3rd Annual Burnt Ranch Gorge Race (UPDATE -VIDEO)

UPDATE:

Video of the 3rd Annual Burnt Ranch Race is now online: Click Here Thanks to Ben Wartburg for putting together the clip.


Rush Sturges and Chris Zawacki racing through #2 towards the finish line.

Always fans of Grassroots paddling events. CKS was proud to sponsor the 3rd Annual Burnt Ranch Race.

For pictures and a writeup on the event: Click Here.

Colorado in the fall does not suck part 2 - CKS staff goes Touring!

Autumn in Colorado is a great time to take advantage of some of our non whitewater resources. Case in point, CKS is located in close proximity to several alpine lakes. In early autumn, the CKS staff was lucky enough to take a 'field trip' to nearby Twin Lakes to spend the day learning about and paddling touring kayaks. Steve Sell of Boulder's Wildwasser Sport met us there to further educate our staff on touring and provide the kayaks.

It was a spectacular autumn day - clear skies, warm temps, snow on the peaks and swatches of golden Aspens in the hills.

CKS's finest getting excited to go "sea kayaking"

Wildwasser's Steve Sell explaining 'trihedral' hull design (above) and demonstrating how to use kayak carts (below).

CKS ladies man Joe Carroll excited to get on the water after the clinic - just look at that smile!

Aubrie White, getting ready to hit the water.

Joe Carrol demonstrating his smooth stroke.

CKS owner Earl, excited that he is paying all the staff to play.

The crew getting used to it...

Chris Menges (above)
The view from the cockpit.

Nicole Mansfield (above and below) ...having so much fun she decided to quit whitewater and just paddle touring boats on flatwater.

Getting artsy with the camera (above).

Kayla Maddox (above) and Robin Simms (below) enjoying the afternoon chop.

Joe Carroll trying not to swim.

These are sweet shots (above & below).....right?

Dave Kloberdanz at the finishing end of a self rescue with a paddle float. Look for the full sequence and step by step instructions coming soon.

The CKS ladies

Photos: Chris Menges

Just Say NO to Kayak Tax!

From Mike Leeds:

Please go here and sign the petition to make your voice heard and say "NO to KAYAK REGISTRATION TAXES" it will only take a minute or two.

Kayakidaho.com guarantees your privacy!

Click Here to help!

CKS Couple Cruise to N.C.

I was in the middle of shipping an order for CKS when Lisa (my wife and fellow co-worker) handed me the phone, “it’s Woody,” she said with a mischievous smile. I grabbed the phone and instantly heard Woody’s booming southern voice, “Dave! Book the flight. I’ll pick you guys up in Greenville, you can use my Jeep for the week, and I got all the kayaks you need.” After a slight pause, I replied, “O.K., Sounds good to me!”

When the snowmelt Rivers and Creeks of Colorado has subdued, it leaves a “mid-west” kayaking addict little option but to book a flight to the 'good old' South East. Even in the midst of one of the worst droughts in decades, the South East still offers the opportunity for a hungry kayaker to get one last bite before the winter consumes.

After a full day of traveling we were relieved as we finally drove down the hair pin switchbacks on our way to the take-out of the Green River, in North Carolina (also the location of Woody’s new house). We had no problems falling asleep that night on Woody’s giant deck. We both woke up early the next morning, ready and excited for Lisa’s virgin trip down the Green River Narrows.

Woody was one of the first kayaker's to run the Green River narrows in the 1980’s, and Lisa was lucky to have him as her personal river guide that day. We met up with Bryan Owen (previous CKS employee and current customer service Guru at Atral Buoyancy) at the put-in.

Before we launched, Woody made sure Bryan and I would NOT be visible to Lisa (the virgin) on the river. “We don’t even want to know you guys are on the river today,” he said sternly. If you have ever paddled challenging runs with your "significant other," you understand the increased stress that can result from running class V. Needless to say, I was relieved to have Woody escorting Lisa down the Green for her inaugural run.

It was awesome to paddle with Bryan again, and it was great to be back on the Green River; it is truly one of the the most quality class V runs in the U.S. I was so impressed with the new Liquidlogic Jefe Grande; it was maneuverable and on-line all day. Unfortunately we didn’t take any pictures that day (sometimes it’s better to remember your experiences without them).

We were relieved and psyched when we saw Lisa come around the corner as she styled Hammerfactor in her Jefe Chico! She had such a good time on the run, and she said Woody was the best guide she could ask for; he had her catching every eddy in sight.

The next day we ran the Green again, and then it was off to West Virginia to paddle the Gauley River. After breakfast at the World Famous Biscuit world we were off to the Upper Gauley for a first time low water run (900cfs).

Lisa and I have never paddled the Upper Gauley at any flow below 2500 cfs, so it was interesting to see all the boulders (and undercuts) that create the rapids we love so much. I would rate the Upper Gauley class IV at 900 cfs, it is very similar to the Numbers of the Arkansas at typical summer flow. Woody got us hooked up with the new Remix's, and they were a lot of fun to paddle (fast, stable, and easy to turn). Iron Ring (pictured above) was the most challenging rapid of the Upper Gauley (at low flow) due to the powerful hole at the entrance and some sive consequences below. After paddling in Colorado all summer it was amazing to feel the warm “bath-like” water of the South East.

Now we're back in Colorado and looking forward to the ski season. It was great to get a little extra paddling in before the snow flies. It was awesome to see old friends, and it was great to try the new Liquidlogic Line! Thanks Woody.

Back in Oregon... waiting for rain.

In direct contrast to the season in Colorado, the whitewater in Oregon comes in late fall and feeds off of rain all winter before drying up some time in the late spring. When everything in Oregon gets dry, a simple cruse over the scariest tole-bridge in the world lands you on the Washington State side of the Columbia River, host to the Ecstasy of day-trip paddling: The White Salmon River.

For those with a class V appetite, the Green Truss run boasts one waterfall in the mid twenties, several sick boulder gardens, and one infamous "boof-bang" BZ Falls just before the takeout (pictured right).
Just upstream the farmlands section provides a step-stone class four introduction, while downstream run from BZ Corners to Husum Falls offers class III with a view and below Husum down to the reservoir is an easy class II-III that anybody can have fun in. (For more information on run descriptions check out the American Whitewater website)

Picture: Husum falls at lower water

Content From American Whitewater
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/

Flow Survey for Upper Colorado River Basin
Earlier in 2007, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) completed a Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility study for the Upper Colorado River basin. The Federal Wild and Scenic River Act requires federal agencies to complete such a study when they revise their land use and resource management plans.

The final Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility Report details which river and streams within BLM jurisdiction meet the criteria for Wild and Scenic River designation. The report is simply an inventory of "Outstanding Resource Values" and does not examine competing uses on the identified waterways.

Phase 2 of the Wild and Scenic River study is now underway. This suitability study will determine whether each eligible river segment deserves to be added into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system established by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Act protects the free-flowing condition of rivers incorporated into the system, and requires federal review and evaluation of water projects propsed within the rivers bed or banks.

Opposition to Wild and Scenic designation has grown as Colorado continues to negotiate additional transfers of water out of the Colorado River basin and into reservoirs along the front range. In an effort to identify and protect recreational and environmental water needs for the study area, a group of stakehlders has organized to assist the BLM in evaluating alternatives to Wild and Scenic protection for the study area. Potential altenatives would allow for additional withdrawls of water from the Colorado River system, potentially threatening existing and future recreational and environmental water needs. In an effort to quantify recreational needs, American Whitewater is working with Colorado Whitewater, the Colorado River District, and the Colorado Basin Roundtable to identify and quantify the range of flows necessary to support recreational use in the upper Colorado River basin. Runs through Byers Canyon, Gore Canyon, and Glenwood Canyon are all potentially threatened by management alternatives.

Phase One of AW's needs identification and quantification can be found online: Click Here to take survey.

Please spread the word and fill out the survey covering each run on the river. Later this year we will follow up with a paddler focus group to compare boater experiences at different flows.

Your participation now will help us in developing a comprehensive assessment of recreational flow needs in the upper Colorado River basin, and help protect some of the best whitewater in Colorado!

__________________________________________________________________

In an effort to support AW, Colorado Kayak Supply is giving away one AW Membership every month to one of our customers for the next year. For details check out CKS’s AW Giveaway Page.

We encourage all paddlers and river enthusiasts to become an AW Member today and take action in supporting AW’s mission “to conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.”

Balls to the Wall BC - Videos

Balls to the Wall is a fun waterfall and rapid on the middle section of the Cheakamus River near Whistler, BC. Our buddy Dave from Seattle shot videos of Tim and I on this drop on our recent trip to BC this fall. Check out the vids below. Good times.

We had never seen the drop run. Props to TK for stepping up and probing it first.

Tim Kelton (below). Is this why its called Balls to the Wall?



Chris Menges (below) after watching TK run first.


For images of this drop and the rest of the run check out BC Trip Report 2007 Part 2

The Late Boof - a how-to by Sensei Evan Stafford

FISTS OF BOOF DOJO Presents The Late Boof

Welcome to my dojo – fist of boof. You call me sensei Stafford or just sensei for short. I am Miyagi, you are Daniel-son. You wan to learn the way of the boof. I am the way of the boof. There is no way of the boof. There is only the boof. There is no you. There is only the river and the boof. Now you are ready to begin training


Follow Sensei Stafford's 17 step plan to perfect late boof...
1. Patience
2. Patience
3. Sweep up the dojo
4. Patience my son
5. Wash my truck
6. Patience!
7. Boof as many straight forward rocks, lips and waterfalls as you can find
8. Get beat up in a death sloper trying to pull an “early” boof
9. Come back with a black eye whimpering
10. Practice the Dufek stroke until you wish that kayaking never progressed past the back rudder
11. Visualize planting a strong Dufek at the lip of a sloping waterfall and holding it
12. Keep holding it
13. Visualize holding it
14. Patience!
15. Spot your landing
16. Now boof and follow through with a stroke on the opposite side
17. The boof is in the heart not the arms

Text: Evan Stafford

Photos: Leif Embertson

CKS Ladies Love Liquidlogic Part II

The CKS Ladies Love Liquidlogic Kayaks Part II. Back by popular demand! The CKS Ladies Love Liquidlogic kayaks, and they love spitting straight Gangsta rap. Their dance moves are fresh and their loops are huge! Check it out.

Shoot and edited by Dave Kloberdanz

Colorado in the Fall Does not Suck... Part 1

By Nicole Mansfield.

Situation:
- Water level on the Arkansas has just dropped significantly and won't increase again until April
- Everyone is leaving for the east coast where the water is pumping

Result:
- I become a lil anxious and worried about what there might be to do in the Colorado area for the next few months until the snow flies

- Fortunately, for the girl who has never been on an overnight river trip, I was able to go on 2 classic Rocky overnighters in a span of 2 weeks! Paddling Westwater and Black Canyon, I was able to experience two characteristically different and amazing canyons and soon realized that this might NOT be the Gauley...... but, it's better.



Stocking more ice into the overloaded White Lightning. Next mission: Leave the'Loco' and find an iHOP


Westwater! Lisa Kloberdanz loves it!


Floating downstream in the sunshine. Apparently if you don't paddle at all the first day, you arrive at you camp spot at noon, which allows plenty of time to play on Little D's....eat.. play... eat.. and make a raft fort so Jason doesn't drown when the most terrifying thunderstorm attacks in the middle of the night.


Mike Tavares skillfully negotiating Skulls Rapid so we don't lose all our precious cargo.


Hanging out post big water excitement!

Next week = Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. Another great 2 day river trip with a slightly deeper gorge, a little more walking, a little less floating, and more poison ivy! Putting in a little later than recommended, some of us did not arrive at cave camp until after dark, but, then again, maybe that was my fault. I was certainly not the quickest, as I fell into bushes of poison ivy and laid there struggling to escape from beneath my kayak...Good Times!


The boys scouting the first big drop on the river...Daywrecker


Connor Finney running the first part of Daywrecker.


Alex Hoetze cleaning up the bottom of Daywrecker.


Connor in the Lower Intestine..i think


Lower Intestine.. Jonny Meyers..


Connor running the Ball Crusher..


Connor boofing the 18'er before the portage fun!


me boof


Jonny boof

Thanks to Chris Larsen for all the photos and tour guiding!
The Black Canyon is GREAT fun and will keep you itching for weeks!!