6 questions with Team Dagger's Todd Wells on his life, kayaking, and plans for the future. 

Where are you from? Where do you live?

Trout Lake, WA. Trout Lake, WA

How/Why did you start kayaking?

Throughout my childhood I've been around rivers. My family took me on a lot of multi day raft trips when I was a kid, and finally after seeing everyone in kayaks having so much fun my brother and I decided to put our earnings from summer jobs together and buy our own. 

What makes a perfect day on the water for you?

My perfect day on the water would be on a river that I had never before paddled, and I would not know what awaits around the next bend in the river. I would be with a crew of solid paddlers and close friends who would share with me their smiles and laughter. The water would be high, and the sun would be shining. The foliage would be lush and wildlife would be curiously attracted to the bright streaks of color moving through the river. And of course, a cold beverage would be waiting for me at the take out. 

Do you participate in any other sports?  Do you think they help make you a better kayaker?

During the winter I enjoy downhill skiing. Although they are quite different sports, I feel that there are similarities between choosing a line on the mountain and choosing a line on the river. I believe that being able to read these features on the mountain helps me to read features on the water, and vise versa. 

What is your proudest kayaking achievement? Why?

Paddling the Stikine River in British Columbia is my most memorable and most proud kayaking achievement. There is something about the Stikine that has always attracted me; its power, its sheer beauty, the respect given to it by paddlers from around the world. It wasn't until the fall of 2010 that I paddled this river, but after my first trip down I knew that I had fallen in love and that this was without a doubt the most incredible river I had ever paddled. 

What are your plans for this year?

Early this summer I hope to spend some time paddling rivers in the High Sierras in California. Later I plan to teach kayaking and outdoor skills to kids through the Cascadia Adventure Education School and the Columbia Gorge Kayak School. Towards the end of summer I hope to spend some time in British Columbia paddling some of the classic southern creeks. Above all my most sought after paddling pursuit of the year would be to return to the Stikine River and check out some of the nearby river drainages. 

For more on Todd you can also check out his bio  and his recent head cam video of the Little White on the high side of good: