After work Embudo

More fun with the helmet cam, this time the the main section of the Embudo's lower canyon from Tuesday's evening run.

After work Rio Embudo from tim_kelton on Vimeo.

More Beyond Rockwood

Here's a few pics to go with Matt's video of the gorge below Rockwood. To watch the video and look at some great Pandora's photos check out Matt Wilson's web site.

Some warm up drops

Matt Klema paddling past the last easy escape gully.

Matt and Ben Luck committed

Matt and Ben on the low water slide line.

The view upstream from the take-out.

and

The view downstream from the take-out into the sieve.

This run is an awesome way to approach Pandora's. However, unrunnable rapids, the walled in gorge, and the sieve at the end make this a run one to be taken seriously. Don't paddle past the Rockwood take-out unless you know what you are getting into and have scouted your escape!

Cal-Salmon Butler Race

If you're going to be around Northern California this weekend (4/30-5/2) stop by the Salmon for this year's Cal-Salmon Butler Race! Normally this event is held on the Nordheimer stretch but a landslide is currently blocking access to the upper stretch.



Camping at Oak Bottom campground, $5 ACA "Racer" Fee. Everything else is free. We'll have a raffle if you want to win some gear.

Race from Butler Ledge (either above or below, tbd) to the bottom of either the Maw, Overhang, or below.

Supported by:
CKS, Kokatat, Sotar, Somes Bar Store, CaliProduct, Adventure's Edge, AWetState, Paddle Humboldt, Big Dog Kayaks, & MT Theory

Details at:
http://www.caliproduct.blogspot.com &

http://blog.kokatat.com/index.php/cal-salmon-nordheimerbutler-race-43010-5210-2903/

Robe Canyon Downriver Race 2010!

The 2nd Robe Canyon Downriver race was a huge success this past weekend in Granite Falls, WA. Todd Gillman put on a great race, and there was a nice turnout of 16teams! The weekend started out nicely.. I finished classes on friday, and was stoked for the weekend to come. Saturday came and in the evening we met up with a great crew for some of their first times down Robe. Rodrigo, a good friend from Pucon, Chile even made it up for the fun.
The crew after a great saturday evening run. Left to right, Rodrigo, Mike, LJ, me, Kurt, Louis, and Niko. Photo:LJ

We drove back to Bellingham that night where we met with the largest of burritos! Casa Que Pasa is whats up(if ya know what i mean)
LJ diving into a class 5 burrito. Lj is used to stouts so it was no problem for him, he styled the line and ate the whole thing! Damn thats a burrito right there! Photo: Rodrigo

The morning dawned and we drove down to Robe with the flows looking higher than we expected(which was great, 5.8 might be the best Robe level out there, and we got to race on it!)

A super good showing of kayakers at the take out, ready for the day's festivities.
Photo:Rodrigo
Racers walking to the put-in. Photo by Ethan Smith. It was great to see so many teams fired up to race and tons of people just plain stoked to be out there. Gotta love events like this.. brings out the true kayakers. People are out there to have fun and run the river not to win any money at the end. I love the passion people have for our sport to all gather for such a fun grass-roots event.
Racers putting in on the flatwater above the run.There was a great showing! Photo: Ethan Smith.
The Racers getting ready for a great day. Somehow Niko and I missed this shot... Demshitz is out to lunch.
Lj looking onto Last Sunshine rapid, the third rapid of the run and indeed one of the sweetest.
Ethan Smith, Portland boater running last sunshine on a beautiful day.Photo: Cody Payne Thanks to Ethan for running safety/taking some great photos!
Chilean Paddler Rodrigo Tuschner running "da real shit" with that chilean estilo weon!
Rodrigo kills it and is always fired up to go kayaking, gotta love this guy, never seen a frown on his face when he's out on the rio. Check out his website, Kayak Pucon. If you ever go to chile, this guy knows the rivers super well and has a great shop in Pucon so make sure to visit his site before your next south american paddling adventure!
Rodrigo immersed in frothing brown that is Robe canyon.
Brian and Aaron Johnson, the winning team amidst some fun boogie just after last sunshine. Photo: Cody Payne
Kurt and Louis, the third place team killing it just below last sunshine, these guys are incredibly fast with some insane slalom skills. Photo: Cody
Me approaching last sunshine. Photo:Cody Payne
My teammate, Niko Peha killing it in the race on only his second time down the river! He styled every single rapid except for the last hole which got him good.... He did insanely good for only running it twice. Unfortunately he swam out of the last hole, but we had a great run otherwise and it was really fun running the rapids right after each other with Niko right on my tail. Good times.
Brian and AJ the winning team running super close at Last Sunshine. Photo:LJ
Kurt Braunlich lining up for last sunshine... This guy is such a stylie kayaker, absolutely crushes it.
Tretwold getting some vertical in Last Sunshine, the gnomes are strong here.
Me boofing Hotel California, a pretty big hole with Niko right behind me. Photo: Ethan Smith
Todd Gillman and Bryan Smith at Hotel California photo:Ethan Smith
Bryan Smith charging into the bottom of Hotel Cali... sick shot by Ethan Smith
A new-zealander boofs hotel california. Cool shot by LJ
Downstream view, LJ photo
Racers Paddling down from the finish line.
The Awards ceremony. It was great to have everyone there, a good group of paddlers for a super fun event.
Ben Hawthorne hands his Robe over to Brian Fletcher.
Chris Tretwold and Way-rad Mcgnarly got the Gnome to take home after swimming into the finish with pure style.(The gnome is the prize for the slowest team) Ethan Photo.
Here are the Final Results. an (s) means there was a swim involved.
(1) Aaron Johnson / Brian Fletcher (27:56)
(2) Rob McKibbin / Ben Hawthorne (28:45)
(3) Kurt Braunlich / Louis Geltman (29:07)
(4) Jon Prentice / Darren Albright (30:38)
(5) Sean Bozkewycz / Adrian Kiernan (31:59)
(6) Bryan Smith / Todd Gillman (32:52)
(7) Hale Hannaway / Jon Dufay (33:58)
(8) Brad Xanthopoulos / Marco Colella (34:23)
(9) Jonathan Ehlinger / Andrew Oberhardt (36:10)
(10) Scott Waidelich / Nick Hinds (36:41)(S)
(11) Steve Arns / Matt Kompass (36:50)
(12) Fred Norquist / Niko Peha (38:03)(S)
(13) Ken Olivier / Sam the Kiwi (40:27)
(14) Shane Robinson / Brock Gavery (40:54)(S)
(15) Don Beveridge / Darcy Gaechter (41:30)
(16) Chris Tretwold / Ryan Bradley (55:15)(S)

Overall it was a great weekend. Big thanks to Todd Gillman and the TRL boys for putting it on.
Photos by LJ, Ethan Smith, and Cody Payne.

Check back soon for a Robe Canyon Video

Room of Doom

Just got a new helmet cam and here is a quick clip of the Upper Box's Room of Doom.

Room Of Doom from tim_kelton on Vimeo.

More to come...

Slip n' Slide down Cali

Here is a helmet cam perspective of Brush Creek, California... as seen from the cockpit of my Pyranha L. Karnali. Enjoy..

Utah Winter 2010

Well, it's sunny & warm here in North Carolina. Kind of weird to think that this time last week I was snow sliding back in Alta, UT.

Here's a quick photo re-cap from my winter spent in the snowy winter paradise of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Big City Life - Mt. Olympus

Searching for my car after an epic storm

Sunny wanderings in the mountains

Morning trip up Suicide Chute - Mt. Superior

(Notice little black dots... those are skiers)

Co-worker Justin doing something I wish I could do

Climbing out of the Rocky Point

Sliding down Sunset Peak

Enjoying Alta's Little Chute

More Little Chuting

Snowstorm boofings

Powder!

Alright, hope the rivers run soon so I can go play outside instead of hanging out inside on the computer!!!

The 2010 Brush Creek Race

Last weekend I was hanging out in Kernville, California, and competed in the annual Brush Creek Race. Eric Giddens owner of Kern River Brewery and Brush Creek Race organizer said"they had their most computers enter," with 40 competers we had a big full race". The first race we had was the down river race from the first water fall down through speed way. The flows were ideal for the event at about two and a half. The next event was my favorite event the giant slalom. The giant slalom took place on triple drop, there were three down gates with on optional up gate in a swirly eddy and hole. Surprisingly a lot of beat down took place in the up gate. Another gate out was the waterfall gate for that gate you just had to touch it. After you got down below the bigger drop, there was a mandatory roll gate. then the little slide leading in to speedway was a hula hoop, this move was optional you had to throw you paddle throw to hula hoop.

In the race I ended up in second in juniors in both events right behind my good friend Evan Moore (Kernville local). The Brush Creek Races is a fun event and I'm looking forward for next years Brush Creek race.

Meeting Eric to help set up the giant slalom course

All the competers waiting to start the race

Me at the first drop of the race

Triple drop sprinting to the finish.

Catalina Island Trip Report

Darin and I were looking for a beach vacation when we came across some kayak fishing articles online. After a little research we decided to check out Two Harbors on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles.
The small island was a convenient paradise. We were able to drive from still winter Colorado to our island vacation with fun stops in Vegas along the way.
As soon as we hit the water our wildlife experiences were nothing short of spectacular. We saw a gigantic school of dolphins while on the ferry and it was incredible to watch them surf the boats wake with ease.

The harbor seals and sea otters were curious critters that swam all around us while we fished. Being in a kayak was a great way to get a close glimse of the wildlife. The water in Catalina was so clear it was easy to see the beautiful Garibaldi fish swimming in kelp beds below us.


One day while floating in serenity we saw an incredible Bald Eagle fly by, hit the brakes with talons flexed and dive bomb a fish within 40 feet of us while we were fishing in the LiquidLogic Deuce Coupe.

The fishing was fun and Darin caught enough Calico Bass for dinner two nights. He also brought in an shovel head shark and an eel.

The LiquidLogic Deuce Coupe sit on top kayak was a cadillac for Catalina Island. Having a sit on top is awesome for snorkeling and fishing. The LLDC's paddle holders, dry spaces and beverage holders were solid which kept everything in place and comfortable while we were slaying some Calico Bass. The boat is also very stable which was great climbing in and out while snorkeling . Even when loaded down with gear the LLDC surfed onto to some rocky beaches with ease. The drop down skeg was great for getting out of the harbor on some windy afternoons.

It isn't possible to do this island justice with photos or video so get out there and see it for yourself! We are looking forward to a future self support exploring more of the secluded beaches, great fishing and pristine paddling.

Catalina Island Spring Break from Natalie Kellum on Vimeo.