michael Crooks ferrying a thru hiker on the Appalachian Trail after Hurricane Helene took out the bridge near Chestoa in Erwin, TN.

Mike was acknowledged for his tireless waterway conservation efforts over the past 30-plus years. He also was honored for helping provide Appalachian Trail thru hikers with ferry service across the Nolichucky River through his work with Wahoo’s Adventures during a bridge outage following Hurricane Helene.

Mike began guiding for USA Raft on the French Broad River in 1994, guiding there for three years. What followed became a decades-long career on some of the region’s most respected whitewater rivers. Over the years, he guided on the Nolichucky, Pigeon, French Broad, Ocoee, New River, Gauley, Nantahala, and Chattooga, eventually returning to the Nolichucky in 2008 with Wahoo’s Adventures and occasionally USA Raft.

From June through August 2025, Mike worked with Wahoo’s Adventures removing Hurricane Helene debris from the Nolichucky River before transitioning to cleanup efforts throughout Yancey County with MountainTrue, a community nonprofit working across the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Following two retirements, Mike decided to join MountainTrue as a full-time employee in August 2025, continuing his long-standing commitment to river stewardship and conservation. Even with full-time conservation work, he has continued volunteering for APEs and other river cleanups whenever possible.

Reflecting on the recognition, Mike said: “I am grateful for the award. The rivers have given me my happiness, and I am fortunate to be able to do something meaningful in return.”