BY BOATERS FOR BOATERS November/December 2009 A Momentous Inflatable Run on the Green Truss Surfing the Caribbean in IKs Rafting India’s Tons River Learning to Follow the Flow Plus... IK Wilderness Sojourns Introducing the Oregon Rafting Team A VOLUNTEER PUBLICATION PROMOTING RIVER CONSERVATION, ACCESS AND SAFETY American Whitewater Journal November/December 2009 - Volume #49 - Issue #6 COLUMNS 3 The Journey Ahead by Mark Singleton 4 President’s Message by Don Kinser 62 Board Bios - VOTE! STEWARDSHIP UPDATES 35 First Season of Chelan Releases a Great Success by Thomas O’Keefe 36 Hemlock Dam Gone, Another River Restored by Thomas O’Keefe FEATURE: INFLATABLES 6 East Meets West - A Beginners Guide to Paddling the Colorado River by Tim Oliver 12 R2-ing the Grand Canyon by Cliff Bobinski 13 Inflatable Rescue Ranger by Dallas Fox 14 Surfing Tips for Inflatable Inhabitants of Riparian Evironments by Brik Miller 18 Oregon Rafting Team by Tim Brink and Other ORT Members 20 An Epic Descent of Inflatables on the Green Truss by Shelly Becker, Michael Franz Horner, and Will Volpert 26 Tresspassers byAmar Benchikha 28 Arkansas Raft Guides on the Gauley by David Vandergriff 38 Taming the Tons River, Uttarakhand, India by Stephen Cunliffe 42 Wilderness Sojourns by Brian Vogt 46 Discovering the Bruneau by Rebecca Sherman 52 The Flow by Mark Gabel 56 Brownwater Tribe in Cataract Canyon by Ryan Dunn 58 High Water Fun on the New River by Harry Rhett Support American Whitewater through CFC or United Way All of the Federal CFC campaigns (CFC # 11351) and a few of the local United Way campaigns will allow you to donate through them to AW. Also, check to see if your employer will match your charitable contributions: double your giving . double your fun! Lower Lewis Falls, Lewis River WA. Publication Title: American Whitewater Timber and Ox 1st Descent Issue Date: November/December 2009 Statement of Frequency: Published bimonthly Authorized Organization’s Name and Address: photo by Aaron Reed American Whitewater P.O. Box 1540 Cullowhee, NC 28723 River Stewardship: EDUCATION: AW shares information with the participation in public decision-making processes, general public and the paddling community regarding grassroots advocacy, coalition building, empowerment An Integrated Approach whitewater rivers, as well as river recreation, of volunteers, public outreach and education, and, conservation, access, and safety. This is accomplished when necessary, legal action. Our mission: “To conserve and restore America’s through our bi-monthly AW Journal, a monthly whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities RIVER ACCESS: To assure public access to whitewater e-news, americanwhitewater.org, paddling events, to enjoy them safely,” is actively pursued through our rivers pursuant to the guidelines published in its educational events, and through direct communication conservation, access, safety and education efforts under official Access Policy, AW arranges for river access with the press. the umbrella of River Stewardship. The only national through private lands by negotiation or purchase, organization representing the interest of all whitewater seeks to protect the right of public passage on all rivers Together, AW staff, members, volunteers, and affiliate paddlers, American Whitewater is the national voice and streams navigable by kayak or canoe, encourages clubs can achieve our goals of conserving, protecting for thousands of individual whitewater enthusiasts, as equitable and responsible management of whitewater and restoring America’s whitewater resources well as over 100 local paddling club affiliates. rivers on public lands, and works with government and enhancing opportunities to safely enjoy these agencies and other river users to achieve these goals. AW’s River Stewardship program adheres to the four wonderful rivers. tenets of our mission statement: SAFETY: AW promotes paddling safely, publishes reports on whitewater accidents, maintains a uniform AW was incorporated under Missouri nonprofit CONSERVATION: AW’s professional staff works national ranking system for whitewater rivers (the corporation laws in 1961 and maintains its principal closely with volunteers and partner organizations to International Scale of Whitewater Difficulty) and mailing address at PO Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC protect the ecological and scenic values of all whitewater publishes and disseminates the internationally- 28723; phone 1-866-BOAT-4-AW (1-866-262-8429). rivers. These goals are accomplished through direct recognized American Whitewater Safety Code. 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 Editor Ambrose Tuscano Chris Bell P.O. Box 913, Soda Springs, California 95728 866-BOAT4AW e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Asheville, NC Graphic Design/Production/Photo Editor Christie Dobson Contributing Writers Rich Bowers Nathan Fey Don Kinser, Ambrose Tuscano, Mark Singleton, Thomas Eric Nies O’Keefe, Tim Oliver, Dallas Fox, Brik Miller, Tim Brink, [email protected] [email protected] Colorado Stewardship Director Shelley Becker, Michael Franz Horner, Will Volpert, Bellingham, WA Amar Benchikha, David Vandergriff, Stephen Cunliffe, New Paltz, NY Longmont, CO Brian Vogt, Rebecca Sherman, Mark Gabel, Ryan Dunn, [email protected] Harry Rhett Dave Cernicek Aaron Pruzan Photo Contributors [email protected] [email protected] Carla Miner Tim Oliver, Cindy Monell, Stephen Cunliffe, Emma Ford, Jackson, WY Jackson Hole, WY Membership Manager Craig Wessner, Marty Moran, Clinton Vining, George White, Kyle Smith, Brian Vogt, Thomas O’Keefe, Bernard Romey, West Valley City, UT Ryan Dunn, North American River Runners, Stepanie Couch, Adam Cramer [email protected] Whitewater Photography Norwood Scott [email protected] [email protected] Bethesda, MD San Francisco, CA Jeff Paine Events / Advertising Coordinator Jeff Paine P.O. Box 1540, Cullowhee, NC 28723 Outreach Director phone 860-331-8323 Leland Davis Charlie Walbridge Asheville, NC e-mail: [email protected] leland@ [email protected] [email protected] Safety Editor Charlie Walbridge brushmountainpublishing. Route 1, Box 329F, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525 Bruceton Mills, WV e-mail: [email protected] com Thomas O’Keefe Swannanoa, NC Pacific NW Stewardship Director Stewarship Reports Editor BOARD OFFICERS Kevin Colburn, [email protected] Seattle, WA President: Don Kinser Jennie Goldberg [email protected] American Whitewater Magazine Task Force Vice President: Norwood Scott Jeff Espy, Dunbar Hardy, Dale-Marie Herring, John Mason, [email protected] Secretary: Jennie Goldberg Tanya Shuman, Ambrose Tuscano Seattle, WA Mark Singleton Treasurer: Chris Bell Missing Copies and Address Changes Executive Director [email protected] At Large: Dave Cernicek Kristine Jackson Cullowhee, NC American Whitewater is printed by The Printing House in Quincy Florida [email protected] [email protected] All rights reserved. AW STAFF Rock Island, TN Laura Blalock Dave Steindorf Don Kinser Finance Manager California Stewardship Director EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER [email protected] Cullowhee, NC Chico, CA The opinions expressed in the features and Marietta, GA [email protected] [email protected] editorials of American Whitewater are those of the individual authors. They do not necessarily Evie Locke Kevin Colburn represent those of the Directors of American Whitewater or the editors of this publication. [email protected] National Stewardship Director On occasion, American Whitewater publishes Charlemont, MA Missoula, MT official organizational policy statements drafted [email protected] and approved by the Board of Directors. These policy statements will be clearly identified. 2 American Whitewater www.americanwhitewater.org November/December 2009 AW Board Election Issue American Whitewater is your organization! feeding of the organization. In carrying Across the country AW board members, As members, this is your opportunity to out those responsibilities, members of past and present, have a history of being elect candidates to our board of directors, a board must fulfill certain duties to the involved in river stewardship projects that where they will represent you for the next organization, membership and the rivers rack up tangible results. Over 50 years ago, three years. Take some time to look over we protect. Board responsibilities involve American Whitewater was established as the outstanding slate of candidates on setting priorities and strategies to address one of our nation’s first river conservation page 62-63 and use the attached mail-in our mission, and ensuring administrative organizations. Our founders had the ballot to cast your vote. integrity and financial stability of the objectives of exploration, enjoyment, organization. and preservation in mind when they American Whitewater’s board of directors saw an opportunity to unite paddling embodies the ideal of grassroots advocates Key responsibilities of board members clubs across the country for a common who live the AW mission “to conserve and include: purpose of preserving the integrity of restore America’s whitewater resources • Determine AW’s mission and purposes our nation’s whitewater rivers. Today AW and to enhance opportunities to enjoy • Provide ongoing support and guidance directors lead your organization as we them