A budding forecast (yellow). The usual gauge is around 80cm

Philipp is a young gun from the Munich area and absolutely motivated at any conditions. We started one day before Christmas Eve and had an impressive flow of 152 cm, usually you run this section at a gauge if 80 cm.

Boofing the weir at the beginning // Max Eberl

At a normal flow run the entrance weir on the very right. In that case it is more or less a slide. But a higher flows you need to run it a bit more left, so that you are jumping from 2 meters directly to a concrete surface which is slightly covered with water. My body pitched to the deck of my Remix when I landed. Just after that concrete slide you will find a big stopper…

The hole after the weir // Philipp Much

Both, Philipp and me had a deep dive at that point and got spit out like a rocket. My sprayskirt (no it was not a LevelSix sprayskirt) popped in that whole and my boat got flooded. For me there was no chance to catch an eddy so I had to run the next rapid without scouting and with a slightly maneuverable boat. It went out good but anyhow it was my first swim in 2011…so close to the end of the year.

Some slide in the middle // Philipp Much

After some time there is the big slide. For Europe it is one of the bigger ones and pure fun.

Big slide on Eistobel // Max Eberl

I ran first and Philipp second. Then Philipp got the idea to perform a Blue Angel run. Awesomeness Check the video.
Even if I had a swim, I would say it was the perfect pre Christmas day. Thx to Philipp.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sorry for the poor sound quality…

Cheers,
Max

“Included are some new scenes from this past spring’s kayak mission in Japan, as well as some of the gnarly lines nearby Shon’s local Mt. Shasta area.


As always though, it isn’t the “adrenaline” aspect of Shon’s work that I appreciate but the overall onda of his filmmaking, the way he never lets you forget the size of terrain and that no matter what we run we’re all pretty damn small”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For more pick up our latest film Slippery When Wet and support the next project! Trying to kayak more in 2012 but with film school 5 days a week, I am still trying to keep my hopes up despite this temporary commitment. HUGE thanks to LL for all the support this year, it made 2011 one of the best years ever. Looking forward to many more adventures in 2012.

Packing the Remix XPs for the Grand Canyon

Redwall

Day 2.  One of the incredible things from day 2 was the appearance of the Redwall Limestone and this wall.  You can see how small the kayakers are next to it.  It was distinctly layered with dark and light colored sediment layers.  The perspective as a paddler going through the Canyon is really wild  because the walls that surround you seem so big and dominating of the landscape but from the canyon rim looking down and in, the river gorge is just a small part of the Grand Canyon as a whole.

Hike up Little Nankoweep Canyon

Day 3.  The hike up Little Nankoweep Canyon and up onto the first bluff above the river was really cool.  I am not sure how much altitude we gained but I would guess around 1000 feet and we might have walked 2 miles each way.  The tricky parts were 3 slightly sketchy climb spots on the way up and down.  Nothing terrifying but it certainly made you concentrate.  This hike is just up stream of the classic Grainery hike at Nankoweep Canyon.  We had this incredible view down river and we stood on this rock directly over our boats parked far down below.

The Hike

Day 4.   Oh boy this was a big one.  We camped at a place called Basalt on day 4 because Mike had a hike that he had never done and really wanted to see.  Mike has somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 trips through the canyon so this is actually an unusual thing to find.  I joined in on the experience even though the report was that there would be sketchy climbing.  I got to the first “crux” of the climb and pulled rocks off the wall that I was trying to use to climb and lets just say that rattled me.  A couple rocks rolled down from the folks up above us and I opted out with signal.  But a big group pushed on to the top of the ridge.  I waited at the bottom of that first crux listening as they worked their way up the wash, avalanche looking area.  They managed to climb all the way up but I heard several cries of “ROCK!” and I could hear rocks careening down the gully.  One of them even got down near me even though I couldn’t see them any more.  I saw that they had reached the top so I started walking back to camp but I could still hear them as they started the descent.  Then came a really loud yell!  ”ROCK”! and “COVER UP!”.  I heard a few echoes of the call by people further down the climb and then it was quiet for a minute and there were some nervous laughs.  I was glad to hear those laughs.  I couldn’t handle it any more I went down to camp but for the next 20 minutes I glanced nervously up at the path leading into camp hoping to see them but at the same time hoping to not see someone come running into camp.  It all came out ok and the group had stories to tell all evening and into the next several days about the “Mike Hike”.

False Trinity Camp

Day 5.   One of my favorite things about day 5 was this camp.  Its called False Trinity.  It was small and close in but there were good places for everyone to set up their tents and room for all of us to have a nice kitchen space.  We watched the nearly full moon come up along with Orion.  We had a great night chatting about the Mordor middle earth like canyon of the inner gorge.

Woody

Day 6.  It was the rapids of day 6 that I really enjoyed.  Granite, Hermit, Crystal, and the Gems were super fun and we covered 16 miles like it was nothing.  Hermit was in fine form.  As I slid down the green tongue into Hermit I could see down the row of waves and down in the middle was a huge wave that was breaking heavily.  It made me think a little about dodging the heart of the waves but then I remembered I was in a 200lb kayak.  It would take a giant hole to stop me.  With that reassurance in mind I floated through the towering peaks laughing all the way.  The big wave broke over me.  I didn’t even slow down.

Grand Canyon

Day 7.  We covered 24 miles and got to camp a little tired.  We were all struggling to stay up and it really helps to stay up at least until 8 or 9 pm or you wake up way before sunlight with nothing much to do.  So I came up with something to do.  We had a fun evening playing with our headlamps and long exposure photos for a an hour in the moonlight over the canyon.

Day 8.  The highlight of this day was doing an up and over hike from Tapeats Creek to Deer Creek, which was only possible because a few of our team hauled our boats a couple miles downstream for us.  This hike takes you up to Thunder River which is a creek tumbling out of the side of a massive ridge fed by an underground aquifer.   We climbed up past Thunder river and across Surprise Valley to Deer Creek which is one of the more famous side canyon hikes.  There were spectacular wide long vistas and an intimate carved micro canyon which falls over a 100 foot waterfall into the Colorado river below.

Hike from Tapeats Creek to Deer Creek

Micro canyon

Day 9.  Day nine had a complete up and down feeling to it.  We stopped off for a classic hike at Matkatamiba.  The hike was super stylie climbing through the smoothly carved hall way that the creek had formed and it was warm up on the rocks when the sun hit us at the top of the gorge, but when we returned to our boats we realized that we were one boat short.  ”Boat missing!”  A big group took off immediately to try to catch up with the kayak that must have slipped into the river on a surge or rise in the water level.   The rest of the group held back to keep track of the boatless paddler.  It took us over 2 miles but we caught up with the boat.  All the gear staid in the cockpit and only a few things got wet that shouldn’t have.  John rode on the back of Woody’s boat until they caught up with us.  That was a hilarious sight.  Woody told me that while John was perched on the back of his boat he had said,  ”the next 60 miles is going to suck if we don’t find my boat”, and Woody’s reply while trying to keep the his boat above water was, “you’re telling me!”
Then late in the day we caught up with another trip that had a unique set up.  They had a cataraft with two kegs strapped on the front and with true river man class they invited us in to fill our water bottles with a fine local brew from Flagstaff.  Thats a nice way to cap off a slightly stressful afternoon.

Scouting Lava

Day 10.  Lava day.  It fills paddlers minds from the moment they get on the river sometimes.  When it gets quiet people start talking about what they think the water level will be at Lava or how it went for them last time they were at Lava.  Its the perfect whitewater climax to this trip with only a couple days left.  We spent the morning running good smooth lines with only one swim and a flip or two out of 16 boats.  We had big smiles through 20 more miles of the the lower canyons that day.

"Shadow on the wall"

Day 11.  Miles and miles.  These last few days we covered about 25 miles a day.  My arms were tired but it was a good tired.  The shadows continued to morph and change on the canyon walls.  The moon followed Orion over the horizon.  The end of the trip felt close.  I tried to keep myself focused on the present but little bits of home started to seep into my thoughts.  The lower canyons are beautiful.

The Grand Canyon 2012 Crew

Day 12.  We had just a short paddle to the take out so it was more of a silly float.  I think we all felt pretty happy with ourselves accomplishing a great trip, with a great crew.  Paddling fairly remotely for that long, with a lot of people, in the winter, is a fairly serious endeavor.  It came off perfectly.  Its not very often that you travel with 15 other people with, no drama, no real problems, and lots of memories from a trip of a lifetime.
Cheers
Shane

A well organized kitchen makes all the difference

Day 2.  ”Skeg Down!”  Holy Mackerel that little plastic slice of love hanging off the back of the XP 10 is magical.  It makes the swirly water at the bottom of every rapid and in every tight canyon on the river  a piece of cake.  I would occasionally find my boat wandering all over the river in the seams where the fast water and surging pools collided.  Then I would notice that I was not, “engaged”.  Some of our crew paddled the entire river, rapids included, with the skeg down.

Woody was skeg down all the way!

Day 3. Brook Burke is the man!  This dude had less than 10 days of whitewater kayaking under his belt when he started to paddle through the Grand Canyon.  Throw in the fact that he got sick in the first few days and you have a double stud factor of 11.

Brook feeling the power at House Rock!

Day 4.  You don’t need to pack everything in a dry bag.  Things that can get wet can get packed anywhere and single pieces fit well into the little spaces between bags, behind seats, and in front of your feet.
Day 5.   There is soooo much room in the XP that I can’t even tell you how easy it was to pack and actually pack too much stuff.  I had socks, underwear, playing cards, harmonica, jacket, a jar of peanut butter,  jelly,  and a roll of bagels that I never used!  It was really nice to know that I would have enough even if it got really cold.  The key is to look for all the nooks and crannys between the bags and  spaces that bags don’t fit.

Will it all fit?

Day 6.  Neosporin and bandades will heal a cut much faster than just letting it go while in the desert.  Here in the southeast you can just let it go and the moisture in the air will keep it from cracking and bleeding over and over.  Not so true out there.

The only injury on the trip

Day 7.  There is always something than can kick your ass even if you are on top of your game.  You might just fall down, knock a rock loose, meet a cat the size of a German Shepard, leave your drain plug open, or find your boat missing from the beach.  Not that there is anything you should do about it or be afraid of.  Just recognize that sometimes shit happens and having a good attitude, dealing, and understanding that we are all in it together is the way to go.

I kind of do and kind of don't want to meet the cat that goes with those prints.

Day 8.   Thermoss’ rock! When you are paddling in the cold a Thermos full of hot soup is one of the most satisfying things I have ever had for a river lunch.
Day 9.  If you pull your bad ass outfitting off the back band and lay it down on the seat pad you won’t have a frozen dew seat in your kayak in the morning.

How long did it take to carve that creek?

Day 10. Probably the most important comfort issue to be conscious of during the trip through the Canyon in the winter is condensation and moisture.  True there isn’t much rain, snow, or sleet down there but if you dress too warm you may sweat and that will chill you if the breeze picks up or the cold water of the river hits you so constantly monitor and control your temperature so that it doesn’t happen.  The other place to really watch is your camp set up.  As the temps drop there becomes a serious difference between your temperature and the outside air temp. which leads to condensation.  If you sleep out under the stars that moisture will build up on your sleeping bag and can be serious enough to wet the bag pretty heavily.  I even got a little wet inside a tent without the fly.  The two things that really help with condensation seem to be coverage that will catch the moisture (a tent with a fly or a tarp), and ventilation.  It seems to me that having a tent or tarp that allows ventilation around you without it settling on top of you is very important in this battle.  A crazy simple tip to spotting a dry camp spot:  dry sand = dry camp spot,  damp sand = damp camping.  I know that seems obvious but it was a great indicator.

A good tarp is as good as a tent except when it comes to mice and ringtail cats.

Day 11.  Neck warmers are the bomb when it comes to controlling your temperature or just keeping warm.  My parents used to tell me that 92% of your body heat went out of your head.  After this trip I think the other 40% leaves through your Carotid artery.

Steve J. psyched to be on the water

Day 12.  No matter how many times you do something you can find something special about each trip. Down playing the experience because you have done it before is a weak excuse for not having an incredible time.  Its ok to be totally stoked on the experience!  What a great crew I got to paddle with!  I hadn’t spend this much time on the water with Woody before.  It was awesome to see Steve Jordan (a former partner of ours at LL) do so well on the river and see that his hard work to get ready for the trip really paid off.  I met a great crew of new friends and I had many friends in mind and traveling with me that couldn’t join us.

Cheers,
Shane

Full of anticipation on what the Grand was going to offer us, we stopped at mile 17 to camp. The days in November are short, so I scrambled to find that perfect spot for the tent. Opening the dry bags for the 1st night is somewhat nerve racking. The question, “Do I have everything?” popped into my head. I started setting up my tent, sleeping stuff, and pulled out dinner supplies. Yes, I remembered everything, at least I thought. Having a big group is always a pro to a self-support trip, because there is an option to trade supplies and food. The freedom of kayaking or hiking when and where you want is grand, however supporting others in the group is priority in having a successful trip.

Having a group that you can trust is key; looking out for others paddling is important on a long self-support trip. At times the rapids actually felt easier than the big boil lines that like to pull the stern into the vortex of the tornado-looking water. Staying healthy and strong is also huge in paddling 20-30 miles a day. I have come to realize after 10 years of paddling, that most kayakers are humble and trust worthy people. I was happy that the group of gals and men on this trip were amazing people. Having 5 other gals to talk to about our past paddling adventures gave us an instant bond.

As the days passed by, the routine of getting up, pooing, making breakfast, packing up the kayak (takes about 20 min), and paddling another 20 miles to a badass hike or camp became a zen-like experience. The simplicity of a self-support trip made me fall in to rhythm of what my ancestors may have experienced. No cell phone, no drama, no deadlines, just pure living. I started to notice the rocks, the walls, the animals living in a complete present time. Looking at the stars between high canyon walls, with absolutely complete quietness made my mind silent for the first time.

The night before Lava, the group brought out many drinks to share, we had treasure hunts stashed for our group so we never ran out of merry drinks, and water. Whenever, I ran out of water I simply purified the water from the Colorado, and so far I feel great. On chilly nights, I put the boiled (purified) water in a nalgene in my sleeping bag for instant warmth. In the morning the water was cool enough to drink. Hydration is key to stay healthy and strong.

The next day we started paddling downstream to the well-known rapid, Lava at mile 180. Having 3 people in the group who have paddled the Grand before, brought old stories back from this rapid. Yet at the same time, the past seemed like a fuzzy dream. Most of the group skirted the left, and a few went right. We had one swimmer, and she kept her paddle, and boat together. She, stayed warm wearing a dry-suit, and the river’s power humbled our souls. we paddled a few more miles and came upon a rafting group hanging out on a sunny beach. They were about to have some bootie beers (an old boater tradition, if you swim you must drink a beer from a bootie), we decided to join them. Our group of kayakers and rafters enjoyed cold drinks for at least an hour together.

The next few days, blew by. The rhythm of packing, and unpacking our kayaks became effortless as space opened up in our boats. I realized, after the 9th day that I over-packed food, since I still had a full dry bag of dehydrated beans and rice. The only things I finally realized I forgot were tortillas and socks. I traded gorp for tortillas, and luckily my good friend Lana, let me use a fresh pair of socks for a long hike.
I also figured out the easiest way to pack my boat. Here is a quick rundown…
Put the big yellow dry bag in the front (sleeping bag and thermo rest), shove canned chicken, purifier, and pan behind the foot pegs.
-Put groover in next and press with all my strength against the other dry bag to fit my water bottle in.
-Pack the back crevasses with fuel, canned food, and sandals.
-Put tent and poles into the back hatch area, along with 4 other small dry bags. Press hatch down with full strength.
-Put plastic box with day supplies in the back of the seat as well as, two other small dry bags that contain day supplies (food, hiking shoes, camera, sunglasses, first aid kit, and hair conditioner that I applied daily before paddling).
-That’s it, takes about 15-20 minutes and a cup of coffee to load about 80 pounds of gear.

The last 2 days we had 40 miles of flat water, I was excited to see the Lower Granite Gorge past Diamond Creek. The rapids that started off the canyon, were beautiful and long. As soon as we hit the flat water, we realized the impact of Lake Mead: 10 foot silt banks, lined the river walls, and rapids disappeared. Looking for the last campsite became and adventure due to rain and no available campsites. I learned patience is a true virtue. We luckily found a campsite that sat upon about a 20-foot bank. We pulled each kayak up with a 75-foot rope, and it became a team effort that made us appreciate each day we had a perfect campsite and sunny skies.

Finishing off most of the drinks and food that night, we all had a feeling of true accomplishment.

A week later, I look back at this trip and, ask myself, What is the purpose of a self-support kayaking trip? I realize that my life can be claustrophobically filled with drama, cell phones, computers, TV, and Americanized material things. The irony of feeling opportunity and openness in between the deep narrowness of the Grand Canyon walls answered my question.

The answer is…Simplicity of life brings true joy of survival.

Cheers-Lisa Marie

*If this is goal of yours, to self-support kayak down your favorite river, go do it. Plan, save, and achieve. It’s well worth all the effort. I suggest starting with 2 days down your favorite river with a loaded boat. Then check out new rivers for extended days. Protect, share and enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

As a kayaker/film producer I have been striving to produce professional whitewater kayaking videos, improve my editing, and my filming. These are some of my best shots from the past couple seasons.

Thanks to all kayakers in here for producing good lines to film.
Filming and Editing by Fred Norquist
Shot on Canon 7D & GoPro HD

Visit BombFlow for more sick edits.

Once the first HD Hero was released it quickly was seen in every extreme sport across the board, all the biggest names in surfing, motocross, skiing, mtn biking, and even kayaking wanted to get their hands on them. When I first met Nick Woodman (the creator of GoPro) back in 2006 his enthusiasm and aggressive marketing style blew me away. From the beginning I knew GoPro was going to go BIG but I had no idea they would grow so fast, especially during the extreme recession of the US economy. In the past 5 years GoPro has dominated the helmet camera market with many competitors continuously chasing the coat tails of this innovative company. The Hero 2 is no different. This camera will set the new standard of high definition (still under $300) with the capabilities of 11 megapixel photos, 120 fps in SD, and wireless technology coming in early 2012. If you have not gotten on board yet I suggest you do, affordable, dependable, with amazing customer service, GoPro continues to be at the forefront of wearable camera technology.

Here is a short video testing new mounts up in Mt. Shasta over winter vacation. With LOW WATER in Nor Cal and being full time in film school at UC Santa Cruz, sometimes you just gotta take what you can get. Check out some low water Sims Falls laps with the new GoPro Hero 2.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Just to show that the original Hero is still EPIC, here is a Slippery When Wet GoPro Reel featuring all GoPro Hero shots, just in case you don’t want to spend as much money on the Hero 2, we used the original Hero for the whole film.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Big shout out to GoPro and all my sponsors that have made 2011 unforgettable, my opportunities with kayaking would be significantly limited without your support, so thank you for the resources to make all this possible. I am very grateful for everything my life and look forward to the 2012 season, hope to see you all on the water.

For more visit www.shastaboyz.com

Driving down to Flagstaff with the home team.

My home for the next couple weeks.

It was great to see the team in Flagstaff for final packing and celebration of 3 New Years.  East Coast, Central, and Mountain.  I think the packing got a little sloppy in the end.  We’ll see if we got it all on board.  Happy New Years Everyone!  See ya on the water.
Shane

Last minute packing on New Years Eve!

GoPro asked me to put together a 100% Hero Reel from Slippery When Wet to promote the original GoPro Hero. This segment boast footage from all over the world including California, Pacific Northwest, Mexico, and relief work in Japan. If you enjoy what you see PLEASE order the film (you can order HERE) and support the project. Be sure to check out the NEW GoPro HERO 2 with not only 1080 HD filming capabilities, but 11 megapixel photos as well. BIG shout out to all the boyz involved with this project especially those featured: Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, Evan Garcia, Cody Howard, Ryan Knight, Devin Knight, and Drew Duval, there wouldn’t have been a film without yall, thanks for your contribution! More content to look forward to with a part 2 photo update from Japan dropping early Jan. 2012.

Enjoy the 100% GOPRO REEL and feel free to like, comment, and SHARE! see more at www.shastaboyz.com

Click here to view the embedded video.