The Mental Game
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Conservation • Access • Events • Adventure • Safety BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS Nov/Dec 2011 YOUR BRAIN ON WHITEWATER: THE MENTAL GAME ARE PADDLERS AN INDICATOR SpECIES? Integrating recreation and nature on dam controlled rivers A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Whitewater Journal Nov/Dec 2011 – Volume 51 – Issue 6 COLUMNS 5 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 12 Paddler Fitness by John Amtmann and Matt Doble 35 River Voices: Packrafting in Patagonia by Sarah Fox and Gardner Johnston 39 In Memoriam: Remembering Boyce Greer by Greg Hanlon, Ed Clark, and Adam Herzog 42 Safety: Accident Summary by Charlie Walbridge 50 Board Bios STEWARDSHIP 7 Pit River Update by Megan Hooker 7 Flow Studies Complete for the Rubicon and Middle Fork American Rivers by Dave Steindorf 8 Bringing Spring Runoff Back to Rivers by Megan Hooker MENTAL GAME 15 A Whitewater Tale of Humility by Steve Graybill 17 Balancing Fear and Confidence by Pete Bellande 20 Mind Over Matter on the Grand by Courtney Wilton 22 The Mental Side of Whitewater by Mary DeRiemer 26 No Vacancy! by Carin Tinney 28 A Class V Cataraft State of Mind by Will Conley 33 Dig Down Deep by Rebecca Carter Game on! Stacey Thompson leads Courtney Wilton through Lava Falls, Publication Title: American Whitewater Issue Date: Mar/Apr 2011 Grand Canyon (AZ). The Colorado and Statement of Frequency: Published Bimonthly its tributaries face threats resulting from Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: American Whitewater uranium mining on the canyon rim. P.O. Box 1540 Cullowhee, NC 28723 Photo by Ty Bequette 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, Dave Steindorf, John Amtmann, Matt Doble, Assistant Steve Graybill, Pete Bellande, Courtney Wilton, Megan Hooker, [email protected] Dave Cernicek Dolores, CO Mary DeRiemer, Will Conley, Rebecca Carter, Sarah Fox, Gardner Bruceton Mills, WV Johnston, Greg Hanlon, Ed Clark, Adam Herzog,Charlie [email protected] [email protected] Walbridge, Carin Tinney Jackson, WY BOARD OFFICERS Carla Miner Photo Contributors Adam Cramer President: Norwood Scott Membership Manager Jeff Paine,Chris Tulley, John Amtmann, Alden Bird, Ken Wealty, [email protected] Tommy Gram, Dick Sisson, Phil DeRiemer, Hanno Shopp, Andrew Vice President: Chris Bell West Valley City, UT Ludke, Will Conley, Sarah Fox, Gardner Johnston, Mark Cramer, Bethesda, MD [email protected] Trip Kinney, Adam Herzog, Alex Knupp, Rebecca Carter Secretary: Jennie Goldberg Leland Davis Jeff Paine Events / Advertising CoordinatorJeff Paine Treasurer: Don Kinser phone 828-398-0321 leland@ Outreach Director e-mail: [email protected] brushmountainpublishing.com At Large: Kent Ford and Asheville, NC Swannanoa, NC Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge Evie Locke [email protected] Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Kent Ford Thomas O’Keefe e-mail: [email protected] AW STAFF kent2003@performancevideo. Pacific NW Stewardship Director Stewardship Reports Editor com Laura Blalock Seattle, WA Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Durango, CO Finance Manager [email protected] Missing Copies and Address Changes Cullowhee, NC Carla Miner, [email protected] Jennie Goldberg [email protected] Mark Singleton American Whitewater is printed by Boyd Brothers Printing, Panama City, Florida. [email protected] Executive Director All rights reserved. Seattle, WA Kevin Colburn Cullowhee, NC National Stewardship Director [email protected] 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 org the individual authors. They do not necessarily Evie Locke [email protected] represent those of the Directors of American 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 through this issue of the American Whitewater Journal, high profile dam removal projects Aare underway in the Pacific Northwest on the White Salmon and Elwha Rivers that will add opportunities for new paddling experiences. Thomas O’Keefe, American Whitewater Pacific Northwest Stewardship Director, has been a force of nature corralling these projects for the past decade. Let me share some information with you from Tom that outlines what role American Whitewater has played in these removals. Elwha River The removal of Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam affords an important Restoration of the Elwha, via removal of Glines Canyon (pictured) and Elwha Dams, will constitute the nation’s largest dam removal and river restoration project. opportunity to reconnect a river. It will Photo by Jeff Paine provide salmon with access to some of the highest quality habitat on the West Coast—habitat that has been unavailable the loss of recreational opportunities • Removing Condit Dam is the most for decades. It won’t only be the fish on the reservoirs was highlighted as a cost effective solution for the dam that are celebrating though. Whitewater negative impact of dam removal, we owner, PacifiCorp. paddlers eagerly await the opportunity provided comment on the recreational to experience an enhanced version of and local economic benefits of a free- • Dam removal will open 33 miles of one of the region’s most spectacular flowing river without dams. On rivers habitat for steelhead and 14 miles whitewater rivers. across the country we have witnessed of habitat for chinook, chum, and firsthand the benefits that dam removal coho salmon. The Elwha River is unique among rivers of provides to local communities and we the Olympic Peninsula as it cuts through have been able to share this perspective • Dam removal will open up five miles several different geologic strata. This throughout the process. Securing funding of recreational boating runs