Chile's Volcanic Whitewater page 38 Gore Race page 61 t the wed. the pion. o ahead, get creative. Now you've got the Whiplasw and Whip-It": two new playboats with planing hulls and performance rails, to fit any body. Ingenious? Undoubtedly. Artistic? That's up II to you. Team member, Shane Benedict Photo by: 1 Christopher Smith 1 11 kayaker way easley, s.c 29642 1 -800-262-0268 httpd/www. I kayaker.com Journal of the American Whitewater Volume XXXVII, No.6 Letters ......................................6 Forum ......................................4 Rio Truful-Truful- r Perspectives on the Edge bv Scott Hardina 38 by Bob Gedekoh Briefs .................................... 88 The Clarks Fork of r Upper Yough Race r Canoeing for Kids r KidsKorner the Wowstone by Earl Alderson 42 River Voices ................................... 75 r Hole ousting A Circus r Makin' the Move r Stuck in a Hole on the Selwav- r Canoeing the River by Train by Gary Baker 48 Conservation .................................. 13 r Director's Cut Where Credit is Due! r AW's Distinguished Friends of Whitewater Safety .................................... 66 America's Best... r Benchmark RapidsNS Standard Rated Rapids by Lee Belknap Dana Chladek! r Incident Management by John Weld 51 by Robert Molyneaux Access .................................. 19 r Whitewater Boating is a Crime in Yellowstone Sherlock! r Access Updates What's that duck? Humor .................................. 95 by April Holladay 57 r ~cid~ock Cover: Photo by Todd Patrick Charlie Macarthur, having a great run before performing a by Dr. Surf Wavehopper splat in the middle of Kirshbaums's Rapid r Deep Trouble by Jonathan Katz Events .................................. 22 r AWA Events CentralIGauley Fest Report r Membership Mania Printed on Recycled Paper r Report from the Ottawa Worlds Publication Title: American Whitewater Issue Date: November / December 1997 Statement of Frequency: Published bi-monthly Authorized Organization's Name and Address: American Whitewater P.O. Box 636 Margretville, NY 12455 American Whitewater v November/ December 1997 a big fish in avery small pond. Face it, ninety nine percent of the ESPN viewers in this country don't know what hair boating is and don't care. Besides, there is always some young pup ready to run a higher falls or steeper creek. Yes, I can remember who some of the "famous" hair boaters were twenty and fif- teen and ten and five years ago. But can you? Probably not. Where do hair boaters But I really don't think the desire for fame (or notoriety) is the most important factor go when ... and if... driving boaters to tackle extremewhitewater. I think it is adrenaline addiction. Most ex- they grow old? treme boaters are danger junkies. How often have you heard them talk about the rush... Once during an interview intended for and the release.... of running Class V+ this magazine I posed this question to a well whitewater? Or say that paddling dangerous known western hair boater who had a rapidly whitewater triggers an almost overwhelm- receding hairline. That was the end of that ing sensory experience? conversation. I was lucky to get away in one Unfortunately a few die of their addiction. piece! They push the limits further and further, But since no fewer than five expert Ameri- lose enough to see it. And as a consequence running rivers at higher and higher levels can boaters died this year paddling class V+ f my involvementwithAmerican Whitewater and creeks with ever increasing gradients. whitewater I think the subject of longevity ve followed the "careers" of several "gen- Always looking for a little bigger thrill. Then and hair boating bears consideration. Par- rations" of hair boaters. I've seen them one day they find an undercut or siphon they ticularly by the current crop of young hair or, ome and I've seen them go. Hair boaters are can't dodge or hydraulic they can't escape. as they now like to refer to themselves, "ex- ke mosquitoes. You could swat them all This used to be an infrequent occurrence. treme" boaters. It might help them keep ,day, but you'll have just as many more But as more boaters challenge dangerous things in perspective. ,morrow. The rivers are full of larvae; the whitewater, and as hair boaters push the There is no doubt that old hair boaters go upply is inexhaustible. limits of navigability, deaths on extreme somewhere. They definitely disappear. Con- I suppose if you really want to know why whitewater have increased at a disturbing sider the extreme boating scene as it stands oaters stop running hair, you need to ask I rate. today. There are lots of steep creekers in their rhy they start running it at all. No doubt a twenties and there are quite a few in their :w paddlers gravitate toward extreme boat- thirties. But there aren'tvery many forty year ~g because they want to make a name for olds still paddling the really tough stuff. And ~emselves.They want to "star" in extreme fifty year old hair boaters are scarcer than ideos and have their pictures splashed across hens' teeth. So, where do they go? ?e covers of magazines like this one. Of Well, I've been kayaking for a little over ourse these folks are ultimately in for a twenty years, never really on the edge, but isa~~ointment.You can be the vent best air-boater in the world. but vou will oklv be I The opinions expressed in the features and editorials of American Whitewater are " those of the individual au- thors. They do not ily represent those o rectors of the Arne Whitewater or the Emeritus Editor: Chris Koll this publication. Contributing Editors: John Weld, Pope Barrow, Ambrose Tuscano Art directionKraphic desigdProduction: John K.Victor, Mary Hoffelt Contributingwriters: Carla Garrison, Jonathan Katz, Ed Ditto, Lee Belknap, Joe Greiner, Mark On OCC~S~O~American White, Bruce Farrenkopf, Nathan Lewis, Brik Miller, John Foss, Paul Tefft, Howard Davidson Whitwater publishes official Production Assistant: Richard and Teresa Augustin Advertising Director: Phyllis Horowitz, Box 636, Margaretville, New York 12455 (914) 586- organizational policy state- 2355 ments drafted and approved Safety Editor: Charlie Walbridge, 230 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422; Phone 215-646-0157; by the Board of Directors. fax 215-643-0668; email [email protected]. Conservation and Access Editors: Rich Bowers, Rich Hoffman, John Cangemi,l430 Fenwick These policy statements will Lane, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 Phone (301) 589-9453 Fax (301) 589-6121, email: be identified. [email protected], [email protected] Missing Copies and Address Changes: Contact Phyllis Horowitz American M'hiteuialer is printed by SPENCER WALKER PRESS, INC., Newark OH. All rights reserved. American Whitewater v November/December 1997 Fortunately most hair boaters don't die hours setting up festivals and working on steep creeks, I cringe. on the river. They simply outlive their obses- river conservation and access issues. And when I hear about hair boaters at- sion. After all, hair boating is not much Some even slow down enough to enjoy tempting to run class V+ rivers at higher and different than riding a bicycle down a steep the scenery. Yes, it really is possible to have higher levels, to see how far they can go .. I hill without holding on to the handlebars. fun without fear! can't help wondering what the end point will "Look, Maw! No hands!!!" Kids test and prove My point in all of this is not that it is be. I themselves by recklessly confronting fear. wrong to push the limits of the sport. Far There is no denying that extreme boating Lots of fifteen year olds are hookedonadrena- from it. After all, if everyone quit running can be exhilarating. Or that during the past line. But not many forty year olds are. Maybe hair this magazine might get a little boring. few years hair boaters have accomplished it's a fall in their hormone levels. Or maybe But I do get concerned when I see young some amazing things. But, in face of the it's just "growing up." hair boaters becoming so obsessed with ex- alarming escalation in fatalities and near As many hair boaters grow older they find treme boating that they lose track of more misses, the time has come for extreme pad- other (more meaningful?) ways to amuse and important things... like their personal devel- dlers to seriously reexamine their motives, distinguish themselves. Their priorities opment, their relationships with other people priorities and commitments. Then, those who change. They get real jobs, wives or husbands and their careers. choose to continue to push the limits need to and, finally, kids. The horizon line at Gorilla I getworriedwhenI get photos andvideos do so as safely and responsibly as possible. looks a lot different when you've got two or of extreme boaters attempting absurdly dan- three munchkins and a mortgage to feed. gerous stunts that seem to require more luck I Bob Gedekoh These "maturing" extreme boaters start to and bravado than skill. I can't help thinking ask themselves questions like 'What is really that these people need to be reminded that more important? Paddlingaplastic tub to the death and paralysis last a lot longer than Mann's Creek takeout, or being there when whitewater fame and glory. my youngest child graduates from college?" And when I see groups of inexperienced Granted, there are a few "older" hair boat- boaters who have no knowledge of river res- ers who have continued to paddle on the cue techniques getting slammed on class V edge, successfully juggling their boating, families and careers. But they are the excep- tion and not the rule. And there are more than a few who have sacrificed their mar- riages and careers to pursue extreme boat- ing.