Untitled Document

Stand-Up Paddling

	AR Announces Most Endangerd Rivers List; Potomac, Green, Skykomish Also Make List
	Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act this year, American Rivers named the Coal River as topping America’s Most Endangered Rivers, shining a spotlight on the threat mountaintop removal mining poses to clean water and public health. Read on for full list... Read more.

	Frolicking at Cheat Fest
	No one got cheated out of any fun at this year’s 17th annual Cheat River Festival, highlighted by the “Massacre-ence” kayak race on West Virginia’s Cheat River May 4. Marking the largest, mass start kayak race in the country with more than 155 boaters, this year above average (3.9 feet) water levels provided plenty of pandemonium... Read more.

	NW Boaters Get Backyard Run Back
	Boaters in the Northwest got a backyard run back as, for the first time since Condit Dam was breached in October 2011, a public access is once again available downstream of Husum Falls on the lower White Salmon. Bonus: A new play wave upstream of the bridge... Read more.

	First Descents Ball Raises...Wait For It...$450,000
	Talk about a fundraiser. While river festivals around the country try to raise funds for their respective waterways this spring, this year’s annual First Descents Ball, which raises money for the non-profit helping kids with cancer, raised a whopping $450,000.... Read more.

	NOC Freestyle Shootout April 20-22
	Borrowing a line from Field of Dreams, the Nantahala Outdoor Center gears up this week for the 2012 NOC Freestyle Shootout April 20-22, the first official freestyle event to be held at the newly built Nantahala Wave, designed for the upcoming 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships... Read more.

	American Rivers launches River Ambassador Program for Outfitters
	A new program launched by American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization, is helping local businesses and outfitters connect with customers and join the effort to protect rivers and clean water... Read more.

	Outdoor Nation Awards $30,000 to Youth Paddling Programs
	A few more kids might be getting wet than normal this paddling season, thanks to a new series of grants offered by Outdoor Nation. The group recently announced the 13 winners of its Paddle Nation Project, aimed at connecting young Americans with their waterways through recreational paddling... Read more.

Ecuador Outfitter Small World Adventures Sold

Small World Adventures, which runs uber-sweet kayaking trips in Ecuador from its lodge on the banks of the Quijos River, is entering a new chapter with the sale of Small World and Cabanas Tres Rios lodge to Guy Erb, of Spokane, Wash. Erb plans on joining the SWA team for the 2012/2013 season and is leaving the structure of the staff, trips and logistics the same. Having been there to sample its first-class whitewater wares, PL checks in... Read more.

	Teva World Water Day
	Paddlers give up water? A tall order, perhaps, but that’s what Teva is asking paddlers to do on the eve of the 19th annual World Water Day... Read more.

	Colorado to Possibly Get New WW Park Below Gore Canyon
	Kayakers tackling Class V Gore Canyon on the Colorado might soon be bringing playboats on their racks as well as creekers. Grand County is planning to build a whitewater park on the Colorado River below Gore Canyon, just above Pumphouse and at Inspiration Point. But the movement needs paddlers' help by March 7... Read more.

	FERC Dismisses Initial Pipeline proposal for Green River's Flaming Gorge Dam
	The Green River's whitewater canyon Gates of Lodore and the popular fishing stretches upstream in Brown's Park have at least had a water flow stay of execution with FERC recently dismissing the initial permit application for pipeline project that would pull water out of the Flaming Gorge Dam upstream... Read more.

Tanya Faux, Aussie Gals Gear Up for a World’s First

Sure, Freya Hoffmeister might have circum-navigated Australia. We’d like to see her keep up with the exploits of Australian Tanya Faux. This spring, Faux, a longtime creek and rodeo competitor and Australia’s2008 Adventurer of the Year, is leading a group of eight women into one of Australia’s most rugged and remote areas: a 30-day uncharted, unsupported, river exploration of the Kimberley region that aims to promote the Save the Kimberley campaign. Oh, and did we mention the Class V and crocs? Read more.

	Get Yer River Permit Applications In!
	Okay, all you free-loading dirtbags. No more free lunch. It's permit season. So get off your duff and send in your applications for your favorite river trip instead of waiting to get asked along. Plus, that way you can invite who you want (which hopefully will include us). Here's all the info you need... Read more.

Book Review: Flooding Granite

River guides rejoice: finally a book you can all relate to. Former river guide Tom Mahony’s Flooding Granite (Casperian Books) details the plight of river guide Zack Pruitt, a college drop-out who abandoned his girlfriend and young son when things got tough and headed back to the Sierra Nevada to guide. But he gets more than he bargained for. PL catches up with the author for a quick Q&A, and gives it a thumbs-up for those jonesing for whitewater action this winter... Read more.

	A Must Have for Swimming Big Rivers: Leg-Floatation-Devices
	After much time watching guests struggle during unexpected whitewater swims, Hamish McMaster, 20 year whitewater veteran and owner of the International Whitewater Company, Water By Nature developed the leg floaty. Read more.

	Boardworks, Badfish Unveil Breakthrough Inflatable SUP
	Worried about tipping over on your SUP in whitewater? Boardworks and partner company Badfish of Salida, Colo., recently unveiled a new inflatable paddleboard that will do wonders to keep you on the surface where you belong. Read more.

	White Salmon Runs Free! (by Megan Hooker/AW)
	After nearly a century, Washington's White Salmon River in south central Washington is flowing freely again. Earlier today, a hole was blasted in the base of Condit Dam, and its reservoir - Northwestern Lake - began to pour through it. The reservoir is expected to be fully drained by sundown... Read more.

	2011 Whitewater Hall of Fames Inductees Honored
	The International Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHOF) moved to the banks of the South Fork American River Oct. 14-16 to honor members of the Class of 2011, including this year’s inductees: Explorer - Richard Bangs (USA); Champion - JP Burny (Belgium); and Advocate - Oliver Cock (UK)... Read more.

	US Men, Women Take 7th Overall in World Raft Champs; Japan Wins Overall for Men, Czech Republic for Women
	After three days of tight competition at the World Rafting Championships on Costa Rica’s Pacuare River, the Teva US men's and women's teams nab 7th, while Japan strokes to its first-ever world title. And PL was there for every dip of the blade... Read more.

	Metro-Vac Debuts New Rapid-Deployment Pumps
	Perfect for Inflatable Kayaks and Stand-Up Paddleboards, Metropolitan Vacuum Cleaner Company of Suffern, New York, has introduced a new generation of rapid-deployment Magic-Air Electric Inflator/Deflators. Read more.