Century Paddle 1 MONTH AWAY!!!

Century Paddle 2010

August 30-September 4th

Start Location: Jon Storm Park Oregon City OR 97045

Date/Time: Aug 30th 2010 6am-8:30am start.

Finish Location: Astoria- Jon Day Park / Pier 39

Finish Date/Time: Sept 4th, 2010 1-3:30pm finish.

Total mileage- 115 miles- 6 days 5 nights

Paddling Crafts: (Human Powered Watercraft) Kayaks, Canoes, Dragon Boats, Outriggers, Stand Up Paddleboards, Inflatables (that can be paddled 14-25 miles/day).  Some solar/wind powered assists

The Century Paddle is a 110-mile flat water sea kayak / paddle trip from Willamette Falls to the Pacific Ocean over six days and five nights (Aug. 30-Sept 4th 2010). Participants will paddle down river for about five hours a day making camp each of the five nights on the beaches of the magnificent Columbia River.

Century Paddlers will enjoy a fully supported trip complete with catered meals feasting on local foods and river stewards will haul all paddler’s personal/camping gear down stream.

We start below Willamette Falls in Oregon City, and paddle through downtown Portland. We continue past the shipyards, to Sauvie Island and up the Multnomah Channel to the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. From here we follow the Columbia River through the Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and finish our trip in Astoria. The 2010 Century Paddlers will bring awareness and raise funds to help keep our river’s clean and to support adaptive recreation programs for disabled veterans.  We Love Clean Rivers will be coordinating shore based river cleanups with river steward volunteers along the way on the Willamette as well as the Columbia River as a way to leave the river a little cleaner than we found it.

This trip requires a moderate level of paddle sports preparation. Each participant must be familiar with basic kayak skills and self rescue techniques. We recommend paddlers should try to have a minimum of 100 hours of paddling by the start of CP10.  Paddlers need to be able to sit in a kayak for 2-3 hours at a time to complete this trip.  More detailed training techniques and preparation are available by reading Sam Drevo’s tips and techniques for CP10.  Classes and work up trips are offered by Northwest River Guides LLC and other schools all summer long.

Century Paddle was created to benefit Team River Runner PDX (using paddlesports as a means of healing and therapy for wounded veterans) & We Love Clean Rivers (promoting river stewardship by turning restoration into recreation). See teamriverrunnerpdx.org & welovecleanrivers.org for more info

Registration includes: 3 meals / day for 5 days and 2 meals on day 6- starting with breakfast on day 1, and finishing with lunch on day 6.  Gear shuttle (50lbs pp/day), on-water support / safety paddlers / sag boats/ rescue services, camping fees, nightly entertainment and social/educational activities, logistics, and training resources.

Registration also includes River Steward Kit essentials: CP10 water bottle, thermal mug/bowl, fork/spoon/knife, mesh bag, small dry bag, sun screen, Clif Bar snacks

Price: $950

Registration Available On-Line at: http://www.active.com/more-sports/portland-or/century-paddle-2010 or Call 503.772.1122 or email samdrevo@gmail.com, or don.smith.usa@gmail.com for more info. Registration is also available directly through Northwest River Guides LLC. 503.772.1122

Mt Hood Territory Promotion

Sam Drevo running slalom gates and imparting wisdom on the Bull Run in Oregon

Check out this video the Mt. Hood Territory just produced about kayaking with Sam Drevo:)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJCMUZVL_x8

Trout on the Wind Premier goes OFF! At Hollywood Theater

Trout on the Wind – The Hemlock Dam Removal Story

Trout Creek is located just north of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Washington State.  The creek flows south through the Gifford Pinchot National to the Columbia River about an hour and a half drive east of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.  Over 90% of the land in this 225 square mile drainage is owned by the public and is part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.  Mt. Adams is just a short distance to the Northeast as the eagle flies and the small towns in this area provide a gateway to Mt. St. Helens.

The canyons of the Wind River were wild and unsettled until the early 1900s.  In the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt’s sought to pull the United States out of the Great Depression by putting people back to work.  Through his New Deal, Roosevelt formed the Civilian Conservation Corps and the CCC boys as they came to be known constructed the Hemlock Dam to provide water and power for a work camp in the area.  In the 1970s, the dam fell into disrepair and resident fish populations were struggling to hold on.   In 1995, the Forest Service began working with local organizations, contractors and citizens to figure out what needed to be done to recover the river.

In 2009, the Forest Service joined forces with local citizens, contractors and conservation groups to remove Hemlock Dam and restore more than 20 miles of habitat for Columbia River steelhead.  Local filmmakers and avid whitewater kayakers Sam Drevo and Ralph Bloemers documented the project and produced a short film Trout on the Wind.

The film was completed in early May of 2010, and it documents the project from its start to its finish.  After the dam was removed and within minutes of clean water being put back in the stream, a biologist working on the project shot footage of Steelhead trout making their way up the newly restored reach.  Trout on the Wind takes you to the river and introduces you to the people that made this inspiring modern-day restoration effort a reality.

The role that dam removal plays in river restoration is beginning to unfold and each of these restoration projects offer us a chance to recover our natural heritage and celebrate the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.  These are exciting times, where people are working together to employ different dam removal techniques to improve conditions for native fish in the gorge and learn many important lessons.  The Columbia Gorge is fast becoming the heart of river restoration through dam removals and local people are getting excited as future projects to remove other dams in the region begin to unfold.

Last week, over 250 people attended the premiere of Trout on the Wind, a documentary about the removal of the Hemlock Dam (http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/04projects/hemlock-dam/) and the restoration of wild salmon runs on Trout Creek in the Columbia River Gorge.   Mountain Khaki helped by sponsoring the event and the proceeds went to support the continued work of the Crag Law Center (www.crag.org) and the Gifford Pinchot Task Force (www.gptaskforce.org) to protect and conserve the forests, rivers, fish, and wildlife found in the Pacific Northwest.


Lower Columbia Kayaking in NY Times Sunday Edition

I couldn’t believe the syncronisity when a NY Times reporter called looking for kayaking spots off the beaten path.  I spoke with her about We Love Clean Rivers- the lower Clackamas and how much cleaner it has gotten over the last few years.  I spoke with her about the Hemlock Dam Removal and how a new section has emerged from the base of what was a reseviour for over 70 years- See a feature article in the July Issue of Outside Magazine about this.  But what she was most interested in was the story of the Century Paddle’s emergence.  She was fascinated as I am about the great expanse and the tremendous ecosystem of the lower Columbia River.

It is fitting that she asked for some kayak shots on the Columbia, and they picked a picture of my rafting mentor – Val Shaull kayaking with Mt. Hood in the background.

Check out the short blurb in the travel section of the NY Times.  It is an honor to have an image published in such a prestigious newspaper.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/travel/16kayak-roundup.html?emc=eta1

To check out our end of summer event – go to www.centurypaddle.org

WW symposium 2010

Sign up now to attend the 2010 WW symposium at NOC in North Carolina.

http://reservations.noc.com/express/reservation/results.jsf?locationId=Any+Location&typeId=47&activityNameId=Any+Name&startDate=10%2F08%2F2010&endDate=10%2F10%2F2010&guestCount=1

Early bird special through June 15th.

Hope to see you there!

-Sam

Sam Drevo and Keegan O’Kelley on KGW News Channel 8

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with Grant Mcomie!!!  Rafting the Clackamas

Hi Sam, Shane and Keegan:
Thank you once again for all of your time and assistance during our recent rafting trip with you on the Upper Clackamas River.
The story will air twice this Friday on KGW @Noon, possibly @ 6pm and it will air Sat @7-9am.

It will also air on NW Cable News (Ch 49 in Portland) all day on Sat beginning @11am – it hits about 20 after the top of the hour and will be seen in Boise, Spokane and Seattle.

A longer version of the story will be posted to the Travel Oregon website on Friday at noon as well.

If you wish, feel free to either link or embed our story on your own site.

Finally, if you are so inclined, feel free to drop a line and encourage friends to do the same and let us know how we’re doing – (feedback keeps us on our game, you know) — esp the mgmt folks at Travel Oregon and KGW.

Finally, my thanks to you for all of your warm hospitality and coversations during our visit.

The joy of traveling across Oregon is that I always learn something new – in this case, that folks who enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking do so for many different reasons and own generous spirits as big as all outdoors.

We are committed to taking viewers to varied Oregon locations via the “Grant’s Getaways” segment and it’s helpful to hear from the folks who enjoy our content.
I consider myself lucky to share some of your stories with our viewers.

Thanks again for all of your efforts – the story turned out well and I appreciate all of your energy to make that happen.

Grant
ps – Sam:thanks for the pix. They were stunning!
Grant McOmie
Outdoor Reporter
KGW-TV

Help support the Wild Image Project

Daniel Fox was one of our pioneer paddler / guides  for the Century Paddle last summer, and was an aid supporter of the Clackamas River Cleanup.  He is a great guy who is ambitious and a great shot with the camera.  He is setting out to embark on a 6 month journey to South America, and needs your help.  Please check out his website and support the cause.  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewildimageproject/2010-argentina-expedition

DrevoCentury-2684

More to raffle coming soon. Stay tuned!!
Tickets start at $25
I am leaving on Feb. 11th for about 6 to 7 months. First stop will be LaPaz, Baja for 10 days of sea kayaking and photography with Gray Whales. Then 2 to 3 weeks on a sailboat for more photography. Then, I will be heading to Argentina for about 6 months. Working in collaboration with Fundacion Vida Sylvestre and Parques National, I will spend  6 months  to photograph and report about endemic threatened and endangered species.
While I am out on expedition, I will post 2 to 4 entries per month. Each entry will be like the one posted last week on the Snowshoeing Trip, with photos/video/story (www.kontain.com/thewildimageproject). They will appear on Kontain, Planet Explore, iWend and Spot Adventure. A new website has been in the works www.thewildimageproject.com It acts like a console, where viewers can follow the expedition in almost real time. Each day will be tracked through Spot. Photos will be posted through Flickr and will feed the gallery. Videos will be posted on Vimeo and will appear on the site. Entries will be promoted through Twitter and Facebook.
Thank you very much for you support. It is greatly appreciated.

1st Day in Costa Rica- oh so warm!

eNRGweb791

Meet Arturo Oropeza- our masterful Costa Rican partner who wows, and dazzles all of our students.  I was met at the airport by his big smile, and new this years trips were going to be better than ever.  A late night red eye from Portland flew through Newark, and on to San Jose.  Did a bunch of Roll practice in the pool with Ciado, and we all headed to the canopy tour tomorrow.  Then off to several of Costa Rica’s best rivers!  Next week we will be working with a bunch of kids (age 9-14) so it is time to go scout all the sections before they arrive.  If you are reading this from North America- sorry- it is 85 degrees right now, and NICE!

If you are interested in Costa Rica 2010, drop me a line at sam@eNRGkayaking.com.

Costa Rica Whitewater & Surf Safari 2009!

vieng jonny waterfall

The time is NOW to expand your whitewater realm beyond the Pacific NW. The time is NOW to ditch that dry suit! Spend a week with guides from Portland’s world class kayak school in and around Quepos Costa Rica! We’ve hand picked Quepos because its location delivers a variety of peak outdoor experiences, close to surf, rainforest, mountains & rivers that offer every level of activity from class V drops to serene paddles through mangroves. Tour dates are December 5-12 and 12-19 2009!

Led by ACA-certified guides and instructors, Northwest River Guides adventure tours combine exciting on-land activities with the best whitewater experience possible. Not to sound cliche but you WILL come home with memories to last a lifetime!

Unlike other outfitters, our adventour is designed to spend the least amount of time in transit and the most time on Costa Rican rivers and surf! With world class national parks, warm water and lush jungles, sweet ocean waves and fantastic class whitewater, this is an adventure you can’t miss!

Our multi-sport extravaganza combines whitewater experiences on the Upper and Lower Naranjo, the Savegre, as well as sea kayaking and hiking, surfing, forest canopy and cultural immersion. We’ll pay a visit to Manuel Antonio National Park.

Details: Novice and intermediate whitewater kayakers with a solid roll and rafters of any level. We will tackle some There will be higher level kayaking offered on the Upper Naranjo. No experience necessary for rafters. Light hiking.

Come and enjoy the holiday season in style! Call 503-772-1122 for specifics! Equipment provided.

Waldo Lake Late Summer Kayak Camping!

Waldo Lake! That name makes the heart of Oregon kayak campers leap! It’s Oregon’s largest natural lake outside Crater Lake and Waldo’s water is “dramatically ultra-oliographic,” meaning it’s unbelievably pure. They say it’s possible to see something on the bottom 140-feet down!

Not only that, Waldo’s 10-mph motorboat speed limit and lack of game fish mean the noise of motorboats aint gonna be a factor. This lake is a take-me-back-to-yesterday human powered recreation paradise. The indigo blue water is something to behold.

We arrived Friday afternoon and it was sunny and, well, a little smoky. Wildfires in southern Oregon sent some brownish haze our way. But the paddle was nice and we found a beautiful spot on a peninsula on the west side of the lake, about a 10-minute paddle from Rhododendron Island. We were all a bit freaked about whether our craft could manage to store all our gear!

Here’s a nice shot of the peninsula. We felt fortunate to be on such a pretty spot. Friday night there were stars a plenty!

Rod looking at camera on shore

Saturday morning we awoke to sun. Lucky us! The forecast called for RAIN early in the day. We made pancakes with blackberries/raspberries plus bacon! Quite the luxury. But by 1:00 the misty/light rain came. That was NOT going to stop us from paddling. So we headed down to Klovdahl Dam and saw some interesting perspectives along the way. The Gods seemed to blow clouds/mist over the crest of the mountains, which would create an aura of mystery on the lake. Some intrepid Hobie Cat sailors were out there undaunted!Hobie in Fog1

Then we headed down to Klovdahl Dam. This dam doesn’t mean the lake is man-made. Rather this guy Klovdahl was trying to use water from the lake to irrigate farms in the Willamette Valley sometime in the late 1800’s. His effort failed, thank God.Rod Katie Christian at Klovdahl

Okay. Saturday night was beat. We had fun and erected tarps and a shelter, but it misted much longer than the forecast! We did, however, have a nice Mexican meal before a blazing fire. Sometime during the night the clouds parted and VOILA! Sunday was BLUE BIRD perfect!Daybreak Sunday

Sunday morning was a fun cooking experience! Lots of extra stuff from dinner/breakfast Satuday (cut up potatoes and sausage) plus oats, yogurt, nuts, etc. All good!Katie Christian Andrea cooking

And then the plan was to let the gear dry out while we paddled. We took off for the north end of the lake. We found a pebble beach with fun boulders to climb on and use as a picnic spot! Then the wind kicked up and we headed back to camp, broke camp and that was pretty much it. Here’s Andrea after the wind calmed down. Right behind her is South Sister!

Andrea closer

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