BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS September/October 2008

Single Blades Open Downriver Championships R-2: A New Take on Rafting The Plight (and Recovery) of the Canoe The Yampa: Rich Past, Dubious Future

PLUS The Story of ’s “River X” ��� ����������� ����� ���� ����������������� ���� �������������������� �������������� �������������� ����������������� �������������� ���������������������� ��������������� �������� ����� �� ����� �������������� ����� ����������������� ����������� ����������������������� ������� ������������ �������������� �������� ��������������������� ����������� ������������������� ������ �������������������� ������������� �������������� �������������� ���������������������� ����� �������� ���� ������������������

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���������������������� A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Journal July/August 2008 - Volume #48 - Issue #5

COLUMNS 3 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 4 Letters To the Editor 6 President’s Message by Don Kinser 7 News & Notes 10 Humor: The Dunces’ Cap by Christian Bates 62 Accident Summary: Jan-June 2008 by Charlie Walbridge

STEWARDSHIP UPDATES 14 West River Groups Meet by Kevin Colburn 14 Groundhog Day on the Chattooga by Kevin Colburn 14 Hydro Proposed on N. Branch Potomoac by Kevin Colburn 14 Americans Look North for Hydro by Kevin Colburn 17 Idaho Boat Registration Dies Again by Kevin Colburn 18 Roar of the Yampa by Kent Vertrees 26 The Yampa: To Dam or Not to Damn by Nathan Fey

SINGLE BLADES 22 Five Days on the Yampa by DaveSteindorf 28 R2: The High-Life of Rafting by Paul Gamache 32 Recap of 2008 National Downriver Canoe Championships by Tom Blue 36 Endangered by Harrison Metzger

RIVER VOICES 42 First Descent of Smith Creek by 55 Invasion of the Boat Snatchers by Futureboater 56 The Rescue Routine by Bob Wilson 60 River Karma by Sharon Hailey

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Cover: Open boater Emily Publication Title: American Whitewater Greve, 12, , , run Issue Date: September/October 2008 Baby Falls on teh Tellico River Statement of Frequency: Published bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: in Eastern in March American Whitewater P.O. Box 1540 during the Ain’t Louie Fest. Cullowhee, NC 28723 photo by Chris Clevenger Printed on Recycled Paper River Stewardship: EDUCATION: AW shares information with the processes, grassroots advocacy, coalition building, An Integrated Approach general public and the community empowerment of volunteers, public outreach and regarding whitewater rivers, as well as river education, and, when necessary, legal action. Our mission: “To conserve and restore America’s recreation, conservation, access, and safety. This is whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities RIVER ACCESS: To assure public access to whitewater accomplished through our bi-monthly AW Journal, to enjoy them safely,” is actively pursued through our rivers pursuant to the guidelines published in its a monthly e-news, americanwhitewater.org, paddling conservation, access, safety and education efforts under official Access Policy, AW arranges for river access events, educational events, and through direct the umbrella of River Stewardship. The only national through private lands by negotiation or purchase, communication with the press. organization representing the interest of all whitewater seeks to protect the right of public passage on all paddlers, American Whitewater is the national voice rivers and streams navigable by or canoe, Together, AW staff, members, volunteers, and affiliate for thousands of individual whitewater enthusiasts, as encourages equitable and responsible management clubs can achieve our goals of conserving, protecting well as over 100 local paddling club affiliates. of whitewater rivers on public lands, and works with and restoring America’s whitewater resources and government agencies and other river users to achieve enhancing opportunities to safely enjoy these AW’s River Stewardship program adheres to the four these goals. tenets of our mission statement: wonderful rivers. SAFETY: AW promotes paddling safely, publishes CONSERVATION: AW’s professional staff works reports on whitewater accidents, maintains a uniform AW was incorporated under Missouri nonprofit closely with volunteers and partner organizations national ranking system for whitewater rivers (the corporation laws in 1961 and maintains its principal to protect the ecological and scenic values of all International Scale of Whitewater Difficulty) and mailing address at PO Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC whitewater rivers. These goals are accomplished publishes and disseminates the internationally- 28723; phone 1-866-BOAT-4-AW (1-866-262-8429). through direct participation in public decision-making recognized American Whitewater Safety Code. AW is tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service.

American Whitewater Journal Staff Board of Directors & Staff TOLL FREE NUMBER Editor Ambrose Tuscano Sutton Bacon 14076 Northwoods Blvd. Truckee, 96161 866-BOAT4AW e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Atlanta, GA Assitant Editor Tim Catalano Chris Bell Norwood Scott Graphic Design/Production/Photo Editor Christie Dobson [email protected] [email protected] Mark Singleton Contributing Writers Asheville, NC San Francisco, CA Executive Director Kevin Colburn, Ambrose Tuscano, Doug Ammons, Nathan Fey, Cullowhee, NC Dave Steindorf, Mark Singleton, Paul Gamache, Carla Miner, Rich Bowers Charlie Walbridge Don Kinser, Ben Lawhon, Christian Bates, Tom Blue, [email protected] Harrison Metzger, Futureboater, Bob Wilson, Charlie Walbridge, [email protected] [email protected] Sharon Hailey Bellingham, WA Bruceton Mills, WV Dave Steindorf Photo Contributors BOARD OFFICERS California Stewardship Director Michael Ackerman, Emily Ressler, Christian Bates, Dave Cernicek Kevin Colburn, Kent Vertrees, Dave Steindorf, [email protected] President: Don Kinser Paradise, CA Brad Xanthopoulos, Corey Morton, Sam Hamilton, Jackson, WY Vice President: Norwood Scott [email protected] Keel Brightman, All Terrain Images, Colin Moneypenny, Secretary: Jennie Goldberg Grant Amaral, Doug Ammons, Monte Morevac, Leland Davis, Adam Cramer Sharon Hailey Treasurer: Chris Bell Nathan Fey [email protected] At Large: Dave Cernicek Events / Advertising Coordinator Ben VanCamp Washington, DC Stewardship Director P.O. Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723 Ridgway, CO phone 828-713-5825 AW STAFF e-mail: [email protected] Jennie Goldberg [email protected] [email protected] Laura Blalock Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge Seattle, WA Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Finance Manager Jeff Paine e-mail: [email protected] Cullowhee, NC Kristine Jackson Outreach Director [email protected] Stewarship Reports Editor [email protected] Simsbury, CT Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Rock Island, TN [email protected] Kevin Colburn American Whitewater Magazine Task Force Jeff Espy, Dunbar Hardy, Dale-Marie Herring, John Mason, Don Kinser National Stewardship Director Tanya Shuman, Ambrose Tuscano [email protected] Missoula, MT Marietta, GA Missing Copies and Address Changes [email protected] [email protected] Evie Locke American Whitewater is printed by [email protected] Carla Miner The Printing House in Quincy Florida All rights reserved. Charlemont, MA Membership Manager West Valley City, UT Eric Nies [email protected] [email protected] EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER New Paltz, NY The opinions expressed in the features and Thomas O’Keefe editorials of American Whitewater are those of Aaron Pruzan Pacific NW Stewardship Director the individual authors. They do not necessarily aaron@jacksonholekayak Seattle, WA represent those of the Directors of American .com [email protected] Whitewater or the editors of this publication. Jackson Hole, WY On occasion, American Whitewater publishes official organizational policy statements drafted and approved by the Board of Directors. These policy statements will be clearly identified.

2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 3 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 By Mark Singleton the Park Service had not released a generating $858,000 of economic activity, transportation plan for management producing $281,000 in wages to local This issue of American Whitewater marks of the take-outs. West Virginia Rivers employees and business owners, and the passage of summer and the journey Coalition will be providing private boaters supporting 19 jobs. into fall. With the changing weather shuttles on Gauley Festival weekend comes Gauley season. Located in the heart and the following weekend. Once the With the economic impact of Gauley Fest of wild and wonderful West Virginia, for Park Service releases their take-out and new public access to the river, the many paddlers the Gauley has become management plans they will be posted to vision of Congressman Rahall is a reality. synonymous with fall boating. Thanks to the American Whitewater website. Come out September 19 – 21 and see the US Corps of Engineers drawdown of for yourself. Summersville Lake, water in the Gauley With new public access there is much is scheduled and predictable. Dropping to celebrate. Make sure you put Gauley Please note that the Summersville police more than 668 feet through over 26 miles Festival on your calendar, September department takes its speed limits seriously. of rugged terrain, the Gauley River’s 19 – 21. Started in 1983 to observe the Drive at or below the limit through spirited rapids and scenic quality combine derailment of a hydroelectric project that Summersville and have a great Gauley to make it a classic eastern whitewater run. would have disrupted Gauley whitewater Fest weekend! The Gauley River National Recreation flows, the festival has grown to become Area is managed by the New River Gorge one of the largest river festivals in the National River a unit of the National world. Last year, American Whitewater Park Service. commissioned Michael Crane and his consulting firm Crane Associates of New for this year, the National Park Service Burlington, Vermont to conduct an purchased critical public access to the Economic Impact Study on Gauley Gauley River. The sites, located at Woods Festival. Ferry and Mason’s Branch, are established put-in and take-out sites for private Here are highlights of the Economic canoeists, kayakers, and rafters. “Providing Impact Study on Gauley Festival. Note public access to the Gauley in this area is that this survey only covers the festival what I envisioned when sponsoring the weekend and not other contributions federal legislation which established the from Gauley season: national recreation area back in 1988,” said U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall • The average Gauley Festival attendee (D-WV). “This agreement will enhance is 36 years old, has completed a 4-year tourism and the local economy by undergraduate education, and is male. making the river more accessible to the Boater households earning $45,000 - general public.” $60,000 make up the largest income group at 17.3% of survey respondents. However, That’s right, 1988! That’s when the over 22% of boater households earn over legislation was introduced to create the $100,000 annually. national recreation area and provide access! Finally, 20 years later, the Park • Gauley Festival participants are loyal Service has obtained public access at paddlers. They go boating on average 57 Mason’s Branch and Woods Ferry. Over times per year. Approximately 11 of those the last two decades, American Whitewater trips involve overnight stays. has worked to provide access to the Gauley and the job is not over. The critical parking • They travel an average of 4 hours for field at the top on the Mason’s Branch a boating trip; the Gauley Festival drew take-out was not part of the National Park participants from as far away as the pacific purchase. American Whitewater will again coast states. be leasing this field from the landowner to provide private boater parking (the leasing • Total direct spending in the local of this field is made possible through AW economy generated by the Gauley Festival membership dues). in 2007 was $1,110,870.

As of the time this article was written, • The Gauley Festival is responsible for

2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 3 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 To the US Forest Service: To the Editor—A Single Bladed Story, drove hard left with left hand angle and at “The Thing” I threw down the biggest I am a native Georgian and a frequent Guiding and instructing whitewater has low brace of my life. Getting deflected off whitewater paddler and hiker. For over 35 taken me to all parts of the U.S.—the “The Thing” I buttered through the hole years, I have hike, camped and paddled in Northeast, the Northwest, and the Interior. at the bottom like a greased up pig in a the Chattooga Wilderness Area. All of these places have provided priceless rodeo. experiences, from open boat first descents I have reviewed the current Environmental on the Elwha to running the death slot on After acing Oceana I was stoked but not Assessment regarding recreational the Dryway of the Deerfield. However, at all done with the gorge. Still to come management of the Chattooga River. none of these open boat experiences where the Gauntlet, Bridel Veil, and many Unfortunately, this “new” plan is just could get me ready for the hardest day more technical drops. I did my best and a rehash of the original. It essentially of open boating in my life: running only swam one other time, self-rescuing continues the total ban on boating the Tallulah Gorge. quickly without injury. After it was all Upper Chattooga. The small window for said and done the old Mohawk had three boating is so restricted, almost no one will It was time to step it up, put on the new holes in it and the Carlisle had ever get a chance to run the headwaters of jock strap, and push it to the next a slightly loose T-grip. the Chattooga legally. level. I had a bomber roll, a borrowed boat from Outward Bound, and cheap I tell this story to represent the single There is no reason to ban boating on ANY Carlisle paddle. blader legends who pioneered whitewater section of the Chattooga River. Of course, and to inspire open boaters to be. Open justifiable restrictions on all user groups I have run the gorge over 30 times in a boating is hard. It takes precision, balance, to protect the wilderness and wilderness kayak but this day was my first open boat and many years of practice to gain the experience are desirable, similar to those decent of the Tallulah. A purple Probe 14 experience to run hard rivers. But if in place on lower sections of the river. that should have been retired two seasons you put in the time and get professional ago was what was going to get me down, so instruction you can paddle even the Not only are bans illegal according to the off to descend the 890 steps to the put-in hardest rivers in an open canoe. I don’t Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, they are unfair with it on my head. When I arrived at the know if I will ever carry an open boat and discriminatory to certain groups. put-in I was already lactic, both legs were down those stairs again, but the memories Hikers who blaze their own trails, campers shaking, and my shoulders burned. But of that warm November weekend will be who trample an area, and fishermen who there I was. Turning around to walk back there forever. So if this story makes it to deplete the fish and damage the banks do up those stairs was as crazy as running your magazine, I want to wish all open more harm than paddlers. More than 40 Niagara Falls, so after a few stretches and boaters good luck on Tallulah. Paddle years of boating on the lower Chattooga a quick scout of the first rapid it was time hard and make it look good. and neighboring Overflow Creek has not to get ‘er done. harmed the environment. The first rapid was sketchy, typewritering Wesley Gentry I don’t know why the Forest Service has me to the right into the mank, but I held River Specialist, Outward not done the right thing all these years, my downstream direction and made Bound School but it is time to do so. it through. Next up was the big boof where unfortunately I was thrown to Sincerely, my off side and was ejected from the boat. Knowing that the biggest drop on Hank Klausman Tallulah was next I did not hang around waiting for coupons. I did a quick self- rescue, emptied my boat, and got back in.

When I paddled into the eddy above Oceana a bunch of kayakers signaled “Are you going to run it?” I quickly replied, “Hell ya,” so they gave me the, “We want to film you” signal. I patiently waited. This is not the eddy to hang out in for a long time. Pretty soon, you begin to think about what might happen below, so I gave the “dropping in” signal and fired it up. I

4 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 5 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Re: “How to Overnight” Forgets Leave No Mr. Horn, Trace Ethics Thank you for raising this important point. Dear Editor, It’s easy for paddlers who frequent remote, rarely visited rivers to forget that their One of my favorite river experiences is passage still has an impact on the river pulling into a campsite for the night, feeling corridor. If all paddlers were in the habit confi dent that even though someone may of practicing Leave No Trace Ethics our have been there the previous night, I’ll be rivers would undoubtedly be more scenic hard pressed to fi nd any evidence of their and healthier. For more details on Leave stay other than footprints. While reading No Trace, please see page 7 of this issue of the May/June 2008 issue of American American Whitewater. Whitewater, I was surprised and dismayed when I turned to page 32 and saw a photo Sincerely, of kayakers camped out on a small beach with a fi re directly on the ground and the Ambrose Tuscano tip to merely build fi res below the high- water mark. I was also surprised that the article made no mention of carrying out human waste on river trips, implying that boaters should leave their feces along river corridors. These types of practices were abandoned years ago by environmentally conscious boaters and use of fi re pans/fi re blankets and portable toilet systems should be common practice. As the popularity of whitewater boating increases, the river corridors on which we fi nd solace will be under increasing pressure and land managers will face decisions regarding access to our favorite runs. Fire rings with charred embers and cat-holes around the campsite greatly diminish the experience, even on non-wilderness runs, and may trigger permit requirements on our favorite rivers. Please actively support Leave No Trace Ethics in our magazine and our activities.

Thanks,

Andy Horn

4 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 5 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Hello fellow whitewater enthusiast and helping with the early Tallulah releases. American Whitewater members, my name The more involved I became, the more I is Don Kinser. On May 17, 2008 AW’s learned about the great work that AW has Board of Director’s elected me to serve been part of all over the country. you as AW’s President. I am excited about the next two years serving AW, making It was here, during those early Tallulah new friends, and more importantly releases in 1997 and 1998, that Risa continuing AW’s 54-year legacy as THE Shimoda recruited me to help lead AW’s National Voice for whitewater rivers and efforts on another project, my home those of us that enjoy these wild places river, the Chattooga. The work on the so passionately. Chattooga got me more deeply involved with AW’s staff as I learned a whole new My relationship with AW began over language such as NEPA, DEIS, EA, ROD, 13 years ago while on a paddling trip to “Preferred Alternative”, and how agencies West Virginia with my good friend Joe such as the USFS work (or don’t as the case Greiner. Joe’s enthusiasm and passion may be). for AW’s mission struck me. I joined AW at his urging, and I want to thank Joe The more involved I became with AW as a for introducing me to the organization. volunteer the more awestruck I was at the My involvement soon grew from a dues organization’s accomplishments and the paying member to a committed and people that made up the organization’s passionate local volunteer as I started staff. What makes AW accomplishments even more astounding is how much we have accomplished with so little. From my perspective, American Whitewater is truly Today our membership stands at about the “little engine that could.” 5,700 members and about 100 affiliated clubs. If we could double that membership I believe strongly in AW’s mission and our figure we would be able to accomplish river stewardship work across the country. so much more. I urge you to take the Our staff, led by Executive Director cue from Joe Greiner and encourage all Mark Singleton, is top notch. Our river your paddling buddies and anyone you stewardship team of Kevin Colburn, Dave come in contact with on the river to join Steindorf, Tom O’Keefe and Nathan Fey is and support AW’s important work. You working hard to help protect the rivers we can count on American Whitewater to all enjoy, insure that the public can access continue to leverage your support wisely these wonderful places and that we enjoy and keep up the good work that we can all them safely. Carla Miner, Laura Blalock, be proud of. Ryan Groth and Jeff Paine round out AW’s full time staff and their hard work and See you on the River, efforts allow our Stewardship staff to stay focused on our mission. Don Kinser

My goals for AW are to continue our tremendous river stewardship work and build on the great successes of the past and more importantly work to grow our membership and funding so that we can accomplish even more. A great example of how your membership and financial support helps the organization is AW’s recent initiative in Colorado that began with the hiring of Nathan Fey in 2007.

Best we can tell, well under one in ten of your paddling buddies are AW members.

6 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 7 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 More of us are traveling on rivers than In order to minimize our cumulative Leave No Trace ever before, making it imperative that we impact on the rivers we enjoy, we need to River Practices learn how to preserve these waterways and practice Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace the habitats adjoining them. is an national and international program By Ben Lawhon, Education Director, Leave No Trace designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts Center for Outdoor Ethics Human impact is more concentrated with their decisions about how to reduce in river corridors than in many other their impacts when they hike, camp, Readers of this magazine already know ecosystems. Although we leave little or picnic, snowshoe, run, bike, hunt, paddle, that floating rivers is a unique way to no impact on the water when we travel ride horses, fish, ski or climb. The program enjoy the outdoors. From a raft, kayak, or through it, our impacts on the riverbanks strives to educate all those who enjoy canoe adrift on the water a river traveler can be significant. Steep canyon walls the outdoors about the nature of their can watch a heron silently flying overhead, or high mountains define some river recreational impacts as well as techniques observe the record of millions of years corridors while others meander through to prevent and minimize such impacts. of geologic time, or experience the thrill hills and dense forest. These features Leave No Trace is best understood as an of running a turbulent rapid. River often offer majestic scenery, but they educational and ethical program, not as corridors have always provided an ideal also confine travelers to narrow strips of a set of rules and regulations. The Leave opportunity for exploring America’s wild land where we cook, eat, sleep, pack, play No Trace program is managed by the places. Historically, early river pioneers games, and produce waste. Since different were searching for furs, precious metals, boating parties use the same stretches of river and the same camps night after night, minerals, and routes to the Pacific Ocean. Next time you’re on a wilderness river, remember to Modern river runners are searching for the effects of these activities are multiplied observe Leave No Trace Ethics beauty, solitude, excitement, and a sense many times over. of connection with their surroundings. Photo by Michael Ackerman

6 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 7 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, rivers year after year—the pull of moving an educational, nonprofit organization water is a powerful and irresistible force. dedicated to the responsible enjoyment On your next outing, be it a day or several and active stewardship of the outdoors by weeks, be mindful of your impact and all people, worldwide. what you leave behind for those who will come after you. Something about rivers inspires us to contemplate beauty, creation, and For more information on Leave No Trace, visit the power of nature. Perhaps it is the www.LNT.org or call 1.800.332.4100 unrelenting flow of moving water that encourages thoughtfulness. Or perhaps it is the opportunity to witness the story of past epochs, written in the canyon walls, that tempts us to contemplate our roles in the web of life. For some people, the river With the proper precautions, provides an ideal setting for enjoying time your river trip can leave behind nothing but footprints and take spent with friends and family. For others, nothing but photos it provides a source of challenge and excitement. Something keeps us floating Photos by Emily Ressler

8 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 9 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Aire and Sawyer to Leave No Trace Tips Support AW’s Western for the River Rivers Work American Whitewater welcomes Aire Today we are working on dozens of projects Plan Ahead and Prepare – Learn and Sawyer as new corporate partners across the country including restoring about river-specific issues, supporting our stewardship work on water to rivers impacted by hydropower, regulations and permits. Know Western Rivers and allowing us to protecting headwater areas through Wild river sills and carry the necessary expand our presence in the rafting and Scenic and Wilderness protection, equipment to enjoy the river safely. community. We have had a long history and protecting rivers from new water of introducing agency staff, policy makers, development schemes. Our work benefits Travel and Camp on Durable and organizational partners to rivers, and all those who enjoy rivers including Surfaces – Durable surfaces include gear provided by these two companies kayakers, rafters, canoeists, river boarders, water, rock, gravel and sand. will allow us to directly integrate the riverside campers, and fishermen. AW’s Focus activity where vegetation is needs of the rafting community with our new partnership with Aire and Sawyer absent. Leave put-ins, take-outs, stewardship projects. is another sign of teamwork among the and campsites clean and natural many different groups that enjoy wild looking. It was the Kayak and Canoe Club of New rivers and benefit from their protection. York, an AW affiliate, that took Senator Dispose of Waste Properly – Pack Kennedy and Secretary Udall down the it in, pack it out. Learn about Hudson River to promote passage of regulations pertaining to human the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. With waste and dispose of it properly. gear provided by Aire and Sawyer we Generally, the best practice is to will be able to directly pack out human waste. integrate rafting needs into our work and Leave What You Find – Appreciate engage individuals who ancient structures, artifacts, rock make important policy art and other natural objects but decisions on management leave then undisturbed. Avoid of our rivers but who may introducing non-native or invasive not be willing or able to species by cleaning equipment climb into a canoe or between trips. kayak. We know that it is this direct experience Minimize Campfire Impacts with the resource that – Carry a fire pan or build a can make the critical mound fire. Consider using stoves difference in protecting for cooking. Learn about local fire and restoring our rivers. regulations.

Respect Wildlife – Observe wildlife from a distance. Avoid feeding wildlife and always properly store food and trash. Control pets or leave them at home.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors – Respect other visitors and the quality of their experience. Communicate with other river users about your floating and camping plans to avoid conflicts.

8 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 9 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 The Dunce’s Cap greeted us with open arms anyway, though. anyone could be that out of touch—even After all, whitewater boaters are generally in light of my own recent transgressions. By Christian Bates open minded in matters of style—unless, of course, you show up wearing a plastic Lesson #2: helmet covered with stickers. (The basic The river speaks to us in many voices, and Choose your friends wisely teaches many things. By the network of limits of good taste must always be observed. We are nothing if not civilized.) her varied paths, the delicate fabric of our After casual introductions and a brief world is woven. By the beating of her pulse, conversation over the fire, however, Dave we are carried on journeys that nourish the Our adventure was to begin with a short sunset run through town. After a quick observed with a keen eye the pitiful stock heart and soul. Clarity and direction grace of beer in my cooler—a meager six pack the spirit of he who follows the river. stop to refuel, we looked the river over and located a suitable put-in, anxious to of the cheapest cans available (the result of a last minute budgetary adjustment, But for all of the metaphoric hoo-ha shake the rust off and relieve the joints after a long drive. It was then that a critical necessitated by yet another packing list that tends to spill over her banks, many blunder involving my dry top). He then practical lessons are drawn from the packing error was discovered: someone had neglected to throw in the duct tape. strolled off, returning a short time later river’s currents as well; and for most, they with three properly chilled bottles of are reinforced by the pillars of simple instant camaraderie in his hands; and common sense. For some of us, however, This sent Cornville into a frantic state. He dug madly through the back of his beat up from that moment forward, he would be that foundation crumbles from time welcome in any of my camps. I came to to time. old truck, in the frenzied hope that a spare roll had been stashed and forgotten in the think of Dave as a good and dependable friend. The eight-foot kayak had just passed into tool box, or that an inadvertent scrap had obsolescence, but news of that variety been stuck to the bed, and buried under travels slowly through my home town. a flake of hay. He even tore through the Lesson #3: Friends don’t let So as I arrived at the front step of the innards of the cab, on the fair chance that friends drink cheap beer San Juan range on a fine spring day in one of his children had left something the fall of my twenties, I felt somewhat sticky behind—which of course they had, In the morning, we rose when we rose and like a hobo stumbling in on a but there was nothing of use in this case. we hit the ground running. With twenty fashion show, slinking about, trying to something miles of paddling ahead, not avoid notice. My relict craft may have been Lesson #1: to mention the business of setting shuttle, solid, and at one time even trendy; but no Always come prepared the day began of necessity with a rush. No amount of function and flare could hide time for frivolous culinary ritual, or any the fact that it was an embarrassing nine After a few minutes of feverish searching, of the typical marks that distinguish the feet and change. he gave up and sat quietly on the tailgate. camp of the gentleman from that of the His shoulders sank. A sullen expression barbarian—or the average boater. Our I was accompanied by the infamous washed over his face, punctuated by the tailgate meal was a no-nonsense affair “Cornville” Jeff, a highly impertinent dangling insult of a makeshift neoprene of leftover chips and salsa, a few swigs character who gained brief notoriety in the visor, which clung precariously to the of some despicable energy drink, and late eighties by swimming under a log in front of his helmet by the remains of of course, some rock hard granola bars: the company of Slim Ray. Aside from his a single gummed up strand of thread. breakfast of misfits. considerable skills on the water, however, Our warm up session was over before it my good friend Cornville (as he is called by started. Instead, we made a headlong run As we pulled up our stakes, organizational those who know and love him) is a master for the paddle shop. When you don’t look structure was discussed. Cornville had of creative outfitting, with notable talents good, you don’t feel good—and both are been down this stretch of water before. for salvage and repair: his aptitude with important on the river. Dave and I had not. Nomination, backing, patching materials is remarkable in every and acceptance: our leader was confirmed. respect, and his sense for the full potential I had never met the third member of our (This, upon later reflection, would be of bailing twine is undoubtedly second party before, and in all honesty, I wasn’t recognized as our first critical mistake. to none. In fact, many of his techniques sure what to make of him at first. Cornville Even among many, the big ones tend to would appear to be unmatched in the is a trustworthy reference on the whole, but stand out.) modern world. No piece of equipment I began to doubt my friend’s judgment as in Cornville’s collection is ever likely to Dave pulled up to our camp that evening. One of Cornville’s most endearing be retired. With an air of mild disdain, I noted that qualities is his ever-positive attitude. He’s the boat strapped atop his truck was ten never daunted by an honest challenge, and Obviously, we were outsiders. The locals feet long if it was an inch. I wondered how he’s certainly not one to be encumbered by 10 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 11 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 trivial matters of logistical practicality. He’s a dogged optimist. It came as no surprise, then, as we encountered a roadblock delaying passage by a factor of hours, that our friend would remain confident, even as the clouds of impending doom drifted ominously overhead.

Lesson #4: Expect the unexpected

The waterline was respectable when we finally reached the river, and it appeared to be on the rise. The sun was high, and the hour was late. We were now faced with a choice: embark quickly and attempt to recover from the delay, or abort and return to civilization, where the collective budget of our boater-class group would allow for little more than a prolonged picking of the nose. We weighed our options lightly as Cornville fastened his trusty visor to the plastic helmet that had served him so well over the years, explaining at length (for those who might wonder) that duct tape does not count as a sticker; and then into the water we went.

We had a vague notion of where the first Class V rapid would be, but neither Dave nor I had studied the matter closely. After all, we had faith in our guide, and we all to the prospect of dropping blindly Not suitable attire for any form of public knew how to handle our boats. It was just into something serious that we might transportation another day in paradise; so with helmets otherwise prefer to avoid. A cold, pushy cinched tight, we played a fast-paced game mix of snow melt tumbled along beneath Photo by Christian Bates of follow-the-leader for several pleasurable us, bent on gathering steam, and peaking miles, leap-frogging here and there as even as we spoke. The river demanded our the mood struck, until we noticed that attention. Accordingly, we remained alert be best to recharge before proceeding. We Cornville was having difficulty with some and listened to what she had to say. When sat on the rocks to have a snack and discuss of the landmarks. In fact (come to think we approached a distinctive rumble with a our options. Though the prevailing mood of it), the last (and only) time that he had partially obstructed view, we decided to get was upbeat, the nagging reality of our made this run, a dense fog had obscured the out and scout. situation was difficult to ignore: two thirds canyon for most of the day. To get through of the run remained yet downstream. it, he had simply allowed himself to be It was indeed a sizable rapid. Chaotic There was little that we could do about it, led by the rest of his party—in much the waves hammered every possible line, as however; we would simply have to paddle same way that Dave and I were doing. The uprooted trees crashed through the main hard, and make good time. difference, of course, was that Cornville’s current, aided by the momentum of their former party knew exactly where they were own dead weight. Explosions of spray leapt Realizing that our pace would limit future going, and they had a little more time on from the depths of dark, menacing holes, photo opportunities, Cornville asked from their hands. and a fine mist hung in the air reflecting behind a big mouthful of bologna if I the stark light of mid afternoon. could snap his picture; and I was happy to Unsettling visions began to drift through oblige, as he grinned from ear to ear saying our minds. This was not a hairball The waning angle of the sun was not lost on “cheese” with a big dollop of mayonnaise endeavor by any stretch of the imagination, any of us, but we concluded that it would dribbling from his chin to his bib. but there were numerous threats inherent 10 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 11 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Lesson #5: Never bite off more Lesson #7: Never ask a high country is this: it’s cold. Soon after re- than you can chew stupid question entering the water, I began to chatter and shake violently. Purchasing the cheapest As we prepared for our charge back to the Dave had followed my line, of course, dry top on the rack to save a few bucks for water, another group of boaters arrived. and the bow of his boat was now aimed beer had come back to bite me; and with We exchanged brief hellos as they beached squarely at my teeth. With the reaction the slap of each wave, I was being shriveled and passed us by, anxious to size the rapid time of a waterlogged stump, I gave up my to the core. My companions were hardly in up for themselves. They returned a short brace and buried my head in the pillow. better shape. When we reached the next time later, however, and in a lesser hurry, This kept the concussion to a minimum, bridge, we would take out and hike. Our offering (in observation of good river but the jolt was still not pleasant: both my schedule had been grossly miscalculated. etiquette, I suppose) to let us run it first. glasses and my appendix were abruptly rattled loose. The good news, however, was Bobbing along at the mercy of a fast current It was a gesture that we might normally that they somehow stayed connected; as for another couple of miles, we did our have accepted, but as it happened, we an added bonus, I was knocked free of my best to keep together and stay safe. Finally, still had some minor packing to do; so turbulent predicament. The bad news, as I we reached our stopgap destination. A in his characteristically familiar manner, discovered after rolling up and collecting minor Class III rapid presented itself Cornville offered his own cheerful my wits, was that Dave had joined the above a welcoming beach that extended assessment of the situation as we waved unfortunate ranks of the boatless. below a serpentine bend. My spirits lifted them on through. One feature in particular on a wave of minor relief. The upper end seemed worthy of parting comment: a Cornville wrangled the stray craft heroically of the eddy below was obscured from view, deep, frowning hole that looked like it as Dave made a strong swim for shore, and but given the nature of the drop, I assumed could hold a boat for a good long while, after some awkward slalom moves, I was that all would be clear. I cut a hard line for if tempted. even able to gather up his paddle; but the pole position. we were all exhausted. As the afternoon They thanked Cornville for his input, shadows grew long, we were compelled to Refer to Lesson #6 politely ignoring the smudge on his vest pull over, hunker down, and warm up in a and the crooked angle of his visor, and scarce patch of sunlight. Dave and I were After being dragged under the raft that then they peeled off, without ceremony. shivering like a couple of wet cats; and we was tethered in the landing zone, I realized still had a long way to go. my mistake; and by my third failed roll The ensuing scene spoke prophetically attempt, it was obvious that I was in of things to come, as an unfortunate rut A continuous pounding of Class III and IV trouble. My hands had become too cold to was carved repeatedly down the same chilled us to the bone over the next several maintain an adequate grasp on the paddle. troublesome line. Three of five boats were miles, and by the that time we reached I had not even the strength to pop my own sent careening downstream, emptied of our next Class V pit stop, we knew some skirt. An alarming, hollow thunder roared all human cargo. Thankfully, nobody adjustments to the plan would be required. in my ears as I drifted back into the main appeared to be hurt. We watched the last of The water was big. The sun had dipped channel. Fifty yards downstream. Eighty. the swimmers crawl up the left bank, and deliberately behind towering canyon walls. Still floating belly up, I plucked my knife reviewed our own plan. It seemed sound There simply were not enough hours left in in a desperate attempt to cut myself loose; enough. On snapped the skirts, and down the day to do what we had come to do. but that too was promptly donated to the we went – assuming with confidence that fishes. The big eddy in the sky tugged at my we would fare better. We took a good hard look at the crux of the bow. In a final moment of clarity, however, next drop, even watching two boaters from I shoved my entire forearm through the Lesson #6: the party ahead run it without serious grab loop—right up to the elbow—and incident. (The others were now traveling lunged backward. Miraculously, it gave. Never assume anything by foot.) After a clear-minded discussion

about the consequences of another mishap My friends chased the debris as I hauled my After what seemed like an hour of being however, Dave wisely opted to shoulder his soggy carcass to the shallows. I was completely beaten half to death in the gut of the boat. Cornville and I did the same; and exhausted, but happy to have my head above aforementioned hole, I caught a brief frankly, I was happy to do so. water—until I looked up, and saw that things glimpse of Cornville cheering me on from were about to get much, much worse. As the safety of the eddy below, and then I I hoisted myself to one knee, a painfully wondered: Where might my new friend Lesson #8: Sometimes attractive young lady from the camp upstream Dave be? enough is enough made her way down the embankment and The thing about direct snowmelt in the offered her hand. I was utterly horrified. Struggling to stand and regain my composure,

12 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 13 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 I declined her assistance politely as a matter Refer to Lesson #2 due apologies to Mr. Shopenhauer.) of macho principle. But after falling in the The next train broke down, of course; but mud twice, and with an involuntary whimper It was a long, miserable night; but when I eventually we did make it back to town, on the latter attempt, my hand was forced. awoke in the wee hours to the faint glow and we found Dave right where we knew Reaching for her shamefully, I averted of dying embers, I was pleased to find he would be. Without a word, he handed my eyes and let her drag my humiliated my boxers nearly dry. Furthermore, aside us each a properly chilled bottle from the butt ashore. from a few charred holes, they were still bar. We shared a few laughs and ordered generally functional. The idea struck to up a nice dinner, comparing notes on what Lesson #9: Swallow your pride fashion a makeshift hat that would cover we had learned. Then we made plans for my nipped ears; and when it worked out, I another trip. The river was up, and she was We were invited to stay, but we didn’t want became tremendously satisfied. Sacrificing calling to us. to be a bother; and sadly, something inside another log, I drifted peacefully back me wanted to preserve the fantasy of my to sleep. Author’s Note: David Thomas Borrell died beautiful savior sleeping alone in her tent on June 2, 2003 while paddling a familiar that night, rather than taking a chance and The cheerful toot of an approaching stretch of the Arkansas River. He is missed by discovering the more probable truth of tourist train echoed boldly up the canyon many. Rest in peace, my friend. the matter. as the morning sun finally peeked from behind its tattered covers of rock and snow. Any fallback plan that involves a lengthy, It was a welcome alarm. I scrambled out of impromptu hike with a full load of gear is the forest to flag down our shuttle, making bound to be less practical in the doing than no attempt to contain my enthusiasm. Our it is in the telling—either before or after. minor ordeal appeared nearly to be over. This was no exception. After a few miles of slogging riverside down greasy narrow But the conductor failed to stop; and the gauge tracks, we became too tired, hungry, look on his face was memorable, as he and generally pissed off to continue. Dave strained to shout over the clang and clatter was getting low on fresh water; Cornville’s of the rails. The exact message was difficult booties were beginning to fall apart; and to make out, but the gist of it was this: the the wetsuit that I had chosen to wear for train was full; we would have to catch the insulation became ripe beyond all tolerable next one. limits, although the idea of peeling it off seemed a bit too ridiculous for serious This was more than a little perturbing, but consideration—given that I had left my as I prepared to lob a few choice words in shorts behind at the truck. his direction, I came to my senses—and took stock of my attire. It was decided that we would simply have to split up. Dave would hike the remaining Lesson #10: Always wear distance back to his truck, tend to his dogs, and make the required call to Cornville’s clean drawers wife—letting her know that everything was ok, and that we were having a splendid As the train disappeared around the bend, time. Cornville and I would camp with I threw down my ridiculous hat and the boats. In the morning we would catch tossed aside my silver cape. The pungent the train. We should all be back in town scent of coal fire lingered in the air; goose by lunch. bumps prickled across my exposed pale skin; and as pangs of hunger crept into The thing about a springtime night in the my despondent consciousness, visions of San Juan Mountains is this: it’s cold. You a fair hand tending to the sizzle of bacon come to that realization immediately when upstream began to haunt my very soul. the best solution you can come up with for your sad, soggy discomfort is to strip down Each day is a little life; each waking a little to your naturally thin fur coat and huddle birth; each morning a little youth; but under a space blanket next to a small fire, from there it’s always a crap shoot, and with another dude – who by his own who knows where you’ll be sleeping when admission smells even worse than you do. the next sun gives up the ghost. (With all

12 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 13 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 West River Groups Assessment (EA) that the Forest Service owned and operated by the Army Corps produced is. The EA fails to comply with of Engineers. Many government dams Meet (VT) even the most basic elements of the law built for flood control lack hydropower governing such studies. Perhaps most generation facilities. If done correctly, the by Kevin Colburn importantly, it fails to provide an adequate addition of hydropower can have neutral basis for protecting the river corridor. In or beneficial effects on the flows below On the Sunday after this year’s Deerfield the coming months, AW will be working a dam with few negative impacts. One River Festival, a group of paddling with our volunteer team and our partners concern in these cases is the impacts that stakeholders met at Zoar Outdoors to to overturn this most recent proposal. transmission lines will have on the land. discuss opportunities to improve the flow The Chattooga has become the top river American Whitewater generally supports regime of the West River. Currently the threatening to negatively redefine how adding hydropower capacity to dams that Army Corps of Engineers dam provides rivers are managed nationwide. Many are not candidates for removal, in cases an average of 36 boatable releases river managers and users are behind us where the effects are neutral or beneficial. every year, but only schedules three of on this issue, including many within the The proposal on the North Branch may those releases. By not scheduling the 33 Forest Service itself. We are working hard very well be one of those cases. We have remaining releases, it has been estimated to ensure that Wilderness and Wild and filed comments on the proposal asking in a detailed study that the Army Corps Scenic Rivers are protected, and that your FERC to assure that recreational access is eliminating $7,333,132 of annual ability to enjoy them is likewise protected. is maintained, and that flows are either economic benefits for the small rural While this issue seems to drag on, AW improved or not changed. towns in the area surrounding the West. In is carefully and strategically allocating addition they are drastically reducing the resources to win this struggle in the recreational benefits of the Class II and coming years. Support from the paddling Americans Look North III West River. The stakeholders are going community is vital to this effort. for Hydro to work with the Nature Conservancy to integrate recreational considerations into by Kevin Colburn an analysis that TNC is conducting on the Hydro Proposed on the dam and its flows. American Whitewater North Branch Potomac As the US seeks to increase the percentage will also continue its direct efforts to work of our power that comes from low with the Army Corps. (MD) impact renewable sources, the priorities are wind, solar, and biomass. Seldom is Groundhog Day on by Kevin Colburn hydro considered a viable option. There are two primary reasons for this: 1) A private hydropower company has the Chattooga there are few sites suitable for new dams, proposed to add hydro generators to and 2) our society has recognized that by Kevin Colburn the Jennings Randolph Dam, which is

The Forest Service has yet again proposed to ban boating on the Wild and Scenic Upper Chattooga River. American Whitewater staff has learned that the analysis of the issue was politically guided from high levels. One thing is certain, it is not a decision based on science, policy, law, or reason. Like many paddlers, the team of AW staff and volunteers working on the Chattooga is not surprised by the recent decision. The only surprise was just how weak and flawed the Environmental

The lurking DANGER is of Canadian companies selling power to US consumers

Photo by Kevin Colburn

14 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 15 September/October 2008 hydropower does not come without heavy for these energy sources has led the US to Paddlers enjoy Idaho’s Bear River without having to environmental and social costs. Recent look north to the vast rivers and roaring pay to register boats state based legislation has recognized creeks of Canada for some of its hydro these limitations and generally only generated power. Photo by Kevin Colburn considers new hydropower sources as low impact and renewable if they 1) do Pacific Gas and Electric, for example, not change volume or timing of flows, recently investigated opportunities 2) do not impact beneficial stream uses, to import hydropower from British and 3) are below a certain size (which Columbia to California. Bringing we disagree with, since small dams can hydropower to California would require have huge impacts). Hydropower that countless new dams on BC rivers and meets these criteria have special economic creeks, as well as a brand new high voltage benefits to power companies. The desire transmission line extending from BC to

16 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 17 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 California. The report predicts that the for a meeting in Washington this July. As some of the continent’s best rivers and transmission line would have significant US citizens, we have an ethical obligation sometimes some of its worst ideas. One impacts in northern California. It also to prevent the exploitation of rivers and such idea is to require all non-motorized acknowledges that hydropower produced creeks north of our borders to fuel our own boats to have a fee-based registration. in Canada would not be considered low energy consumption habits. For paddlers This idea emerges every couple of years, impact under US law, and notes that the lucky enough to have paddled in BC, it as proponents seek a new source of law would have to be weakened for the is painfully clear what incredible natural funds for government agencies. Paddlers project to be successful. PG&E is moving resources are at risk. Not only could this in the state have vehemently opposed ahead with pursuing the project, and we new hydro push weaken US laws—resulting this program, and after a yearlong therefore predict attempts to weaken the in new dams in our country—but it could assessment ordered by the Governor’s law will ensue. The government in BC also eliminate recreational opportunities office, the idea has reportedly died yet seems extremely receptive and has issued for US citizens travelling north. On a again. The Kayak Idaho website and the a report predicting the massive need for deeper level, we should be concerned with Idaho Whitewater Association played power and calling for companies to build our effects on people and places beyond our strong roles in defeating the proposed new dams. Just as California is looking to boundaries. We’ll keep paddlers posted on registration program with paddling icons BC, New England is looking to . how to help. For now, conserve energy. like Rob Lesser and Grant Amaral acting as spokesmen. American Whitewater is working with Idaho Boat Registration Canadian based organizations like BC Creek Protection Society to stem the Dies Again massive dam building push happening in Canada right now. Leaders from by Kevin Colburn the alliance joined AW and our fellow Hydropower Reform Coalition members Idaho is a special place, one that fosters

16 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 17 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 flow patterns. The Roar of the Yampa: A By diverting water to an off-channel proposed diversion that “The Yampa River is widely regarded reservoir, during only the higher spring could tame the beast to be the largest tributary in the entire runoff months, Brouwer suggests that seven-state Colorado River system that this project would still allow the Yampa to still retains all the characteristics of a function as it does today. “We have initially By Kent Vertrees free-flowing river,” says Geoff Blakeslee, planned to shut off the pumps when the river gets below 1,000 cubic feet per In Steamboat Springs, from mid-April the Yampa River project director for the second, allowing for the environmental through July, step outside at night, when Nature Conservancy. and recreational qualities of the Yampa all is still, and you’ll hear it. But it all could change. In the next 25 to sustain themselves.” More importantly, flushing flows would be allowed to pass The first time I heard the roaring of the years, Colorado’s population is forecasted by the diversion during a certain time Yampa River, I was in awe. to increase by 2.8 million people, the majority of whom will be moving to Front frame at peak flow, providing the same pulse of water that has existed for millions I was a mile and a half from the river, Range cities where water resources are of years. sipping beers on my friend’s deck. It was historically thin. late May and the sun was just about to set. Northern, which has yet to find a project “Is that the Yampa?” I asked my buddy. Rick Brown, the director of the State Water sponsor, suggests that pump stations “Yea, can you believe it?” he said. “It’s Supply Initiative, an expansive review of would then deliver this water via hundreds amazing that we can hear it all the way up Colorado’s water resources, is quick to of miles of pipeline back up river, under the here.” He kept talking but I wasn’t listening identify that “it’s time for us, the residents Continental Divide to its final destination: as I was fixed on the roar. of Colorado, to locate our future water supply. With current projections, we have a reservoir along the Front Range. Unlike the controlled, tamed rivers identified a 20 percent gap in the water The exact location of the pipeline and of my Mid-western youth, the Yampa we will need to provide for our growing tunnel has yet to be configured, but River is an exact opposite, a wild municipalities by 2030. If we’re unable additional elements could be added into unrestricted drainage. to store and use new water supplies, we’ll this system. likely see increased pressure to transfer The second time the roar caught my ear water from irrigated agriculture on both “Tying in the Yampa River with the other I was standing beside Mammoth Falls, the east and west slopes.” trans-basin diversions in Colorado would the infamous first rapid also known as allow us to complete the link between all Osterizer in Cross Mountain Canyon. As this process unfolds, the Yampa’s the other basins in the state,” says Eric Cross Mountain is the Yampa’s most plentiful water makes it a prime candidate Wilkinson, Northern’s manager. “In affect, continuous stretch of whitewater. With as Colorado’s future water supply. “The we could move water from the Yampa towering cliffs and bus-sized boulders Yampa River carries an abundance of River to the Colorado River via exchanges constricting its flow, the river’s water clean and available water that we could and purchases and lessen our dependence was re-circulating in and around itself, use to satisfy our needs,” says Carl on rivers that have been over-utilized in forming an immense hydraulic that Brouwer, a project manager for the the past.” looked as if it would eat a raft. Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. “In the Multi-Basin Water Supply Recreational users, rafters, canoeists, or As an experienced rafting guide, I had Investigation, we have summarized a kayakers for instance, could potentially seen big water, but nothing like this. At project that would pump water from the get longer flow windows lasting into Mammoth Falls, you can stand, perched lower reaches of the Yampa River, east to September, extending a season that usually just feet above the source of the roar, the communities along the East Slope ends in July. where mist from the spewing water that are in need of obtaining future water mixes with the cold sweat from your supplies.” Far away from the Front Range sprawl of pounding heart. The investigation, also known as the Yampa suburban homes, laying deep in the heart of Dinosaur National Monument along In full flood, the Yampa becomes a freight Diversion Project, outlines a colossal the Utah border, the Yampa River has train of water and earth. And it all flows project, the likes of which Colorado has carved out a magnificent, towering, slick freely. Though there are a few small never seen before. At an estimated cost of rock canyon environment. At 2,000 feet reservoirs along the Yampa’s path, the $4 billion dollars and a 25-year build out, deep, the Yampa Canyon is not only one dams of Stagecoach and Catamount do the project entails diverting 20 percent of the most sought after multi-day river little to stop the springtime snowmelt as of the Yampa River’s flow near the tiny rafting locations in the world but also the water spills over the cement in natural community of Maybell.

18 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 19 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 the resting ground for one of Earth’s last river coincides with the return migration Gigi Richard, a geomorphologist from remaining living dinosaurs. of the mature pikeminnow to an exact Mesa State University, has been studying location every year. These fish will travel the Yampa River’s unique hydrology and John Hawkins, a fisheries biologist from hundreds of miles up and down, not only that of the Little Snake River, which flows Colorado State University, has been the Yampa, but also the Little Snake and into the Yampa just above the entrance working on the Yampa River for many the White River. These spawning grounds to Yampa Canyon, where these spawning years and has developed an intimate on the Yampa are the highest quality that beds occur. relationship with these creatures. “Of we’ve found.” the four species of indigenous fish that “The Little Snake River is a major live in the lower Yampa River,” Hawkins Silt is key to the pikeminnow’s survival. tributary to the Yampa River and it carries says, “the Colorado pikeminnow is the “As the Yampa peaks and floods its banks a very heavy sediment load,” she says. king. As the natural predator of the river, in the spring and early summer, the flows “Where it provides only 30 percent of the the pikeminnow can grow up to six feet move massive amounts of silt and sand flow to the Yampa below the confluence of long and is only found in western U.S. down the river channel,” Hawkins says. these rivers, the Little Snake contributes 70 rivers, like the Yampa, that have retained “This silt not only provides habitats for percent of the sediment. If a water project their free-flowing, undiminished, natural recently hatched fish, but keeps other in the future were to limit the amount hydrographs.” non-native predators at bay. The flows of of water flowing down the Yampa River, the Yampa are critical as the high peaks of John has pinpointed the exact location the river clean the spawning beds at the of the pikeminnow’s hallowed spawning right time for the returning adults to lay Rafters scouting the Yampa River grounds, deep in the heart of Dinosaur their eggs.” National Monument. “The flooding of the Photo by Kent Vertrees, Friends of the Yampa

18 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 19 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 there could be a pile up of sediment all Could certain reductions in the Yampa’s consulted and allowed to provide their along the Yampa Canyon which would flows allow for the endangered species, the necessary input before anything occurs.” have a profound effect on the aquatic and recreational paddling, and the enjoyment terrestrial habitats that make the Yampa’s of the river canyons to coexist with a This debate will be critical as Colorado environment so unique and special.” pumpback? Can we sustainably allow for evolves during this century. Where we growing populations in cities hundreds will get the next, and possibly last, great Aside from the pikeminnow, native species of miles away to tap into a water source water source is a question that may take like the razorback sucker, bonytail and that is necessary for the local agricultural the state to the edge of its political and humpback chub could also be threatened and mining industries? Could we manage philosophical abilities. by a diversion. this system so that it would put late season flows back into the upper and lower On a recent rafting trip down the Yampa It is a conundrum of epic proportions. reaches of the Yampa itself? Canyon, that roar came screaming back On the one hand are human water needs, into my head as the water pounded against on the other are the needs of the natural Agreements and settlements for all the canyon wall. I was again reminded species and the environment at large, other Western Slope rivers in Colorado how special the Yampa River is, and how not to mention the water requirements would also be needed. “This is extremely important it is to protect her. of Western Slope farmers, ranchers and complicated,” says Dan Birch, director miners. For the Yampa River Diversion of the Colorado River District, which is Reprinted by permission of Ski Town to occur there would have to be many responsible for managing all the water Publications, Inc. levels of subordination and compromise. flowing in the Colorado River drainage in The equation would need to provide Colorado. “The decision made in one of for localized, in-basin storage and the major river basins in Colorado affects delivery capacities for both the lower and every other basin in the state. If water were upper river. to be used from the Yampa to help satisfy The Yampa the need for growth in the Front Range, Right now, questions outnumber answers. then the other river basins must also be Photo by Kent Vertrees, Friends of the Yampa

20 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 20 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 FIVE DAYS on the Yampa

Steamboar Rock on the Yampa River

Photos by Dave Steindorf 22 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 23 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 By Dave Steindorf were instantly breathtaking. I called to whifle ball. My daughter Molly and one my friend David who had guided on the of the boys on the trip started a little zoo As we approached the put-in at Deer Yampa for many years, “Now tomorrow it with all of the water bugs they could find; Lodge, we could make out the faint starts to get pretty, right?” it was quite a collection. It is so refreshing images of our group in the distance. to see how comfortable she was picking We had all converged on this spot from “Yea, tomorrow,” he replied. up big crawly bugs, and getting covered different directions and after several days in sand from head to toe. This was by no of travel we could hardly wait to get on We pulled over for lunch on a steep sandy means the first river trip most of these kids the river. The members of our group had beach. The current was moving pretty have ever been on, although in the past the all met through our interest in whitewater good so we had to do a little boat catching group had been made up entirely of girls. boating. Many of us had actually learned as our five rafts crowded into the eddy. As For some inexplicable reason all of the to kayak together many years ago. Now we began to pull the lunch off the rafts, couples in our circle of friends have been in our adult years the group is made the kids wasted no time in diving into the unable to produce a boy child. On this trip up of teachers: k-6, college professors, sand. What is it about sand that is such the brother of one of our friends brought and one recovering teacher turned river a universal kid attractor? Digging holes, his two sons on the trip. I asked him at the advocate. Earlier in our boating careers the building castles, making sculptures. In put-in if he had a permit for those “boy discussion on the night before a big river looking at the intensity of their play one of children.” It was clear almost immediately trip would have been about the whitewater the parents remarked on a comment from that our reality had been skewed because that lay ahead. How big were the rapids? his mom before the trip. “ What will the of our gender inequity. Nothing could have The holes? Should this or that rapid be run kids do? Won’t they get bored?” It seemed made this clearer than a scene at the put-in on the left or right? On this trip most of clear that they would all have been content where the girls decided to play horses. The the talk was centered on the nine children to play in the sand indefinitely, or at least boys recognized this game immediately that would be accompanying us down the until their growling tummies sent them but incorrectly as cowboys and Indians, river—seven girls and two boys, between looking for the food providers. No TV, and began to shoot the horses. The tables the age of four and eleven. Our excitement nothing plugged in or battery powered turned when the entire posse of girls in being able to take them to a special and happier than cats covering up @$*&. turned on the two boys, back them up place such as this one was the backdrop of against a tree, craning their necks as they all of our thoughts. Camp that night was at a spot called yelled, “you can’t shoot the horses!” We Anderson Hole. After unloading rafts have often joked about how hard it will be After running shuttle, rigging boats and and setting up camp we began a game of to impress this peer group of girls. They all corralling kids, we push off and begin the trip into the river canyon that seems to jump straight out of the valley. The Yampa River above the Deer Lodge put-in is a wide open valley bounded by distant peaks. The Yampa River Canyon trip encompasses the last of the Yampa River flowing through Dinosaur National Monument before its confluence with the Green. One of the members of another group that shared our launch date stated “This section of the Yampa’s Canyon walls may be only second to those of the Grand Canyon.” As a veteran of two trips down the Grand this seemed like a tall order but the statement increased my excitement nonetheless. As we drifted into the canyon and the walls jumped up, the cliffs and canyon colors

The girls hard at work scrubbing dishes - that’s why we bring them, after all

Photos by Dave Steindorf

22 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 23 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 paddle solo in IKs, raft the bigger rapids, list of topics. Knowing that it is a serious the landscape in every direction. It is one and have seen some of the most beautiful threat, somewhat tainted my joy of being of those places that is so big it is hard to get river canyons in the West. Sabine, one of in this great place. Instead I went to the perspective of. “Ho! Mitakuye Oyasin!” the moms on the trip, has a fantasy of all drag bag sloshing in the waves to wrestle of these girls starting a rafting company out another beer. The next day we push off a little ahead of together someday. Someone quips, “Do the rest of the group. I decide to catch a you really want your daughters hanging The next day the canyon walls became small eddy up against the sandstone cliffs out with raft guides.” Sabine quickly taller and even more vertical. Late in on the left side of the river. As I approach I points out that most of the husbands on the afternoon we heard a thunderstorm realize that the eddy is very active, surging this trip used to be raft guides and states, approaching. Soon the claps of thunder and a strong up current. My wife gives me “They could do worse.” The boys survived gave way to a few errant raindrops and a look that says, “Do you really need to in the end, but not before they got their then to a full fledged downpour. We catch that eddy?” Feeling the need to test hair braided and their nails painted. attempted to seek shelter under a small out my newfound rowing skills, I continue rock overhang but the rain was coming toward the eddy. Three easy pulls on the Later after the kids were tucked away in down in sheets. Our $5.99 K-Mart oars and I slip into the eddy, pretty as you their bags the adults got caught up on umbrella provided little shelter. And please. Feeling rather proud of myself but changes in our lives, talk inevitably turned then as quickly as it started the deluge not wanting to push my luck, I figured that to changes in our world. High gas prices, ended leaving only the incredible smells I should exit the eddy post haste before the low real estate prices, changes in our of a fresh rain in the high desert. Off the up current pulled me into the small pour economy and our climate all hot topics canyon walls echoes a yell “Ho! Mitakuye over at the top of the eddy. No problem, on the list. Of course we solved all of these Oyasin!” an Indian phrase that means I’ll just set my angle and three strokes, no problems while drinking luke cold beer, roughly, “we are all related”; nature, man, maybe two, and I will glide my boat, wife watching the Yampa rolling by, sunset and I am but a speck. The canyon began to and daughter back into the current. It was changing hues across the water. I tried open up into a place known as Harding’s at this point that I looked down to see my not to be the wet blanket by adding the Hole and Wagon Wheel point. Towering drag bag wrapped around one oar. With dewatering of the river in front of us to the cliffs and sandstone amphitheaters filled only about two feet of oar travel, I could see that I was not going to get out of the eddy. Worse yet, I was on a rocket ride to the pour over. I leaned over grabbed the drag bag off the oar just in time to see our right tube almost completely submerge in the small hydraulic. My wife and daughter immediately leapt for the high side. My wife shot me the look “Did you really need to catch this eddy?” We popped out of the hydraulic only to have our oar pinned between the boat and the rock wall. I heaved on the oar, to pry us off the wall, hoping that the oar would not break. The boat released the oar, I gave it a pull and we spun out of the eddy. Hero to zero: “I am but a speck.”

That day the Yampa Canyon hit full stride. The goosenecks in this section make it so that seven river miles equate to two miles as the crow flies. With each gooseneck bend the walls on the outside of the bend get taller and more sheer. Eventually the

The kids right at home in the IKs

Photos by Dave Steindorf

24 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 25 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Grand Overhang comes into view. The with these things, the rafter that perished We picked up several of the little ones and word from the former Yampa guides on contributed to his demise by not scouting continued downstream. our trip is that if you drop a rock from the rapid and by failing to wear a lifejacket. the top of the overhang, it will land on the The rapid consists of a large wave train that The next day, shortly below our last camp, opposite riverbank. I remember looking at leads into several huge holes dead center we floated into the confluence of the Yampa goosenecks in the river in the wide open in the rapid. These holes are generally and the Green. Named Echo Park by John valley above the put-in. I thought about skirted on the right, but not too far right Wesley Powell, this is truly an icon of how many millennia it would take for because there is another hole that juts out natural beauty in the west. The centerpiece those bends in the river to become a grand from the right bank. We pulled into the is Steamboat Rock, 500 feet high, 1200 feet overhang. Around a few more bends we eddy above the rapid in order to scout and long, and because of the way the river came to the Tiger Wall, a 300-foot cliff that put most of the kids out to walk around bends back on its self, this ridge of rock is drops all the way into the water. Tradition the rapid. None of us had the stomach to a lasso that’s 100 feet thick. It is Echo Park says that you should kiss the Tiger Wall even think about flipping a boat with a because a loud hoop or holler will get you for good luck in the mighty Warm five or six year old aboard. My daughter, no less than eight returns off the canyon Springs Rapid. who is eleven and the oldest in the group, walls. This place is also significant because threatened to disown me if I didn’t let her it tells the tale of two rivers, and two In the mile above Warm Springs the river run the rapid. After seeing the sneak route different futures. The Yampa, the last free becomes unnaturally calm. This is due at the top of the rapid I relent and let her flowing tributary of the Colorado system to the debris flow that clogged the river climb on the raft. We pushed off and in had about five times the flow of the Green, and created the rapid back in 1965. The moments we had waves crashing over the whose flow is muted by Flaming Gorge rapid has been notorious from birth, bow of our raft. After an uneventful run Dam upstream. The current threat to the largely because it claimed the life of the we pulled into the eddy to the cheers of the Yampa and Green is by no means the first. first person to run it. As is often the case crowd that had gathered to watch our run. Shortly below the confluence is a narrow

24 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 25 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 tapeats sandstone gorge where a dam was proposed in the mid 1960s. The thought of all that I have seen over the last several The Yampa River: To Dam days being flooded gave me a knot in the or Not to Damn pit of my stomach. I said a private thank you to those who fought the fight to keep By Nathan Fey that mistake from becoming reality, and giving me the chance to share this great Does a proposal to build a $4 billion The Yampa is the largest tributary of the place with our children. dam on the last major free flowing river Green River, which is a major source of in the Colorado River basin sound like water for the mighty Colorado River. After a flat braided section of river progress, or make sound water policy? The Yampa’s free flowing nature gives known as Island Park we entered the Split Does taking water from a national park the entire river system much of its Mountain Gorge for the last hoorah of and the iconic western canyons of the dynamic character, including flushing our trip. A series of fun Class III rapids Colorado Plateau, across the Continental flows, hydro-generating capacity and provided an exciting and fitting end to our Divide at an annual cost of millions globally rare riparian habitats. These trip. We began to realize that we needed of dollars in electricity seem justified could be lost or greatly diminished if to milk every rapid and soak up the in the age of global warming? Right or the Yampa Storage Project is realized. canyon walls. As we approached the Split not, there are powerful interests working Mountain Boat Ramp, the canyon walls toward this vision on the Yampa River in Perhaps most importantly is the fact ended just as abruptly as they began 70 northwestern Colorado. that water left in the river is not wasted. miles and five days earlier. I looked around There are four species of endangered to see the long face on my daughter and As the Front Range cities of Colorado fish on the Yampa, all of which depend the other kids, sad to be done. I couldn’t expand, they continue to search for on the natural flow of the river for help but wonder if this great place would more water to meet the demands of survival. Many communities rely be here for her to show her kids someday. urban growth. It is estimated that by the on the river’s water for the thriving I thought about reentering the world with year 2030, the South Platte River Basin, recreation industry, including rafting, rising fuel prices, and global temperatures. home to the largest populated areas of , and fishing. In addition, I heard Rick yell out one more, “Ho! Colorado, will need as much as 400,000 the water that flows out of Colorado is Mitakuye Oyasin!” and I felt that I now acre-feet of new water. The solution not lost, but rather is already used. In had a clearer understanding of what the sought after by the Northern Water 90% of the years on record, water from Native Americans may have meant by Conservancy District of Colorado is to the Colorado River does not reach the exalting that we are all related. There is dam the last truly natural flowing river Pacific Ocean and its waters are totally only so much oil and water on the planet in the Colorado River system, and build consumed downstream. and the Earth will impose its limits upon a 500,000 acre-foot reservoir below us. Conservation will not be an option Maybell, Colorado. Such a dam would Proponents of the Yampa River but a physical reality. The question I ask include an initial plan to divert twenty Project, like Northern Colorado Water myself is will we make choices to save the percent of the Yampa’s instream flow, Conservancy District, see the Yampa last great places for our kids? Or, will we over the continental divide and to the as a clean and reliable source of water pump the last barrel off our shores, take Denver area, with even greater diversions that will stop the drying up of Front the last drop from our rivers, and then likely to follow in future years. Range farms to address Front Range begin to conserve not as a choice but as a water needs deep into the 21st Century. limitation of what the planet can provide? The Yampa River is widely considered Other agencies and groups see the I think about two possible futures: my to be the last major tributary in the Yampa Pumpback as an environmental daughter bringing her own children down entire Colorado River basin that still and economic nightmare from last the Yampa and telling them the story of retains the characteristics of a large, century having little statewide benefit, how we helped save this magnificent place, free flowing Western river. Unlike other and far reaching detrimental impacts. or alternatively, Molly piecing together rivers of Colorado and the arid West that words and pictures to try to show her kids have long been dammed, diverted and For a breakdown of the many issues something that no longer exists from a dewatered, the Yampa River, with only a at stake in this critical issue, and the memory of five days on the Yampa. few smaller water supply reservoirs high pros and cons of the Yampa Pumpback, up in its headwaters, continues to have a visit: http://www.friendsoftheyampa.c natural hydrograph where annual spring om/arguments_for_and_against_the_ and summer high flows protect ancient Yampa_Pumpback.php habitats and endangered species.

26 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008

R2 The High-Life of Rafting

By: Paul Gamache

“Big Brother”, White Salmon, WA Paddlers Paul Gamache and Scott Waidelich

Photo by Brad Xanthopoulos www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 29 September/October 2008 Rafting. The word immediately conjures of the R2 equation is single-handily allows the paddlers to rotate the boat on a up images in my mind. Those include flips, determined by the cohesiveness of the two dime and change their angle as fast as the high-sides, swimming, great customers, paddlers. They might be the best of friends rapids demand. In addition to increased horrendously awful customers, beer … and professional Class V rafters, canoeists, maneuverability; speed and synchronized whiskey, sun, the Chico Women’s Soccer or kayakers and not be able to align their strokes over ledges can successfully boof Team, full moon floats, more beer, floating two Class-A personalities. The result can the raft over unfriendly river features undercuts, and of course the bikini clad be disastrous. Within the first minute or giving the paddlers even greater control. women to make those summers that so you can get a feel for how you and your much more exciting. No matter how you partner are paddling together. Thankfully So how can one get the most out of a high slice it, rafting is more than a sport: it’s this is just soon enough to jump ship and caliber R2? Let’s look at a few important a lifestyle. For some the beer, sun, and run back to the put-in if it looks as though tips. With increased maneuverability you hotties, just aren’t enough. On days off, you are in for a miserable day on the river. need a way to secure yourself in the boat after work, or in the cold months of winter so that you can take advantage of the these individuals are on the edge of that Let’s not focus on those days though. benefits of R2-ing. While there are many lifestyle hanging on by their toes, begging When things go right in R2-ing, some successful ways of doing so, one method for more. This is where the style of rafting amazing things are possible. Using known as R2 comes into play. synchronized strokes and styles; paddlers can boof ledges, drop waterfalls, punch holes, and cruise through manky rapids. Spectators/kayakers watch Nascar style as Darren R2 is the potentially high performance and Ryan Albright line up for “Big Kahuna” during aspect of rafting where two like-minded The advantage is in the boaters’ ability to the 2008 Canyon Creek Race individuals sit side by side on opposite draw and rotate the boat at the “hip” of tubes of a raft. The most critical piece the craft. This pivot and go maneuvering Photo by Corey Morton

www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 29 September/October 2008 30 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 31 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 of positioning yourself to stay in the raft is to get your feet solidly secured in the boat, usually one each under a front and back thwart. If you are on the right side of the raft your right foot should be forward under the front thwart and your left should be pressed under the back thwart. Sit so that your butt is on the vertical center of the outside tube. Kick both feet under their respective thwarts and lock them in tight so that you can hang out of the raft up to your stomach in water. To get back into the boat from this position do what’s known as a high-brace or somewhat of a C to C roll. The high- brace is standard procedure in kayaking and not used nearly as much as it should in rafting. For those who are not kayakers, get your body in the position mentioned above. While holding on to your paddle as you normally would while paddling, raise your paddle blade so that it’s flat against the surface of the water. You should be completely submerged underwater so you will have to reach for the surface. Now in one swift motion do a really big sit-up. Use your paddle as leverage by snapping the blade flat down into the water as your body comes to the surface. Do not aggressively pull the paddle down or rely on the paddle to get you upright, it is simply there to support your sitting- up motion. Pulling up on your front toes under the thwart will also help assist you grab and hold on to something this is only in coming to the surface. Done correctly Dan Robichard & Bryan Hlista working together to useful when going over drops greater than get through the bottom right side of “The ” this maneuver will be fluid and can keep 15’. In nearly all other situations you are on Middle Fork Feather’s Devil’s Canyon. Notice you in the raft at nearly all times, unless better off with your feet secure, your rear Dan’s preemptive high-siding combined with Bryan’s of course the boat flips. Additionally, it on the outside tube, and your paddle in continual paddling. This sort of teamwork and will prevent you from letting go of your the water battling to keep the raft on line. awareness is a must have skill when paddling multi- paddle and holding on to the raft with Same works for going into a large hole. If day Class V runs. one hand. Not only does letting go subject you stop paddling to hold on, the raft will Photo by Sam Hamilton you and your partner to getting clobbered be sucked back into the feature and give by your flailing paddle but it makes it you one hell of a working. This is why impossible for you to keep paddling. locking your feet in and using your hands While the natural thing to do is to want to to paddle only is so important. waterfall, and a splash of luck. One of the best examples of what a highly R2 races are becoming increasingly popular skilled and motivated R2 team can do is The potential of where the sport of R2-ing amongst paddlers. This year’s Canyon Creek Race showcased in Ashland Mine Productions can go is nearly endless. Whether you’re had 12 R2 crews compete and ranked as one of No Big Names II: Amped. The film features just enjoying a mellow day on the water the most difficult raft races in the Nation. Cruising multiple large waterfalls being dropped with a friend, dropping a “park and huck” over “Hammering Spot”, Paul Gamache and Scott by Eric Seymore and Ben Stookesberry waterfall, or running the steepest creek Waidelich paddle towards the finish line. including a 48’ drop in Chile. Ben and Eric you can find, R2-ing is always a great time. stuck the landing and showed the world Photo by Keel Brightman So get a compatible partner, a raft, and what was possible with the right crew, a start practicing your strokes!

30 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 31 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Sixty Years Later, Havens In 2008, the Havens family continues Photo by All Terrain Images to set the pace and win medals in Family Still Winning competition. At the Whitewater Medals: Open Canoe Downriver National Championships this past July, the next two A Recap of the 2008 generations of Havens earned eight golds, The Downriver Nationals are always National Downriver Canoe four silvers and two bronzes! held in the summer (July 8-13 this year). Racers tune up for the Nationals at various Championships This year’s Downriver Nationals were regional races throughout the spring. contested on the French Broad River near There are popular events each year on the OurBy Tom Group Blue, of duckieRace Chair, on the Magical Selway Hot Springs, North Carolina. The 4.5-mile Mulberry Fork in Alabama, the St. Francis 2008 WWOC Downriver Nationals course started upstream of the bridge at River in Missouri, and the photo by David Cottingham Barnard and ended at the Pisgah National in . These are generally one- Canoe racing runs deep in the Havens Forest maintained access at Stackhouse. or two-day affairs, 4 to 8 miles long, held family. In 1948, brothers Frank and Bill This section of the French Broad is a on weekends. Competitors Terry Wescott Havens were members of the United natural flow, Class II-III run. Because of and Sandra Mitchell, however, arrived at States Olympic Team, competing in exceptionally dry conditions, the river ran the Downriver Nationals just a few days flatwater canoe events. Frank won a silver at record low levels from mid-June until after completing the 460 mile long Yukon medal that year. Four years later, Frank the first official day of practice. Substantial River Quest, the longest canoe race in brought home gold, covering the 6.2 mile rain upstream then brought the level up, the world! course in 57 minutes, 41 seconds, a new much to the delight of the race organizers. world record. Even later in the week, there was plenty of Of the four days of racing at a Downriver water for spirited racing. Nationals, three cover the entire downriver

32 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 32 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 course, which permits the competitors to after finishing their heat. This more Photo by All Terrain Images enter different classes on different days relaxed time on the water was rewarded (solo, tandem, junior/senior). One day in other ways as racers encountered a bald of racing, however, is dedicated to the eagle, an egret and countless blue herons. “sprint” event. The sprint competition is held on a shorter stretch of river with The sprints produced the closest finish teams had a female competitor, including the biggest rapids. On the French Broad, of the entire event. Jim Farrington won the winning team of Susie Hartzog and the sprint course consisted of the rapids his solo class, but was only one second Dale Swanson. In addition, the youngest known as Big Pillow (III-), Sandy Bottom faster than Charlie Brackett and William competitor was female. Ten-year-old (II+), and The Ledges (III-). McDuffie, who finished in a tie! Naturally, Kenzie Bell raced with her father, Chris, Zaak and Zane set the pace again, blitzing finishing third in the junior/senior class. The water level was highest on the first day down the run in just under ten minutes. of competition and Zaak and Zane Havens This time, their father Keith joined them At the other end of the age spectrum, (grandsons of Bill) took full advantage. on the podium, securing a gold in the Bob Whaley (age 82) demonstrated that Paddling tandem, they posted what turned tandem sprint with his partner Ed Sharp. downriver racing is a sport that can be out to be the fastest time of the entire week The Havens in-laws got into the act too: enjoyed throughout life. He completed the for the full downriver course: 36 minutes, Karla won golds in the women’s solo and course on the final day of competition in 26 seconds. Fortunately for their Uncle tandem events, the latter with her partner 52 minutes, 40 seconds, a very respectable Kirk, race classes are subdivided into age Lynne McDuffie. time at the lower water level. The Havens groups as well. He finished first in the class clan “hit for the cycle” that day, picking for racers age 40 to 54 with his partner The race organizers made a special effort up one gold, one silver and one bronze. Jim Farrington. to increase participation in the women’s Competitors from as far away as Alabama classes this year. When all was said and and New Hampshire also earned medals The sprint races were held on the second done, 22 women entered the competition, on the last day of racing. day. Since the sprint course was in the including 10 who raced solo. On the third middle of the run, competitors had to day of racing, there were a dozen boats in Throughout the event, Hot Springs was paddle from the put-in at Barnard down to the tandem mixed class (one male, one a wonderful host town. After awards the start line, then continue downstream female) and three of the five junior/senior ceremonies each day, racers and their

34 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 35 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 families dined at the sidewalk cafes and event will be ideal for first-timers who For more information about the soaked in the springs. Adversaries by day want to give downriver canoe racing a try. 2008 Collegiate Nationals, see http: met at the Paddlers’ Pub in the evening to //www.americancanoe.org/collegiate/ share ideas about different routes as the While there were some first-timers at this collegiate.html. For more information level dropped in the river (and in their year’s Downriver Nationals, many of the about the 2008 Downriver Nationals on the mugs . . .). Perhaps the most enjoyable part competitors attend year after year. They French Broad, including complete results, of downriver racing is the camaraderie travel around the country to wherever the see www.fbcanoeracing.org/nationals. For that develops between the paddlers. race is held: the Youghiogheny River in more information about whitewater open Pennsylvania, the Dead River in Maine, or canoe downriver canoe racing generally, see This fall, a new event comes to the the Arkansas River in Colorado. 2008 was www.wwocd.org. downriver racing scene. The first the first time that the Downriver Nationals Collegiate Canoe & Kayak National were held on the French Broad. It proved Downriver Championships will be held on to be an excellent venue and will certainly the Rappahannock River on October 11- host the event again in the future. 12. The University of Mary Washington And at some future Downriver Nationals, in Fredericksburg, Virginia will host. Any the next generation of the Havens family college or university can send a team. A will undoubtedly set a blistering pace and full team consists of 3 male and 3 female win yet more medals. students (and a faculty advisor) but teams can have more or fewer members. In addition to the usual race classes, the Collegiate Nationals will have relays. The Photo by All Terrain Images

34 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 35 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Endangered Canoes By Harrison Metzger

Dooley Tombras running Luminosa on the El Salto in Mexico

Photo by Leland Davis

Whitewater Canoiests: populations of canoeists have dwindled to short and round as creek . But they the point where the species is considered are not kayaks. They are canoes—dozens Endangered Populations rare and endangered. of them. On this day their paddlers have Prove Surprising Hardy traveled from as far north as Ontario and On a bright spring morning I downshift all points between for the second annual Making Comback my Tacoma and glide through the turns Ain’t Louie Fest (ALF). dropping off the 5,400-foot peak of Conservation biologists studying endan- the Cherohala Skyway along the North There’s time as the crowd of more than gered species speak of the danger of popula- Carolina/Tennessee border. Entering the 40 boaters unloads gear to walk around, tions of rare and threatened plants and scrubby, cut over pine forest above the greet old friends and get acquainted with animals becoming isolated from each other. Tellico River, it’s hard to believe at the new ones. Time to admire another boater’s Such “island habitats” lead to decreased bottom of this gorge lies the clear creek customized saddle and other outfitting genetic variability and greater susceptibility rushing over bedrock ledges and Class III tricks. to threats posed by habitat loss, develop- and IV rapids sustaining the full diversity ment, climate change or encroachment of of Southern Appalachian biota. Unlike kayaks, which come ready to exotic species. paddle with factory outfitting that can be I’ve driven 2 1/2 hours from quickly adjusted, many whitewater canoes In the swift-flowing rivers of the Hendersonville, N.C., for an “armada” of arrive to their owners as empty hulls. In a Appalachian Mountains, a hardy breed whitewater paddlers. Soon I see them up throwback to the early days of whitewater, of whitewater paddler developed over the ahead, their cars, vans and trucks stacked paddlers install their own saddles, last century. In the dawn of whitewater with brightly colored boats, some full- floatation, lashing, foot braces, bulkheads paddling, the canoeist was a dominant length boats like the 12-foot Mad River or thigh straps, D-rings. pumps, etc. Even species in the rivers where it occurred. Outrage hanging out of my truck, others factory outfitted boats like festival host However with the proliferation of kayakers, 36 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 37 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Mike “Louie” Lewis’ Esquif Taureau, have “The way I paddle and how I paddle I But canoeing is mostly a personal personalized touches, like the thin wood have to be able to get out of the boat in challenge. Anyone who takes up the way strips around the cockpit. a heartbeat—I would die in a kayak,” he of the single blade finds themselves part said. “I ain’t very good but I’m extremely of an iconoclastic community of boaters, “That makes it a real canoe,” he tells me lucky. But still you make your own luck. direct descendants of whitewater pioneers when I ask about the wood trim. You come around a blind bend and the from the to the Chattooga. kayakers have got all the eddies, I have Louie, of nearby Lenoir City, Tenn., works to be able to stand up and jump over the The Southern Appalachians, where a as a nuclear remediation engineer in the tree. Plus I like the visibility. I like to be number of whitewater canoes were once United States and other countries, but able to see what’s coming. And the most manufactured, has a viable if generally lives to paddle. A native of West Virginia, important thing is you can carry beer.” remnant population of whitewater he has lived in East Tennessee since he was canoeists. While most males exhibit the 2 and has been paddling canoes since the Like most canoeists of hard whitewater, characteristic gray beard, the Southern late 1960s. By the late 70s he was running Louie also enjoys being part of a small population is notable for a few prominent full sized canoes down rocky waterfalls crowd of boaters who have the skill to run younger individuals, including the multiple and rapids. something like the Green Narrows in a world champion rodeo canoeist, Eli craft that is indisputably challenging. (Elitus Helbertus) Like many canoeists, Louie appreciates the “open” part of open boating. “That has always been one of my proudest For every 50 kayakers that plunge over moments, to be at the take-out and have Bear Creek Falls on the Cheoah, there some kayaker come and say, ‘Damn, I may be one or two open boats. The admire you guys running that in an open pushy, 8-mile North Carolina run recently Eli Helbert, the “Eli-minator” styling it as always boat,’” he says of running the Green. restored through the efforts of American Whitewater, ends with a two-mile stretch Photo by Colin Moneypenny

36 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 37 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Dooley Tombras on the Sinks of the Little River

Photo by Memree Phillips

of continuous Class III+ to IV+ rapids with a big hole in its top. But it also allows Steep creek canoeists Dooley Tombres culminating in the falls and the aptly the open boater to test his or her most and Eli Helbert, multiple world champion named “Yard Sale” rapid. Once when important river sense — reading rapids rodeo open boater, are among the throng running Yard Sale, I took on some water on the fly. With the advantage of superior of single bladers on the Tellico March 12. in the second hole, which shifted to my downstream visibility, the challenge of Both are paddling with their dads who got stern as I hit the bottom one, shooting me picking the driest lines is not optional. them into canoeing. Along with some of skyward in a huge rocket move. Onshore, Canada’s best—folks like Andrew and a couple of young kayaking friends shot Hundreds of kayakers and dozens of Carole Westwood—they throw wheels off me “the horns” in approval. Like the big rafters challenge the Cheoah on any given 12-foot Baby Falls and snag every eddy in kayaks in days of yore, big canoes will get day. But the open boater out here may Class IV Jerrod’s Knee. some big air coming out of big holes … if find the only other canoeists are ones they come out. so outstanding they are known among The Westwoods have been making the trip boaters by their first names. Names like Eli South for years to paddle with Louie on his Paddling this “western” style of whitewater and Dooley. home rivers and creeks in the Smokies and is a challenge in any craft, let alone one on the Cumberland Plateau. On their Web

38 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 39 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 site, westwoodoutdoors.ca, they describe We applaud the efforts of ALF to reconnect paddling a kayak or a C-1,” he says. “I like how ALF became official in 1997: these disjunct canoeist populations.” the challenge of paddling an open canoe down Class V rivers and creeks. Being in “Louie, aka Mike Lewis, always invites us — Dr. O.C. Canoeski of the Center for the canoe forces you to be able to read down March break to get some spring Paddlelogic Diversity. water and find the dry lines, and I like the boating under our belts … This year Louie added challenge.” decided to invite everybody who wanted to come down and paddle. A big party of At 26, Dooley already has some open boat Like Louie, he values being able to quickly sorts, but, not for a day or two. Let’s do first descents nailed. He started canoeing jump out if he gets pinned on a log, as this for a whole 9 days! ‘I don’t care what with his dad when he was 14 to get into has happened more than once on the you call it,’ he drawls in his southern best, prime fly fishing locations, but they high elevation creeks of Great Smoky ‘but it ain’t Louie Fest.’ We took him at his quickly realized the paddling was a lot Mountains National Park. His favorite word—literally!” more exciting than the fishing. run is the West Prong, the upper section of which he was the first to run in an “Our biologists have documented scattered Inspired by the legendary Dave “Pyscho” open canoe. populations of canoeists along the Simpson’s early runs of Overflow Creek Appalachian mountain range, including a and other steep creeks in the vintage video “It is one of my home rivers and one of still thriving northern variety in Canada. “Southern Fried Creekin’,’” Dooley found the most classic runs in the Southeast,” We believe this northern population holds his calling: mastering hard whitewater in he says. “Only a handful of canoers have hope for restoring the long-term viability open canoes. made the run because it is so steep and of the species because it includes families continuous. It was really special (at ALF) of canoeists with young canoeist offspring. “I honestly can say I have never considered to take two canoers down who had never

38 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 39 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 run it before and be in a group of four canoes with no kayaks.”

There are a couple of kayakers along for this trip, and a few more staring at the throng of canoes boofing Baby Falls. There are lots of hoots of approval, but none louder than for 11-year-old Emily Greve running the falls in a Splash, the first open canoe designed (by her dad, Al) just for kids.

Gail Rich was among those who drove the longest, 15 hours from Ontario, to be at ALF. She came with her husband Steward and kids, Kenzie, 9, paddling a Splash, and Ainslie, 11, one of the few kayakers at ALF.

Like Dooley and lots of open boaters, Gail, 40, got into canoeing first as a family activity then realized the same boats could be paddled in whitewater.

“When we moved to Ontario 12 years ago and discovered you could actually put your camping gear in the canoe and take off for weeks, we were hooked,” she says. “And when it dawned on us that you could get canoes and throw yourself down a river, well that was the dawning of an obsession.”

Coming to ALF allowed to connect with “a whole entire community of people” similarly obsessed.

“It’s amazing to get to the river see the sparkling light dancing on the water and hear the rapids, music to the senses, anticipation of the new, and to look over and see 40 people who just innately get the same things you do,” she says. “It’s pretty special.”

Dooley Tombras running Bald River Falls during ALF

Photo by Samantha Brunner

40 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 40 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 First Descent of Smith

Creek By Doug Ammons

Jim Good rockets off a drop near the end of “Big Locomotive” in his vintage 1986 Mustang

Photo by Grant Amaral 42 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 43 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 This story is for anyone who dreams of first descents.

There’s something special about exploring a new place. I’m not sure why, but maybe it’s because it makes you into a little kid again. Maybe setting foot in that newness hints of the fun you felt as a five-year old, going somewhere that’s gonna be neat. I think everyone has some little part of the world where they’ve felt this. It might be a pond on the other side of the neighbor’s house, an old field, the woods behind Grampa’s. As they get older, most people settle down and forget about that feeling, but a few make a profession and follow it into the wild places left on earth: the jungles, the Himalayas, Antarctica. Taking a middle road, some of us look for it in other ways, finding our own little corners of adventure. We end up farther than Grampa’s woods but nearer than the South Pole. For paddlers, a new run serves this purpose. And best of all is finding the perfect run that no one else has ever seen. off to school in the late 1970s, trading his The paddlers take sober breather. Doug has just flatlands for the pine forests, mountains, plucked Jim out of “The Hold that ate Sherrif Jim” at The green, state-owned pickup truck and clear running waters of the Pacific the end of a long slide. Northwest. In his six years out here he had wound along the road far up on the north Photo by Grant Amaral side of Smith Creek canyon. As the truck become an accomplished kayaker, hungry bounced along, its occupants had a view and on the lookout for new runs. across to the opposite side where the heavily forested ridges climbed high above Jim had gradually come to the notion them. Peering down through breaks in the there might be something of interest best of him. He had to hike down through trees, now and then some boulders and in this obscure canyon in the Selkirk the forest and see what was at the bottom. rock were just visible in the canyon bottom Mountains. By chance, the state of Idaho His heels skidded and peeled the dirt far below. It didn’t look like anything had contracted him to do water quality off wet, mossy slabs of granite as he much. Overgrown with brush probably, research in the upper tributaries. He didn’t elbowed through thickets of buckbrush, old rotting cedar logs across it, and pools realize there might be something unique downclimbing the bluffs between trees where small cutthroat trout waved in the right under his nose. But all the signs were and over deadfall. Finally emerging onto current. The truck slowed, then stopped. there. The old runoff records showed that the streambed through the trees at the Jim Good, a lanky, bearded man, stepped lots of water rumbled down the canyon bottom of the canyon, he looked up out onto the road and slammed the door. every spring. Smith Falls, visible from the and down, blinked ... and felt the rush First Descent of “This looks like as good a place as any,” he narrow frontage road which ran along the of discovery. Smith said to the driver. “Thanks Bill, I’ll head front edge of the Selkirks, looked very down here. See you in a few hours.” impressive—at least what you could see He wandered down the streambed of it while squinting through the trees and in disbelief, shaking his head at the Now Jim was a slow talking, precise Kansas “No Trespassing” signs. Lastly, the stream wonderland of polished granite slabs. Jayhawk type. You could see it in the careful dropped a whopping 1700 feet in 5 miles. Like the ultimate of waterslide fantasies, steps he took and the meticulous choice of the bedrock rose and fell, sweeping his words. He was the kind of guy who Despite all the hints, the road was a long away steeply in either direction, smooth, told a story with painstaking attention to way up the canyonside and the trees banking, going on forever. All of it detail. So much detail in fact, that by the were so thick you couldn’t even see the invisible from above. Stunned, he thought, time he was halfway through, you’d want stream. “Still,” he thought, “There must be “What have I found? The world’s greatest to shake him to get the rest out. Forsaking something in here.” After mulling it over whitewater run? Smith Creek. Jesus, Smith his native wheat-stalked state, Jim headed for a week or two, curiosity finally got the Creek!” Several hours later he staggered up

42 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 43 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Doug running one of the sliding falls in the middle of the stretch of the stretch “One thousand moves per mile”

44 AmericanPhoto by Grant Whitewater Amaral www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 45 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 onto the road far above, wondering, “Did I hear him struggling to control himself on really see all that?” the other end of the phone. His sense of order and his excitement grappled … and Jim called me that night. Over the order was losing. His words accelerated, phone, his normally composed voice had voice rising— an edge. “Climbingdownwashard, but, butbut …”

“Doug, I have got to tell you about this And the dam broke. stream I found! It’s in a canyon up in the Panhandle. You know, the one I’ve been “ITSINCREDIBLE!!!” he shouted. “There working for the last few weeks on the musthavebeena hugeflood— upper drainage doing some research.” SMASHEDthecanyontoBEDROCK! There ’swaterslidesEverywhere.” His words began to trip over each other. I held the receiver away from my ear as a “I really didn’t have any idea of what solid stream of shouting came out of the wasdownthere, but I went down phone, until he finally took a deep breath hiking today tothestream in the and yelled, “ItsaFANTASTICrun!! bottomofthecanyon.” YouveGOTtosee - ICANT - YOUWONT - NOONEWILL BELIEVEIT!!!” There was a pause. I could hear him panting and out of breath, What’s going on? I wondered. I could and waited a few seconds more to make sure he’d burned out his vocal cords. Then I got him to slow down enough so that I could get an idea of what he was saying. A Scouting Smith Creek long conversation ensued, and we decided to meet and hike the canyon as soon as Photo by Doug Ammons possible. I hung up the phone smiling and thinking, funny what moving water will do to some people. I was intrigued by the possibilities, amused with Jim, and already caught up in his dream.

Our first October reconnaissance started off happily as I drove up to meet Jim. The highway wound along the Clark Fork and Kootenia Rivers past oceans of autumn yellowed cottonwoods and willows. I rounded corners to find full mountainsides glowing a soft orange with sunlit larch. We met full of enthusiasm, talked until late, then crawled into our sleeping bags anticipating the next morning. But the Indian summer was blasted into oblivion that night. There was a rainstorm and temperatures fell into the low 20s. We woke up to a clear day, but also to a forest, streambed, and a host of steep, polished slabs covered with thick ice. With crampons and ice-axes it might have been fun, but with only our hiking boots the going was scary. We each fell heavily several times just working our way slowly through the forest before the

44 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 45 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 stream started tilting downhill. Doubts the truck, the only sounds in the hushed darkness, falling and falling... grew as our boots skidded away on the darkness were the bell-like trills of evening icy boulders. A slip on any of the steeper thrushes hidden away in the forest, and the Over the next six months we spoke in stretches meant a potentially fatal, rock gentle splashing of the stream. hushed, excited tones to several paddling bashing slide for hundreds of feet. friends, swearing them to silence, For eleven hours we balanced, tiptoed, We knew we had just witnessed a showing them pictures, regaling them slid, scratched our fingernails into the ice, whitewater gem. The only question now with the outstanding potential of the and lunged for handholds, until finally was, when do we come back and at what run. We ignored all doubts. Such was our we reached the end of the canyon. Along water level? In a fit of irrationality we enthusiasm that on our first try up there the way we hooted and danced with swore ourselves to secrecy and labeled it the following May, we lured an outstanding excitement at each steeper stretch, trying “River X,” promising each other not to group of paddling friends to make the long to envision the way the twisting smooth tell anybody where it was. There was some trip, assembling a cast of Rob Lesser, John slabs, sliding falls, and ledges would peculiar combination of our friendship, Wasson, Rick Williams, and Tom Schibig. look beneath spring runoff. Even in our the efforts of the day, the obscurity, and The logistics were ridiculous. John drove fantasies we could never imagine such a the beauty of the place that made Smith alone 10 hours from Southern Idaho. Rob run. The power unleashed each spring Creek seem like the ultimate run. It detoured several days out of his way from was clear; long stretches of bedrock were never occurred to us that other paddlers a rep trip. Jim and the others begged for scrubbed clean and not a single boulder wouldn’t be interested and that secrecy time off work and drove from the Seattle broke the polished sheen. was hardly something we needed. Be that area. I took off despite urgently needing to as it may, the myth of River X was born. work on my dissertation. Legs buckling, knees aching, we were tired but ecstatic as we hiked past the final During the long drive back to Missoula, As we arrived from our disparate series of waterfalls in the twilight. A sense images of the stream churned through my directions the runoff was peaking. Sheets of mystery crept into us as we padded mind as I dodged deer on the highway. I of rain poured on us and the stream through the pines and cedars along the arrived home in the wee hours, my mind raged bankfull, a sluice of solid white streambed. We peered over the edge a jumble of sensations. I tried to sleep, sucking downhill at frightening speed. of Smith Creek’s last grand gesture—a still edgy from the precarious hike, the To complete the impression this gave to smooth ceramic-like spout with the late tiring drive, the deer. I fell asleep fighting my companions, I mistakenly led them autumn’s trickle of water falling far into the sensations of slipping uncontrolled down through the forest right to a stretch a dark pool below, the waters cupped in down steep slides, of gravity just barely that ended in two hideously unrunnable a deep bowl scoured out of solid bedrock. held in check, losing my grip. A dream waterfalls. The stream’s average gradient Walking the remaining hundred yards to came rushing over huge waterfalls into the was over 600 feet per mile here, with an especially dubious combination of rock, gravity, and roaring water. We tromped through the drenched forest. Soaking wet and throwing logs into the huge waterfalls, everyone laughed at the idea of actually being out in the maelstrom in a kayak. Jim and I, still stout believers of the classic nature of the run, became the butt of many jokes about our bad judgment.

Ever the gentleman, Rick could only look bemusedly at me as the torrent blasted by and yell, “I really don’t know about this River X of yours, Dr. Ammons.”

“Rick, Rick, the water’s just too high, we

First descent: The team about to put in. Bob Duffner to the left, Doug Ammons in middle and Jim Good on the right.

Photo by Grant Amaral

46 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 47 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 need to come back when it’s a quarter this. and out of our fingers. In mid-summer member rounding out a solid crew, I asked I know it will be great.” I made three more trips, timing them to my good friend Grant Amaral to join us. be just after heavy rains, but the drought- Since he was in the process of writing Rick smiled and put his arm around my dry soil sucked up all the moisture. I was up his Idaho guidebook and was already shoulders in a fatherly way. “Yep. I’m sure left with memories of leaping across the sniffing for every whiff of interesting you’re right Doug. I believe you too, I really polished slabs, determined to run the whitewater in the state, he had the time do. But you know, in the meantime let’s thing someday. and was game for anything new, exciting, get back in the truck and go to something and out of the way. For the long drive we can run.” References to “River X” became no more north from Boise to Smith Creek, these than wisecracks on the lips of our friends. were essential. With a last check on the For the others, the novelty of watching Meanwhile, Jim had heard of a hydro water level, we synchronized our watches big logs disappear in the froth had worn project due to be started on Smith Creek and left for a rendezvous at Smith Falls. off. Upon hearing Rick’s comment, they in the next year or so. The consequences diplomatically expressed their doubts. So seemed remote so we paid it no mind. We met and camped out that night with we got in the truck and drove Highway The quiet, beautiful canyon had no one to the distant sound of the rapids, hidden by 2 back into Northern for a fun disturb it, and we thought it would always the trees, echoing in the canyon far below. high water day on the Yaak River. After be that way. The next morning dawned bright and all the planning Jim and I were greatly clear. As we drove up toward the put-in, disappointed to leave our baby behind, The next year, Jim was distracted by work we found the road snowed over for the last unrun. The others were happy to be back in Seattle, and I by graduate school mile. We skidded in icy ruts as far as we away from the source of our psychotic and a growing family. No one else was could, then left the truck in the middle of compulsions. Talking to Jim as we headed interested. But as spring rolled around I the road. After getting all the gear in order, east, Rick summed up the consensus of caught the bug again. After pouring over we slogged and dragged our boats up to our friends, “Jimmy Boy, there are places topos and hydrographs from a dozen prior the bridge. There we found cold, clear like this an hour from Seattle. Why should years, checking my pictures, imagining water cutting through the deep snow, with we drive all the way to Idaho to look at a water flows, I felt I knew when to go and five-foot high ice walls coming right out totally unrunnable stream?” what the optimum water level should be. of the stream. It had more than a hint of The hydro project was due to be started in danger to it, but undeterred after our long, As word of our failure got out, the few June. The road would be closed and who- frustrating wait, with the sun melting any people who had heard about the project knew-what would happen to the stream. doubts, we slid in and started down. lost whatever interest they had. Jim and Our only chance for a run was early, I were still certain that it would be an catching the water level on the upswing The first half-mile was easy Class II, then outstanding run, but no one believed us before the runoff began in earnest. the canyon fell away, bedrock reared anymore. It was frustrating to hear of out of the stream bottom and the fun more reasonable flows as the runoff played In April I roused Jim and he talked his began. As the stream steepened to Class itself out. The timing was all wrong, and friend Bob Duffner into coming along, III, then Class IV, we began to eddy-hop, we never could put together a team to take without any accompanying details of closed-in on either side by the walls of icy on the run. The entire season slipped by what Bob would be getting into. As a final white, gliding our boats between granite

46 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 47 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 boulders wearing huge turbans of snow. struggle. The only thing that was worse The first (aborted) attempt. Having driven 12 hour I remember eddying out and looking was the thought of running the huge from Garden Valle to look at an unrunnable stream, upstream into the spring sun shining out drops blind. It soon became clear that John Wasson is not a happy camper. of an infinitely blue sky, its glare reflecting we simply couldn’t afford to take an hour off the snow and stream, with Jim, Grant, scouting single rapids; several times it was Photo by Doug Ammons and Bob flitting among the boulders in a easier to just resign ourselves to a difficult dance with the sparkling water …. portage past drops which were hard, but very runnable Class V. gradients well over 500 feet per mile. Grant At the first big Class V rapid, we found was solid and cautious in his paddling, that getting out of our boats to scout, At every horizon line we craned our with his trademark sense of humor often much less getting back into the water, necks as far as they’d go, eddy-hopping cracking out in some kinetic way. was precarious business. We ripped into everything remotely possible. The stream eddies, bouncing off the ice, then hung was encased in bedrock, snow, and ice. The “Hey,” he’d say, waving his hands, “have onto anything possible while hacking out rapids were first good—great even—and you ever heard the story about the steps with a paddle blade as far up as we got progressively and outrageously better paddlers who started down a canyon blind could reach. Then, we’d carefully balance as we went. There were long sequences of and all went off a 200 foot waterfall one out of the boat, using the steps to climb stair-stepping ledges, twisting, undulating after the other?” up the wall, finally pulling the boat up. waterslides, big ledge holes, holes with Once up, we post-holed unpredictably to weird configurations at all kinds of crazy Jim was absorbed, having that glow that our waists and chests, sometimes stalking angles, and clean bedrock chutes. comes on Jayhawk faces when their dearly carefully on a solid crust, then suddenly beloved team has just won the NCAA breaking through snow bridges into the The intensity heightened as we descended basketball championship. “I can’t believe water or between buried boulders, getting further into the canyon. Bob was quiet this is working out,” he kept saying, “I soaked with slush and bruising our feet and concentrating, handling his boat well, just can’t believe we’re finally here.” The and knees. Scouting and then making our but very tense as we worked our way into excitement and rhythm of the rapids wove way back to the boats was a slow, freezing and through long, complex sections with our actions and decisions together until 48 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 49 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 we were unifi ed into a single creature. person, carrying a few yards, then clipping overhang and the cockpit, fi ngers groping them back in, roping them up, lowering for the last bit of sprayskirt. A good push, We came to a large rapid we dubbed “Big again, then lining them a little farther. fi ngers crossed, airborn and off we went Locomotive.” The canyon narrowed and Slipping would leave one of us pinballing into the white, churning water. Soon we the stream swept down a surreal granite down the sluice—an unnerving thought. were all in the eddy at the bottom, looking bobsled run, 40 vertical feet in three up the crazily steep and beautiful rapid. distinct leaps. The rapid looked wild, but We fi nally reached a point near the great. Scouting was impossible. We tried bottom where Jim thought we should go Then, we turned our boats downstream, to look at the lead-in and were forced into up a big rock outcrop, but the only route and the great rapids just kept coming a hair-raising scramble—slipping and was vertical ice with a few rock nubbins in a glorious blur. Dozens of delightful clawing our way to a vantage point just showing though. We had forgotten to bring moves linked together through amazingly to see the fi rst part of the rapid. Common crampons again, and the possibilities for steep drops, blind corners, horizon sense prevailed. We focused on the friction were limited. Frustrated with the lines, more hacking of steps in the ice, portage, the rest of which looked weirder slow pace and apparently boxed in, a small post-holing, and launching back into and even harder. Icy runnels encased the cleft in the outcrop offered a possible, the exquisite chaos. After many hours, vertical slabs on either side. Snow banks, although very awkward launch into the evening approached. We left the boats and frozen moss, and a sheen of melt water bottom of the rapid. Bob and Grant were hiked up to the road, numb with cold, but covered all the runoff-smoothed granite. game; Jim cautious and methodical as excited and enthusiastic. We laboriously worked our way down always. Some careful maneuvering past an for an hour or so, delicately tip-toeing ice shelf brought us to a position under the We ate dinner on a secluded bluff, then and grabbing onto anything we could. We cleft. Hoisting the boats up onto a sloping, sat overlooking the canyon as the evening fought for every foot, lining the boats past overhanging ramp, one-by-one we took light faded. The others mused and laughed one part, handing them from person to our turns wriggling into boats between the over the events of the day as I played my

48 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 49 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 guitar—the music melding with the trees, fun stuff! over the bedrock, the current grabbing, the sound of the stream hidden below, pulling, suddenly releasing. The boat our friendship, and the feeling of spring “Hey!” yelled Jim over the noise of the launches off the spine, flying over the hole. days in the mountains. The harmonies rapid, “What’s the name of that dinosaur A quick lean, duffek, and zap, whip into and melodies would build, then turn and with the big fin on his back?” an eddy. bank to flow like the rapids, like the pull of gravity on water. “I think it’s called a Dimetrodon.” “That’s what steep ’s about!”

The next morning found the sun shining “That’s what this is - Dimetrodon Drop! Wonderful Class IV humped down to brightly on the crusted, frozen snow. We See the fin?” He yelled, pointing to the another corner, to which we attached climbed down though the forest to the spine and the spray of water shooting the moniker, Big Limbo. The rapid was boats, knocked the ice and frost off the off it. comprised of an interesting lead-in cockpits, and scouted the first rapid. The around a bend. A big ledge with a log just water blasted around a big banked turn We put in, sliding off the icy boulders into off the water level had to be contended scoured out of bedrock and fell 15 feet or a small eddy. Gripping our , we with; nothing but solid rapids below, as far more, rooster-tailing off a spine of rock looked downstream at the water, which as you could see. into a big hole. Prime stuff, great stuff, raced toward the turn, galloped between boulders, and disappeared. Around the “It’s all yours!” corner, the dinosaur waited. First reconnaissance: Jim Good envisioning massive From a haven in the last eddy, peel out slide time as we carefully make our way down the Precise strokes grip the current as the boat and blast around the corner. Everything ice-covered slabs accelerates into the rapid. Around the coming at you fast. Duck under the log, corner, a feeling of focus, water charging big sweep on the left. Fly over the ledge Photo by Doug Ammons

50 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 51 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 and whump into the froth. “Yahooo!” But Jim.” A section of shallow water raced over I chased him down the streambank, guilt the water of the ledge grabs the boat and an undulating slab for 30 or 40 yards, and concern stabbing into my stomach. sucks it backward. Sky appears, the back water rushing and roostertailing in every “It’s my fault!” I shouted to myself. Over deck goes down, down down... “Back- direction, then ending with the nastiest of boulders, through brush, across slabs—I endoooooo!” with a huge lurch upward flat holes. Jim and I took it on while Grant caught up to him after he hit the hole and you’re airborne. Control the boat into a snapped pictures on his camera as fast was being thrashed. Climbing onto a ledge half pirouette, squirt it back to the left and as his cold, bony fingers could work the above him, without thinking I grabbed catch an eddy. Just like that. buttons. The line ripped down through a long springy branch of buckbrush weird cross-angled holes and breaking growing overhead, hung on with one hand On and on we went, rapid after rapid, waves. Sharp strokes, quick balance shifts and swung like Tarzan out over the hole. scouting from our boats and from from edge to edge, keep angle and speed, Before I could realize how stupid I was awkward spots along the stream. There shoot through the bottom hole, lean, being, I’d latched onto the end of Jim’s were tightrope walks above the ice on duffek, and whip into the eddy on the left. boat and with the help of the branch’s buckbrush and deadfall. We kicked frozen bungy recoil, hauled him out upside shoes into the packed snow. Ice was Then, back up at the top I helped Jim down. It was a scary place to swim, but Jim broken out of cracks so we could hang on launch off a slab. Pushing hard, I spun him rolled up in the eddy smiling—instead of to see a few feet further around a bend. As and he hit the water angled wrong for the cursing me as he should have. we dropped elevation, the snow gradually lead-in. All messed up, he got spun around thinned, and our collective mood soared again by its weird rooster-tailing waves Calm as always he said, “Thanks Doug, ever higher. headed for the crux. The stream plunged saw you out of the corner of my eye and over the sloping slab, dragging him down knew you’d get to me.” The streambed opened up and we got as he frantically swept with his paddle, to a section we named “1000 Moves per scrabbling the blade across the shallow Heart pounding and still feeling guilty, I Mile,” where the smooth slabs dipped and bottom trying to move the boat cross- thought, “Damn it, Jim, I wasn’t so sure.” rippled, exfoliations stepped up and down current. He swept through the lower part at all angles forming ledges, holes and ski of the rapid and slammed into the bottom Next up, Cover shot. A wild one. The jumps. The water continuously banked, hole sideways. Struggling in the flat, sticky water leaped over a sequence of big, off- sluicing around, flying out into space and backwash, he was locked in. angled ledges into a sharp right-hand ever downward. turn. The stream squeezed itself into As soon as he had hit the water I knew my a twisted nozzle, funneling the water In the midst of a waterslide fairyland, one mistake was going to make it hard for him down a chute and into a pile of boulders, rapid stood out, “The Hole that Ate Sheriff to recover. He disappeared over the edge as then ricocheted around to form a deep,

50 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 51 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Doug A running a sliding falls during a run at lower in 1991

Photo by Monte Morevec

“No, wait a second. Looks like it will go, but the lead-in is weird. How do you do the entry and still get the right angle for that ramp?”

“You’d have your hands full up top.”

“No matter how you do the upper part you’ll be trying to spin against the firehose down here. A mistake will shoot the boat right into that thing…”

“… or mash you into the rocks. Is it undercut there?

“I can’t see how to make a rescue.”

It was an easy consensus. We looked at each other and Grant put our thoughts into words, “Boys, it’s time to take a hike.” Prudence and portaging go together, so, cover shot or no, we put our boats on our shoulders and clambered around the mess.

A bit further down, the snow thinned, and then was nearly gone as we reached a beautiful stretch culminating in a big sliding falls. We scouted and bounced around across the slabs, beaming at the water, the rapids, and the bright sun. A joyful insanity swept over us. Laughing, we pounded each other on the back, waved our arms at the waterslides and yelled, “Don’t you love this?” “Isn’t this incredible?” “Isn’t this great?” sucking, whirlpool-like toilet bowl against With Grant’s mixture of humor and a vertical slab of granite. Another big drop soberness ringing in our ears, the rest of Running the falls required threading over a mess of boulders loomed just below. us offered our assessments. tight lines and confronting the feeling of Very interesting hydraulics here. jumping off into space. Careful scouting, “I’m not going near that.” weighing angles and speeds, where to We hopped over the boulders to a vantage take strokes, your mind concentrates point, and stood side-by-side, viewing “I’ve never seen anything like it. What on the analysis, the technical moves, the the rapid. Grant crowed with a gleeful, would happen if the boat went in there?” rationality of it all. Then you step away impish grin. and there is only the sense of joy, the fusing “Look how fast it’s going! And the power! of your movement with the water’s power “We’ll call this Cover Shot! Anybody who If you made it past the ledges up top, the and hurtling drop. Once committed, all runs this gets their picture on the cover of water would scrape you along the wall the analyses become intuition and you my guidebook!” We all laughed, then he over that 15 foot plunge into the rocks and rush for a few beautiful moments as part shook his head and added, “But seriously, jam you into that bizarre whirlpool.” of the water. guys, forget it.” Questions fly as you prepare.

52 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 53 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 and yanked back in. I roll up, sucked rope, swearing and apologetic, but there’s “Is this Class VI?” around and in again. I roll up, a violent really no reason. He did what seemed windowshade and I’m back in the hole. right at the instant, and looking at each “No, can’t be.” A throw rope appears, from his vantage other we both realize there’s nothing more point on a ledge 30 feet away, Grant has you can ask of a friend. You can second- “But look at the drop, it must be 50 decided enough is enough and takes guess everything, but we do the best we vertical feet!” action. His intuition and toss are right, can in the few seconds that matter—and but the result shocking. The rope flies over accept the turns things take. We shrug our “A wild sequence of moves, what a line!” the boat, hitting the water rushing down shoulders, laugh, and shake hands. the slide and unravels underneath in the “It’ll go! It’ll go!!” backwash. As I roll up, the loops wrap Climbing back up on the warm granite around me, my paddle, and the boat, while all together again, we muse over the run, So, into the boat it is, the line engraved in the current drag begins to pull everything eating lunch in the sun. There’s a lightness memory. Take a deep breath, look at the like a mess of tangled yarn toward the next within us while we sit enjoying the beauty horizon line which cuts off all views of drop. The warning label on the throwrope of the falls and the clean freshness of the the future, and look past it—right into flashes before my eyes: air. Then, time to carry back up and do the tree tops fifty yards away. What’s in the drop right. Zing the moves, lean way between you and the treetops? Everything! Flushing into a Class V drop tangled back to rocket down the ramp and into the The magic of paddling. The pure music up in a throw rope is not conducive to hole at the bottom, firing out in a spray of of flowing water. To commit yourself to one’s health. water droplets. Laughing, we turn our this, you’ve got to love the feeling of taking boats downstream and paddle toward the that first step into … into what? You think However, there never seems to be much next horizon line. And beyond. you know what, but the question is only point in panicking—serenity is the key. answered by the doing; you’ve got to want So, with one eye on the quickly approach- And that’s how it went. The hours we to live by doing. All systems are go, your ing drop, I carefully untangle the rope lived there reach out without beginning will is the trigger, you’ve only got to put from around neck, hands, paddle, and or end. Lives and friendships flow like the yourself in motion. finally the boat … then, PADDLE LIKE currents of a river, growing deeper at each A SON-OF-A-GUN around a big hole, turn. I know this is why we paddle—to Slide in off a slab where the freckled, cut back behind it windmilling strokes to drink our fill from the waters of life on smooth granite slopes into clear water. claw into an eddy in the lead-in of the next spring days in the mountains. To be Quick sharp strokes and you’re moving, all big rapid. focused and concentrating, working with thoughts focused on the line, surrounded our friends, woven together with the rush by sparkling water. Whew. of a beautiful, unrun stream.

Scoot over a slide, then ski-jump off two Jim appears from the other side of a It’s been many years since those early days ledges. The boat arcs into space, skips, boulder with another pesky throw rope in on Smith Creek, but if I close my eyes then planes. Strong strokes, lean left, his hand, looking worried. He breaks into now the memories crowd forward. I see cutting through the surging current. a smile when he sees I’m safe. Grant is still the polished granite slabs shining in the Carve fast into a narrow eddy, hold your trying to untangle and reel in the throw afternoon sun as they slope away down the edge and slice it into the water. Slingshot out into the current on the other side, zip right around a boulder and down a ramp. The earth falls away from beneath you - you’re flying for an instant, stomach left far behind. Mush into a cushion of froth. Keep your angle! Bounce off the edge of a huge hole halfway down, very deep and backed up by a hump of granite. There’s a fleeting feeling of threat looming a few feet away. Death hovers at your shoulder - Bounce around a corner spinning back to the right. Race down the final slide in a rush of sunlit white.

I’m stuffed in a wild hole at the bottom

52 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 53 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 canyon. Jim and I hoot and hug each other boards, plastic sheeting, garbage, and cost to himself. He said that the hydro- in disbelief and joy. There’s the autumn tarpaper strewn everywhere. The pipe developers had backed out of their permit larch and poplars lining the streambed, corridor was far wider than they proposed, on Boundary Creek. The environmental all their yellows in the chill air among the large amounts of timber were cut and hassles were too much to deal with and dark pines. I hear the sound of water again, disappeared. Miles of bedrock were blasted they went elsewhere. With Boundary pouring gently from pool to pool in the and a mudfield wasteland alongside the Creek, we fought and won. That stream evening. I stand disappointed, soaking in stream was left in the forest at the top. It would be in a pipe today without the help the rain with the roar of 1500 cfs crashing was an unbelievable mess. of a lot of people. Together, we fought those over the lip of the unrunnable falls, who were willing to sacrifice the beauty of knowing it’s useless to get the boats off the All that first year I alerted every agency I God’s earth for their own greed. truck. I lay in my sleeping bag after the first could, sent pictures, pestered, pleaded, and descent with an ocean of stars overhead in got frustrating responses. Nobody who Each time I go to Smith and Boundary the night sky, and hear the stream echo far counted cared. I talked with the puffy-faced Creek, I sit quietly for a while at my favorite off in the dark canyon below. All the cells in hydro-developer who twice, in answer to places, one in each canyon, and think about my body sing quietly of these things. And as my point-blank question, told me they these things. I’m sad that Smith Creek was I remember them, the excitement returns, had no more plans for the area. Then we invaded, but thankful that Boundary Creek the beauty, the weighing of decisions about discovered by accident that they had already was saved. There are still problems with lines in the rapids. The flowing Class V applied months before for a dam permit on the logging, but today the area is specially ballet in cascading water. Most of all, the Boundary Creek, the next drainage up—a managed as habitat for grizzly bears, laughter returns—the smiles, concerns, beautiful, fragile canyon with an equally mountain caribou, and Harlequin ducks. If and closeness with my paddling buddies. great run on it, which we had explored. you’re lucky, you’ll see tracks of caribou and This is how I’ll always remember Smith After weeks of frantic work, with the help griz, but hopefully not the muzzle of a bear Creek, regardless of how many years go of irate locals who had been misled one too sticking into your tent. The caribou step by. These are the reasons why kayaking is many times and the hardworking people at quietly in the forest. The grizzly’s presence a microcosm of life, with all its richness American Whitewater, we were able to file is felt. Harlequin ducks, among the most and camaraderie, all its disappointments an intervention a few minutes before the beautiful birds, carry on the business of and joys distilled into a single weekend in deadline in FERC’s Washington offices. life in the clear waters of both streams. So a single beautiful place. if you do visit, please, treat them all quietly, A lowhead dam now spans Smith Creek with respect and care. Postscript right where the first little rapid used to be. The other side of the Smith Creek and A pipe sucks water out above the run and Over the years I’ve been back to share these North Idaho whitewater story is a grim carries it around the slabs. The developers places with some of my best friends. I can’t one and should give pause to any river actually bought Smith Falls and placed the ask any better way to express my friendship enthusiast and lover of wildness. The 30 foot tall, 60 foot long powerhouse right than doing a difficult run together in a dubious actions of a Utah hydropower on its brink. It squats there, humming beautiful place that has come to mean company and the complicity of places like and roaring during the runoff like some so much to me. Despite the dam and the Eugene, Oregon—with a hypocritical green misbegotten monster. When the water is logging, Smith Creek is a fabulous run if veneer and a thirst for more and more high enough, the stream is still runnable, so you catch it at the right levels. Together electricity—have made it one battleground it is possible to paddle it much like before. with its sister steep creeks, Boundary Creek in an ongoing war fought all over the west. But there are other problems. Five years ago to the north and the Upper Pack River to the Forest Service Okayed two large timber the south, it’s more than worth the trip to We fought a skirmish of that battle and sales in the drainage, some units down to the Panhandle. But for me, even though lost on Smith Creek. The problems up within a few yards of the stream. It remains the whitewater remains, some of the magic there have been part of my life for the last to be seen what effects it all will have. The is gone, because I remember those early eight years. An unnecessary dam went in, Forest Service administrators charged days we had all alone with the canyon, something that is merely a scam for the with stewardship of our lands love it all when there was only quiet forest and the hydro-developers to generate power that as a classic showpiece for “multiple use.” I wonderfully unbridled stream, before the must be bought by the local utilities, but can’t help but wonder where use ends and smell of greed appeared and produced a which disappears into the BPA network, abuse begins. low-head dam, diversion pipe, a web of supposedly bound for Eugene in a massive high power lines, and the hideous gargoyle shell game that has no end. It’s not all bad news. I got a letter one day of a power house perched on the brink of the year before last and a phone call a Smith Falls. The developers trashed the place for short time after from Mike Faber, a local several years. At times, we found tons of dairy farmer in the Kootenia valley who mud sluicing into the stream. We found joined with us to fight the dams at much

54 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 55 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Invasion of the boat snatchers

By Futureboater

It was Friday afternoon, March 16, 2030. (paddling utility vehicle) with its roof “But, dude, what about the Green?” Walt Bob was leaving his job at Techcom in rack full of vintage boats. Up top he persisted. the North Atlanta suburb of Clayton, had three well-worn kayaks, a Fun, a Ga. The Upper Chattooga would be Jefe Grande and a Magnum, lovingly “Too crowded with clonoos,” Bob said a good choice thanks to the efforts of battered and irreplaceable now that all the as he put on his shades and fired up the American Whitewater decades earlier to manufacturers had merged and stopped starter on his vehicle. “I’m going to Ain’t end a discriminatory ban against boaters making kayaks. CloneFest to be with my own kind.” there. Bob’s coworker Walt stopped him in the hall.

“Hey Bob, you going clonooing this weekend,” Walt asked with a smile. “The wife and kids asked if we would see you on the Green.”

“How many times do I have to tell you—I don’t clonoo.” Bob retorted. “I’m a kayaker.”

Bob was chafed because years ago the outfitter store had cut its selection of whitewater kayaks to just three models. Meanwhile, their catalog was chock full of clonoes, more than 40 new models splashed across the pages.

Kayakers were becoming a dying breed since the giant paddlesports conglomerate Aquacorp had swallowed the last few kayaking manufacturers and switched to making clonoos. Sprayskirts, paddles and even PDFs were now becoming relics as throngs of new whitewater enthusiasts strapped themselves into foot-powered, self-rolling, unsinkable, and virtually unpinnable clonoos. The boats’ built-in body armor protection system had opened up Class V runs to the masses.

“Chill out, dude,” Walt responded. “You kayakers are so sensitive. And set in your ways. You’ve just got to do everything the hard way. But hey, you’ll come around. And when you do, I can hook you up with a nearly new Clonoo 450. It creeks, plays, and runs big water practically by itself!”

“To heck with that,” Bob said as he climbed in his hydrogen-powered PUV

54 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 55 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 The Rescue Routine Below the cleavers, the Yough’s wuthering emerged from the rapid. noise drowns out most voices, but above By Bob Wilson the turmoil the call that the first-timer Even the most routine river rescue with us is in trouble carries through the dramatically changes the dynamics of a Meat Cleaver, on Maryland’s Upper rapid’s clamor. group of paddlers. A loose collection of Youghiogheny, is the type of rapid that paddlers, hopping separately from eddy to older guidebooks single out with a “Sam’s out of his boat.” eddy, must gather around and work in an “special warning,” a “genuine Class V.” Its orchestrated effort to help the distressed currents pour off a five-foot ledge into a Expecting Sam and his strewn gear to boater. And immediately apparent tight chamber, forcing paddlers to work come tumbling out of the chute, I’m becomes a hierarchy of know-how, the around a room-sized boulder and depart waiting in an eddy with our group’s most more experienced or the bolder being the through a pinched chute. At the exit to the experienced member, George, a local first to respond to a situation. chamber, two pointed rocks sit just below paddler known for squeezing through the water level—the “cleavers” that give the river’s narrowest fissures. We watch the While I’m still looking upstream, George rapid its name—and wait to slice into off- chamber’s exit as a half-minute goes by, has scrambled out of his boat and begun course boats that wander their way. but there’s still no sign of Sam. climbing up the rocks, throw-rope in hand. George has a veteran calm in such With the longer designs of years ago, “Where is he?” situations, the type of confidence exuded threading the cleavers without a broach (or from boaters that tend to gather around a double broach) posed the rapid’s most The members of our group who first Class V Appalachian rivers. significant challenge. In today’s shorter saw Sam land in trouble have eddied-out and slower boats, while flirting with the downstream, and they motion their arms As we assesses the situation, a twelve- cleaver twins is always a main attraction, in a front crawl stroke, indicating that foot-long Hahn C-1 shoots over the the added threat of being sucked into the they saw him swimming. With a layer of ledge’s hole after a failed boof can provide boulders choking off our view, however, a memorable opening act. there’s still no sign of why he hasn’t Charlie teaching class on the Delaware River

56 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 57 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Cleaver’s alternate right line, bearing the for what happens to them on a river. to happen quickly, however, or risk a wide unmistakable silhouette of AW’s expert The world of lawyers and lawsuits would and shallow drop behind us. on whitewater safety, Charlie Walbridge. shatter the simplicity of “see the rapid,” Gripping the “T” and shaft of his single- “find the line safely through it,” “paddle By now, George has climbed atop the bladed paddle with hands of giant yourself there.” boulder overlooking the cleavers and proportions, Charlie powers his boat— is pointing and yelling down into the perhaps the longest on the river that Everyone at the clinic is here to gain chamber, his voice suffused by the day—skillfully through the pincer-like a better sense of themselves in the rapid’s noise. rocks. He isn’t with our group, but seeing water, better able to rescue themselves him pull into an eddy just downstream is and more comfortable helping others. Coming over the ledge, Sam either a welcome sight. Charlie assures us that as the instructor mistimed or went into his boof without he’ll test the obstacles he sets up and go enough speed, landing uncontrolled There’s an element of fate to Charlie through them before any student does, amidst the ledge’s hole, gallons of showing up in the middle of this rescue: and all individuals have the option of channelized water pounding down on his the next day, I’m scheduled to meet him not participating in a drill—strainer deck and cockpit. In a borrowed boat with for a swift-water rescue clinic. The lesson swimming, mock foot-entrapments, mismatched gear, Sam had no choice but has begun a day early, it seems. pinned boater scenarios—that they’re to eject once his skirt imploded. Exiting unsure of. The waivers are soon signed the boat, however, he self-rescued into Twenty hours and two states later, and passed in. a tight mid-rapid eddy, waiting for help Charlie has gathered my class around the between the two currents pouring down Lambertville, NJ “Wing Dam.” This spot But if personal responsibility defines the to the cleavers. on the Delaware River is where Charlie paddler’s culture, a rescue tests how well began teaching clinics while living in that same community can work together As George tosses his throw-rope, Sam Philadelphia, years before. With the early when the need arises. grabs the end, sends his boat over, and is morning light attenuating our shadows, then pulled across himself. we pass around the liability waivers so When a rescue begins, there’s generally a commonly prerequisite for any organized pause of wonderment in the first minutes. While this is going on, Charlie has been “adventure” sports activity. Not necessarily a panic, but rather a waiting downstream near Nick. With the moment of waiting to see how the wreck group standing around, emptying the “I want you to take time and read this of water and rocks, paddler and gear will boat’s water, and talking about what Sam form over carefully,” Charlie instructs. unfold. As this wonderment fades, the should or could have done, it becomes “When you’re done reading it, if you agree question becomes, where do I need to be apparent that everyone is okay, and Charlie with what it says, go ahead and sign it.” to help? continues on to finish out the river.

This emphasis on the waiver comes from Robbed of this spectacle of carnage at Not to be bettered by Meat Cleaver, Charlie’s time giving expert testimony at Meat Cleaver, what’s overwhelming Sam’s however, Sam decides to carry upstream trials involving whitewater incidents. Too rescue is a sense of mystery. If he’s out of and give it a second try. often, he explains, lawyers claim that such his boat, why isn’t he swimming out the a waiver isn’t worth the paper it’s printed rapid? George is still trying to peer into In his clinic, Charlie emphasizes that the on, that whoever’s name is on it didn’t the chamber and catch sight of what’s goal of the course is meant to instill water read the details or had his wife sign it while happened when Dave, another member confidence. Not only does he strive to he was in the bathroom. of our group, joins him on a mid-stream teach swiftwater wading, swimming, or rock. Seeing them together, I decide to unpinning techniques, but he also makes “Don’t believe the lawyers,” Charlie wait in the eddy in case Sam or his boat people comfortable moving through a says, before checking, “Nobody here is a need fetching. rapid and participating in a rescue. lawyer, are they? Let me assure you, this is binding.” Later, this is a decision that I’ll take grief With our class circled together onshore, over—“Well, I didn’t see you out of a hardware store of rescue gear litters the I’ve never seen a group so carefully your boat helping”—but at the moment ground before us: harness rescue vests, scrutinize a legal form. I’m gauging my options of where to bright-orange whistles, oval carabineers, put a swimmer or an empty kayak. A “D” carabineers, screw-locking Experienced whitewater paddlers tend river-right eddy seems easiest to nudge carabineers, quick-locking carabineers, to be self-reliant people, unlikely to look Sam’s boat into should it emerge, but polypropylene Kernmantle throw ropes, for others to set their shuttle, get them downstream on the left is where Nick, the Sterline static throw ropes, Spectra throw through a rapid, or take responsibility last of our group, awaits. Either option has ropes, blunt-tipped river knives, folding

56 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 57 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 river knives, serrated folding saws, neon- Most rescues are fairly simple—a paddler positions should group members set up green webbing belts, coils of open webbing, is separated from his boat, friends help to help?” coils of prussic cord, micro rescue pulleys. pull him and his gear to shore, and the As will become apparent after two days of swimmer buys beer as reparation. “I know a guy who always goes to the far clawing and swimming around the Wing side of a river, across from where a rescue Dam, however, the most important tools a In Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, is taking place,” Charlie begins. “That way, rescuer can have are his two hands. and Why, Laurence Gonzales suggests that if a rope’s needed from the other direction, it’s people’s mental awareness that enables he’s already in place. He’s gotten a lot of “Most situations on the river,” Charlie them to survive extreme situations, people out of trouble that way.” explains, “ are solved by people getting the ability to recognize and adapt to to where the problem is and putting their threatening conditions often in spite of A leader’s role in a rescue situation is quite hands on it. Rescues are fairly routine in past experience or previous training. If different from commonplace notions this way.” this adaptability is so valuable under the about leadership in the sense of jumping most extreme circumstances, it’s also in, taking command, and ordering team A rescue clinic sets up visions of zip true in everyday paddling. The novice members around. Owing in part to the maneuvers that shoot swimmers who’s told, “Point downstream and don’t streak of independence that defines diagonally across the current, z-drags stop paddling,” to get through a Class II whitewater as a sport, its leaders are best prying impossibly lodged boats to rapid upright, must unlearn this lesson described as coordinators, stepping back freedom, or tag lines extracting swimmers to pick and choose eddies deliberately from a situation to make certain that jobs from a punishing hole. In the time it down a Class III. The intermediate who’s needing to be done are taken care of. would take to set any of these techniques prioritized getting herself safely through a up, however, most victims are rescued and known rapid, must relearn her role when a When Charlie describes a rescue involving already paddling their way downstream. friend needs rescuing, perhaps chasing the a pinned K-2 with two experienced A five-to-one mechanical advantage is swimmer while rushing backward down friends, he asks our class who the leader of unnecessary when tossing a rope will do. formerly familiar lines. the scenario was: one of the K-2 paddlers ordering a rope to pry the boat and his This is why, when Charlie asks the group partner off the rock, or Charlie himself, what we want to learn from his clinic, waiting on shore, throwing the rope out, and directing other wayward paddlers George, Sam, and Dave scouting Meat Cleaver on I say, “I’d like to know where to place the Upper Yough (MD) myself when needed for a rescue. In what from accidentally interfering with the rescue. Most of our group guesses that the K-2 paddler is the leader, the one with his hands on the situation making decisions about what needs to be done. Charlie assures us that it was him, the guy waiting back and taking in the whole situation.

“This is a difficult lesson for paddlers to learn,” he says. “They tend to be take- charge people and want to be where the action is, but it’s important to see where you’re needed and to be there.”

I take a lot away from Charlie’s clinic—his wealth of stories from four decades of paddling, the exhilaration of being lowered down current on a tether rescue, the assurance of being able to dive into a riverbed without breaking my nose.

What lingers most, however, is the frustration and joy of responding to a mock foot-entrapment scenario, of blundering through our few first moments as a rescue team, and finally of recognizing

58 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 59 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 where each member of the class needs to be. Nobody barked commands, ordering I’m a believer in the power of irony over one person left and another right, one river karma, but here they amounted to person casting out a throw rope another the same thing and I refused to join their paddling out to the victim. We knew how covenant. An hour later, I was floating to do those things instinctively, as a set of alongside my boat, experiencing my first individual decisions, from the hours of swim in over three years. practice spent over that weekend. At Meat Cleaver, the day before these We had been playing in Green Monster, a lessons are learned formally, Sam has popular hole that serves up an assortment lined up to try the boof again. With our of spins and cartwheels to boaters who throw rope repacked and our group back have the talent for it. I lingered back for Charlie overseeing the pinned boat practice rescue in our boats, we see Sam accelerate toward a moment, watching Nick flush out of the during a swiftwater course the ledge and disappear from sight again churning water after completing a loop. behind the boulders. He emerges, easily “I’m heading down,” he announced. clearing the hole this time, with a smile down to the next drop, leaving me as the of triumph that quickly turns to panic as “I’ll follow you after one more ride,” last person behind at the . The his boat slams into, on top of, and over the I replied. moment’s concern disappears, however, left cleaver. when a friend, Bob, paddles up behind me. I’ve never been able to pull off much more “When I saw your second roll go, I figured Having now caught the best of Cleaver’s than a flatspin in Green Monster before I ought to wait around.” both sets, Sam shrugs his shoulders, “Well, shooting out the side. My attempts to loop that’s over.” or cartwheel here typically tumble my At that moment, though, I was playing a boat into the hole’s trough, flip me upside role that I had grown unaccustomed to Because of his skirt blowing off, Sam down, and end with me rolling up in the in the routine of rescue: the victim. With feels his foray outside the boat at Meat downstream current. my boat and paddle in one hand, should Cleaver doesn’t “count” as a swim. On I grab a hold of Bob’s offered stern loop? the way home, he pleads his case amidst Nick’s loops, by contrast, are crisp and Do I admit that I too need someone else’s an unsympathetic banter: “I was getting high. Perched atop the hole’s white foam help, that the river has proved me to be not worked in the hole.” You could have surfed pile, he drives his boat into the green water, entirely self-sufficient? it. “My skirt popped off.” You still could pops up into the air as stern-follows- have rolled. “It wasn’t even my boat.” You’re head-follows-bow in clean summersault Mindful of the bony and brutalizing right. And if you had stayed in the boat motion. Seeing a number of these that day consequences of swimming over the next that wasn’t yours, it wouldn’t have been a kept me at the Monster for one last try. drop, not to mention the temperature of swim. “I can’t be blamed for a mechanical the water, I take hold of Bob’s stern and he failure.” What would have happened if you Upside down in an early-January pulls me quickly into a shore-side eddy. made the boof? “Well, …” Pennsylvania creek, I realize an opportunity in the outfitting market for In the car driving away from the Upper Breaking a capitulating silence, Sam neoprene facemasks. The sting of cold- Yough, I remind Sam of this “mechanical responds, “You have to give me some water begins at my ears, works across the failure” of my own months before. “It was leeway, guys. I’m competitive. We need to cheeks, and eventually needles its way up still a swim,” I say. “I can blame it on my convene an outside committee.” under my head-warmer. backband or skirt, but it still counts. Yours counts too, equipment problem or not.” Sam isn’t just arguing for the sake of his Into my second roll attempt after flushing reputation. He’s a good boater, and anyone out of Green Monster, however, I notice Considering this, Sam gazes out the who makes it down the Upper Yough his that the cold has crept down the outside car window as the Maryland landscape first time—in an unfamiliar boat—with of my dry-suit, wrapping itself around rolls by. only one mishap should consider his run my right hip and leg. My backband has successful. But in this for Sam lies the slipped under me, loosening my skirt “I’ll need to consult my lawyer.” threat of breaking a vow. and swamping my boat with frigid water. Failing on a third roll, I push out of Months earlier on a cold winter day, Sam my kayak. and a group of friends made a pact along the shore of our local play run. “No swims When I surface, I look about with alarm as this year.” I realized that my group has already gone

58 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 59 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 The guys take a break before continuing downriver

Photo by Sharon Hailey

hard to help with the portage and carry the duckies over the rocks and provided what few crackers and granola bars we had left to help them make it the last bit to the take-out. In the process, I managed to fall on the rocks twice badly scraping my leg both times . . . not feeling like there’s any good karma here.

At the take-out, one man couldn’t even stand up in the two inches of water at the beach, so we began helping tote boats up the long half River Karma these men weren’t your typical frat brothers mile, winding hill at the 76 Bridge. The whole heading down the river. In fact, the eldest of way up, one of our new friends chanted his By Sharon Hailey the group was seventy-four and the others new favorite word: “portage.” We eventually appeared to be within 10 to 15 of the same age. got all “our boys” up before returning for our Whitewater paddlers living in the Memphis And since we were on the same shuttle van and own boats and gear. Another group in sit-on- area treasure three-day weekends as a good put in at the same place, we found ourselves tops told us they saw some false teeth at the excuse to hit some rivers that are too far away paddling most of the day with these guys. take-out . . . I was a little thankful I missed to visit on a normal weekend. Sometimes, seeing them, but hoped they didn’t belong to however, the weather and river levels do not At first, we took advantage of having the anyone we were helping. We were very glad cooperate as much as we might like. All we duckies ahead of us so we could gauge how to see the guys all make it off the river and can do is take advantage of whatever we can well they did over the rocks and pick out the even more pleased to see that they all fit in whenever we can. Memorial Day weekend best routes, but it wasn’t long before there was the vehicle that they had managed to keep the this year was no different. carnage. The eldest man somehow managed keys to—a mini van. They offered us money to get his leg pinned in one of the first rapids and one of them even proposed marriage, but It was a beautiful Sunday on the Chattooga in The Narrows, but fortunately came out we graciously turned them down in the hopes River. The weather was nice, the temps were only slightly scraped and a little shaken. that we might be better served with some perfect, and the water was cool and so clear Throughout the course of the day, there were good river karma. In the following weeks, you could see every rock in the river. Then many more swims, including one early on in while my scraped leg was healing, I emailed again, most of the rocks were above water. which the keys to a rental car were lost. But some pictures and videos that I had taken of The folks at Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters, the swims were not what made the trip a the guys to the addresses they had given me however, assured us that it is possible to get long one. The low water levels meant lots of at the take-out. In their replies, I learned down the river at a level of 1.0 foot. They scraping, scooting, pushing, and getting out that the three cameras they had bought did not lie. We made it down, and it was and walking. It seemed like these guys might never worked properly and they finally got even enjoyable, but it was sure a long day. have a trip nearly as epic as the movie filmed a locksmith to come unlock the other rental in the same location, and we found ourselves car about 10 p.m. and did not get in to their We wisely opted to put in at Sandy Ford trying to do what we could to help (to make residence until about 11:30. instead of Earl’s Ford, made the quarter mile things easier, not more epic). When one of hike down to the river and began scraping our them lost a rental paddle at Painted Rock, we It was a good run, but it took eight long way down. I began to wonder why, with the were glad that we had thought to bring an hours to cover eight miles!! Despite it all, exception of a few dammed rivers, I always extra canoe paddle, but perhaps not as glad as the men remained in good spirits and were manage to catch everything with no more water they were. The men that we eventually started an inspiration. After all, what paddler doesn’t than minimum levels, or, as I was beginning calling “our boys” were in desperate need of hope they will still be running rivers at 74? to suspect in this case, below minimum. some drinks by the time we reached what we Next time, though, I think I’ll be looking for Perhaps, I thought, my river karma is bad. all thought (and hoped) was close to the end more than 1.0 foot on the gauge! We ended (too bad we still had about another three or up being too exhausted to even do anything On that note, let me introduce you to some four miles), so we were glad that we’d grabbed the next day other than run the Ocoee on the of the only other people we met on the river some extra drinks as an afterthought, as well. way home. Despite having taken Tuesday off, that day. While arranging a shuttle at CWO, we headed for home. There is something to we found a group of seven men, full of energy By the time they FINALLY got to Bull Sluice, be said about having a day to recover before and excitement and acting like a bunch of one man could barely walk, another had returning to work. Meanwhile, if there is a college kids, buying cameras and water guns lost his shorts, and one hypoglycemic man request box for what form your river karma and getting geared up for their day in duckies had apparently skipped lunch and the river will take, I am looking for a fun, safe float on on Section III of the Chattooga River. But was playing tricks on his mind. We worked a river with more than a minimum flow.

60 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 60 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 American Whitewater both carried PFDs inside their boats. Not the water, and began CPR. By then it was a good idea! Mr. Holcombe’s body was too late to do any good. Accident Survey: found the following day. January - June 2008 According to witnesses Ms. Herrick’s A solo paddler on Wisconsin’s Popple River sprayskirt grab loop was tucked inside By Charlie Walbridge encountered trouble at Little Bull Falls, her boat and the sprayskirt itself was a Class III ledge. The incident occurred unusually tight and to hard remove. This The winter of 2008 saw deep snows fall on June 14th. Searchers began looking should serve as a warning for all of us in New England and throughout the for him with an airplane when his wife to check the fit of our sprayskirts and to western mountains. The spring runoff reported him overdue. They found him be sure that our grab loops are properly that followed was the highest in recent and his kayak floating in the pool below positioned. Many people are paddling memory. While this provides excellent the drop. No one is sure what happened new boats with old sprayskirts that don’t sport for prepared paddlers, it also caused but the Hoofer’s listserv reported that fit very well, a perilous choice. I’d also a number of fatal accidents. From January the ledge created a deceptively bad hole. encourage paddlers to try out alternate to June there were 8 kayak, 3 canoe, and Without backup there was little margin ways of releasing a sprayskirt, such as 20 rafting deaths in whitewater, for a total for error. pushing your knee through the deck or of 31. Only two of those kayaking fatalities pinching the sides and pulling outward. involved experienced paddlers in Class Northwest paddlers were shocked by the Each boat to sprayskirt attachment is IV-V whitewater. Canoe fatalities were May 17th death of Mike Stano, an active different, so you’ll need to experiment unusually low. The 20 rafting fatalities Seattle area kayaker. Mike was running with your own until you find a technique break down as follows: 9 private rafters, Washington’s Green River Gorge at that works. 8 commercial guests, and 3 inflatable 5,400 cfs, a high flow that turns the most kayakers. There were 13 flush-drownings, challenging half-mile of the inner gorge Later in the month there were two which occur when a life-jacketed paddler into a Class V rapid. After successfully additional deaths. Volker Beer, 70, died on drowns while swimming whitewater navigating Mercury and the Nozzle, Mike the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, CO on rapids. In seven accidents paddlers did rode up on a large pillowed boulder in June 22nd after his kayak capsized. He was not wear life vests, which are essential Let’s Make a Deal and disappeared. After a lifelong outdoor athlete who had run equipment in whitewater. Three paddlers searching the area, his group paddled out this section of river many times. The river were washed into strainers or sieves. and notified authorities. His companions was running over 3,000 cfs and rescue was had a pretty good idea where Mike was, a real challenge. His partner lost sight of and kept watch on the spot until flows him and notified authorities. They found Kayak Accidents dropped. They found him on May 25th, him floating facedown in the river behind pinned in his boat in the gap between a hotel in town. The year saw several accidents involving the pillowed boulder and a large detached paddlers with just enough experience flake on the upstream side. This flake was On June 27th a Japanese man ran the to get into real trouble. On March 22nd completely hidden at the higher flows. At Riverwood Dam on the White River near Marion Cox, 51, drowned while kayaking 3500 cfs the water washed over Mr. Stano Noblesville, IN. Shingo Takura, 30, got with his son on Center Creek, near Carl and his boat, creating a very intimidating caught in the hydraulic and drowned. His Junction, MO. The Joplin, MO Globe said scene. Members of several area swiftwater partner, who had lagged behind him, came that the water level was unusually high. rescue teams recovered his body on upon the scene and found Mr. Takura Mr. Cox, a retired firefighter, capsized, May 31st. floating facedown in the water below. washed into a tree, and pinned in his boat. Additional help arrived too late to make His son, who was not injured, called for Although flatwater accidents are normally a difference. help. Local firefighters freed the kayak and beyond the scope of this column, this recovered Mr. Cox’s body. The two men one was noteworthy and disturbing. A well-known teacher, writer, and poet were paddling recreational kayaks. Dale Herrick, 57, was an experienced lost his life on the South Fork of the Class IV kayaker and instructor. On June Salmon River near Yellow Pine, ID. The On April 17th, the water in Vermont’s 28th she was practicing rolls in front of river was running high on July 4th when Class II Wardsboro Brook was fresh from the Philadelphia Canoe Club when she William Studibaker, 61, flipped and swam local ski slopes, predictably high, and icy got trapped in her kayak and drowned. in a Class V rapid. According to the Idaho cold. Two men decided to attempt the Although there were lots of people around Statesman he was last seen swimming run in recreational kayaks. Both kayaks she was working alone and nobody knew towards shore. A friend who was waiting capsized; one man made it ashore, but she was in trouble. Instructors from a in an eddy below never saw him go by. David Holcombe, 24, disappeared. returning class spotted her capsized kayak. Although rescuers located him pinned According to the Brattleboro Reformer They raced to the boat, pulled her from against a rock they had to wait until the neither man was wearing a life vest, but

62 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 63 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 water dropped to recover his body. rope because of poor rope handling skills. Robert Bight, 42, had left his PFD on the It’s really impossible to make an end loop raft. Part way across the fast-moving river Canoeing Accidents on throw ropes large enough to be useful, Mr. Blight slipped away into the icy water. yet small enough to keep small wrists out. Other rafters spotted his body over seven There were few canoeing accidents this Users must be sure that the end loop on miles downstream, where it was recovered. past year and their stories were not throw bags is held with their fingers only; A sad note: although the area is quite wild, unusual. The Spokane River below the you should never stick your wrist through private and commercial trip regularly falls is a popular Class II run, but it’s a big it. Furthermore, I often see throwbags travel the river. The pair was very likely to river that deserves respect. The TV-KLXY carelessly stowed. The end loop must be have spotted one within a day. Spokane Web Site reported the death of fully secured before placing a bag inside Kiernan Norman, 18. Mr. Norman did the boat. Had either of these steps been Blossom Bar Rapid is the biggest drop on not put on a PFD before running the taken the boy would not have died. the Wild and Scenic Rogue, made even river on April 18th and this proved to be a tougher by higher than average flows. On deadly oversight. When his canoe flipped Rafting Accidents June 27th two women on a commercial somewhere below the Devil’s Toenail trip attempted to run this Class IV drop a witness saw him disappear before High water out west invariably leads to in inflatable kayaks. Both capsized at the reaching shore. The icy 36-degree water increased rafting fatalities. Taking simple Picket Fence, a line of rocks, and were temperature was almost certainly a factor. precautions, like wearing a life vest, would pulled underwater. One broke free and His father found his canoe and life vest, have prevented many of them. Two of these reached the surface, but the second, 52 but not his son. A lengthy search did not deaths occurred on May 28th. Robertson year-old Cynthia Lee Vontungein, became locate his body. Winters, 22, drowned on Oregon’s stuck in a space between the rocks. Her Willamette River after his inexpensive body, though inaccessible, remained in Arkansas’ Buffalo River, a float trip with a vinyl raft capsized. Two other men were plain view from shore. Her body worked few mild rapids, was the scene of another rescued; none of them wore a PFD. Also, free on July 6th; it was spotted by rafters death on May 4th. According to KY3 news 27 year-old Kimmo Jackson drowned who notified authorities. web site, Will Davenport, 7, was paddling when his small raft capsized in the Black a canoe with his mother and a friend foot River near Missoula, MT. Water Strainers are always a danger when rivers when the boat capsized after hitting a levels were extremely high. One passenger run high, undercutting the banks and rock. The canoe washed into a tree and the made it ashore and notified authorities. causing trees to topple. High, fast water boy was trapped underwater. Emergency Mr. Jackson’s body was spotted floating also makes strainers more difficult to avoid. responders used a chainsaw to cut the mid-river several miles downstream, but On May 24th a two-man raft hit a strainer tree. They freed the boy, but failed to could not be recovered. Another man was at the head of an island on Washington’s revive him. rescued from a midstream gravel bar. Cle Elum River just above the lake. One man disappeared beneath the logjam, Like the Buffalo River, Oregon’s Lower Then, on May 31th, Dr. Michael and it took rescue workers over two hours Clackimas River is a straightforward Dennington, 57, died on a high water run to free the body of 44-year-old Kenneth novice trip alternating Class II rapids with of the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa Clark. Although the man had been rafting long, flat pools. On June 7th a group of Reservoir. He was not wearing a life vest for over 10 years he was not wearing a life Boy Scouts was doing well until a canoe when a 14-foot cataraft carrying himself, vest. In this case, it would have done him capsized at the Interstate 205 Bridge his wife, and three children slammed no good. A veteran fishing guide died on near the confluence with the Willamette. into a logjam at the top of an island and June 15th after his raft flipped against a According to the Portland Oregonian both capsized. His wife and kids, who were strainer on Montana’s Bitteroot River. paddlers, a man and a boy, were swept wearing life vests, made it ashore. His body Dave Dedmon, 53, was scouting the river downstream. The man made it ashore, was found a mile and a half downstream. with his wife when the flip occurred. The but Fin Terry, 11, disappeared. Emergency pair clung to the raft until it hit a second responders used an underwater camera Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River tree and pulled him under. His wife to locate the boy and made a startling was the scene of two fatalities this year. On was unharmed. discovery. The boy’s wrist was caught June 1, two men who were rafting together inside the end loop of a throw bag, and were stranded when their boat drifted Flush drowning is a real danger at high the other end was snagged on a log. They away during a lunch break. According to water. A life jacket alone is not complete believe that he grabbed the throw bag as the San Francisco Chronicle, they pair protection, and getting swimmers out of the canoe flipped in order to help with feared being marooned in the wilderness the water becomes truly urgent. Nowhere the rescue. without food or shelter. They decided to is this more important in big water like the swim across the river to a trail so they Grand Canyon in Arizona, where 45 year- The boy’s wrist became caught in a trailing could get help. One man had a life vest, but old Randall Johnson died on March 16th

62 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 63 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 after his raft capsized in Hance Rapid. As search to quickly locate her body. Martin, 43, began having difficulty Grand Canyon drops go, this one is long breathing after he was pulled aboard a and complex. His companions retrieved In the three other instances rafting second raft. He was taken ashore where he him and attempted CPR, without success. guests drowned after surprisingly short collapsed. CPR was ineffective. swims. Charles Brown, 70, fell out of a On May 26th a seven-member party from raft in Middle Keaney Rapid on West Washington State set off on Montana’s Virginia’s New River on May 20th. Then Near Misses and Rescues swollen, fast moving Dearborn River in Nicholas Harcun, 32, fell into the water a single raft. According to the Billings halfway down Big Nasty rapid on the Each year AW hears about a number Gazette this pleasant Class II-III section Cheat River on May 25th. The very next of well-executed rescues. One of these was running at over 4000 cfs, a very day Walter Cruz, 53, had a short swim at occurred on January 13th on the “upper high level. When their raft hit a rock and Pockwockamus Falls on the Penobscot two’s” of the Little River Canyon. A detailed flipped, there was no backup. Someone River in Maine. In each case the guest post on the AlabamaWhitewater.com made it ashore and called for help. A large was not breathing even though they forum tells the story. A C-1 paddler, number of searchers mobilized, covering were recovered quickly. Because normal identified only as Steve, ran the sneak the river on foot, by boat, and in the air. healthy people usually survive a moderate chute at Roadblock Rapid. Excellent They located several survivors stranded whitewater swim outfitters suspect that photos at (http://alabamawhitewater.com/ at riverside. Melody Alvestad, 48, was health problems were involved. forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2885) dead when she was pulled from the river. show that he broached at the bottom of Another man was taken to the hospital Commercial outfitters on Colorado’s the drop and flipped. His boat was shoved and treated for hypothermia. Searchers Arkansas River also experienced four 2-4 feet underwater and pinned against finally found the body of the last missing flush-drowning deaths. All occurred three separate undercut rocks. His body man, Jeff Rayman, 44, several days later. in less than a month; three of the four was stuck between his boat and one of happened during peak flows. The events the rocks; because he is a C-Boater he When Richard Banks was driving through of several suggest that the guest had was able to get his head to the surface Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon with his underlying health problems. The Canon to get some air. After 3-4 minutes he girlfriend on June 16th he decided that City Daily Record reported on May 25th decided he couldn’t hold on any longer, it would a good place to try out his new that Subhashi Nelakurthi, 26, died after so he ducked below the surface and bailed inflatable kayak. Some time later witnesses his raft flipped in Wall-Slammer Rapid. out. Witnesses said that a kayaker would on Interstate 70 saw the 45 year-old man A second man in this incident survived probably have drowned. A Z-drag was fall out of the boat and into the mighty after CPR was administered. Flows were unsuccessful, so they left the boat where it Colorado River near mile marker 111. modest: around 1500 cfs. was and hiked out. They called 911 and a deputy sheriff snagged him with a rope and got him to A second death occurred on June 17th, On January 18th an email reported that shore seven miles later. when a raft flipped near Buena Vista at Scott Loveland flipped over in the Class V high water. This part of the river, while Slides rapid of Meadow Run, a tributary It’s also been a very difficult year for not difficult, is quite pushy at flows over of the Youghiogheny in Ohiopyle, PA. He commercial rafting, starting with 2500 cfs. Oscar Stevenson, 67, was rescued sustained a sharp blow to his head and four guided rafting deaths on eastern by his guides and brought ashore. CPR neck. When rescued below he complained whitewater rivers. On May 17th Dr. Vicki was tried unsuccessfully; he’d apparently of neck pains and numbness in his right Miller-Savard, 42, was running West suffered a heart attack. arm. Both are sure signs of a spinal injury. Virginia’s Cheat Canyon at 6.5 feet, a very Paramedics were called in and he was life high level. Her group had negotiated all On June 19th a raft flipped against the F flighted to a trauma hospital in Pittsburgh. major rapids without incident until the street bridge pier in downtown Salida just He sustained a fracture to one of the last raft flipped below Pete Morgan Rapid. seconds after it launched. The river was vertebrae in his neck but is likely to make Ms. Miller-Savard’s raft was attempting to carrying 3700 cfs, a big flow. According to a full recovery. pick up swimmers when it, too flipped. the Salida Mountain Mail the guide and Ms. Miller-Savard was swimming towards three others got safely ashore. A fourth There were two close calls at “the falls” shore when her foot caught in a log that guest, 61 year-old James Kennedy, was not on New Hampshire’s Ashuelot River. The was pinned against a rock. The current breathing when he was recovered. An off- falls is actually a low-head dam. On April then pushed her underwater. Guides did a duty firefighter who was kayaking in the 7 Mark Boucher, 33, was hospitalized thorough search of the area but could not area administered CPR, without success. after running the falls in a kayak. He was find her. The following day the water had violently recirculated several times before dropped almost two feet, allowing guides Lastly, a man died after his raft flipped being spat out. Two women who were who were making an early-morning near the end of Brown’s Canyon. Marcus accompanying him swam him to shore

64 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 65 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 and applied CPR. On April 21 two Keene These feelings are not uncommon, but took the time to correspond with me. State college students narrowly escaped they don’t sit well with me. You wouldn’t Many accident reports were found in death after running the falls in a kiddie think of saying the same thing about a SwiftH2O News, a Yahoo group. Splashes, pool! Firefighters responded, and got family whose sloppy home maintenance the newsletter of the West Virginia them out. The mother of one of them told caused a house fire, even though rescuers Wildwater Association, does an excellent a reporter “He does stupid stuff like this might face similar dangers. Ignorance job reporting accidents in the region. It’s all the time.” and stupidity, while unfortunate, are not now easier than ever for you to contribute criminal acts. If they were, we would all a report. Go to www.americanwhitewater. A kayaker was stranded for two days on be guilty at some time or another. As for org, click “Safety,” and bring up a report the Giant Gap Run of the North Fork of paying for rescue, I feel that water rescues form. You can cut and paste newspaper the American River in California. This and fire rescues should be treated the same stories and Internet postings or write your stretch is known for high cliffs and rough way: with no extra fees. own account. The material you send in will terrain. According to the Sacramento Bee be available on-line and gets forwarded he was paddling with two friends. When There were an unusually large number of to the AW Safety Committee for review. his empty kayak washed down to them successful rescues by emergency responders You may also correspond directly with they could not go back upstream because this year, demonstrating the benefits of the safety editor, Charlie Walbridge, at of intervening cliffs. They paddled out and good swiftwater rescue training. Often the [email protected]. notified authorities. A rescue helicopter victims summoned help from mid-river spotted him, but it could not land safely. on their cell phones! Unfortunately, higher A group of rafters found him unharmed authorities have been taking notes. For the next day, May 12th. They spent the decades various state and federal agencies night with him and rafted him out the have been agitating for mandatory safety following day. training for non-powered boaters. The National Association of State Boating Law The Arkansas River near Salida, CO was Administrators (NASBLA) told USA Today the scene of a desperate rescue on May that “paddling represents the greatest risk 28th. Susan Schneider, 51, had rented in the recreational boating community,” a two-person inflatable kayak with her and that our activities create “a huge drain husband. When the boat capsized she was on rescue teams.” They support legislation washed into a tree. A strap on her PFD to create mandatory water safety courses, snagged and she was trapped. Photos in especially for kayakers. The Salida Mountain Mail showed veteran RMOC river guide Caden Buckist wading Although AW has always been a force in out to her, and wrestling her free. She was public education, we’re not comfortable exhausted and nearly helpless. She was with the idea that canoes, kayaks, and rafts carried to the road and taken to a nearby need to be registered or that users should hospital with near-drowning symptoms be forcibly trained. One key variable has and hypothermia. She was in good spirits not been accounted for. The number of that evening and hoping to get on the river kayaks in the U.S. has grown explosively again soon. over the last decade and no one has a clear idea how many users are out there. Two families are lucky to be alive after My guess is that number of incidents are their canoe capsized on June 16th. The up because more people have kayaks to place was the flooded Milwaukee River paddle. Furthermore, unlike powerboats, near Freedonia, WI. The unfortunate poorly managed paddlecraft only paddlers were clinging to trees on a endanger the actual user. Keep an eye out flooded island when the Newburg Fire for these unwelcome ideas, and get ready Department arrived. They used a tethered to oppose them if necessary. boat to evacuate everyone. Afterwards, some of the rescuers were angry, saying This report, and others like it, depends the families had no business on the river on paddlers like you. We always need and needlessly endangered rescuers. The information on whitewater fatalities, near Fire Chief talked of pressing criminal child misses, and rescues. I’d like to thank Slim abuse charges and seeking the recovery Ray, Dane Patterson, Margaret Weise, of thousands of dollars in rescue costs. Chris Aidnan, Lisa Egan and others who

64 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 65 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Class V Sponsor Class II Sponsor

In 2006, Keen’s contributions will aid American Whitewater’s projects in the Southeast, and the Pacifi c Northwest. In the Southeast Keen’s support will help American Whitewater’s work restoring the Catawba watershed. Additional funding from Keen will support AW’s projects on the Columbia River Basin and the Cascade range in the Pacifi c Northwest.

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66 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 67 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 KEEN Inc., manufacturer of hybrid The company strives to demonstrate Since 2004, KEEN has distributed footwear, socks and bags, is an outdoor integrity and leadership, especially on more than $1.5 million to non-profit brand that delivers innovative hybrid social and environmental commitments, organizations important to us. With products, enabling all outdoor enthusiasts while promoting an inclusive outdoors limited resources and widely different to live an active lifestyle. Founded in 2003, community. Through its giving program goals, our Hybrid.Care partners have paved KEEN was first recognized for its Newport Hybrid.Care, the company provides the way for change through community, sandal, which featured patented toe support to a variety of social and education and understanding. What these protection technology. environmental organizations around organizations share is a philosophy of the globe. caring, conscience and sustainability. What For the past six years Clif Bar has they’ve already given back is invaluable. sponsored the Flowing Rivers grant, a Based in Portland, Oregon, KEEN joint initiative between Bar and American products are available in retail locations in Linda Tom, KEEN Marketing Manager, Whitewater that puts money in the hands the United States, Canada, Australia, New talks about the partnership this way; of people who are protecting the rivers Zealand, Asia, Central America, South “Relationships like the one we have with that are running through their backyards. America and Europe. To learn more, visit American Whitewater are very important The 2008 funding is supporting initiatives www.keenfootwear.com. to KEEN. We feel fortunate to partner from the Atlanta Whitewater Club and with AW, supporting the continued work it the Fairbanks Paddlers. The Atlanta About Hybrid.Care™ does for the environment, for responsible Whitewater Club has received funding for KEEN is more than an outdoor company. outdoor recreation and in building strong an ambitious project in which members Through its Hybrid.Care initiative, KEEN community.” will be participating in river clean-ups on strives be a company with a conscience four different rivers in the Atlanta area. and to make a positive difference by American Whitewater is proud to be a core The Fairbanks Paddlers’ project tackles the supporting and working with social and Hybrid.Care partner. often over-looked question of the disposal environmental organizations around of human waste on river trips. To read the world. Established in early 2005 in more about the two projectsand affiliate response to the 2005 Tsunami disaster, clubs see http://www.americanwhitewater. Hyrbid.Care has contributed monetary org/content/Article_view_articleid_30137_ donations, products and volunteer hours display_full_ to non-profit organizations around the globe.

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Today! s s s s s s American Whitewater has been extraordinarily fortunate in our ability to leverage a strong grassroots Over the years, American Whitewater be sure that everyone you paddle with volunteers have participated in numerous understands the work AW does, and how base—members hydropower meetings as well as you, as an AW member, value that work. instream and recreational flow studies; and other filed comments and assisted with an Membership support is what will volunteers—to uncountable number of filings; appeared determine our ability to continue our as expert witnesses; lobbied; worked to river stewardship work in the years to assist our limited fight new dams, remove existing dams, come. Individual Annual Memberships deny licenses, and improve public access are only $35. If you are a member of your staff with many to rivers and streams. In nearly every river local paddling club and your club is an stewardship issue AW has been involved Affiliate Club member of AW, join as a whitewater river with, the outcome has been favorable Club Affiliate Individual for $25. This is to paddlers. Not only has AW secured less than a tank of gas or an inexpensive conservation and favorable decisions for the paddling night out. This is certainly not too much community, but we are the only national to pay to have a national organization restoration efforts. organization representing paddlers as representing your paddling interests all these decisions are being made. across the country.

A growing membership base is crucial Join on-line today at http://www.america to our ability to continue with our work. nwhitewater.org/membership, call 1-866- Some studies show that there are currently BOAT4AW (866-262-8429), or fill out the over 100,000 whitewater paddlers in the form on the back of this page and mail U.S. American Whitewater currently has it to: 6,300 active members. When considering the amount of whitewater river miles Membership that AW has had a direct impact on, this P.O. Box 1540 membership number is unimpressive. Cullowhee, NC 28723 We need all paddlers to join American Whitewater. If you are a member, please

68 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 s

68 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 The Affiliate Club Program lies at the very Colorado New Hampshire heart of AW’s existence. AW’s original Avid4Adventure Inc., Boulder Ledyard Canoe Club, Hanover purpose since 1957 has been to distribute Big Thompson Watershed Forum, Loveland Mt. Washington Valley Paddlers, Franconia information among its Affiliate Clubs. Colorado Whitewater Asso, Englewood Merrimack Valley Paddlers, Merrimack AW’s relationships with local clubs Front Range Paddle Asso, Lafayette have provided the backbone for the Pikes Peak Whitewater Club, Colorado Springs New Mexico river conservation and access work it San Miguel Whitewater Asso, Telluride Adobe Whitewater Club, Albuquerque accomplishes. Over 100 clubs are now University of Colorado Kayak Club, Boulder AW Club Affiliates and they are all New York doing great work on your behalf. If Georgia ADK Schenectady, Schenectady you don’t belong to a club consider joining one. Atlanta Whitewater Club, Atlanta Colgate University, Hamilton Georgia Canoeing Association, Atlanta FLOW Paddlers Club, Rochester For the past five years Clif Bar has Housatonic Canoe & Kayak Squad, Ossining sponsored the Flowing Rivers grant, Idaho KCCNY, New York a joint initiative between Clif Bar and Idaho Whitewater Assoc., Boise St Lawrence University, Canton American Whitewater that puts money Town Tinker Tube Rentals, Phoenicia in the hands of people who are protecting Illnois the rivers that are running through their Chicago Whitewater Assoc., Chicago N. Carolina backyards. The 2007 funding supported Team SICK, Carbondale Base Camp Cullowhee, Cullowhee initiatives from the Foothills Paddling Carolina Canoe Club, Raleigh Club (SC) and the Willamette Kayak and Indiana Dixie Division ACA, Tuxedo Canoe Club (OR). The Foothills Paddling Ohio Valley Whitewater Club, Evansville Mecklenburg Regional Paddlers, Indian Trail Club is using their funding to enhance an Hoosier Canoe Club, Indianapolis Triad River Runners, Winston, Salem access area and purchasing water quality Watauga Paddlers, Boone equipment. The Willamette Kayak and Iowa Western Carolina Paddlers Canoe Club is using their funding to Iowa Whitewater Coalition, Des Moines organize a safety education weekend. To Ohio read more about the two projects see http: Kansas Keel Haulers Canoe Club, Westlake //www.americanwhitewater.org/content/ Kansas Whitewater Association, Mission Outdoor Adventure Club, Dayton Article/view/articleid/29549/display/full/. Toledo River Gang, Waterville AFFILIATE CLUBS, we want to know Kentucky what you are doing. Send your events to Bardstown Boaters, Frankfort Oregon us a [email protected] and we Bluegrass Wildwater Association, Lexington Face Level Industries LLC, Portland will include them in the Journal. Oregon Kayak and Canoe Club, Portland Maine Oregon Whitewater Association, Beaverton The AW Journal Club Affiliates by state: Outward Bound, Newry Lower Columbia Canoe Club, Portland Northwest Rafters Assoc, Portland Alaska Maryland Willamette Kayak & Canoe Club, Corvallis Fairbanks Paddlers, Fairbanks Blue Ridge Voyageurs, Silver Spring Greater Baltimore Canoe Club, Baltimore Pennsylvania Alabama Mason Dixon Canoe Cruisers, Smithsburg AMC Delaware Valley Chapter, Sugarloaf Birmingham Canoe Club, Birmingham Benscreek Canoe Club, Johnstown Coosa Paddling Club, Montgomery Massachusetts Bradford County Canoe and Kayak Club, Sayre Huntsville Canoe Club, Huntsville AMC - New Hampshire Paddlers, Honover Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg Conewago Canoe Club, York Arkansas Minnesota Holtwood Hooligans, Lititz Arkansas Canoe Club, Little Rock SCSU Outdoor Endeavors, Saint Cloud PA Organization for Watersheds & Rivers, Harrisburg Philadelphia Canoe Club, Philadelphia California Missouri Three Rivers Paddling Club, Pittsburgh Chico Paddleheads, Chico Missouri Whitewater Association, St. Louis Lehigh Valley White water Club, Lehigh Valley Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School, Forks of Salmon Ozark Mountain Paddlers, Springfield River Touring Section, Angleles Chapter Ozark Wilderness Waterways, Kansas City S. Carolina Sierra Club Loma Prieta Ch., San Jose Foothills Paddling Club, Greenville Sierra Club SF Chapter, Livermore Montana Palmetto Paddlers, Columbia Beartooth Paddlers Society, Billings Tennessee Nevada Eastman Hiking and Canoeing, Kingsport Sierra Nevada Whitewater Club, Reno Memphis Whitewater, Memphis

70 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 71 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Join American Whitewater as a Club Affiliate! Tennessee Scenic River Assoc., Nashville 10 Reasons to Join AW Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, Chattanooga University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville Discounted AW as an Affiliate Club Membership for Texas Houston Canoe Club, Houston Affiliate Club Members 1. Receive the American Utah Whitewater Journal, the USU Kayak Club, Logan Utah Whitewater Club, Salt Lake City By Carla Miner, Membership Manager oldest continually published whitewater magazine. Vermont AW offers a discounted Affiliate Vermont Paddlers Club, Essex Junction Club membership of $25, a $10 2. Join the list of Affiliate Clubs savings. If you are renewing your noted in each bi-monthly Virginia AW membership or joining as a AW Journal. Blue Ridge River Runners, Lynch Station new member, select the Affiliate Canoe Cruisers Association, Arlington Coastal Canoeists, Richmond Club Discounted Personal 3. List club events in the AW Journal. Float Fishermen of Virginia, Richmond Membership online at https: //www.americanwhitewater.org/ 4. Your Club’s members can Washington content/Store/?crn=199. Or, if become AW members for $25. EPIC Outdoor Adventures, Cheney you are renewing or joining by A $10 savings! Paddle Trails Canoe Clube, Seattle mail or telephone just mention Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club, Spokane the name of the Affiliate Club University Kayak Club, Seattle 5. Have technical expertise for Washington Kayak Club, Seattle you belong to and you can your Club conservation and Washington Recreational River Runners, Renton take advantage of the $25 access committees ‘on tap.’ Whitman College Whiteater Club, Walla Walla membership. 6. Have access to technical and West Virginia A list of AW Affiliate Clubs can onsite assistance for your Club’s West VA Wildwater Association, S. Charleston be found on our website at https: event planning. //www.americanwhitewater.org/ Wisconsin Hoofers Outing Club, Madison content/Affiliate_view_. If you 7. Enjoy VIP benefits for “Joint NE Wisconsin Paddlers Inc. Appleton do not see your Club listed here Members” at AW events. please encourage them to renew their Club membership or to join 8. Participate in exclusive AW Jackson Hole Kayak Club, Jackson AW as a new Affiliate Club. Your Affiliate Club promotions. Club’s membership and your Canada, British Columbia personal membership enable our Vancouver Kayak Club, Vancouver 9. Post Club information on the staff to be active and engaged in AW Website to help paddlers the process of river stewardship. find you. When you join or renew your membership your support 10. Elligible to apply for the 2008 is helping to meet the many Clif Bar Flowing Rivers grant challenges whitewater rivers face.

If you have any questions about the Affiliate Club membership, For more information, please contact me. I can be contact Carla Miner at reached at 866_BOAT-4AW or [email protected] membership@americanwhitewa or sign-up on-line at: ter.org. www.americanwhitewater.org/membership

70 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 71 September/October 2008 September/October 2008 Please read this carefully before send ing us Those without access to a word pro ces sor American Whitewater feature ar ti cles should your articles and photos! This is a vol un teer may sub mit their articles typed. Please relate to some aspect of whitewater boat ing. pub li ca tion, please cooperate and help us dou ble space. Please do not sub mit articles per tain ing to out. Do not send us your mate ri al without sea kayaking or fl at water. a release – signed by all au thors and pho- Photos may be submitted as slides, black or white tog ra phers (attached). prints, or color prints or electronic, digital pho- If you are writing about a commonly pad- tos, 300 dpi tiffs, Photoshop or high res jpegs dled river, your story should be told from a If possible, articles should be sub mit ted on a minimum 3”x5.” Keep your orig i nals and send unique perspective. Articles about dif fi cult, 3-1/2-inch computer disk. (Microsoft Word us du plicates if pos si ble; we cannot guar an tee infrequently paddled, or exotic rivers are given if pos si ble – others accepted.) Please do not the safe re turn of your pic tures. If you want us special con sid er ation. But we are also inter- alter the margins or spac ing param e ters; use to return your pic tures, include a self-ad dressed ested in well writ ten, un usu al articles pertain- the standard default set tings. Send a printed stamped en ve lope with your sub mis sion. The ing to Class II, III & IV rivers as well. Feature copy of the article as well. bet ter the pho tos the better the re pro duc tion. sto ries do not have to be about a specifi c river. Articles about paddling tech niques, the river en vi ron ment and river per son al i ties are also ac cept ed. Pieces that in cor po rate humor are es pe cial ly wel come. Open boating and raft ing sto ries are wel come. Profanity should be used only when it is ab- so lute ly necessary to effectively tell a sto ry; it is not our intent to offend our more sen si tive mem bers and readers. Please check all facts carefully, par tic u lar ly those regarding individuals, gov ern ment agen cies, and corpo ra tions in volved in river access and en viron mental mat ters. You are legally re spon si ble for the accuracy of such material. Make sure names are spelled cor- rectly and riv er gra di ents and dis tanc es are cor rect ly cal cu lat ed. Articles will be edited at the dis cre tion of the editors to fi t our format, length, and style. Expect to see changes in your ar ti cle. If you don’t want us to edit your ar ti cle, please don’t send it in! Be cause of our dead lines you will not be able to review the editorial chang es made prior to pub li ca tion.

American Whitewater is a nonprofi t; the ed i tors and con trib u tors to Amer i can White wa ter are not re im bursed. On rare oc ca sions, by pre ar range ment, pro fes sion al writ ers receive a small hon o rar i um when they submit sto ries at our re quest. Gen er al ly, our con trib u tors do not expect pay ment, since most are mem bers of AW, which is a vol un teer con ser va tion and safe ty or ga ni za tion.

Send your material to: Journal Editor P.O. Box 1540 Cullowhee, NC 28723 E-mail: [email protected]

72 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org September/October 2008 ���������������� ����������������� Every Werner Paddle is handcrafted and fully homegrown in Sultan, Washington. We take pride in this and the fact that we have been handcrafting the best paddles in the world for over 30 years. We combine the highest quality materials, advanced manufacturing methods with craftsmanship to produce the lightest, strongest whitewater paddles on the market. To view our full line of homegrown designs log on to our website at www.wernerpaddles.com or visit your local Werner Retailer.

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