BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS September/October 2006 Adversity on the River Resourcefulness Trumps Bad Luck Shattered Bones in a Sheer-walled Canyon Why River-Wide Logs and Rafts Don’t Mix Paddling the Ocoee on Halloween: You’ll Have to See It to Believe It A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Whitewater Journal September/October 2006 COLUMNS 3 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 4 Safety First by Eric Nies 5 News & Notes 6 History by Sue Taft 34 Events: NAWFest by Mark Travis 35 Events: NPFF by David Margavage 54 Annual Report 57 Locals’ Favorite: Why I Love Brennan’s Wave by Alley Fontenot 62 News & Notes 64 The Last Word by Ambrose Tuscano STEWARDSHIP 7 Stewardship Updates by Kevin Colburn & Tom O’Keefe 10 Release on the North Fork Feather Under Attack by Dave Steindorf FEATURE - Adversity on the River 14 Misadventure on the Black Canyon by Chuck McHenry 40 Logs Suck by Kerry Walsh FEATURE - Ocoee Halloween Head Hunt 20 Scare Yourself Silly: Photo Feature by Kelly Kline SAFETY 58 Whitewater Accident Summary by Charlie Walbridge 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: September/October 2006 The New River Gorge Statement of Frequency: Published bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: Photo by Katie Johnson American Whitewater 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 Board of Directors & Staff Journal Staff TOLL FREE NUMBER AW STAFF Editor Ambrose Tuscano Sutton Bacon 866-BOAT4AW Laura Blalock 14076 Northwoods Blvd. Truckee, California 96161 [email protected] Bookkeeper e-mail: [email protected] Atlanta, GA Cullowhee, NC Assitant Editor Tim Catalano Chris Bell [email protected] Tim Kelley Graphic Design/Production/Photo Editor Christie Dobson [email protected] Asheville, NC [email protected] Kevin Colburn Contributing Writers Potsdam, NY National Stewardship Director Ambrose Tuscano, Mark Singleton, Charlie Walbridge, Rich Bowers Missoula, MT Sue Taft, Kevin Colburn, Tom O’Keefe, Dave Steindorf, Don Kinser [email protected] [email protected] Chuck McHenry, Mark Travis, David Margavage, Kerry Walsh, Bellingham, WA [email protected] Wesley R. Bradley, Richard Mauser, Eric Nies Marietta, GA Photo Contributors Dave Cernicek Carla Miner Thomas O’Keefe, Dave Steindorf, Di McHenry, Kelly Kline, [email protected] Mark LaCroix Membership Manager Katie Johnson, Dave Haynes, Renne Fawcett, Mike Holmstrom, Jackson, WY [email protected] West Valley City, UT Jed Weingarten, Dunbar Hardy Thorton, NH [email protected] Events / Advertising Coordinator Ben VanCamp Adam Cramer [email protected] Evie Locke P.O. Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723 Thomas O’Keefe phone 828-713-5825 Washington D.C. [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Charlemont, MA Pacific NW Stewardship Director David Ennis Seattle, WA Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge [email protected] Eric Nies [email protected] Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Bryson City, NC [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Morgantown, WV Mark Singleton Stewarship Reports Editor Steve Exe Kevin Colburn, [email protected] [email protected] Aaron Pruzan Executive Director Mercer Island, WA [email protected] Cullowhee, NC American Whitewater Magazine Task Force Jackson Hole, WY [email protected] Jeff Espy, Dunbar Hardy, Dale-Marie Herring, John Mason, Tanya Shuman, Ambrose Tuscano Liz Ferrin [email protected] Norwood Scott Dave Steindorf Missing Copies and Address Changes Santa Barbara, CA [email protected] [email protected] San Francisco, CA California Stewardship Director Jennie Goldberg Paradise, CA American Whitewater is printed by [email protected] Charlie Walbridge [email protected] The Printing House in Quincy Florida [email protected] All rights reserved. Seattle, WA Bruceton Mills, WV Ben VanCamp Joe Greiner Outreach Manager [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 September/October 2006 September/October 2006 One of the most common questions I get from boaters all across the country is, “Where does AW’s money come from?” American Whitewater has three companies recognized that giving back primary revenue streams that support to the environment is both good for organization work: their businesses and benefit the places we all treasure. As a regular feature in the • Membership dues and member AW Journal, we have created a partner contributions – These are the dues each spotlight column, see page 66 for this member and club pays, plus additional issue’s featured partner. contributions made to AW throughout the year. What do these businesses get for helping to support our stewardship work? Well, • Foundation support – Grants play a they do gain exposure to paddlers and significant role in helping to fund the outdoor enthusiasts that use their gear specific projects our stewardship team and services. For some businesses this takes on. is enough to motivate them to help support our work. Other businesses have a • Business partnerships - These philosophy of giving something back to the partnerships represent mutual agreements environment and the places on this watery for support of our River Stewardship planet where we seek both recreation and Program. connection to the world around us. Other partners are sincerely trying to shape new I want to focus my comments this month business models where through corporate on the businesses that help support AW’s profitability, they can reinvest in core River Stewardship Program. Back in the organizational environmental values. mid 80s, when AW was just beginning to tackle Federal Energy Regulatory Each of you as boaters makes purchase Commission (FERC) relicensing, a decisions regarding the gear you use. There contribution from Patagonia jump- are many factors that go into