Sometimes you meet people in life that absolutely blow you away with their strength, determination and ambition--people that inspire you to live life at full speed.  For me, Greg Mallory is one of those people.…

I started running big waterfalls when I turned 18 and moved out to Oregon. I loved the thrill and the focus that it demanded. Taking those risks, running big waterfalls, pushed me to inject that kind of passion and drive into every aspect of my life. It got me to where…

This week, American Rivers released their 2012 list of America's Top 10 Most Endangered Rivers—a list that includes rivers in every corner of the country for reasons ranging from dams to fracking…

Last spring, I ventured into Oregon's remote Chetco River--a rarely paddled Wild & Scenic gem in the heart of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.  Our trip was certainly the most epic I'd ever done in Oregon--a 2-day brutal hike in followed by 2 days of paddling through one of the most remote parts of the state.…

To a kayaker, there's just something therapeutic about watching a dam blow up.  We dream about it, we joke about it, but we don't really ever expect it to happen.  Fortunately, it did happen this year in the Pacific Northwest and we'll soon see miles of new whitewater and restored salmon runs because of it.  The story stuck a chord this weekend at the National Paddling Film Festival, where Craziest Idea won 'Best Professional Documentary' and 'Best of Show.'  

The…

On October 26, 2011, crews packed more than 700 pounds of dynamite into the base of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in southwest Washington. Once detonated, the White Salmon River erupted through the hole, draining the reservoir behind the dam in less than an hour. One month…

The world's largest dam removal project began yesterday on Washington's Elwha River.  The removal two dams--210 foot tall Glines Canyon Dam and 108 foot tall Elwha Dam--will restore whitewater and salmon spawning habitat that's been cut off for 100 years.  The project will take about 3 years to complete and, once…

A couple of weeks ago, White Salmon local Steve Stampfli and I waded through chest-deep poison oak along the shore of Northwestern Lake with one very cool toy--a solar powered, weatherproof timelapse camera system.  We were headed to a clearing just below the 125 foot tall Condit Dam, set to be packed full of…

Our team of four was abuzz with uncertainty during the drive to the Chetco—a remote, rarely run Wild & Scenic River in southern Oregon.  We knew that we had, at least, a 3-mile hike to get to the river from the top of Chetco Pass.  What we didn’t know was whether the road to the top of the pass would even…

This October, a crew will begin blasting an 18-foot wide hole in the base of Condit Dam.  They’ll chip away at the first 80 feet gradually, then on a ceremonious day in mid October they’ll dynamite the last 10 feet and free the White Salmon River in Washington for the first time in 98 years.  It’s hard to tell…

Metlako Falls.  Photo by Erik Boomer.

"I think it's a really healthy lifestyle," Christie said as she explained to me why she loves kayaking.  Most people might not think that setting world records for waterfall descents is necessarily a "healthy" lifestyle, but it…

Those who've paddled the 200 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon know how special of a place it is.  Not much compares to spending 3 weeks with a small crew of friends completely isolated from the rest of the world in a stunningly beautiful place.  Sure the world class whitewater and perfect glassy surf waves are fun, but it's…

The Grand Canyon of the Elwha River.  Photo by Thomas O'Keefe, American Whitewater

This year, the largest river restoration event in US history begins on the Elwha River in Washington State.  The removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams will reopen…

Photo by Jack Dykinga, ILCP.

A new film is making the festival rounds right now that brings to light the proposed dam projects in southern Chile.  Five dams are proposed for the Baker and the Pascua--two of southern Chile's largest and most…

Deep in the curtain. Spirit Falls, Little White Salmon, Wa. Photo by Stiv Wilson.

It was another one of those perfect May days on the Little White Salmon. There was only a small crew of us—maybe 3—and we’d paddled together so many times that we could communicate without ever…