FLUID Adventures

Illionois Road Trip 2007

2007-04-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Illinois River, OR

The Illinois River is a tributary of the Rogue River and flows approximately 75 miles from south western Oregon and drains a mountainous area of the Coastal Range in the southwestern corner of the state.
It rises in southern Oregon in the Red Buttes Wilderness Area near Whiskey Peak on the California state line. It flows generally northwest in a winding course along the west side of the Klamath Mountains and through the Siskiyou National Forest.

Wednesday march 29th 7:00am I'm heading out the door to seattle to meet

up with our crew. After some Starbucks for the road Claire Hews, Jon Almquist

,Nick Newhall, Steve Exe, Jennie Goldburg and myself were about to embark

on an awsome paddling jouney with great friends and amazing rivers.

Sorting our gear at the put in. Packing a kayak is an a

Nick at the put in rapid excited and getting used to a loaded boat

Portage #1 The Falls

Portage #2 The Bridge

Jennie's all smiles in the upper canyon

Warm rocks invite us for lunch

Steve heading to the Pine Flats Bistro

Home sweet home, Pine Flats.

The team was dynamic in camp form

It was a beautiful night with moon shadows cast by the almost full moon

Jon giving us an MSR clinic with a cool new stove

The dew set in hard over night, it was a wet sleep

but today we have a lighter load

Day two floating in peace before the whitwater

The Illinois valley is full of majestic groto's like this

The big Scout at Green Wall

Jon demonstrating what the new hole does to a loaded creek boat

Almquist threading through upper Green Wall

Would the real Mr. FLUID please stand up

Steve greases through the left line, Nice

More Groto's

The Illinois once again brought me back together with close friends and

one of the most classic scenic rivers I've been on. allways time to surf. Jon

getting a nice ride in the lower canyon.

North Fork Smith , CA

There are 13 miles of the North Fork Smith River in Oregon designated as wild and scenic in 1988, the two "wild" sections extend from the headwaters to Horse Creek and from Baldface Creek to the Oregon/California state line. The portion between Horse Creek and Baldface Creek is designated "scenic."
The North Fork Smith River is a relatively low-gradient river, dropping approximately 1,800 feet from an elevation of 2,900 feet in its headwaters in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness to 1,100 feet at the Oregon/California border. The North Fork flows south from the flank of Chetco Peak in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness to its confluence with the Smith River in California, creating one of the best protected river systems in the National System.

Jedidia Smith Forest

After leaving the Illinois we stayed one night on the coast then headed right

over the border to the North Fork Smith. Are group was met by our friends

Morgan and Brian who work for Sundance kayak school. After a long shuttle

and some car problems we once again put everything behind us and paddled

together down this amazing canyon.

Morgan and Brian excited to see the North Fork

Claire paddles through one of the fun class III rapids in the upper gorge

Steve, Jennie, Morgan and Brian hang out in a huge Groto style cave

Opal Creek, OR

Not far from Salem Opal Creek Flows into the North Satium Through an acient Doug fir Forest.

Opal creek is a beautiful class III-IV creek with crystal clear water flowing through amazing

steep walled gorges with fun boofs and slides. The weather was great the team strong and Opal

creek was a perfect way to end our paddling vacation and go back home and dream of mossy

canyons and plan our next adventure. Well, until next years Illinois trip.

Puting in on Opal creek

Jon Boofing the first drop, Nice Boof !

Claire eddies out below the second drop

Jennie and Chille coming in hot

Claire on one of Opals many fun drops

Morgan threads the left line Fluffy

Text and Pictures Chris Totten

CWU Pool Session

2007-01-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday night was the first pool session for Central Washington University. We decided to go over and help facilitate extra gear and instructional help. the event was huge, everyone had fun being their first time in kayaks. This was a bigger turnout than we expected said Ryan CWU's rec director. next weekend is the college tour with eNRG kayaking where we'll be touring with them and doing a film and demo pool sessions for students to get in boats. Everyone said they'll be back for next weekend. If your in Ellensburg on the 27 or 28th come check it out!

Surf Pummel 2007

2007-01-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

making up our own stretching program before surfing I think this was a spin off of Sybles german marching stretch, but with some polka!

Double hand grinds, you just don't see that anymore!

2007 surf pummel was very mellow this year with most of our crew injured from everything but paddling. Jean luc, Jon Almquist and myself carried on tradishon with some ocean surfing, river running and a great day at the Mosh pit!

La Push Rock from our beach house on the coast.

Jean Luc testing out his new Dragorosi kayak. Mikey liked it!

Almquist ripping it up as usual ( this is last years Pummel photo notice the people in the eddy and how many people are in the pic above ?)

High Water Fall 2006

2007-01-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

After some big water boating and plenty of log dodging it was safer and as fun to scout and just watch the river surge and move earth.

The Plunger Icicle Creek

Snow Creek

Roadside Atraction
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2006 University of Puget Sound Fall Course

2007-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

One week before our course date washington was experiencing some of the biggest floods in recorded years. We met up with our fearless team in North Bend with plans of the powerhouse but that was even too high. It was a typical North Bend winter boating day. The snow level dropped right over our heads which brought the rivers down but did the same to the tempature. The class was preparing for the worst but the first day cleared up and we decided to run the South Fork Snoqualmie from Mike Arnolds bridge through town and to the second bridge. The run was a first descent for all of us and the students first time on a river ever! post high water the bushes were flattened and their was some strainers that students learned to point out but all and all a very clean and interesting place to take a class.

Ohta keeping warm in his boat getting ready for students to launch!

The South Fork was tight and twisty but by the end of day one we were ready to explore and the students wanted more. After dinner at NBBG that night the students went back to the college to dry out and it continued to rain. We on the other hand had an interesting night spent in North Bend, that's another story. In the morning we rejuvinated our spirits back at the NBBG (North Bend Bar and Grill) for some enegry food and a round robin to decide where to go. After very little debate we opted for the Main Snoqualmie from plums landing to Fall City.(they wanted higher water) This was a huge contrast to the smaller South Fork. Students ran one pretty big wave train succesfully and learned that eddy lines and big water can be quite powerful and exciting! even on class II.

these guy's did amazing and put up with more bad weather and conditions than most kayakers put up with. with the help of everyone buying dish washing hand gloves. they all bought yellow dish gloves. They work great! and fashionable.

South Fork Snoqualmie Yo!

It was a great course and can't wait to see those guy's back in the spring. UPS has pool sessions twice a week for students with a growing membership in the kayak club. thanks again UPS !

The Trent Family and Fluid Adventures

2007-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

The Trent Family are some of the coolest people that I have ever met. Cliff, Kate, and even the Grandparents are incredibly supportive of their kids and the activities in which they chose to participate. Cliff has raft guide training and has exposed these kids to moving water, and given them some river experiences in the past. That being said, these kids are learning so fast it is ridiculous. Kyle, 13yrs, was rolling with in the first 40 minutes of his first pool session and I don't think he has swam since that day. I would not be surprised if he is playing in big holes and running big drops with us soon. Lucas, 7yrs, has the best hip-snap and has know idea how fast he is becoming a kayaker. On their first day on a river, we were at the end of a little Class II rapid and I asked him: "How was that?" his response was "That was easy!". I don't even know if he looked at me when he said it because I think he was picking out a line downstream. I hope that we get the pleasure of kayaking with this family for years to come.

Cliff Trent

Kate Trent

Cliff, Kyle, and Kate

Kyle Trent

Lucas Trent

Lucas, Chris, and Cliff working the eddy line

Chris Totten - Fluid Adventures

Lucas Trent

Text and Photos by Chris Ohta

Tieton Bridge Wave '06 Photos

2007-01-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

Chris Balkan, Tri-Cities Representin'

Chris Totten Bluntin'

Tim "Dippy" Dipple Given'er

Photos by Chris Ohta

Some Photos from the Little Wenatchee '06

2007-01-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

Chris Totten "1st Falls"

Jon Clifton ponders the log-jam at the Flume

The boys on a beautiful day

Shelby Scott "1st Falls"

Jon Clifton "1st Falls"

Photos by Chris Ohta

California Dreaming

2006-10-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

2006 Whitewater Symposium

After our ACA course Sam Drevo convinced me to go to Coloma, CA for the WW Symposium witch ended up being the best trip of the year. Back in 1998 I lived in Coloma part time and was a raft guide for Mother Load River Trips. That year I took my very first paddle strokes in a kayak on the South Fork American river. Since then kayaking has been my life and I find myself full circle back to the beginning. Now being in the industry it was an amazing opportunity to colaborate with some of the biggest names in the industry and people with years of professional outdoor experience and ethuseasum such as Kent Ford, Phil & Mary DeRiemer, Janette Burnett, EJ, Mike Mathers, Julie Munger, Bruce Lessles and More. Also at the core of the sport I got the honorable privlage to paddle with Jamie McEwan and others as they gave us a percpective as to where we are and where we came from in kayaking.

The Whitewater Symposium was a three day meeting representing the strongest entities and schools in the country. As topics in our field grew the focus was also on growing the industry and increasing paddle sports particapation and awarness. All our breakout sessions were lead by the indusrty's finest and we all got a chance to share our ideas and move the sport to the next level.

Here's Drevo so pumped from the key note speaker he can hardly stand it. One of the panel discussions was on whitewater trends - the next five years-where is our sport going in gear media and most importantly instruction?

Our Rescue specialist was Mike Mathers and Julie Munger. Definetely one of the most real practical rescue seminars I've been through. Mike put me through one of the most realestic foot entrapment renactment I've ever seen. My adrenaline was going it looked so real.

No event is complete without a little tomfullery. Cody fron Sundance and Chris from Fluid give a little concert in the festive decore compliments of the river box that goes on every Sundance river trip. thanks guy's!

For FLUID Adventures it put us on the map and allowed me to start friendships and partnerships with local and national schools. I learned some Invaluable pricless information that will stimulate me and everyone I have thus far shared it with. Our indusrty is huge in our heads yet at it's very infant stage in reality. We have come so far and have so far to go. We as paddlers and industry leaders need to continue to create a positive environment for the access for new kayakers and work together for growth of our sport in the right direction which is being shaped every day.

If anyone has questions about the event or want to learn more contact Chris Totten info@fluidadventures.com or Sam Drevo samdrevo@gmail.com next years event will be held in the east coast at one of the new whitewater parks. to keep posted check out www.wwsymposium.com

2006-09-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

Water is the drive of Nature.

- Leonardo da Vinci

Hell's Canyon

2006-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Almquist Invetational 2006

Our trip this year was lead by the usual highly experienced river runners of the Snake for the exception of one, who had never been on a river before but was an avid rowing master in the shell. Mr. Doug Aced every line in the big "Named rapides" but found the "non-Named" rapids are still nothing to float sideway's in. All and all it was an amazing trip, a little bad weather, jet boats, and shotgun blast's from across the river can't beat good friends, warm big water and good spirits. next time you visit Hell's canyon watch for the night Squirle ..He'll be watching you.......

Jon Almquist sr. "doc" finding his way through Wild Sheep

Claire in contrast (She looks like she's on the Zambieze)

Jon Almquist greasing his way through Wild Sheep

Stehekin Valley Adventures

2006-09-02T00:19:00.000-07:00

Stehekin airport

Our first scouting trip to Stehekin was an amzing trip. the water was just coming down from an epic high water spring and the lake was full of water falls. We are met by the owner of Stehekin Valley Ranch Cliff Courtney. the Courtney family were the first settlers in Stehekin Valley. The Courtney family still runs Stehekin and welcome us very warmly to there Home.

if you look close you can see Cliff in the window

Not only was Cliff the nicest guy in the world he let us borrow the trooper for scouting and getting around. The main Stehekin was ok to run but all the good class V up stream was still to high. Our first day in Stehekin Johny Clifton and Chris Totten scouted and took photo's of the new log damage from high water for Cliff and the USFS. Every thing seemed to be clean enough for comercial use though wood is just a problem on the Stehekin being it's an undamned glacier river.

Chris and Johny scouting the entrance to Agnus Gorge

Since the water was a little high still we decided to hike and scout some future possible runs when we return in late spring. Agnus Gorge is one of many rivers that have been done but only once or twice due to the remotness of the area.

On our way back to the lodge for dinner we noticed a very large mess of steaming scat. Since it was not thier on the hike up we knew something was close. sure enough the bear was right around the next corner blocking the trail and would not less us pass. finally the bear ran into some think underbrush and up the hill. finally we could go have dinner.

Our trip was succesful and amzing. the Courtney family was more than acomidating the food delicous and the possiblity for Adventure endless.

for lodging info contact www.stehekinvalleyranch.com

for adventure trips in Stehekin with Stehekin Valley ranch contact www.fluidadventures.com
or info@fluidadventures.com.