In the far Northwest corner of California, the Smith River flows crystal clear through the heart of the Redwood country and is one of the “crown jewels” of the Wild and Scenic River system. Breathtakingly beautiful, this is California’s only undammed, free-flowing river. The river system is entirely protected in California, but some of this…
Smith River: Exploring The North Fork
Did you know the Smith River is the largest free-flowing river in California? This rare gem is a kayakers paradise with 3 runnable forks. From Class 1 to Class 5, the Smith has it all. Even though the Smith is protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, it’s headwaters in Oregon remain unprotected. Team…
Sundance Kayak School: Year In Review
2013 was an exciting year at Sundance! We had an amazing year filled with new adventures and class offerings, combined with an extended teaching season. We met many incredible people, saw some old friends and watched beginner kayakers “catch the whitewater bug”. Here are just a few of the highlights: ACA Instructor Certification Classes JR…
First Descents Kayak Camp
We LOVE First Descents! Last year Sundance Kayak School had the honor and privilege of hosting a First Descents white water kayaking camp on the Rogue River in Oregon. For those of you who don’t know about First Descents, it’s a pretty awesome organization! They are a non-profit based out of Denver, Colorado. Their goal…
Recap: 2013 Wind River Festival
The Wind River Festival can be described as CHAOS. Chaos in the form of a mass start as paddlers leave the Starting Line together, and rally downstream all at once. Such was the case the last few years, and one could only continue the tradition in 2013. The Upper Wind River is considered Class IV/IV+,…
Want to Become an Instructor?
Greetings Team Sundance! Have you ever considered becoming a kayak instructor? If you love kayaking and are passionate about helping others experience the magic of this sport, then you should give it some thought. This is J.R. Weir, lead instructor for Sundance Kayak School, and this year I became an ACA certified Instructor Trainer. On…
Dagger Axiom Review
Last year we had quite a few people request the Dagger Axiom for their kayak school, so we bought a few for the 2013 season. Of course, I have to test all of our equipment first, so I paddled it at our local kayak polo match and loved its speed and maneuverability. Today I took…
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…
Taylor Creek – a magical tributary to the Rogue River
Taylor Creek is an exotic tributary of the Rogue River. It flows into the recreational section of the Rogue near Morrison’s Lodge. It also happens to be the place where Sundance’s beginner schools train throughout the summer. While on a boating safari this spring, Zach Collier and I visited the Smith River in Northern California….
Little Klickitat Trip Report
The Little Klickitat River flows out of the desert about 30 miles east of White Salmon in the Columbia River Gorge. It is one of those special runs that only comes in maybe one day a year during extreme high water, and when it’s in, it’s on! Zach Collier and I, from Team Sundance, met…