First NOLS trip

Hello! I just wanted to report on the recent trip I helped lead down the Green River in Utah. Working for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), I was fortunate enough to be a part of a great group of folks that explored the Green’s Desolation, Gray, and Lodore Canyons for the past 14 days.

For those of you that haven’t been down those sections, I’d highly recommend them. The Green cuts through the Colorado Plateau and creates these amazing, diverse canyons. April in Utah is a bit cold (I had the bowline of our oar rig freeze solid multiple times), but there was an abundance of wildlife in the canyons. We saw bison, big horned sheep, mule deer, and loads of herons and eagles. One of our students even found an elk antler.

The water in Lodore was at a low-average level, as they haven’t yet begun releasing much from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. However, down in Deso, the water was at a fun level, with a decent amount coming off the undammed Yampa River. The NOLS students, all beginner paddlers, loved the Class III rapids of the Green, and many expressed interest in getting into kayaking. I was excited to see them battle the mental challenge of frozen neoprene and still realize how exciting and fun whitewater can be.

Kristin and I have a lot more programs lined up for this Spring. She’s about to compete at the US National Slalom Team Trials in Charlotte this weekend, and then we will both head to Durango to finish becoming ACA instructor trainers. Later in May, I head to California to lead a two week rafting trip in the Klamath River drainage. Our biggest program, though, is WILD Idaho, which we are leading for Boise State University this June.

We just got our new WRSI helmets and throwbags, and look forward to putting them to good use! WRSI made us a part of their athlete team, and we are proud to endorse their helmets. Check out their site: www.whitewaterhelmet.com.

More later.

- Sean

Racing in Texas

Kristin and I made a quick stop in Austin, Texas on our way back from Chile. Kristin had decided to compete in a slalom kayaking race here on the San Marcos River… her first race ever. It was fun to make the stop here in Texas, because my older brother Ryan and his wife Heather live in Austin. Also, my older sister Mandy, her husband Jorge and their kids live in San Antonio. San Marcos is directly half-way between both families, so we were able to see everyone.

We first visited the San Marcos River in November when we took Ryan and Heather kayaking for their first time there. Returning for the race, we were impressed with the Rio Vista Whitewater Park, and how much fun it was to have a slalom race there. The water, even in February, was 72 degrees. On the day of the race, it was 76 degrees outside, and Sunday.

There was a good turnout for the race. Kristin’s category, K-1W, included a former British National Team paddler, one former member of the U.S. junior national team, and Michelle Kvanli, a longtime slalom and marathon racer. Former Olympic Gold Medalist Joe Jacobi was on site and helped work with Kristin in the training days leading up to the race.

Ultimately, Kristin had two very successful race runs. She had no problem getting all the gates, and had only three touches her first run, and two on her second. These solid runs ended up putting her in third place overall, which qualifies her to compete in the U.S. National Team Trials in Charlotte in April this year. This is very exciting, because it means she can focus on training and learning as she goes onto her other planned races this spring, and have fun at Team Trials.

We both enjoy the benefits that slalom kayak racing provides… it is probably the best way for a paddler to develop her/his technical river running skills, and it lets paddlers challenge themselves on whitewater without adding additional danger. We feel that Alzar School students should have a basic involvement with racing, as it can help them learn how to compete well, teach them sportsmanship, and introduce them to many different parts of the world. We are helping host a simple race this summer, open to all the camps of Western North Carolina.

Look forward to hearing more about Kristin’s racing progress this spring!

Sean