Sundance Kayak School is proud to introduce the newest member of it’s family. Lips, the giant short bus!
Lips, the giant short bus!
The History of Lips
The Rogue River is rich with legends. Spoken in hushed tones while floating through the Rogue’s deep canyons, and around the campfire, you might hear tales of an ancient beast that roams the deepest pools – Lips, the giant sturgeon of Huggins Canyon. Legend has it that Lips is a survivor from days before the white man entered the Rogue valley, and before over-fishing reduced their numbers dramatically. Nowadays, the average size sturgeon you might expect to find on the Rogue is around 4-7 feet long, but when the native Takelma people lived along the river, the behemoths lurking below the surface were known to grow over 20 feet long, and weigh over 1000 lbs!!
Rarely seen by rafters and kayakers floating through his magical canyon, it’s hard to estimate how old Lips really is, but judging by his size and venerable wizdom, (never being caught in all these years) this gentle denizen of the Rogue could easily be over 100 years old. Some of us at Sundance have been lucky enough to see Lips’ off-spring jumping in Mule Creek Canyon and Battle Bar lake. And once in a while, the flick of a tail, almost imperceptible in whitewater, or the sound of a great splash in the night, reminds us that the Rogue is deep, and it’s mystery holds secrets yet unrevealed to the passage of time.
These amazing, prehistoric fish are a rare sight to behold, so always keep your eyes open when floating the Rogue River. If you are really lucky, you might just catch a glimpse, (or maybe even a kiss) from one of the Rogue’s greatest inhabitants – Lips, the Giant Sturgeon of Huggins Canyon!
Lips, the giant short bus, made it’s inaugural put-in drive on the North Fork of the Smith River. Filled with happy kayakers, Lips pulled the kayak trailer up the windy gravel road and down the narrow switch backs without a problem. We were all very pleased at the comfort Lips provided.
Excited kayakers ready to head to the North Fork Smith River
We’re looking forward to bringing Lips on more kayaking adventures for years to come!
