BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS January / February 2007 A Romantic Mexican Misadventure Canoeing in Big Bend Rafting the Yaak A High Water Self Support Trip on the Taku Plus ... The Philosophy of Mountain Water A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Whitewater Journal January / February 2007 - Volume #47 - Issue #1 COLUMNS 3 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 4 Letters to the Editor 6 News & Notes 10 Safety First by Eric Nies 14 History by Sue Taft 53 Gillman Gorge by Ken Hoeve 56 Strength Training for Kayakers by Matt Young 64 The Last Word by Ambrose Tuscano 66 Corporate Sponsors STEWARDSHIP 16 Stewardship Updates by Ben Van Camp, Tom O’Keefe and Dave Steindorf 16 Settlement On The South Fork American by Dave Steindorf 18 WaveSport and AW’s 2006 River Steward of the Year by Ben VanCamp 19 Volunteer of the Month 20 Controversy on the Klamath River by Thomas O’Keefe 20 License for Chelan Gorge by Thomas O’Keefe 22 Top 10 River Issues FEATURE - Wilderness Paddling 30 Why We Kayak: The Call of Mountain Water by Evan Joseph 38 The Taku River by Tyler Williams 44 Yaak Rafting by James Knobbs 48 Squeeze Play by Bill Tanger RIVER VOICES 54 Coming Out Party May 2006 by Norm Karasa 54 Whitewater Lust April 2006 by Norm Karasa 55 How Did I Get here? by Steve Nason 58 The Gods by Andrew Guldmam 60 Rocky Contos: A Profile by Tom Diegel CFC UnitedWay #2302 Support American Whitewater through CFC or United Way All the federal campaigns, and a few of the local United Way campaigns will allow you to donate through them to AW. Check to see if yours in one of them. Also, check to see if your employer will match your charitable contribution - double your money , double your fun! Publication Title: American Whitewater Issue Date: January / February 2007 Kyle McCutchen in awe of the Statement of Frequency: Published bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: Muddy Chute American Whitewater Photo by Evan Stafford P.O. Box 1540 Cullowhee, NC 28723 Printed on Recycled Paper River Stewardship: processes, grassroots advocacy, coalition building, EDUCATION: AW shares information with the An Integrated Approach empowerment of volunteers, public outreach and general public and the paddling community education, and, when necessary, legal action. regarding whitewater rivers, as well as river 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 kayak or canoe, for thousands of individual whitewater enthusiasts, as encourages equitable and responsible management Together, AW staff, members, volunteers, and affiliate well as over 100 local paddling club affiliates. of whitewater rivers on public lands, and works with clubs can achieve our goals of conserving, protecting government agencies and other river users to achieve and restoring America’s whitewater resources and AW’s River Stewardship program adheres to the four these goals. enhancing opportunities to safely enjoy these tenets of our mission statement: wonderful rivers. SAFETY: AW promotes paddling safely, publishes reports on whitewater accidents, maintains a uniform CONSERVATION: AW’s professional staff works AW was incorporated under Missouri nonprofit national ranking system for whitewater rivers (the closely with volunteers and partner organizations corporation laws in 1961 and maintains its principal International Scale of Whitewater Difficulty) and to protect the ecological and scenic values of all mailing address at PO Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC publishes and disseminates the internationally- whitewater rivers. These goals are accomplished 28723; phone 1-866-BOAT-4-AW (1-866-262-8429). recognized American Whitewater Safety Code. through direct participation in public decision-making 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 AW STAFF Editor Ambrose Tuscano Sutton Bacon 866-BOAT4AW Laura Blalock 14076 Northwoods Blvd. Truckee, California 96161 [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Bookkeeper Atlanta, GA Cullowhee, NC Assitant Editor Tim Catalano Chris Bell [email protected] Graphic Design/Production/Photo Editor Christie Dobson [email protected] Tim Kelley Asheville, NC [email protected] Kevin Colburn Contributing Writers Potsdam, NY Ambrose Tuscano, Mark Singleton, Kerry Walsh, Sue Taft, Linda National Stewardship Director Rich Bowers Missoula, MT Day, Michelle Yates, Anna Levesque, John Mudano, Eric Nies, Don Kinser Dave Steindorf, Ben VanCamp, Thomas O’Keefe, Evan Joseph, [email protected] [email protected] Tyler Williams, James Knobbs, Bill Tanger, Ken Hoeve, Norm Bellingham, WA [email protected] Karasa, Steve Nason, Matt Young, Andrew Guldman, Tom Marietta, GA Diegel, Dave Cernicek Carla Miner [email protected] Mark LaCroix Membership Manager Photo Contributors [email protected] Matt Solomon, Judy Epstein, Mark Scantlebury, Rob Lesser, Josh Jackson, WY West Valley City, UT Strange, Thomas O’Keefe, Dave Steindorf, Daniel Dancer, Evan Thorton, NH [email protected] Stafford, Kyle McCutchen, Tyler Williams, James Knobbs, Bill Adam Cramer Tanger, Drew Haas, Barbara Conboy, [email protected] Evie Locke Washington D.C. [email protected] Thomas O’Keefe Events / Advertising Coordinator Ben VanCamp Charlemont, MA Pacific NW Stewardship Director P.O. Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723 phone 828-713-5825 David Ennis Seattle, WA e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Eric Nies [email protected] Bryson City, NC [email protected] Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge Morgantown, WV Mark Singleton Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Steve Exe e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Aaron Pruzan Executive Director Cullowhee, NC Stewarship Reports Editor Mercer Island, WA [email protected] Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Jackson Hole, WY [email protected] Liz Ferrin American Whitewater Magazine Task Force [email protected] Norwood Scott Dave Steindorf Jeff Espy, Dunbar Hardy, Dale-Marie Herring, John Mason, Santa Barbara, CA [email protected] Tanya Shuman, Ambrose Tuscano San Francisco, CA California Stewardship Director Paradise, CA Missing Copies and Address Changes Jennie Goldberg [email protected] [email protected] Charlie Walbridge [email protected] Seattle, WA [email protected] American Whitewater is printed by Bruceton Mills, WV Ben VanCamp The Printing House in Quincy Florida Joe Greiner Outreach Manager All rights reserved. [email protected] BOARD OFFICERS EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER Raleigh, NC Cullowhee, NC President: Sutton Bacon [email protected] The opinions expressed in the features and Vice President: Don Kinser editorials of American Whitewater are those of Kristine Jackson Secretary: Norwood Scott the individual authors. They do not necessarily [email protected] Treasurer: Chris Bell represent those of the Directors of American Rock Island, TN Whitewater or the editors of this publication. On occasion, American Whitewater publishes Andrew Jillings official organizational policy statements drafted [email protected] and approved by the Board of Directors. These Clinton, NY policy statements will be clearly identified. 2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org www.americanwhitewater.org American Whitewater 3 January/February 2007 January/February 2007 Colorado Stewardship By Mark Singleton It’s not everyday that Buena Vista, Colorado Overarching topics discussed at the is the site of a nationally significant meeting included: meeting. But late last year a group of Recreational in-channel diversions committed Colorado boaters gathered on (RICDs): Colorado water rights provide the banks of the Arkansas River with AW the ability to divert water for beneficial stewardship staff to discuss the specific use. In the late 1990s the community of needs and unique challenges Colorado Golden built a whitewater park that is and streams: With both an increasing rivers and recreational water use face in widely recognized as an economic benefit number of paddlers and the opening up the state. This working group included for businesses in the town. Structures of new whitewater runs, land managers members of the industry, retailers, athlete associated with the whitewater park in the state face challenges in meeting ambassadors, local politicos, outfitters “divert” water for beneficial use (in this demand for these recreational attributes. and water rights advocates. The goal of case, recreation) and provide the local In addition, Colorado has some of the the meeting was to open the dialog with community with an economic benefit weakest laws in the nation protecting the individuals already active