Dejalo ir. Dejalo fluir.

Chile de Nuevo

2012-01-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

A spring mission to California, an epic in Alaska, more good times in the Gorge, another 6 months in Chile, a whirlwind visit to Thailand, a summer at Riversport, great times with the family, a coast-to-coast road trip with my lady...I would love to sit down and write a detailed report about everything that has happened since my last blog post nearly two years ago, but that's not going to happen right now.

Grand Canyon with Cami

My present moment - Santiago, Chile. January 24th, 2012. CNN (English) is on the tele, and Obama is about to give his State of the Union Address. It's 10pm here and city lights have just replaced the last hint of daylight. I thought for a second that I should give my State of the Stouting Address, but I don't really feel I have the authority to do so. I do think it is funny to note that in just a few years, kayakers have gone from "running the shit" to "stouting" to "laying treats" to "running the brown," and now everone is "winning," like cracked out Charlie Sheen. By the way, my favorite Charlie Sheen quote - "I'm a rockstar from MARS!"

I am reluctant to jump on the "winning" bandwagon, but I have to say it is great to see so many people making a fun lifestyle their priority, and I have yet to see any kayakers losing down here in Chile.

Salto Palguin

After a month of no kayaking, I flew in last week frothing to get down some stouts while there was still a crew of boaters in Pucon. Day 1, Rodrigo and Max [Blackburn] picked me up at the bus station, and helped me get my stuff situated before they took off for a Kayak Pucon rafting trip. Rodrigo and Ema have been so good to me over the years, and they run a great business, so it felt weird to be there for fun rather than prepping for the raft trip with my friends, but not too weird. I was stoked to be free to go do whatever, but because I am not working and I do not have a car, I am a "barnacle" at the mercy of those with wheels.

Put-in. This way.

Fortunately, I met up with the 3 Garcias, Fred, Anton and Gramos and we took a quick lap on the Upper Palguin down through the ultimate, Jedi-stroke-n-stomp wondrous, "Boof to Swim." At these low summer flows, it might be more appropriate to call it "Boof to Win."

Nate D-o-doubleG, boofing to...

Anton Immler executing a textbook "squart."

Because it was super hot and becuase it is a particularly dry summer down here, we opted to go redneck it up at the Ojos De Caburgua on day 2. When there's no water in the creeks, cold beers and cliff jumping into ice-cold spring water is not a bad way to pass a hot summer day.

Another great way to pass hot summer day is routing down one of the most scenic and committing gorges of the area, the Middle Fuy. The same crew was motivated to escape from the tourists in Pucon in order to spend the weekend camping on the banks of the pristine Lago Neltume, and we carpooled down with "Blue Balls" and the Rivers, Lakes and Oceans van stoked for laps on the other Middle.

"Do you think my stitches will stay in?"

Salto del Puma. The majestic, mystical Middle Fuy starts here.

With 2-3 times as much water as I remembered from my last trip, the gorge felt pushy and more committing, but the rapids (minus a few portages) are quality at seemingly any level. Despite the tall and unpredictable seal-launch above, the marquee 40 footer was as good to go as ever. A campfire and a few cold beers made the transition to dirtbagging under the stars that much easier.

Garcias preparing for launch.

Dr. Gnar en route to the O.R.

Anton popped up on the downstream side of that giant ball of mist. B-D.

We fried up some eggs and ham on the fire in the morning before meeting Max and Ian for our 2nd lap. I was hoping to run the shit with Rodrigo, too, but he understandably opted to stay in Pucon with Ema to put the finishing touches on their new house. During that run I took a rowdy splat to eddysurf to swim in the lower gorge, just a short pool above the two hardest rapids. Fortunately no gear was lost, but it was a lesson in focus and responsibility, a reminder to respect every wave and eddyline on the river. Regardless, it was a hot day and the booty-beer at the take-out was refreshing. Eager to take advantage of the long summer days, Kayak Pucon guide Fede Medina rallied us for a run down the waterfalls of the classic Upper Fuy before we rolled back to Pucon that night.

Max-steeze with a personal 1st D of the big one.

Buena vista on the drive back to town. Volcan Villarica from the Southwest.

Highlights from the last few days of my week in Pucon include: more "Boof to Win," Nate's last day on The Middle, Fred and Evan stomping Stout 10, sleeping in duckies, sleeping in style at the new KP house on the Liucura, Lower Trancura rafting, more asados and more cliff jumping (Tres Saltos is epic, but watch your dome on the belly-sliding front flips...ask Evan Garcia).

Damn that's stout!

Only 70ft vert to go after this one.

After this line on Stout 10, I don't think Fred will be seal-launching anymore.

Nate opted for the more prudent but equally scary seal-launch.

This is why most kayakers come to Pucon these days. Nate wanted to ride into the rainbow one last time before heading back to winter in Montana.

Now I'm excited to go hit the beach with my girlfriend, then we're off to the South for more boating, more asados and more "ganando" before I have to find a job and she needs to get back to classes. Ganando = winning.

Special thanks to NRS and Astral Buoyancy for your continued support!

Welcome to the Northwest! Rodrigo goes to Metlako

2010-05-15T00:33:00.001-07:00

Before making the trip north to the USA, Rodrigo told me he could return home happy if he ran Metlako Falls on Eagle Creek. It was one of our first stops of his month long trip. This was my 2nd run of the falls and the first for Michael and Rodrigo. We had a perfect level and rare sunny day for April. Just the three of us hiked up and paddled down to the car. As they say in Chile, "Filete!"

Rodrigo was a little concerned about the hike. photo by Michael Shields

Do you guys see a waterfall around here?

I love this place. photo by Michael Shields

It's a long way down. photo by Michael Shields

Rodrigo lined her up perfectly from the top. photo by Michael Shields

Yeah buddy!

The Stoutmaster prepares for freefall.

www.kayakpucon.net

Terremoto Tour - On the road with Jess and Ryan

2010-05-14T23:37:00.000-07:00

photo by Jessica Land

About a week after the earthquake, I joined up with Jess and Ryan for a trip to the coast. We loaded up the van with our surfboards, camping gear and food and supplies for people who might be in need. We met a ton of great people and surfed some beautiful waves. Ryan and Jess brought the love! For more photos and great writing, check out their blog.

24 hours - Earthquake in Chile

2010-05-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

Tree branches scratched at the roof. The house shook. Windows rattled. The lamp tipped over on a bedside table in my room. Glasses crashed to the floor in the kitchen and in the living room. The entire house began to bounce and rock and sway from side to side. Jared and I both broke from our heavy slumber and ran out of our rooms at the same time.

We shouted at each other, “Dude, what the fuck is happening?”

Thinking it was a bad storm, I stuck my head out of the open, bathroom window. The sensation was what I imagine to be the cabin swept away in a tornado, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, but there was no wind. As I surveyed the creaking woodwork I said, “I think our house is falling apart!”

We ran out of the front door in our boxers. Jared shouted as I followed, “Holy shit, bro, the ground is moving, too,”

“Dude…” I said with a confused expression as I leap off of the porch.
Jared said, “I think it’s an earthquake.”

“Holy shit..”

The earth started shaking around 4am and kept shaking for nearly 3 minutes. Several aftershocks followed through dawn. We discovered later in the morning that it had registered in the high 8's on the Richter Scale near its epicenter, and a solid 7.5 in Pucon.

The power was out but water flowed from the tap. Cell phones did not work. A heat wave brought one of the most pleasantly warm and windless days of the summer. Jared and I raced into the center of town on our bicycles, late for work. The sun was bright and the sky blue. No buildings or streets seemed to sustain any cosmetic damage. Businesses were open and active. Did we dream this?

As we rounded the corner onto the main street, we were shocked to see a line of vehicles waiting for fuel that stretched past our line of sight. People looked tired and concerned but patient. This was the last weekend of summer for Chilean vacationers, and the second largest city in the nation and the closest city to the epicenter, Concepcion, had been shaken like a late-night cocktail at a disco. Santiago had reportedly sustained significant damage to its infrastructure and airport. Were homes okay? Loved ones? No one knew. It was time to go home and find out. For many, the earthquake had spiked an urge for flight and an exodus began.

We made it to the Kayak Pucon office to find owners, Rodrigo and Ema, and our driver Mauricio discussing the nights events and rumors of its magnitude and destruction. Rodrigo said he was drinking and dancing with hordes of tourists in the local party spot, Mamas and Tapas, with long time friend and client Emilio when the earth shook the bottles off of the wall behind the bar. Ema was alone in their home, waiting for Rodrigo to return. They exchanged looks, one of wry apology and one of understanding, and then laughed in amazement and relief.

That day there would be no rafting or kayaking trips. The river had been temporarily closed for fear of an unstable riverbed. The volcano had also been closed. Tourism was canceled for the week. Rodrigo said, "This is really bad, bro. Chile is broken."

Friends from Eugene, Oregon, Ryan and Jessica Lambert were camped at the Kayak Pucon land on the Liucura River. They pulled into town and met up with us at the office just after Jared and I had finished telling our tale of the quake. They related their experience as equally surreal, wildly awakened by the moving earth beneath. They were soundly sleeping in their van and had initially thought in their sleepy confusion that someone or some animal had been rocking the van from the outside.

With no power and no work and no official news of the true significance of what had happened to Chile, we collectively decided there was nothing better to do than to celebrate life in the sunshine. We made a run to the store for some food and libations and packed into Ryan and Jess's van for a day on the water. We passed the entire day in front of Rodrigo's family's cabins on the Lago Villarica, soaking up sun on a floating dock and playing around on a stand-up paddle board that had been left as a gift by Dan Gavere. Relative to the earth's chaotic night, the tranquility of that day was remarkable.

Only later that evening did we discover the reach and power of the earthquake. Rodrigo told us again, "This is really bad for Chile, boys." Power had returned and broadcasts of images of collapsed bridges, fallen buildings, cracked and sunken highways, tsunami-flooded coastal towns, looters and the injured. Ryan and Jess dropped us off in town, where the streets were eerily empty but a few restaurants and pubs were full of people glued to televisions, discussing the death count and sharing stories of both tragedy and good fortune. One of our friends had been on a parked bus when a terminal's roof collapsed, but managed to escape unscathed. Another friend told us of her friends who had been crushed and severely injured in a disco on the central coast. We had yet to hear from our buddies who were bus traveling from Pucon to Santiago at the time of the earthquake.

The "celebrate life philosophy" carried us through the night. I vaguely remember mobbing to the lake and drinking rum and cokes on the beach in town with our local friends after the bars had sent us on our way. At 4am the full moon shone enough silver light to brighten smiling and thoughtful faces that stared out at its reflection on the water.

Lifestyle Technicians Unite in Pucon, Chile

2010-02-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

Considering the evolution of Facebook and its photo albums and the blogging habits of the homies (EG, Rodrigo and Demshitz), I'm not too surprised by my own absence from this blog. These other outlets for information combined with work and parties and shit-running in my freetime have left me with a lot photos and memories that may not be published. But, today I'm chilling in Pucon's best breakfast spot, the Ecole Cafe, with cloudy skies keeping the tourists away from the doorstep of Kayak Pucon, and I have no excuses. Some stories need to be told, photos need to be uploaded.

I flew into Santiago, bought a truck, hung out with the family of my good friend Israel, and boated the Mapocho with Nico and Sergio - a whilrwind of "hola" and "adios" before heading south. When I rolled into Pucon in November, a rowdy crew of the world's best partiers, I mean kayakers, had already established themselves in the sleepy, springtime vibe of the town. They were lapping 60 footers and building record-breaking bar tabs. Record holder, Tyler Bradt was bringing smiles to the local fans both day and night. A fresh crew of Spanish crazy kayakers had already been robbed. Rush Sturges and Anton Immler had already set the standard for extremes by jumping off of a giant cliff. Steve Fisher ran the world's best eddyturn, the Middle Palguin, something like 20 times in 7 days right after I moved into my house with Demshitz brownstar, Jared Seiler. Jared set the standard for his own self-abuse by first descenting one of the last great unrun stouts of the area, The Car Wreck of the Rio Carhuello - see previous blogpost for more info.

December began with a grave incident on the Cascada de Rio Bonito in Villa Angostura, Argentina, when Rush hurt his back on a brave descent of the falls. I was not there, but I have run this drop twice before, and considering the steeze and experience of this talented rapper, I feel pretty lucky to not be broken.

Around that same time, the Rio Nevado dropped into the "Demshitz Zone" on the local kayaker gossip guage, and the drama continued. It was actually kind of high according to its keepers, Jared, Rodrigo and EG, but "that shit was good to go." The Demshitz Drop and the Lower Nevado is something that had intrigued many before, but most considered it to be too stout. I remember looking at it back in 2005 and thinking that it was runnable, but only by crazy bastards like Tao. Since 2005 standards have changed, kayakers are more comfortable being crazy, and Pucon can get kind of boring if you sit around Mamas and Tapas for too many nights in a row.

The Lower Nevado begins with a fast entry into a technical eddy catch, followed by one of those "I guess I'm doing this now" kind of peel-outs into a dreamy but mandatory 5-foot boof, which runs immediately into the Demshitz, a 40 foot falls with limited control. The falls drops into a granite punchbowl with ampitheatre seating at its upper rim for spectators and scouters. The exit from the pool is The Diablito, named after Jared Seiler, who claimed the First D in November of 2008. This drop actually claimed Jared on his first run, and just one year later, he was claimed again.

The Diablito is a 10 foot curtain falls into a boily pool that banks off the canyon walls and spills into a slot not much more than a boat width wide. The canyon makes nearly a 90 degree right turn into this slot, so keeping your kayak straight through it's opening is definitely a concern. The higher water and rowdier boils pushed Jared's boat sideways at the entrance to its slot and he got pinned badly. Thanks to Rodrigo's monkey-ninja-wet rock-climbing skills, Jared was able to get his boat safely connected to a rope and he was able to escape unscathed. Since that day, Jared has run The Diablito three more times and cleaned it every time. Victory! The rest of the lower canyon is mythical, magical and awaits your visit.

Ok, back to the general wrap-up of the last few months...

Also sometime in december, we had the good fortune of making a trip the "Magic Valley" in the Kayak Pucon van. EG, Candace, Diablito, Todd Richey Rodrigo and I motivated to make a First Descent of the Rio Blanco above it's hot springs. The Blanco is beautiful and well worth a trip, even if just for the camping.

By the way, there were many many many kayakers running around Pucon and Chile at this time. There was a race on the Upper Palguin, won by Keegan Grady. He and his friends were also getting their laps on the big drops and steep creeks of the area. Todd, Jared and I were living toegether and doing our best to get our waterfalling on when not working - Kayak Pucon keeps me BUSY - thanks Rodrigo and Ema!!!! The Humboldt county boys were out there running the shit as well. The Spaniards and the Garcias were and still are traveling like the true gypsies we all want to be. The Desague and Puesco, arguably some of the best rivers in the world, were running daily. And, yes, we were all have way too much fun at the bars.

Christmas in Pucon for kayakers is usually defined by hangovers and the Rio Palguin. On the morning of the 25th, a massive group rallied to do a "Todo Palguin." On this day, we did the whole thing, Salto Palguin included. Steve Fisher ran the beast for the first time just a week or two before. (Steve and Anton also did the first "double descent" in a Jackson Duo over the Middle. Yes, he is a super hero.) I ran the Salto first and Jared followed. No one else wanted any of that one, on that day, but I think 7 more people have run it since??? Did I mention Pucon can make kayakers a little loose? I was lucky enough to make it through that one with a clean line, rolled up at the bottom and paddle in tact, no injury - woohoo! There is a really good Todo Palguin update on Evan's blog, but we all ran the portage and Jared and I also ran the entrance to the Middle Palguin stout falls, which had never been done before since the falls transfomed into 65-70 footer. Big props to Adam Bixby, Brian Kirk, Chris Baer and Nate Garcia who all ran the Middle for their first time that day. Yes, we like it.

New Year's was a huge party, everywhere in the world I'm sure. Thanks to Zorro and Villa for getting it started at their house. Thanks to Mamas and Tapas for tolerating us!

January is a blur. I think I did around 50 trips down the Liucura River, paddled the Nevado and its Lower Canyon a few times. One of those times I got ejected on The Demshitz and I was glad that we set a rope a the bottom, because I went first. Jordi, a wild Spanish man, also ran the Demshitz that day and it was his first time - way to go, bud! Young buck, Steve from Canada, ran the Todo Palguin (Salto, portage and Stout 10 entrance to the middle). I think he is 18?? Good work.

Also of note in January - Macy and Amanda came down from Reno and had a reallly good time. The Run Shit trip from Montana and Oregon kept Rodrigo, Ema and I busy but also helped with our sanity! Rodrigo, Todd, Jared, Ian, Jake and I went to the Rio Negro de Hornopiren for a little vacation from Kayak Pucon work. We wanted to hit up the Coachamo, but we just didn't have the time. The Negro is a classic, and one of the most beautiful areas of Chile. Go there if you can.

Well, I started with good intentions of sharing a lot of detail, but this will have to do for now. I hope the world is happy. I definitely feel like I've been trapped in a little bubble down here. I'm stoked to see the World Class family here now, and I can't give enough thanks to all of those who have come to paddle with Kayak Pucon. Mauricio, Ema, Jared and Rodrigo and I are all loving all of the work, even if it means a little less freetime.

Phones are ringing and it looks like some people are going to go do a lap on the Nevado, or maybe the Puesco or probably the Palguin. It's Zorro's birthday today and he wants to run the Middle.

photos by me, rodrigo, todd richey, adam bixby and candace sanders

Rio Carhuello with Demshitz

2009-11-26T09:53:00.000-08:00

I'm settled in here in town, working with the best people in town
(Mauricio, Ema and Rodrigo) and sharing a casa with Jared and Todd. We loaded up and headed out to the Rio Carhuello, a super-steep micro-creek that rarely has enough water to run. Before putting on, Jared and I gave a thorough look at the manky drop at the take-out, which had never been run before. It appeared to be "runnable."

The Carhuello is famous for its incredibly stacked Cuatro-Drop, and after styling clean lines through that crux section, we were fired up to give the take-out drop another look. Jared decided it needed to be done, and he put-in to run the clean but steep entrance rapids. He caught a tight eddy at the lip, took a moment to steady his nerves and sent himself flying off of kicker rock into the manky mess at the top of the falls. We both thought it to be possible to make it right, into the deeper channel, but the unforgiving seams at the lip of the drop sucked him into the ugly side, which eventually landed on some rocks. Fortunately for El Diablito, his kayak took most of the impact, but his left elbow also took an exreme impact. 8 stitches later and a couple of beers into the night, Demshitz is fine. He'll be back on the stouts in a week.

As Rodrigo says, "Bring your balls...and your elbow pads. You gonna need 'em."

Los Piscoleros return to Tres Saltos!

2009-11-26T09:33:00.000-08:00

Tyler Bradt...Just his size.

Todd Richey with his first run off The Salto of Tres Saltos. photo by Diablito

This was my 6th run off of the mighty falls. So good. photo by Diablito

EG always brings steeze to the stouts. photo by Diablito

The Diablito, Jared Seiler, perfecting the paddle toss method.

Adrenaline Rush Sturges. The man, the myth, the legend.

I finally made it back to the promised-land that is Pucon, Chile. This big one in the Tres Saltos waterfall park is a mandatory mission for anyone who loves big, clean waterfalls. This was my first stop after my arrival, and I will happily return!

All of the boys put on a good show, and Tyler even ran her twice. We were missing our local legend, Rodrigo Tuschner of Kayak Pucon, but I'm sure we'll see more of him out on the rivers and creeks here as soon as he finishes teaching the local raft guide classes.

Kinsuka Rapids, Congo River - Part I

2009-11-12T12:30:00.001-08:00

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

2009-11-12T12:20:00.001-08:00

Upper Cherry '09

2009-10-03T14:28:00.001-07:00

more photos on day way

Fantasy Falls '09

2009-10-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite LVM moments of zen is when Willie Kern sits at the put-in for Fantasy Falls and says something like, "I did it once at high water and there was more water than this. I did it once at low water and there was less water than this."

I had never done it before, but I'm pretty sure we put-on somewhere on the "lower than this" end of the spectrum. Regardless, the Mekolumne Wilderness is a mystical place full of rugged character. The sun shone bright each day and the stars rocked out each night. All of the classic rapids were fun and exciting. The camping in there is all-time. Lane Jacobs, Dan and Tom Simenc, Andy Maser and I snuck in a run the day after we jumped off West Cherry.

West Cherry Creek, June '09

2009-07-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

The boys take a look from the ridge.

California. Hollywood. Baywatch. Big city life. The OC. The Dude. Oceanside. The Cruz. The Bay. Norcal. Grateful Dead. 2pac. West siiiide! Oranges. Avacadoes. Grapes. Hops. Marijuana. Farmers. Loggers. Chicanos. Gringos. Gangstas. Hippies. Rednecks. Movie stars. Shooting stars. Death Valley. Sequoia. Mammoth. Yosemite. Tahoe. Big sur. Chico. Shasta. Trinity. Humboldt. Redwoods. Mendocino. Sonoma. Traffic. Waves. Waterfalls. Trails. Mountains. Trees. Desert. Meadows. Wilderness. Granite. Sunshine.

It's a start, but certainly not enough to do justice to a place so diverse in landscape and in culture. Considering all of this diversity, it strikes me that we, as kayakers, search for the one thing that all of California's alpine rivers share in common - granite slides and waterfalls. And rather than immersing ourselves in the busy streets of the big cities, or looking for luck on a movie set or for love in one of California's many beautiful coastal towns, we find ourselves lost on dirt roads and passed out on granite slabs with no one else but the friends we came with, the stars and the river and the bears and the mosquitoes.

California Bonzai!

Inspired by a decade of LVM reports and gnarly first-hand accounts from friends, more and more boaters make the pilgrimage to the Sierra of California each year.

Working with the "boatpacks."

We follow the adventurous paths led by Muir, Kerouac, Robbins, Holbeck, Lindgren and DeLaVergne. The latter, Daniel D., once told me, "West Cherry is a kayak assisted backpacking trip." I'm not sure if he was trying to dissuade me from making the push or encouraging me to take on the challenge of hiking into Emigrant Wilderness with a loaded boat. Regardless, he planted the seed of curiosity, and 5 years later in June, along with Charlie Center, Dan and Tom Simenc, Lane Jacobs, Paul Gaumache and Andy Maser, I was finally able to ride my backpack back down this great watery path.

Dan "Skippy" Simenc launches in the 1st stout.

Look at the top of this one, and you shall see Mr. Maser getting busy in stout #2.

Charlie couldn't find the put-in, but he found all of the smoothe lines where it counted.

Skippy borrowed my camera to capture this shot of me in the entrance to a fun slide rapid.

Lane is bombing through the 2nd part of said fun slide rapid.

Compared to several of the other remote kayak-assisted backpacking trips in California, "the meat" of West Cherry Creek is accessible with a short hike of just 2-3 miles. Once at the river, the amount of backpacking involved depends on the mood of the group. The vast amphitheater of glacier-polished granite makes walking around sections of whitewater fairly easy, but most of what could be run was routed by at least one person in our crew. Visually impressive and inspiring, the energy created by running such stout slides and waterfalls carried us through two glorious days in the California sunshine.

Lane was getting bored...

Skippy was getting bored, too...

Outlet Falls, Washington

2009-01-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

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I had the chance to spend the day watching (and doing) some big waterfall hucking here in southern Washington while on a whirlwind-friend-tour of the Northwest. Big props and thanks to Erik Boomer for firing up the 1st D of Outlet Falls. People have talked about running this beast for years, but a funky watershed and high elevation keep this creek pretty dry for most of the year. Ben Stookesberry (sp?) followed Boomer with a great line, and I decided I had to go for it, too. There was a really big crew of photographers, safety boaters and homies cheering everyone on to victory. It was a great day.

I didn't have my camera on me, but Sam Drevo snapped these shots of me falling into the freeze.

Now I'm off to China with World Class!

The McMoser Wedding...and Other Stories

2008-09-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Karl Moser is a good man, but, sorry ladies, he's out of the game. I'm pretty sure he and his wife Tara are chasing waves in Costa Rica right now. If anyone at the University of Oregon had asked me seven years ago if Karl might be the first of our group of river rat friends to be married, I probably would have said something like, "Karl likes girls?" While most of us dudes were looking for ladies and waterfalls, Karl was completely focused on kayaking at the time we met. Well, I'd say he crossed paths with the right girl, one who makes him as happy as all of those Skook sessions he always talked about.

Karl and Tara were married under the towering Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I had never been to this part of the United States before, so I was stoked to have the opportunity to experience a new place. I road tripped over with good friends from college. Kelly, Chelsea and Kelsey picked me up in Hood River on their way from the Willamette Valley. We dropped into La Grande to squeeze in Conor Ross for the all-nighter rider through eastern Oregon and Idaho. In between sleep sessions we talked about how America is full of "America." Franchises and strip malls. I'm pretty sure we had those conversations four years ago, too.

The parties were radical, the people fantastic, the views stunning and the champagne at the reception delicious and freeflowing!

The Sleeping Indian.

Karl's bachelor party was a highlight of the trip. While Tara and all of her lady friends cruised around Jackson in a swanky party bus, Dave Zinn, Philip Gordon, Conor Ross, Mr. Moser and I stopped by the liquor store and rallied Philly's Subaru to Idaho Falls. We just wanted to take Karl out for a good night of debauchery before the wedding.

Idaho Falls is the kind of place you drive through and you probably don't stop. I think it was the setting for Napolean Dynamite? Anyway, it's a weird townon Idaho's eastern edge of dust. I don't want to reveal too much, but we found a good time at Blondie's Place on the highway through town - cowboys and cowgirls, cheap drinks and some really crazy karaoke.

Karl Moser nursing his hangover on Lower Mesa Falls.

The only planned event was a huckfest at Mesa Falls the next morning on our way back to Jackson. After way too much fun at Blondie's, Philly stayed sober and hauled us up the highway to Lower Mesa. We woke up to two young hooligans with creekboats hovering over us, waiting for the crew to motivate for some kayaking. These two kids, Ben Dan and Fraser, were the only fellas out of the group who had actually run the falls before.

Conor Ross looks for the stroke.

Conor and I waited up at the roadside lookout and snapped some photos while the other boys rallied some laps on the left side. We eventually made our way down the scree field and over to the falls for our turn to get vertical. Conor laid some treats on the left side, but I was pretty fired up to go right. I had seen the hero line done before, but it looked like I could fire up the ultimate "boof-stomp" a bit further right than I had seen in the videos. So, I grabbed a bunch of borrowed gear and made the ferry to the other side of the river to get a closer look at the take-off and landing. I could see the lip was indeed perfect for a huge boof in the Everest. There were rocks below the lip on the right, so I thought I could just launch into the center curtain, below another scary rock-ledge, and stomp the bow down for the last 20 feet or so, finally plugging into a soft pocket of aerated water.

"Looks good!" photo by Dave Zinn

Let's just say that not everything is at seems. I boofed that shit. I flew through the air and smiled with stoke as I shot through the center curtain, just where I wanted to be. Then I hit a rock. Hard. Explosion of gear and body. About 40 feet down, I crushed a hidden rock shelf directly under my ass, and I felt impact harder than I have ever imagined feeling. I then fell the last 10-15 feet limp and upside down before ejecting into the aerated mess at the base of the falls. I went deep. I eventually resurfaced in shock and pain, helplessly watching my borrowed boat and paddle float away. I washed up on the rocks on the right. Conor ran the left side again, picked me up and ferried me to the more pedestrian accessible left side eddy where Zinn and Philly, both trained in WFR, helped me get stable and checked out my spine. Karl followed behind Conor and stayed to help while Conor sprinted downstream after the gear. It was scary as hell. I thought I broke my back. I was writhing in pain and regret, worried my boy Karl was going to miss his rehersal dinner, worried I wasn't going to be able to do anything fun again. It was a gnarly scene.

"Feels good!" photo by Dave Zinn

Ready to stomp on demrocks. photo by Dave Zinn

I thank the river gods that I was able to walk out of there, and I was even capable of laying some treats on the dance floor at the wedding party the next day. After the festivities were over, we made the most of a rushed drive back to Oregon. Kyle Dickman and our boy Mike rallied back to make our band of gypsies even more fun. We camped in the middle of a dry reservoir in southern Idaho, and it was great.

Kelly and Kyle and "the light."

About 10 days later, I am still in pain but mobile and feeling better. I'm not sure when I'll be able to baot again, but I don't think I'll be dropping any fat boofs for a while.

I just want to say to the community of shit-runners out there, that although we now have developed safer waterfall techniques like the tuck-n-toss and the boof-stomp blind faith, we still need to be mindfull of the unpredictable nature of nature itself. I have been fortunate to stay relatively healthy over the last 7 years of running big waterfalls, but I have taken some beatings along with slaying some beasts. Be carefull out there. I'm pretty stoked about some big water playboating for a while. Congratulations Karl and Tara - I'm sorry I almost broke my back at your wedding!

BTW, if you haven't seen it already, check out http://egcreekin.blogspot.com for an epic update from the Stikine River in BC. The Beaver Lodge is proud of you boys!

Busy living large at "The Lodge"

2008-08-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

After a three week mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with my Epicocity friends, I returned to the All Star Rafting "Beaver Lodge" on the White Salmon River in Washington. The Lodge has been my summer home in the Gorge for the last three years. It is a special place. It is our rafting center, a sort of shelter for vagabond kayakers, and a gathering place for those who are looking for adventure along the "Recreation Superhighway," 141 North. We are in the heart of the Northwest's best creekboating, rafting, longboarding, biking, and those who have visited might say we have mastered the art of chilling by the lake.

Summertime at the Beaver Lodge means rafting twice a day over Husum Falls, longboats on the Truss and Little White, longboards down the Husum hills and BZ Glenwood Highway, and stout waterfalls in the Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier wilderness areas.

A little morning sunshine.

I finally introduced the Hurricane to the crystal blue waters of the Little White Salmon. photo by Max Blackburn

Evan Garcia riding the lightning on Oak Ridge in Husum.

Evan from Wet Planet, ready for a traffic violation.

Sushi chef, kiter and Spirit bomber, John Boone loving the Lewis.

This is really happening. Evan Garcia busting a misty flip as Austin Rathman bombs Lower Lewis Falls. The Epicocity.

Kiwi Skux enjoying his stay in the Northwest.

My Proudest Moment at Kayak Pucon

2008-05-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was just going throught some old e-mails, and I came across this great honor given to me by Rodgrio and Ema during my first season at Kayak Pucon. Thanks guys!

Rivers in Demand

2008-04-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Check out what the boys are up to in China! The Epicocity Crew has a pretty sweet new website up, highlighting their change in focus from pure shit-running to shit running for a cause. This new project is designed to raise awareness for beautiful, diverse watersheds around the world, doomed to slow deaths at the hands of the man.

Rivers in Demand: China

Metlako Falls - Eagle Creek, OR

2008-04-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

It's a big one and it's clean. Evan Garcia rolled into the Columbia Gorge the other day in order to start training for the Little White Salmon race this upcoming weekend. He has been talking about the Northwest's most runnable, big drop since his arrival. After a race lap down the Little White with local favorites Todd Anderson and Tao Berman, Evan drove out to Bonneville and hiked up to Metlako for a scout. He returned to the house with an intense level of excitement about what he had seen on his little walk.

We hiked up there this morning with our kayaks and gave her a go. It was good to have a small crew of Gorge locals there for support. Eric Boomer and John Grace showed up for some media just an hour after Boomer gave Rock Creek's "Money Drop" another re-first descent. Apparently the Money Drop is now measuring in around 60 feet.

Evan slayed the beast first and styled a perfect line. I followed with another clean, soft landing. It was a good day for waterfalling here in the Northwest.

If you know where this is, you know where he's going.

"Where is my kayak?"

Evan picking up speed.

Eagle Creek is a really nice place to visit this time of year.

A few more shots from Santa Catalina

2008-04-02T17:11:00.001-07:00

Aiden, the Kiwi at low tide.

Low tide leaves a bit of the reef out of the water.

Kai and Mike's bounty from the sea.

Don't fall in the bushes.

Last River in Chile: Middle Fuy

2008-04-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

We took the ferry from Argentina to Puerto Fuy on our way back from the Baker with high hopes of running the infamous Middle Fuy. Tales of mandatory waterfalls and past vertical canyon walls had me excited. A heavy rainstorm hit as we docked in town, and after a quick scout of the river we decided that it was most likely going to be too high. So, we trucked on to Pucon where we waited out the storm for some sunny weather, and Rodrigo, Evan and I returned to the Middle Fuy two days later.

Although the level at the put-in was frighteningly low, the level at the take-out bridge was looking like a good medium-low-flow for the classic Lower Fuy. Rodrigo had done the run before at the recommended boat bashingly low flow, but he was convinced the run could take a little extra water. Just about 100 yards below the first rapid a tibutary tripled the flow, and we committed to the gorge concerned, but at the same time confident that we could make a safe descent. The extra water actually made the run really fun and cushioned-out.

The big falls is the big attraction. It has a sketchy lead-in before the water plunges about 50 feet into a deep pool below. heavy vegetation and steep cliff-walls make this one nearly impossible to portage. The three of us decided to do a big seal-launch to avoid running through the undercuts in the entrance. Rdorigo hucked it first with a clean line, but he lossed his paddle after tossing it to avoid the potential of a break. I followed and rolled up at the bottom with half of a paddle. Damn. Broke my paddle on my last day of kayaking in Chile. Evan hucked his paddle to be sure we wouldn't run out. I was tring to shoot video from the bottom, so I didn't get any good photos of anyone running the drop from the pool below. The rapids that followed were steep and continuous. It reminded me of the Little White. I am now back in the Columbia River Gorrge, and I had the good fortune of running the Little White this morning. It was cold, but as much fun as ever.

Salto de La Puma. We put-in just below this beast. I think it could be run with more water.

Rodrigo doing what he does best. Going big.

The Middle Fuy has game! The big one.

Rodrigo and Evan taking one last look at the big one from below.

If the Fuy looks like this from the bridge, the Middle is good to go.

Boat assisted surf adventure, Isla Cebaco

2008-03-30T11:52:00.001-07:00

A body boarder and group of surfers from the cabins organized a boat trip to Isla Cebaco, one of the large islands off the coast of Panama. We arrived to find two other boatloads of surfers and a heavy, barreling wave the locals call "La Caja" - The Box. It was boxy and scary, and the take-off was directly in front of a pile of volcanic boulders. In our boat we left with one snapped board and a few scratches, but it was a great day on an amazing wave. I could only get a few shots from the boat, but the front of the wave looked even better.

The Captain. Word.

Yes, this wave breaks directly on and in front of a huge pile of rocks.

If you look into the mist, you can see someone taking an early exit.

"Did he make it?"

Enjoying the ride.

Cabañas Rolo - Santa Catalina, Panama

2008-03-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

After lots of good times with Rodrigo and Ema and the rest of the vagabond kayakers who spent time in Pucon, I was still looking for some more fun before returning to the States. I stopped for a week of good surf in Panama on my home. These are just a few shots from Rolo´s place. If you ever find yourself in Santa Catalina, I highly recommend staying there.

Nice lakes

2008-03-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Evan Garcia has my photos of the big whitewater on the Baker right now, but these are a few nice shots of some of many beautiful lakes we passed by in our travels. Check out Evan´s blog for a massive Baker update.

Patagonia Chilena

2008-03-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

On the 2nd of March, Serverin from Switzerland, Rodrigo Tuschner, Ema Passi and I left our home in Pucon for a kayaker´s pilgrimage to the great rivers of the south of Chile. After a fun night in Pucon, a classic run on the Rio Gol Gol and some of the typical (frustrating) access issues on the rivers south of Bariloche in Argentina, we made our first official stop at the Rio Futaleufu. The Futa is world famous for its big water and impressive scenery. There we enjoyed beautiful weather at the Cara del Indio camp with Paul and Jamie from Montana, and we reunited with our friends from World Class.

We loaded up the Kayak Pucon van and headed south on the Carretera Austral with the addition of two more friends, Evan Garcia and Peru´s golden boy, Juanito de Ugarte. We drove through epic Patagonia scenery for two days before we unloaded the rig at the Rio Baker, Chile´s largest river. Unfortunately, this river is doomed to death by dam, like so many other of the world´s most powerful waterways. The Presidenta of Chile says the country needs dams like the one on the Baker to progress like the United States. Damn.

It looks like our generation might witness the end of free flowing rivers. This means future generations will most likely witness the end of freeflowing sand (that comes from freeflowing rivers) and the disappearance of beaches. I know this is just rhetoric to most, but apparently true: At least a small percentage of the worlds´ population will still have lots of money.

Serverin charging on the first waterfall of the Gol Gol.

Morning at our first camp on the drive south from Futa. La Junta, Chile.

Patagonia commuter.

Learn more @ http://www.patagoniasinrepresas.cl

The Spring 2008 World Class Crew

2008-01-28T09:27:00.001-08:00

Israel is the cook, logistics man, local connection, Spanish coach and all-around good guy.

Josh Bechtel is the Head Coach and math teacher.

Dave Zinn is the Program Director this semester. He also teaches history and spanish classes.

Kristi Murrin teaches math and science, and she has an incredible tolerance for the "dudefest" at the school this semester.

Dan West teaches literature and spanish, and he is the Assistant Coach.

This is me. I had a chance to help out the school for a little while, and I didn´t have to teach any classes!

Baños Morales - Headwaters of the Rio Maipo

2008-01-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

I just spent a week with World Class on the Rio Maipo. After we had explored several quality sections of whitewater, Israel, the school´s cook, took us to his family´s house upstream in the village of Baños Morales. The village has no power, by choice of its residents. It was incredible to be in such an isolated, gorgeous place just two hours from Chile´s largest center of population, Santiago. We had intended to do a trek to the glaciers that feed the headwaters of the Maipo, but a powerful storm forced the authorities to close the trail for the afternoon. As the weather cleared, we entertained ourselves by climbing the base of one of the surrounding mountains, and I couldn´t stop taking pictures...

Me gustan las fotos!

2008-01-15T18:51:00.000-08:00

i thought it was about time to put some more kayaking photos on the blog. these photos and some others can be seen on the wavesport site soon - http//www.doubleyouess.com . i'll try to motivate and get some more, proper updates on here in the next week or so. life is busy, but life is good here in chile. rodrigo and ema are the best, so work is always fun and we are tearing up the liucura and trancura rivers with our ducky and raft trips.

world class is coming to chile in a few days. i am excited to meet up and help with the crew again! they have a pretty amazing paddling itinerary set for chile and argentina this year. those kids are too lucky.

hasta luego!

Mucho Viento en Pichilemu!

2007-12-01T11:20:00.001-08:00

Todd is on his way back to the states, so we thought it would be a good time to hit the Chilean coast before he flies out of Santiago next week. The waves are large, but the wind was super loco today. Another Columbia Gorge local, Josh Solbach, is here charging with his kite. Hopefully the wind will die down a bit for some good surf.

Teaser Vid by Filthy Phillygoat Baribeau

2007-11-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

This is a little teaser of our quick filming trip with Tao and the "Nomads" crew. Thanks to Brian Lippy and Phil Baribeau for hooking it up! I´m settling into reality now, "working hard" with Rodrigo and Ema at Kayak Pucon. Chile is fun.

Big week in Pucon

2007-11-14T04:08:00.000-08:00

These are just a few photos from the last week of boating in the Pucon area. When I have some more time, I'll work on more descriptions and more shots.

1) Rodrigo airing it out on the Nevados
2) Me on the way into the 2nd canyon on the Nevados.
3) Chris keeping his head above water on the Puesco, muy lleno de agua.
4) Todd about to take the biggest freefall of his life on the Middle Palguin.
5) Happy to be at the bottom.

Bienvenidos a Chile!

2007-11-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

After about 48 hours of traveling...Todd and I finally made it to Pucon, Chile. We met up with Ross "The Boss" Henry, who was down here working for REI, and then the welcome wagon showed up. Rodrigo and Ema of Kayak Pucon and Oregon boater, Chris Korbulic, met us downtown and then we feasted on a classic Chilean asado.

The next day, Tao Berman, Philip Baribeau and Brian Lippy rolled into town to begin shooting for an episode of "Nomads." Rodriogo had already decided that the big one on the Tres Saltos would be a perfect drop to kick off the trip. An hour later we were geared up and the cameras were rolling. Low water made the drop a little more technical and bit scarier, but the boil at the bottom was nice and soft.

Asados and big waterfalls seem to be the theme of the trip so far. Stay tuned for many more photos of the goods we've found in just the first week here. Hopefully I'll be able to compress the photos from the last week of Mexico, too...

Hasta proximo!

photos by Ema
1) Me
2) Chris Korbulic
3) Tao Berman
4) Rodrigo Tuschner
5) Todd Anderson

Upper Alseseca

2007-10-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

The higher water brought some motivation to explore the upper reaches of the Alseseca. Before the "Roadside," the proper river is formed by two arms. The one that comes in from river right had been run by the Jackson crew last fall, and they finished that trip with some really nice footage. Mexico City boater, Rafa Ortiz, was on that trip and he said the upper stretch was worth a go. We spent one sunny morning hiking the run from downstream, and then we returned with our boats on a cold, rainy afternoon. The hike from downstream eliminated some reported difficult rope-assisted portages, but it turned out to be quite the pain in the a$$ to haul our gear over the wet rocks and through the tight jungle trails. The drops were worth the relatively minimal effort. We are all looking forward to exploring the impressive gorges of the Middle Alseseca as soon as we get some more sunny weather and lower flows.

Photos:

1) Todd Anderson on the last slide.

2) Discussing the options on the scouting mission.

3) Ian Garcia going huge on "The Rib."

Lots of Water in "Roadside" Alseseca

2007-10-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

The "Roadside" section is a classic. It is stacked with clean slides and waterfalls. At normal flows, one might call this the perfect Class IV creek. At high flows, the holes are stompy and some of the drops are a bit more committing.

After taking off of the Rio Xico last week, we (Charlie Centers, Evan and Ian Garcia, Todd Anderson) drove through a nasty rainstorm to Tlapacoyan. The rains continued through the night, and we found a swollen Alseseca in the morning.

Photos:

1) Evan Garcia airing it out before El Puente Tablazo

2) Ian Garcia feeling relaxed on his way into "the one with the log at the top."

3) Todd Anderson riding the tranny in "the one below the 20 footer."

4) Me dropping "the 20 footer." photo by Todd Anderson

Tlapacoyan

2007-10-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the centro. I`ve been waiting for an hour for kayaking photos to load, but the connection is just too slow. Better luck next time?

Veracruz!

2007-10-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

Todd and I took the overnight bus from Huatulco, Oaxaca, to Veracruz, Veracruz. We hopped on another bus to the capital city of Xalapa and settled in for a few days of city living while we waited for the kayakers to drive in from Montana. A huge crew rallied to the Rio Texolo, where Tyler Bradt finished the day with a beautiful first descent of a massive waterfall - maybe 90 feet? Crazy. We did a fun run down the Upper Xico before making the move to Tlapacoyan. We are basing out of Aventurec and doing daily runs down the Alseseca. The river is high right now, but we are having a good time on the "Roadside" section.

Lots of photos coming soon!

Puerto Escondido

2007-10-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

"Mexpipe." Morning offshore winds, plenty of swell and fine sand bars bring some heavy waves to this famous Oaxacan surf destination. Todd and I cruised up here last week and decided to come back again before our trip takes us inland for kayaking in the mountains of Veracruz. We`ve been taking some beatings, but the occasional good ride is worth a few big waves on the head. That iguana in the photo was our roommate here. We call him "Ocho." We`re headed back to Huatulco tonight to prepare for the long bus ride to the other side of Mexico. Ocho is going to stay in Puerto.

Zipolite

2007-10-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

After an early morning surf session at our favorite spot near Huatulco, some friends talked us into spending the afternoon in the "muy hippie" beach town of Zipolite. Famous for its quirky expats and nude beaches, Zipolete also has some pretty fun surf. Our buddy snapped his board in the heavy beachbreak.

Random photos from town

2007-10-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

We eat at El Chisme for just about every meal.

The last photo: We hit a road block today on our way to the river. Teachers are still protesting the state governemnt of Oaxaca. We were backing up as the cars in front of us turned around and started rallying toward us on this one way street. The people protesting did not look they were going to let anyone pass.

Another fun day in Huatulco

2007-10-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

We´ve surfed almost everyday since our arrival on the 1st, so we decided it was time for a little break from the beach. I also felt like I needed to get to a river after I heard the news of the tragic loss of friend and former student, Max Lentz. We paddled the Rio Zimatan today with some of the local raft guides. Max was here with World Class near this time last fall. It is a beautiful river. The guys from Rancho Tangolunda brought a lot of laughs. Good times.

Surfing Oaxaca

2007-10-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

I traveled to coastal Oaxaca with World Class this time last year. I liked it here so much that I decided to come back again for a surf mission with Hood River local, Todd Anderson. Todd and I are chasing waves before we meet up with a crazy crew of kayakers in Veracruz in about two weeks, and then we travel on to Chile for an endless summer of more surfing and boating. So far, the waves are amazing, the sun is strong and the tacos at El Chisme in Huatulco are still muy muy bueno.

Gabi, the owner of El Chisme, is dishing out some serious Mexican hospitality. He even tried to give up his daughter´s bed to Todd on the first night. I think she´s happy that we refused the offer. Because we are staying at their apartment in town, we´ve been operating as kind of a gringo shuttle service for some of the local surfers who work around here. Sometimes they eat our bananas, but it is nice to have some new friends who know all of sweet breaks.

We´ll try to keep the updates coming with more photos. Hasta proximo!

Ohiopyle Falls Race and Freestyle '07

2007-09-18T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to be in this part of the country for the annual Falls Day on the Yough. I learned to kayak here, and I used to spend my summers working for Riversport before I moved to the Northwest. Ohiopyle Falls is actually illegal to run on every other dayof the year, but the park rangers open it up to the masses for this great event. It was fun to catch up with friends and to actually run the falls in the daylight...

I took home the gold in the freestyle event in Max Blackburn's pink Hurricane. That boat is probably over 10 years old, and it is still one of the best designs on the water.

Photos:

1) Ride #1

2) Ride #2

3) Representing the Riversport Family

Summer Day on the Little White

2007-06-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

Wongy, Snacks and Tweaks came over from Ireland to sample some of what the Northwest has to offer. Needless to say, they are having a good time. Mike Shields running Spirit Falls in the last shot.

Back in the Columbia Gorge

2007-06-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Mt. Adams. Mt. Hood. Spirit Falls.

The Dredger Wave

2007-06-26T14:51:00.001-07:00

I meant to post these shots from the Zen Wave section while I was still in China....oops. This wave was surging between scaffolding, dredgers and thick cables. All of this equipment was being used to survey this spot on the Salween for a potential dam.

More Maji

2007-03-05T19:49:00.000-08:00

1) Dave Zinn looking for the next move
2) "Gare Bear" Meng staying hairy side up
3) Joel Kowalski tries to maintain control in a chaotic environment
4) Mikael Ekstrom headed for the chaos

Maji Section - Salween River

2007-03-04T05:23:00.000-08:00

So, after a three day drive down the Mekong and back up the Salween, we arrived in the city of Gonshang. Although the water levels were much lower than anyone could have expected, we still managed to find big rapids and some nice waves. We spent most of our after school sessions paddling a short section above Gongshang, but the highlight of this stretch of the Salween was about an hour downstream near the village of Maji. Last year, Travis Winn, Scott Doherty and three other American paddlers found some of the world's best waves on this section. The low water kept these features hidden from us, but there was still plenty of excitement the whole way down. I tweaked my shoulder near the beginning of this run, and I have been forced to sit out from paddling for the remainder of the trip, but I'm still having fun in China! These are all shots of the put-in rapid.

1) local man

2) locals fishing

3) Joel Kowalski and Mikael Ekstrom dropping in

4) Evan Garcia picking up speed

2007-03-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

these huge mountains separate the mekong and the salween. kawa karpo up top, it's "female lover" in the middle, and the stupas below.

Mekong Valley

2007-02-10T01:57:00.000-08:00

These are a random photos from the Mekong valley. The 3rd one is Joel Kowalski leaning into the wind on a bridge over the Mekong. The last one is Polk Dieters making Yak butter at a guesthouse in Xidang, a small, Tibetan riverside village.

The Mekong (Lancang Jiang), Moon Gorge

2007-02-10T01:53:00.000-08:00

Photo #1: Put-in for the Moon Gorge

Photo #2: Buddhist Temples at the take-out for the Moon Gorge

Photo #3: Sweden going for a big one at a nice wave on the Moon Gorge section

Felai si

2007-02-10T01:43:00.000-08:00

We stayed here the night before we put on the Moon Gorge of the Mekong. This is the site of a shrine built in honor of those who died trying to climb the 22, 700 ft. Kawa Karpo Mountain in the early 90's. Much of this region is inhabited by Tibetan people. Kawa Karpo is a sacred Tibetan peak, and it is now illegal to climb there. These photos were taken just before sunrise.

The first bend of the Yangtze

2007-02-10T01:41:00.000-08:00

We also stopped by the "first" bend of the Yangtze on our way to Deqin.

Winter in Shangri La

2007-02-10T01:35:00.000-08:00

Formerly known as Zhongdian, Shangri La was a stop on our way to Deqin and the Mekong River valley. There was too much snow on the Baima Pass for our busses, so we settled in for a few days of class and a couple of nights of dancing at the local disco. The 2nd and 3rd shots are from the 14,200 ft. Baima pass.

Baoshan "The Stone Town"

2007-02-10T01:29:00.000-08:00

We took a day to trek up to the small town of Baoshan on our way down the Great Bend. We hiked up and stayed the night in a guesthouse there. This town is almost entirely Naxi, a minority group indigenous to Yunnan.

Class on the Great Bend

2007-02-10T01:27:00.001-08:00

This is a nice classroom...

More Great Bend

2007-02-10T01:22:00.000-08:00

Photo 1: Billy Boylan @ "Drop Shot"
Photo 2: Family Approval at a random playspot
Photo 3: Sweden getting big air at the random playspot
Photo 4: Joel Kowalski snapping a nice blunt at a big wave on the way
Photo 5: Group Photo

Great Bend of the Yangtze (Jinsha Jiang)

2007-02-10T01:15:00.000-08:00

These are just a few shots that I picked out of many. I hope you get an idea of just how fun it is to spend a couple of weeks floating downstream through one of the great river canyons of the world. This section is also under threat of dam projects. There are several underway right now. Big thanks to Travis Winn, Tashi, Chen Hao, and Adam Elliott with Last Descents for helping us get down there. Also thanks to whoever let us borrow those rafts!

Tiger Leaping Gorge

2007-02-10T01:09:00.000-08:00

The Tiger Leaping Gorge is a very special place on this earth. Unfortunately, there is a dam being built upstream of the gorge that would essentially de-water this incredible place. We were stoked to see such a powerful section of whitewater running through such a narrow and deep crack in the earth. We stopped here on the way to the put-in for the Great Bend.

Lijiang

2007-02-10T01:01:00.000-08:00

Lijiang is a popular tourist destination in Yunnan. Check out the difference between "Old Town" and "New Town" in the last photo. We stayed here and purchased supplies before our trip down the Great Bend of the Yangtze. Old Town is basically a gigantic artisan market, full of local Naxi handcrafts and touristy-type shops. The coolest part about Old Town Lijiang is its antiquity in architecture and layout. It is basically a maze of stone streets and buildings, some dating back nearly 1000 years.

Flying to China!

2007-02-10T00:59:00.000-08:00

A few words from China

2007-02-09T21:43:00.000-08:00

I have been running around China with the World Class Kayak Academy for the last 3.5 weeks. We started the semester off with an amazing multi-day raft support trip on the Great Bend of the Yangtze (Jinsha Jiang) in Yunnan. We held classes in the mornings, boated downstream in the afternoons, and crashed on sandy beaches each night. Scott Doherty, Polk Dieters, Tashi from Shangri La, Chen Hao, Travis Winn and Adam Elliott rowed the rafts and organized meals.

Right now, we are wrapping up our visit to the Mekong River valley. We paddled two quality sections of the Mekong (Lancan Jiang): the "Moon Gorge" and the "section above the Moon Gorge." Both sections contain fun and challenging rapids and ridiculous scenery. The Meili-Snow Mountain (Kawa Karpo) stands at 22,700 ft above sea level, a dramatic addition to the view from the shuttle road from Deqin. Deqin is our homebase for the moment. It is a few thousand feet above the river, and cold enough that I have been sleeping in my down jacket. Fortunately it is much warmer down in the valley, but the cold water and harsh winds necessitate drysuits, lots of layers and mittens or pogies.

Next stop - Salween (Nu Jiang). The Salween is famous for its easy access to huge rapids and world class surfing waves. Travis Winn, Adam Elliott and Chen Hao are our logistical coordinators from Last Descents, China's newest river guide service. They have kept us safe, fed, and wet thus far, and they are very excited about the paddling and cultural experiences that await us in the Salween Valley.

I wish I had more time to write a more detailed account of this experience, but I have come to grips with the fact that I will never be able to do this trip justice in words and photos.

For more updates about the trip, go to:
http://worldclassacademy.com (newsletter)
http://egcreekin.blogspot.com

photos coming soon!

The Office

2006-02-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

Jobs are a great when you are always having a good time. I want to thank Kayak Pucon, Wavesport, NRS, CLIF Bar, AT Paddles, and Sweet Helmets for making this trip really, really fun.

Classic "high water" Desahue

2006-02-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

photos by Juanjo

One more time...

2006-02-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

i love chile.

photo by don nacho

Upper Tres Saltos

2006-02-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

These shots bring back memories from when we had the whole crew here. As far as we know...not many people (if anyone?) have run these drops upstream of the "big one."

kayak photo by Lane Jacobs
party photo by Ema

Saying goodbye to my home in Pucon

2006-02-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

I can´t say enough good things about the time I spent in Pucon this year. Lots of thanks go out to the Tuschner family and the people at Cabañas Missimali, and especially to Rodrigo and Emma at Kayak Pucon.

Back to the Middle

2006-02-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

This was my 4th time down the Middle Palguin. Big thanks to Orion Chapman for getting us fired up to go back. Orion styled the big ones (blue Jefe). Rodrigo and I scouting the double drop. Me falling fast on the last drop.

photos by "Juanjo´s friend from Portugal"

Kayak Pucon

2006-02-21T12:32:00.000-08:00

World Class Asado

2006-02-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

The World Class Academy is in town right now. Rodrigo and I have been paddling a little bit with some of the students and teachers. We were lucky enough to attend their asado - tasty.

Amazing night

2006-02-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

Sunset with the volcanoes and Trancura river in view. Full moon river trip on the Lower Trancura.

2006-02-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

Juanjo, Geoff and Rodrigo styling the Double Drop on the Middle Palguin.

Last drop of the Middle Palguin

2006-02-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Rodrigo, Juanjo, Geoff and I decided to fire up the Middle Palguin the other day. It is only 25 minutes outside of Pucon, and it is stacked with huge, intimidating waterfalls. I have never run a waterfall with such a soft landing. It was so soft that I went DEEP - my ears popped, and my boat compressed around me before I launched to the surface. Incredible place. I can`t wait to go back and do it again.

photo by Felipe

Maybe I am crazy?

2006-02-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

This shot was taken right before I ran the Middle Palguin with Rodrigo, Juanjo, and Geoff.
Ready to fall.

Sunrise at "Dreamscape"

2006-02-01T08:35:00.000-08:00

I went to a crazy electronic music festival outside of Pucon last weekend called Dreamscape. I never imagined something like this - 3 days of trance and drumb and base and absolute insanity. Lots of people came down from Santiago to camp in this beautiful place and to dance, dance, dance. I took these pictures as the sun was coming up on saturday morning. I went to sleep and came back to this stage hours later that aftertoon only to find the same people still shaking it like crazy.

View from Pucon

2006-01-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

photo by Juanjo

How to cook and eat a lamb in Chile

2006-01-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I enjoying some quality meat at a birthday asado for Peruvian boater, Efrein (sp?).

photos by Juanjo

Good water on the Desahue

2006-01-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

The Desahue is full of big holes and big boofs. Here you can see both.

photos by Juanjo

Tres Saltos

2006-01-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

Tres Saltos is a tourist spot outside of Pucon where you pay a few bucks to look at some beautiful waterfalls. We thought it would be a better deal if we jumped in the water with our kayaks. These shots are from an evening run. Jeff´s second day kayaking in Chile up top, my 3rd time on the Tres Saltos below.

photos by Andres

2006-01-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

These shots were taken after an evening run on the Desahue. You can see the Villarica Volcano in the background. Rodrigo and Jeff up top and Rodrigo and Juanjo below. Jeff is a sick boater from Southern Oregon. Pretty crazy that we didn´t meet each other until Chile.

photos by Juanjo and Jeff

Freewheel at the Ojos de Caburgua

2006-01-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

This waterfall is a popular tourist site, and it happens to be on one of my favorite runs in Chile, the Rio Desahue. We were lucky enough to catch this river with lots of water this January, and it is loaded with quality Class V rapids. Here I am, mid-cartwheel.

photo by Juanjo

2006-01-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

Grilling with Rodrigo and Emma. These two are nice enough to let me camp in their back yard and give me a job. They own Kayak Pucon (www.kayakpucon.net). Rodrigo is one of the craziest kayakers I know.

photo by Juanjo

2006-01-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

I finally figured out how to post some pictures! This is a shot of Juanjo and me on the Upper Liucura river outside of Pucon. Juanjo is from Spain, and he works as a safety kayaker here every summer. He makes a mean paella, too.

photo by Jeff

pucon to bariloche

2005-11-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

so, it has been a while since the last update. i have suffered through some serious fever and illness, run some amazing creeks around pucon, and scared myself a little on a first descent in the lake district of chile.

the crew fired up the nevados run just outside of pucon a few times. it was epic. clean waterfalls, big cali-slide, super steep boulder drops, big holes, big fun. we would run it every day, but the call of adventure inspired us to move on.

we packed up the car to the max, said ciao to rodrigo and emma and headed south. torrential rains and snowmelt made crazy steep creeks completely unrunnable. we camped at some hotsprings. camped on some beaches. camped in the rain. we finally found an epic first-d on the nilahue. probably the biggest rapid i have ever run. trip´s blog has the complete rundown. i´ll write more about the experience later.

we are now in bariloche. the land of good chocolate and good meat. everything is really high right now, but the scenery is incredible, and we are having fun scouting potential runs. we have found an amazing hostel that is in the 10th floor penthouse of the tallest building in town. super fun. time to go kayaking.

pucon

2005-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

so, we made the 10 hour drive from santiago to pucon last wednesday night. this was our first real performance test for the car, and i have to say that i am still impressed. i am also impressed by the quality of the roads down here. this can probably be attributed to the hefty tolls ($3.50 x 10 toll booths between santiago and pucon!). we rolled into town around 3:00am, and poached a sweet campsite on one of the black sand beaches that line the enormous lake in pucon.

pucon is rad. huge mountains surround the town with a giant, snowy, smoking volcano stealing most of the attention. steep creeks scream down these mountains in every direction this time of year.

day one (thursday aka ¨bloody thursday¨) - alex, kyle and i met up with lane, capo, ian, and john downtown. rodrigo, a local boater who runs the kayak shop in town, took us to the rio puesco. the puesco was really really high, and i opted to wait for something a little more mellow for my intro to chilean whitewater. it turned out i should have gone paddling, because a local carabinero (policeman) stopped and told me that my friends and i were trespassing because we did not get permission from the national park. it was a mess. he forced me in his truck, threatened to arrest me, and made me wait with him (he was not afraid to show his gun) until the boys got off the river. kyle swam and nearly lost his boat. capo went after it and almost ended up in a class vi gorge by himself below the takeout. the police guy made us all go to the station and sign some kind of admission of guilt, but we were not charged with any official crime. turned out to be a simple case of a bored cop in a small town. definitely exciting for me.

we left the police station and headed for the rio palguin. the palguin is kind of the gem of chilean creeking, at least around pucon. it is only 20 minutes from town, and its 3 sections of whitewater pack in multiple waterfalls, boulder drops, and scary portages. ian garcia and john meyers (sp??) have been down here before, and they were eager to show us the goods. the middle section rocks hard with a 20 footer, followed by a scary double drop that consists of a 10 footer that lands in a room and then exits into a 35 footer, followed by a clean, vertical 50 footer. the water was super high. ian, john, rodrigo, and alex decided to fire up the 35 footer by launching in just above the lip. rodrigo lost his paddle at the bottom, had his helmet ripped off and was forced to swim just above the lip of the 50 footer. his boat ran the drop without him, but he managed to claw his way out with only a bloody finger. the other boys had clean lines.

alex decided to walk around the 50 footer, but ian and john were fired up to run it. ian´s line was clean, but john accidentally boofed out and landed completely flat. it was a horrifying moment, because we all feared that he had injured his back. luckily, the pool is very aerated, and his back is fine, but his nose smashed against the cockpit rim of his kayak and took a bit of a hit. bloody, but not broken.

we spent friday and saturday paddling two more fun rivers without any carnage. last night we all feasted chilean style (big barbeque, lots of different kinds of meat and bread). we returned to the palguin today with the addition of trip jennings and andy maser to run the upper section; it was super fun and stout with the extra water. good lines and good times. we may go back to check out the middle again in the morning.

we are all sharing a cabin at rodrigo´s father´s vacation rental property where we can safely keep our gear, cook, shower, and sleep. rodrigo and his girlfriend emma are both extremely generous and a really fun people to hang with down here. great spanish tutors, too.

i can´t wait to see where we go next. sorry about the rushed writing. i´m still working on the pictures...

trip´s blog for pictures

2005-11-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.wetdawg.com/pages/blogs/trip/ go here for more voices from the trip and a few pics of the car and kayaking.

we made it!

2005-11-01T23:30:00.000-08:00

alex hotze, kyle wetlaufer and i are chilling in chile. after two nights in two airports and a 24 hour bus ride from buenos aires, we crossed the andes and arrived in santiago on sunday afternoon. we have been staying in a nice hostel close to downtown. there is a gated yard where we can store our boats, a ping pong table, nice kitchen, and lots of nice people from all over the world. we bought a '93 peugot wagon that seats 7. the salesman threw in some nice racks for free, and as long as we can make it through the paperwork, we should be able to pick up trip, andy and carley at the bus station and be on our way to pucon in the evening. as soon as we can figure out how to upload some pictures, we'll post them.