How many of you have been on the river and been involved in a situation where you were walled in, and needed to extract a boat, but simply couldn’t due to lack of anchors? Having witnessed this last weekend in the new gorge on the Lower Lower White Salmon, Washington, I have added a few…
Year in Review: 2012
2012 was a pivotal year in the rebuilding of Sundance Kayak Schools. Our goal is always to run the best kayak instruction courses in the world, but we also did some great exploratory trips and training with our instructors. We started out the paddling season with a kayak trip on the Smith River and an…
How to: Pack your Kayak for a Multi-Day Self Support Trip
Packing for a multi-day self support trip can be daunting. What do I bring? How do I keep everything dry? How does everything fit in my boat? Â While packing for a self-support river trip is not rocket science, it can be daunting. Here’s a few tips and tricks to help you pack your kayak, and…
Self Support on the South Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho
What happens when four lady paddlers are getting married in the same year? You have a Bachelorette Paddle! Earlier this month, 9 ladies from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Montana, rallied for a 4-day wilderness self-support on the South Fork of the Salmon River, near McCall, Idaho. Â At 5.25 feet, the South Fork of the…
Review: Wave Sport Diesel 80
Four years ago, when I first saw the Diesel 80, I giggled. When I first paddled the Diesel 80, I laughed. The more I paddled the Diesel 80, I fell in love. At 5’6″ and 120 lbs, I’m not your typical Diesel 80 paddler. In fact, I don’t even fit in the designated weight range…
2012 Clackamas River Festival
This year was the 29th annual Clackamas River Festival, a two day festival on the Upper Clackamas River outside Portland, Oregon. The two day event features various drift boat, cataraft, raft and kayak races, such as: R4 and Kayak Downriver races, an oar boat slalom, a cataraft freestyle rodeo, and many other events. In addition…
Upper Trout Creek, Washington
We are lucky as paddlers to live in the Columbia River Gorge. During the rainy season, within a half hour drive it is possible to be at over a dozen different rivers. Each and every one, unique, and awe-inspiring. The author boofing on Upper Trout Creek (Photo: Bryon Dorr) One of my favorite rivers in…
A Fluid Metaphor
For me, kayaking is the best of all possible metaphors for understanding and guiding my approach to life. For a long time I have been contemplating a big change in my life. But I haven’t been able to clearly see my goal, so I have been unclear about how to start. As in so many…
Condit Dam Update
October 26, 2011 is a day that will go down in history as the first time in over 100 years the White Salmon River has been set free. As groups gathered watching the action on a nearby TV, a hole was blown in the 125′ tall dam, and in less than two hours, the…
Kayaking is a Mental Sport: The Power of Positive Thinking
Whitewater kayaking is a mental sport — plain and simple. Whether you’re scouting a rapid, or committing to a line, it is your mind that can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. In order to give yourself a mental boost when paddling, it’s important to first consider what exactly your thoughts are…