Conservation • Access • Events • Adventure • Safety BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS May/June 2011 ROAD TRIP! Whitewater never stands still— and neither do paddlers RESTORE Dam removal is becoming the new reality on America’s whitewater rivers A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Whitewater Journal May/June 2011 – Volume 51 – Issue 3 COLUMNS 5 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 6 President’s Message by Don Kinser 20 Paddler Fitness by John Amtmann and Jeremy Basler 42 Safety by Charlie Walbridge 46 News & Notes 55 Letter to the Editor by Pat Wilson STEWARDSHIP 7 Restore Articles 14 California Update by Dave Steindorf 15 Southeast Update by Kevin Colburn 16 America’s Great Outdoors Initiative by Kevin Colburn 17 Rocky Mountain Update by Kevin Colburn and Nathan Fey ROAD TRIP! 24 Pacific Northwest Huckfest by Bobby “The Dogg” Miller 33 The Southern Sierra Whitewater Road Trip by Dan Sadowski 36 The American Road by Lee Timmons Bobby “The Dogg” Miller finds the SCHWEET spot of Lower Lewis Falls Publication Title: American Whitewater Issue Date: May/June 2011 on the North Fork Lewis River (WA). Statement of Frequency: Published Bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: Photo by Bryon Dorr American Whitewater P.O. Box 1540 Cullowhee, NC 28723 PURPOSE RIVER STEWARDSHIP: processes, grassroots advocacy, coalition building, whitewater rivers, as well as river recreation, empowerment of volunteers, public outreach and conservation, access, and safety. This is accomplished AN INTEGRATED APPROACH education, and, when necessary, legal action. through our bimonthly AW Jour nal, a monthly e-news, americanwhitewater.org, paddling events, educational RIVER ACCESS: To assure public access to whitewater Our mission: “To conserve and restore America’s events, and through direct communication with rivers pursuant to the guidelines published in its whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities the press. to enjoy them safely,” is actively pursued through official Access Policy, AW arranges for river access our conservation, access, safety and education efforts through private lands by negotiation or purchase, Together, AW staff, members, volunteers, and affiliate under the umbrella of River Stewardship. The only seeks to protect the right of public passage on all rivers clubs can achieve our goals of conserving, protecting national organization representing the interest of and streams navigable by kayak or canoe, encourages and restoring America’s whitewater resources all whitewater paddlers, American Whitewater is the equitable and responsible management of whitewater and enhancing opportunities to safely enjoy these national voice for thousands of individual whitewater rivers on public lands, and works with government wonderful rivers. agencies and other river users to achieve these goals. enthusiasts, as well as over 100 local paddling AW was incorporated under Missouri nonprofit club affiliates. SAFETY: AW promotes paddling safely, publishes corporation laws in 1961 and maintains its principal AW’s River Stewardship program adheres to the four reports on whitewater accidents, maintains a uniform mailing address at PO Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723; tenets of our mission statement: national ranking system for whitewater rivers (the phone 1-866-BOAT-4-AW (1-866-262-8429). AW is International Scale of Whitewater Difficulty) and tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal CONSERVATION: AW’s professional staff works publishes and disseminates the internationally- Revenue Service. closely with volunteers and partner organizations recognized American Whitewater Safety Code. to protect the ecological and scenic values of all whitewater rivers. These goals are accomplished EDUCATION: AW shares information with the through direct participation in public decision-making general public and the paddling community regarding American Whitewater Journal Staff Board of Directors & Staff BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eric Nies Megan Hooker Editor Ambrose Tuscano [email protected] Stewardship Assistant Chris Bell P.O. Box 913, Soda Springs, California 95728 New Paltz, NY Portland, OR e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] megan@americanwhitewater. Asheville, NC Norwood Scott Graphic Design/Production/Photo Editor Megan Seifert org [email protected] Rich Bowers Assistant Editors Erica J. Seifert, Barry Tuscano San Francisco, CA Jay Loschert [email protected] Contributing Writers Dolores River Stewardship Bellingham, WA Charlie Walbridge, Honorary Mark Singleton, Don Kinser, Kevin Colburn, Christian Knight, Assistant Thomas O’Keefe, Rich Bowers, Dave Steindorf, Nathan Fey, [email protected] Dave Cernicek Dolores, CO John Amtmann, Jeremy Basler, Bobby Miller, Dan Sadowski, Lee Bruceton Mills, WV Timmons, Charlie Walbridge, Claudia Kerckhoff-Van Wijk, Janet [email protected] [email protected] Brunett Cowie, Bethany Overfield, Pat Wilson Jackson, WY BOARD OFFICERS Carla Miner Photo Contributors Thomas O’Keefe, Idaho Parks and Recreation, Paul Martzen, Adam Cramer President: Don Kinser Membership Manager [email protected] Nathan Fey, Evan Stafford, Brad Brewer, Nate Rangel, Joey Vice President: Norwood Scott West Valley City, UT Manson, Nate Pfeifer, Kevin Colburn, John Amtmann, Bryon Bethesda, MD [email protected] Dorr, Toby Salz, Tom Ward, Lee Timmons, Fletcher Haaga, Don Secretary: Jennie Goldberg Spangler Leland Davis Jeff Paine Events / Advertising Coordinator Jeff Paine leland@ Treasurer: Chris Bell Outreach Director P.O. Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723 brushmountainpublishing.com At Large: Dave Cernicek and Asheville, NC phone 860-331-8323 Swannanoa, NC [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Evie Locke Kent Ford Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge AW STAFF Thomas O’Keefe Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 kent2003@performancevideo. Pacific NW Stewardship Director e-mail: [email protected] com Laura Blalock Seattle, WA Stewardship Reports Editor Durango, CO Finance Manager [email protected] Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Cullowhee, NC Jennie Goldberg [email protected] Mark Singleton Missing Copies and Address Changes [email protected] Executive Director Carla Miner, [email protected] Seattle, WA Kevin Colburn Cullowhee, NC American Whitewater is printed by Boyd Brothers Printing, Panama City, Florida. National Stewardship Director [email protected] All rights reserved. Chris Hest Missoula, MT [email protected] [email protected] Dave Steindorf San Francisco, CA California Stewardship Director Nathan Fey Don Kinser Chico, CA Colorado Stewardship Director [email protected] EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER [email protected] Longmont, CO The opinions expressed in the features and Marietta, GA nathan@americanwhitewater. editorials of American Whitewater are those of the individual authors. They do not necessarily Evie Locke org represent those of the Directors of American [email protected] Whitewater or the editors of this publication. Charlemont, MA On occasion, American Whitewater publishes TOLL FREE NUMBER official organizational policy statements drafted 1-866-262-8429 and approved by the Board of Directors. These policy statements will be clearly identified. 4 americanwhitewater.org THE JOURNEY AHEAD s you read this column, the Board a succession plan for leadership, and term connecting those who enjoy recreational of Directors and staff of American limits for Directors. opportunities with river conservation goals. Whitewater are meeting in Much has changed in 50 plus years, but the ANorth Bend, Washington, on the banks At the Board of Directors meeting in commitment to conserving whitewater of the Snoqualmie River, for the annual North Bend, American Whitewater will rivers remains true. face-to-face Board meeting. American be welcoming Norwood Scott to his new Whitewater Board meetings typically role as President. Norwood brings an See you on the river, include staff updates on stewardship educational background in environmental project work, business reports and an economics and finance, and is employed by organization overview. Thanks to strong the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency donor, industry, and foundation support in San Francisco, where he contributes the “Great Recession” proved to be a comments to environmental assessments remarkably stable period for American and environmental impact statements. Whitewater. In the midst of a global Mark Singleton financial crisis, American Whitewater On a personal note, I’ve had the great Executive Director, American Whitewater focused on river stewardship and emerged privilege of working closely with Don over from the economic downturn with the last three years in his term as President. greater credibility. Don has contributed a huge amount of time to American Whitewater, both as In the last year, American Whitewater has our President and also as a key volunteer, expanded its regional river stewardship spanning a decade of effort, in our legal program by adding resources to the actions to gain access toe th headwaters of stewardship team. These resources come the Chattooga River (SC). Don’s unparalleled in the form of professional services to commitments in time and energy are truly stewardship staff. Hydrologists, media impressive. Please join me in thanking Don consultants, environmental planners for his service and welcoming Norwood to and communication specialists all have his new leadership role.