Best Whitewater Books To Read

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July 17, 2023

Whether looking for a book to keep you occupied between paddle sessions or to read in your tent on whitewater weekends, this list of the best whitewater books promises to enthrall readers with stories of adventure, friendship, courage, daring and skill.

Best Canoeing Books To Read

Best Whitewater Books: New Releases

Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon

By Melissa L. Sevigny

The riveting tale of two pioneering botanists and their historic boat trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon.

In the summer of 1938, botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter set off to run the Colorado River, accompanied by an ambitious and entrepreneurial expedition leader, a zoologist, and two amateur boatmen. With its churning waters and treacherous boulders, the Colorado was famed as the most dangerous river in the world. Journalists and veteran river runners boldly proclaimed that the motley crew would never make it out alive. But for Clover and Jotter, the expedition held a tantalizing appeal: no one had yet surveyed the plant life of the Grand Canyon, and they were determined to be the first.

Through the vibrant letters and diaries of the two women, science journalist Melissa L. Sevigny traces their daring forty-three-day journey down the river, during which they meticulously cataloged the thorny plants that thrived in the Grand Canyon’s secret nooks and crannies. Along the way, they chased a runaway boat, ran the river’s most fearsome rapids, and turned the harshest critic of female river runners into an ally. Clover and Jotter’s plant list, including four new cactus species, would one day become vital for efforts to protect and restore the river ecosystem.

Brave the Wild River is a spellbinding adventure of two women who risked their lives to make an unprecedented botanical survey of a defining landscape in the American West, at a time when human influences had begun to change it forever.

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Chasing Rivers:
A Whitewater Life

By Tamar Glouberman

From a debut voice in adventure writing comes the thrilling true story of a female whitewater guide as she navigates some of the most extreme and remote rafting rivers in North America―until tragedy strikes.

When Tamar Glouberman was in her twenties and thirties, rivers were flowing through every aspect of her life. Whitewater and the paddling community bring excitement, friendships, lovers and a connection to the natural world as she traverses the map in search of her next adventure. As a short woman who nearly failed high-school gym, Glouberman does not fit the stereotype of a kayaker or raft guide and must prove herself time and again. Yet she feels more at home on water than land.

Driven to guide increasingly dangerous rivers, Tamar overcomes her self-doubts and challenges both on and off the water, using a combination of grit and wit. But when a rafting trip ends in a fatal accident, she is consumed by guilt and exiles herself from the rivers she loves, convinced she can never return. Tamar must eventually decide if being unable to save her passenger’s life means she also must sacrifice her own.

A raw and honest work from a talented new voice in adventure writing, Tamar’s memoir is a page-turner, transporting readers through wild rapids and breathtaking canyons, navigating eddies and currents, as she learns from the river that finding self-forgiveness might be the most hard-to-reach destination of all.

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Torrents as Yet Unknown: Daring Whitewater Ventures into the World’s Great River Gorges

By Wickliffe W. Walker

A dramatic narrative tour of 10 of the world’s most incredible whitewater adventures—spanning 5 continents and 40 years—guided by a legendary whitewater trailblazer.

This fascinating history of daring whitewater explorers stands alongside classic works on mountaineering, outdoor survival, and extreme sports.

Perfect for fans of Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Candice Millard’s River of the Gods.

In ten thrilling real-life adventure stories, pioneering whitewater explorer Wick Walker examines what lured a generation of incredibly daring pioneers into some of Earth’s most wondrous yet forbidding river canyons.

Loaded with great moments and personal stories, Wick details what these adventurers found there, and within themselves. The extraordinary characters, driven by different motives and visions, but united by their compulsion to seek the unknown and the pulse of free-flowing water, are as remarkable as the daunting geography and conditions they confront.

Whitewater sport today stands side-by-side with mountaineering in participation and public attention, yet it has lagged in generating its own literature. Torrents As Yet Unknown will help fill that gap for readers interested in human drama played out against great natural challenges.

Mountaineering history is deep and its literature rich, but whitewater adventurers approach and experience the same forbidding terrain from a different vantage, between the steep walls of their canyons and atop powerful torrents of cascading water.

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Best whitewater books to read

Amazon Woman

By Darcy Gaechter

Part memoir, part feminist manifesto, Amazon Woman shows what incredible feats we are capable of and will encourage people, especially women, across all backgrounds and ages to find the courage and strength to live the life they’ve imagined.

This 148-day journey began on Darcy Gaechter’s 35th birthday. She sold her successful outdoor adventure business, upsetting her partner and boyfriend of twelve years and getting them both fired in the process. The emotional waters that would fester and erupt on the ensuing journey was often more challenging to navigate than the mighty river itself. With blistering lips and irradiated fingernails, Darcy would tackle raging Class Five whitewater for twenty-five days straight, barely surviving a dynamite-filled canyon being prepared for a new hydroelectric plan. She and her two companions would encounter illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, murderous Shining Path rebels, and ruthless poachers in the black market trade in endangered species. They would plead for mercy at the hands of the murderous Ashaninka people who were convinced that they had come to steal their children’s organs.

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Brothers on the Bashkaus

By Eugene Buchanan

From rafts made from old germ-warfare suits and felled logs to lifejackets stitched together from soccer balls and wine bladders, river running in the former Soviet Union has evolved much like Australian wildlife, completely free of outside influences. Brothers on the Bashkaus follows the exploits of one of the first groups of Westerners to experience this foreign style of rafting on a white-knuckled, 26-day trip down the Bashkaus River, one of the hardest whitewater runs in all Siberia.

In the early 1990s, armed with little more than former guiding experience and the prestigious Shipton/Tilman grant from W. L. Gore and Associates—the first of its kind ever awarded for a river expedition—four Americans stumble into a chance encounter with ten Latvians and soon find themselves on one of the wildest rides in the world. Along the way they deal with everything from language barriers to armed horsemen and rapids lined with memorials to those who perished before them. They battle the elements and fear starvation, finding sustenance in pork fat, sugar cubes, and fish-eyeball soup along the way.

More than just a great adventure story, Brothers on the Bashkaus combines a fascinating study of a culture and history with a riveting play-by-play of the paddling maneuvers and survival skills needed to meet the day-to-day challenges in the canyon. Thrown together with a common mission, these men soon discover the bonding qualities of the river, a medium that dissolves cultural barriers as easily as sediment. The Bashkaus creates a common bond regardless of race, religion, or nationality—one in which strangers truly come together as brothers.

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Hell or High Water: Surviving Tibet’s Tsangpo River

By Peter Heller

A grand adventure—an elite kayaking team’s heroic conquest of the worlds last great adventure prize: Tibet’s Tsangpo River.

The Tsangpo Gorge in southeastern Tibet has lured explorers and adventurers since its discovery. Sacred to the Buddhists, the inspiration for Shangri La, the Gorge is as steeped in legend and mystery as any spot on earth. As a river-running challenge, the remote Tsangpo is relentlessly unforgiving, more difficult than any stretch of river ever attempted. Its mysteries have withstood a century’s worth of determined efforts to explore it’s length. The finest expedition paddlers on earth have tried. Several have died. All have failed. Until now.

In January 2002, in the heart of the Himalayan winter, a team of seven kayakers launched a meticulously planned assault of the Gorge. The paddlers were river cowboys, superstars in the universe of extreme kayaking who hop from continent to continent ready for the next death-defying pursuit. Accompanying them was author Peter Heller. A world-class kayaker in his own right, Heller has logged countless river miles and several major first descents. He joined the Tsangpo Expedition as a member of the ground support team and official expedition journalist, and was also granted the exclusive opportunity to write the book about the descent.

Hell or High Water is that book—greatly expanded from his coverage for Outside magazine. Filled with history, white-knuckle drama, and mutiny in one of the world’s most storied-and remote-locations, Hell or High Water is as riveting as any of the great epic adventures throughout history. Publication coincides with the release of a documentary about the expedition by National Geographic.

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Kayak: The New Frontier

By William Nealy

Laugh and learn kayaking skills, from basic to advanced, through detailed text and more than 400 humorous illustrations!

If you want to learn how to paddle—and laugh out loud while doing so—William Nealy’s classic illustrated kayaking-skills manual remains dead-on hilarious. Kayak demonstrates important paddling techniques through humorous illustrations, along with detailed explanations from the renowned kayaker.

This book is perfect for beginners and more experienced paddlers, from hardcore hippy hairboaters who used to catch air in their block-long Dancers to insane youngsters clattering tiny plastic boats down steep creeks with more rocks than water. You’ll get to know everything from kayak and rapids anatomy to paddling techniques to river rescue methods.

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Living the Best Day Ever

By Hendri Coetzee

This is a true story of the greatest African explorer you have never heard of. Equipped with a core philosophy and a lot of luck, Hendri Coetzee embarks on a series of increasingly outrageous adventures in search of what he calls the best day ever. Through a series of harrowing and often hilarious experiences, he is subjected to grueling challenges in the most unique and compelling classroom on earth: the rivers and jungles of Africa.

Recognised for his unique approach to extreme adventures, Johannes Hendrik (Hendri) Coetzee was a true African explorer; a modern day incarnation of the nineteenth century mould of Livingston, Stanley, Baker, Burton and Speke. A South African, born in 1975, he ventured into the depths of Africa evoking the legacy of his predecessors when he jokingly referred to himself as a “Great White Explorer.” Coetzee spent more than a decade risking his life on the riverine veins that pulse thorough the heart of Africa, only to discover an intangible way to feel most alive.

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No Barriers: The Young Adult Adaptation

By Erik Weihenmayer

Erik Weihenmayer has a long history of turning obstacles into adventures. Born with a rare condition that blinded him as a teenager, he never let his diagnosis hold him back from a full life. As an athlete, explorer, speaker and activist, he has opened the eyes of people around the world to what’s possible. In 2001, he became the first blind man to climb Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. In 2005, he co-founded his nonprofit organization, No Barriers, to empower others to overcome adversity and achieve their biggest goals.

This special edition of No Barriers introduces kids to the incredible true story of Erik’s most terrifying journey: solo kayaking the thunderous whitewater of the Grand Canyon. Erik and his friends form a courageous crew to do battle with some of the harshest elements nature has to offer. Along the course of Erik’s journey, he meets other trailblazers: adventurers, scientists, artists, and activists who show Erik the way forward and teach him the meaning of No Barriers―“What’s Within You is Stronger Than What’s in Your Way.”

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Paddling Pacific Northwest Whitewater

By Nick Hinds

Paddling Pacific Northwest Whitewater is the definitive guide to the best rivers and creeks for kayaking and rafting in Washington and Oregon—home to some of the most fun (and challenging) whitewater in the world. Including over 240 detailed run descriptions from local area paddlers who know these rivers and creeks better than anyone else, this is the only book you’ll ever need for a lifetime’s-worth of paddling in the Pacific Northwest.

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Soggy Sneakers: A Paddler’s Guide to Oregon’s Rivers

By Willamette Kayak & Canoe Club

Soggy Sneakers has been Oregon’s primary source of information for whitewater enthusiasts for 35 years. Members of Willamette Kayak and Canoe Club―who have run all of Oregon’s rivers―share their expertise and detail rapids and landmarks found on each run. There’s something for everyone, from Class 1 (flatwater) excursions to Class 6 (most challenging) rapid-filled adventures.

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The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

By Kevin Fedarko

From one of Outside magazine’s “Literary All-Stars” comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.

In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named “The Emerald Mile” at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal.

The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. The goal was to nail the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelled—by oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himself—down the entire length of the Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead. Did he survive? Just barely. Now, this remarkable, epic feat unfolds here, in The Emerald Mile.

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The Last River: The Tragic Race for Shangri-la

By Todd Balf

It was the ultimate whitewater adventure on the Mount Everest of rivers, and the biggest challenge of their lives….

October 1998 an American whitewater paddling team traveled deep into the Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet to run the Yarlung Tsangpo, known in paddling circles as the “Everest of rivers.” On Day 12 of that trip, the team’s ace paddler, one of four kayakers on the river, launched off an eight-foot waterfall and flipped. He and his overturned kayak spilled into the heart of the thunderous “freight training” river and were swept downstream, never to be seen again.

The Last River: The Tragic Race for Shangri-la is a breathtaking account of this ill-fated expedition, a fascinating exploration of what propelled these kayakers to take on the seething big water and perilous Himalayan terrain of the deepest gorge on the planet. This was the magical Shangri-la of legend, a 140-mile-long canyon framed by 25,000-foot snowcapped peaks, a place of unimaginable beauty called Pemako in ancient Buddhist texts that was rumored to contain mammoth waterfalls.

At the close of the twentieth century, an end-to-end descent of the gorge filled the imaginations of some of the best boaters in the world, who saw in the foam and fury of the Tsangpo’s rapids the ultimate whitewater challenge. For Wick Walker and Tom McEwan, extreme whitewater pioneers, best friends, and trip leaders, the Tsangpo adventure with Doug Gordon, Olympic medal-winning paddler Jamie McEwan (Tom’s brother), and Roger Zbel was the culmination of a twenty-five-year quest. Fueled by narratives of early explorers, Walker and McEwan kept their dream alive and waited until the Chinese government opened the gorge to Westerners. With financial backing from the National Geographic Society, the group was finally good to go in 1998.

Swollen to three times the size they had expected because of record rains and heavy snowmelt, the Tsangpo lived up to its fearsome reputation. On numerous occasions the team questioned whether to continue, but chose to press forward. The Last River probes beyond the extreme sports clichés and looks at the complex personal and intellectual reasons for the seemingly irresistible draw of Tibet’s Great River. For Walker, Gordon, Zbel, and the McEwans—husbands, fathers, friends, and brothers—the Tsangpo wasn’t a run toward death but a celebration of life, adventure, and the thing that tied them to one another—awe-inspiring rivers. The Last River is also a riveting journey to one of the world’s wildest and most alluring places, a thrilling book that invites us into the Himalayas of Jon Krakauer’s classic, Into Thin Air, but from a totally new perspective—on a historic river so remote that only the most hardy and romantic souls attempt to unlock its mysteries.

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The River

By Peter Heller

From the best-selling author of The Dog Stars comes the story of two college students on a wilderness canoe trip—a gripping tale of a friendship tested by fire, white water, and violence.

“A fiery tour de force … I could not put this book down. It truly was terrifying and unutterably beautiful.” –The Denver Post

Wynn and Jack have been best friends since college orientation, bonded by their shared love of mountains, books, and fishing. Wynn is a gentle giant, a Vermont kid never happier than when his feet are in the water. Jack is more rugged, raised on a ranch in Colorado where sleeping under the stars and cooking on a fire came as naturally to him as breathing. When they decide to canoe the Maskwa River in northern Canada, they anticipate long days of leisurely paddling and picking blueberries, and nights of stargazing and reading paperback Westerns. But a wildfire making its way across the forest adds unexpected urgency to the journey.

One night, with the fire advancing, they hear a man and woman arguing on the fog-shrouded riverbank; the next day, a man appears on the river, paddling alone. Is this the same man they heard? And if he is, where is the woman? From this charged beginning, master storyteller Peter Heller unspools a headlong, heart-pounding story of desperate wilderness survival.

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The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping

By Molly Absolon

The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping introduces new rafters to the skills, equipment, and knowledge required to mount a multi-day whitewater rafting trip. Rafting equipment, skills, and techniques have changed drastically in recent years, and this book provides the latest information on equipment selection, care, repair, and use; whitewater rafting techniques; reading rivers; hazard evaluation and basic rescue; camping techniques; river cooking and living; and expedition planning.

Written in a clear and comprehensive manner by outdoor educator and whitewater veteran Molly Absolon, The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping is a great tool for novices and an excellent resource for experienced rafters.

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The Whitewater Wars: The Rafters and the River Trip that Saved the Ocoee and The Gauley River Battle

By David Brown

The Whitewater Wars is an entertaining and at times funny story about the twists and turns in the battle with two federal agencies to save the Ocoee and Gauley Rivers. These were not conventional environmental battles. Living close to the edge at times with relatively little money, rafting and kayaking pioneers in river shorts and sandals were seemingly no match against powerful federal agencies. They were grossly underestimated.

Here is what Marc Hunt, one of the first Ocoee River paddlers, has to say about The Whitewater Wars. “Successful advocacy efforts for the environment are always uphill battles, and winning them requires leaders with vision, grit, and integrity. David Brown brought those qualities in spades to the efforts to save the Ocoee and Gauley rivers. Anyone with passion for protecting America’s rivers, and for that matter anyone who just enjoys hearing about political brawls with powerful federal bureaucracies, will love the quick read that The Whitewater Wars delivers through David’s gifted storytelling.”

David Arnold, a cofounder of Class VI River Runners, in Lansing, WV said, “This book does much more than describe how an industry started and grew in the mountains of Appalachia. It is the behind-the-scenes account of the power of passion to make change happen. This ‘David and Goliath’ story gives hope to anyone committed to changing the way we do things.”

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Whitewater Awakening

By Rita Potter

Can two lost people find themselves, and possibly each other, halfway around the world?

After a tragic accident, Quinn Coolidge leaves everything behind, hoping to find solace in a secluded life in the Ozarks. Her solitude is disrupted when her best friend unexpectedly shows up with a proposition she may not be able to resist.

Faced with a series of failed relationships, Aspen Kennedy is left wondering why she can’t find true love. With each new partner, she immerses herself in their interests, hoping to find the connection she’s been missing. That should make her the perfect girlfriend, shouldn’t it?

Come along with Quinn and Aspen as they travel to Africa to take on one of the most grueling whitewater rafting courses in the world. With the amazing Victoria Falls as their backdrop, the pair will have to look deep inside to discover what holds them back. Will the churning waters of the Zambezi River defeat them, or will it lead them to a whitewater awakening?

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Whitewater Kayaking:
The Ultimate Guide

By Ken Whiting

Whitewater Kayaking: The Ultimate Guide has become the established, definitive guide on the sport. Drawing on the combined 30+ years of experience of world-renowned paddlers and instructors Ken Whiting and Kevin Varette, this comprehensive guide covers everything from the most basic skills and concepts to the most advanced, cutting-edge paddling techniques.

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Kokatat Provides Support To Tongait Expedition Around Labrador Peninsula

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Press Release: Kokatat

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July 17, 2023

JF in Ungava Bay on a previous trip | Photo Courtesy of CackleTV Productions — JF in Ungava Bay on a previous trip | Photo:

ARCATA, CA (July 7,2023) – Late last week four sea kayakers set off on a 1,000-kilometer kayaking journey to the ‘Place of Spirits’ in the Canadian Arctic. Over the next four weeks, Justine Curgenven, JF Marleau, Frank Wolf and Larry Chomyn will paddle around the Labrador Peninsula unsupported from Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec to Nain, Newfoundland. Along with documenting the expedition through film and text, the group will be piloting a polar bear sighting/encounter app for Polar Bears International.

“This is an amazingly accomplished group of explorers and paddlers with over 50,000 kilometers of wilderness travel between them,” said Lisa Kincaid, Kokatat’s promotional marketing manager. “This expedition is wrought with danger between icebergs, polar bears, and massive tides, and so it’s no surprise so few people have attempted this route.”

Map of Labrador with red line traveling along the coast. — The route the team will be completing.

Nigel and Kristen Foster were the last to complete the route 20 years ago. The trip starts in Ungava Bay, home to the world’s largest tides, and travels around to the exposed Labrador coast. They’ll then traverse through Torngat National Park, which comes from the Inuktitut word “tongait,” meaning “place of spirits.”

There are a handful of hunting cabins along the way, but for most of the journey the paddlers will spend nights in the rugged landscape where they will set up an alarm fence and take turns holding night watch to keep an eye out for polar bears and other predators.

Man standing beside red tent pitched on rocky shore. Two sea kayaks on either side and a pile of gear in front. — JF in Ungava Bay on a previous trip.

Long-time adventurers Wolf and Curgenven have produced award-winning films and published many articles for national and international audiences. Marleau is one of the most experienced and highly qualified sea kayak professionals in Canada. Chomyn rounds out the all-Canadian team and has a long expedition resume and is passionate about paddling in dynamic water.

Kokatat has provided the team with Odyssey drysuits, Maximus Centurion and Neptune life vests, Tributary Hydration systems, and Slimstream waist tow systems for on-the-water, all-day comfort and safety.

Curgenven is frequently posting updates on the trip on her blog at cackletv.com/justines-blog/.

About Kokatat Inc

Kokatat has been manufacturing paddling gear in Arcata, California for over 50 years. At a time when many technical apparel brands were moving manufacturing offshore, Kokatat continued to invest in infrastructure in the United States. Kokatat founder Steve O’Meara was committed to the development of the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world and recognized the need to control and continually evolve the development of our dry wear.

In the early days, Kokatat worked closely with W.L. Gore & Associates, makers of GORE-TEX, to refine the sewing and sealing techniques required for full immersion suits and tops. Today, our hands-on approach to manufacturing continues to set the standard in paddling apparel. Into the water with Kokatat! Learn more at kokatat.com.

2023 Yukon River Quest Runs In July For First Time Ever

By

Marissa Trepanier

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July 13, 2023

With 44 out of 54 teams crossing the finish line in Dawson City, the 2023 edition of the Yukon River Quest has officially come to an end. This was the first time in the race’s 23-year history it ran in July; teams normally paddle the 715-kilometer route from Whitehorse to Dawson City in the middle of June.

The change in tradition came after mass flooding threatened to cancel the event two years in a row. With these types of high water events predicted to increase in frequency, race organizers decided pushing the event to July in 2023 would eliminate uncertainty for racers and the need for last-minute decisions to be made by the organizing team.

The river at the 2023 Yukon River Quest was considered a low to normal level for early July, allowing the race to take place without a hitch.

While last year’s floodwater conditions presented challenges such as debris, sweepers and large waves, this year wasn’t without it’s obstacles. Racers faced irregular waves from the west on Lake Laberge and daytime high temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius, making proper hydration an essential component for success.

Finishing first overall was Team #21, the Golden Lake Crew, made up of Seb Courville and Jen Courville from Golden Lake, Ontario. They finished the race in 46 hours, 17 minutes, and 12 seconds.

No race records were broken this year. The list of top finishers is published below.

Seb and Jen Courville, the winners of the 2023 Yukon River Quest, standing beside the Yukon River after finishing the race. — The winners of this year’s race, Seb and Jen Courville. | Photo: John Howland // Yukon River Quest

Solo Classes

Women’s Solo Canoe C1
1. Team #78 Shut Up and Paddle (Tania Halik | Invermere, BC, Canada) 65:20:31

Men’s Solo Canoe C1
1. Team #69 Matt@newwestdesign.ca (Matthew Smith | Calgary, AB, Canada) 54:13:16

Women’s Solo Kayak K1
1. Team #74 Team Lootas (Kelly Watson | Port Townsend, WA, USA) 54:09:20

2. Team #68 Rough Cut Diamond (Patricia Jones | Delta, BC, Canada) 57:00:41

3. Team #61 Stroke of Serendipity (Kimberly Dodds | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 59:36:06

Men’s Solo Kayak K1
1. Team #85 Vini Vidi Vici (Thomas de Jager | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 51:53:46

2. Team #76 The Waterman (Robert Gill | Vancouver, BC, Canada) 52:00:05

3. Team #73 CaCoCa (Jake VanLue | Granby, MO, USA) 57:07:48

Women’s Stand Up Paddleboard
None raced in 2023

Men’s Stand Up Paddleboard
1. Team #80 Yster Sweden (Goran Gustavsson | Halmstad, Halland, Sweden) 57:04:04

2. Team #64 Airboard (Thomas Schillig | Dietlikon, ZH, Switzerland( 57:32:28

3. Team #72 RGP (Christoph Weber | Chelsea, QC, Canada) 59:20:16

Tandem Canoe Classes

Mixed C2
1. Team #21 Golden Lake Crew (Seb Courville & Jen Courville | Golden Lake, ON, Canada) 46:17:12 – 1ST OVERALL

2. Team #40 Planned Grit (Mike De Abreu & Sophie Coupal | Arnprior, ON & Cantley, QC, Canada) 47:00:05 – 2ND OVERALL

3. Team #26 Broderson (Chris Broderson & Emily Broderson | Maple Grove, MN, USA) 48:53:04 – 5TH OVERALL

Women’s C2
None raced in 2023

Men’s C2
1. Team #34 Free Animal (Ragnar Robinson & Scott Fraser | La Ronge, SK, Canada) 48:15:12 – 4TH OVERALL

2. Team #31 Pangal Norte by Kilrich (John Philip Apostol & Joshua Apostal | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 49:02:33 – 6TH OVERALL

3. Team #23 Watch Our Wake (Brian Groves & Shane Ringham | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 49:53:49 – 8TH OVERALL

Tandem Kayak Classes

Mixed K2
1. Team #29 Spirit of America (Josh Friedman & Julie Kirk | Moyie Springs, ID, USA) 51:43:27

2. Team #38 Power Couple (Madison Power & Jeremy de Kroon | Victoria, BC, Canada) 66:15:00

Women’s K2
None raced in 2023

Men’s K2
1. Team #30 Yukiwis (Graham Sutherland & Greg Lloyd | Christchurch & Martinborough, New Zealand) 51:20:08

2. Team #36 The Revenant (Ben Lott & Scott Worthington | Wanaka & Tarras, New Zealand) 51:35:26

4-Person Canoe Classes

Mixed C4 (2 men, 2 women)
None raced in 2023

Women’s C4 (all women)
None raced in 2023

Open C4 (all or predominantly men)
1. Team #14 Spirit of the Yukon (Francis Soenen, Peter van den Berg, Danny Veys, Holly Crouch | Roselare, Essen & Marke, Belgium and Sherburne, NY, USA) 49:09:00 – 7TH OVERALL

2. Team #13 Usain Boat (Adam Strand, Michael Johnson, Giovanni Allevato, Douglass Endrizzi | Urbana, IL, Rapid City, SD, Kaneohe, HI & Monona, WI, USA) 54:51:01

3. Team #12 Mix Match (Martin Like, Anthony Ellis, Shawn Warren, Jerome Libecki | Powys & Shrewsbury, United Kingdom, Ft. McMurray, AB, Canada, & Springville, USA) 56:59:14

Boats being paddled on Yukon River during the 2023 Yukon River Quest. — Photo: Jason Wolsky // Yukon River Quest

Voyageur Canoe Classes (6 or more persons)

Mixed Voyageur (1/3 of team must be women)
1. Team #3 3-2-1 Go 2023 (Tina Hoeben, Kathy Jensen, Cindy Lee, Margaret Caudle, Andrew Lane, Cheance Adair | Penticon, BC, Canada, Wallace, MI, Newark, Alameda & San Diego, CA, and Lena, WI, USA) 47:36:03 – 3RD OVERALL

2. Team #4 Ts’alvit (James Boyde, Pam Boyde, Midori Kirby, Peer Kirby, Marina McCready, Marianne Douglas | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 49:56:02 – 9TH OVERALL

3. Team #1 CAP Warriors (Donna Johns, Bruce Jobin, Wes Kemble, Prezley Jobin, Dominic Johns, Shane Schinkel, Ethan Boucher, Barb Dawson | Carcross, Whitehorse & Haines Junction, YT, and Atlin, BC, Canada) 52:51:31

Women’s Voyageur (all women)
1. Team #2 Stix Together (Cheryl Rivest, Carolyn Relf, Kirsti de Vries, Susan Hamilton, Anna Peacock, Natalie Haltrich, Kathy Burden, Jennifer King | Whitehorse, YT, Canada) 49:57:34 – 10TH OVERALL

2. Team #7 Team Whoa (Tunde Fulop, Lisa Robertson, Patricia Clune, Noreen Schaefer, Danielle Boisvert, Tracey Hutton | Whitehorse, YT, Toronto, ON, Wynndel & Victoria, BC, Canada) 54:03:57

Open Voyageur (all or predominantly men)
1. Team #5 Good Company (Charlie Bodkin, Sam Horsley, James Samuels, Louis Hugh-Jones, Piers Haskard, Harry Horsley | South Coogee, High Range, Bondi Beach, Mosman, Manly, & High Range, NSW, Australia) 53:57:51

YRQ 300 (half quest to Carmacks)

Women’s VC Half
1. Team #8.5 Paddlers Abreast (Lynn Rice-Rideout, Asa Berg, Dawn Fralick, Rachel Zral, Stella (Mooney) Martin, Amy Miller, Monique Levesque, Jay Cherian | Whitehorse, YT & Atlin, BC, Canada) 26:00:05

6 Pieces Of Gear These Multiday Guides Won’t Launch Without

By

KM Collins

-

July 9, 2023

Forgetting a critical piece of gear from your packing list runs the risk of ruining an entire river trip. On the other hand, learning about a new piece of gear you didn’t know existed can completely change your perspective on a weekend or weeks-long float.

We polled a whitewater jury far and wide to see what powerhouse female guides considered their most important piece of gear—the one item they would simply not leave the launch without.

Behold: The meaning of life. | Photo: Justin Bailie

Why River Trips Give Our Life Meaning

6 pieces of gear these river guides always have on their packing lists

1 Wear a sun protection layer that doesn’t stink

Ibex Indie Hoodie

$170 | ibex.com

“I get sunburned and cold easily, so for fall whitewater rafting on the Rogue River, my favorite piece of multiday river gear is the Ibex Indie Hoodie. It’s lightweight enough to wear for sun protection but it’s warm enough to keep the chill off on the water and in camp. Plus, because it’s wool, it’s still warm when it’s wet and doesn’t smell even when I wear it multiple days in a row. It’s not cheap but I’ve had mine for about seven years and despite a few holes, it’s still going strong.”

—Ashley Drake, Co-owner and guide for Arrowhead River Adventures on the Rogue River, Oregon

2 Never skimp on a good camp mattress

Jack’s Plastic Welding Paco Pad

$190–$493 | jpwinc.com

“My Paco Pad is my favorite piece of camping gear because I love sleeping. My sleep setup is actually the only thing I never ‘downsize’ on. I have a cute Mexican blanket I put down first, then sleeping bag, then pillow, and finally a puffy blanket to top it off. Sometimes I have little fairy lights depending on the trip. I also love my Paco because it floats and when it’s really hot outside I’ll attach it to my boat and lay on it in the water. It’s the definition of luxury.”

—Sarah Magley, professional raft guide for Momentum River Expeditions on the Rogue, Owyhee and Illinois rivers, Oregon

Buy from:

AMAZON BACKCOUNTRY

Various colors of sleeping pads stacked on top of one another

5 Best Sleeping Pads For Kayak And Canoe Camping

3 Go beyond the basics for a good night’s rest

Nemo Equipment Tempo Synthetic Sleeping Bag

$159 | nemoequipment.com

“My Nemo sleeping bag has a flap you can tuck into the neck if it’s cold, or basically flop it on your face to keep the moon or sunlight off your face. The Nemo is also nice because it’s spacious for side sleepers.”

—Katie Blanchard, 11 combined seasons guiding on the Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Section 4 of the Chattooga River with Northwest Rafting Company and Wildwater

Buy from:

AMAZON BACKCOUNTRY REI

4 A pair of votes to protect the hands

NRS Axiom Gloves

$29 | nrs.com

“I could not live without a pair of NRS Axiom gloves and I always have a back up. My hands look like working hands. They are calloused, dry and peeling though they are still sensitive to blisters. Even one hour of rowing without gloves will develop blisters and then the rest of my trip will be more difficult than it needs to be.

“I like the Axioms because they have padding on the palms, open fingers for dexterity to tighten PFDs and use zippers, plus, the velcro strap helps fit to your wrist perfectly.”

—Alaina Foster, seven seasons on West Water & Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River and Desolation & Grey on the Green River. Current Operations Manager with OARS.

[Editors note: NRS no long produces the Axiom gloves and currently offers the Boater’s gloves.]

Buy from:

AMAZON REI

“Gardening gloves are perfect for rigging. They are the number-one least obvious piece of gear that I can’t do without for multidays. Saves the fingers from cuts, strap burns and getting dried out. Cheap and grippy.”

—Rylin Dale, professional raft guide for Oregon River Experiences on the Rogue River, Oregon

11 Reasons You Should Treat Yourself To A River Trip

5 Get a game-changer for nature’s call

pStyle P.U.D.

$11 | thepstyle.com

“My fave gear piece is the pStyle brand pee funnel. It makes peeing outside convenient and accessible for female bodies and, though I was skeptical at first, it’s been a real game-changer. So cheap and so worth it. It’s also made of recycled ocean plastic.”

—Rachael Healow, professional raft guide for Oregon River Experiences on the Clackamas River

Buy from:

AMAZON

6 Bring an ever versatile utility bag

Jack’s Plastic Welding Collapsible Bucket

$40 | jpwinc.com

“The JP bucket is the perfect place to store my Dewalt blower/inflator plus extra batteries en route to the put-in, stray canned drinks rolling around the cooler, boat or car, a post-trip dry pair of clothes, the TL binder, snacks and virtually everything else. It’s essentially a large purse with an open mouth. More malleable and lighter than a bucket, the welding and plastic is waterproof, although the top doesn’t actually close. I own two and use them constantly. On the Owyhee River this spring, it was the perfect sack for my head lamp, towel and warm clothes on a trip to the hot springs. The JP bucket is my hottest item of the season.”

—The author, freelance raft guide on the Rogue, Owyhee in Oregon and Salmon River, Idaho

[ Browse the widest selection of boats and gear in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]

Add these items to your packing list before loading up for an Owyhee river trip. | Feature photo: K.M. Collins

Astral’s 14th Limited Edition PFD Inspired By Pro Kayaker Nouria Newman

By

Press Release: Astral

-

July 5, 2023

June 28, 2023– Asheville, NC – Astral is proud to introduce a limited edition GreenJacket Rescue PFD in collaboration with world-renowned athlete and Astral Archetype Nouria Newman. Dubbed the “Wild Things” GreenJacket LE, the design features abstract illustrations by California-based surfer, painter, muralist, and illustrator Bret Brown. This is Astral’s 14th limited edition life jacket since 2009, representing a unique effort to push the limits of innovation at the intersection of performance, design, and creativity alongside athletes, artists, and non-profits. This legendary vest was selected as one of the best life jackets for whitewater paddlers by Paddling Magazine’s editors.

The Wild Things GreenJacket LE is inspired by Newman’s desire to pursue flow state experiences in nature and return home safely to her loved ones. On the front, back, and inside of the PFD, Brown’s artwork tells a playful and curious story of our innate call to the wild, using the colorful monsters and elements of nature he is known for. “I guess we all have our own monsters. Our own crazy dreams, fears, and doubts but [it is] also what motivates us. We tried to make friendly-looking monsters because going to places that scare you isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” shares Newman.

Woman wearing PFD, helmet, sprayskirt and drysuit. She is holding a kayak paddle in one hand, and a whitewater kayak in the other. She is standing in front of a waterfall.

Q&A With Expedition Kayaker Nouria Newman

“This LE collab is a symbolic expression of returning. A returning to our human experience… [and] that inside each of us is a scary, wild, unpredictable calling that deserves being listened to,” shares Brown. “I’m all about supporting that call to the wild, the unknown, to the scary depths, and to be a part of a project with Astral and Nouria that spoke to that calling was perfect.”

“This LE is inspired by Maurice Sendak’s children’s book ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. It’s about dreaming, overcoming fear, and going on all sorts of adventures, as well as coming back home to a warm meal and to your loved ones. For me that embodies a lot of what I love most in kayaking,” states Newman.

“Astral is honored to collaborate with Nouria and Bret to design a limited edition rescue PFD that champions having a present mind during wild experiences in Nature,” shares Philip Curry, founder and CEO of Astral.

[ Stay afloat and find your next PFD in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]

The Wild Things GreenJacket LE shares the same platform, architecture, and features as the industry-leading GreenJacket Rescue PFD. It is available online at astraldesigns.com and at select retailers.

With all of Astral’s LE programs, a portion of proceeds will be donated to organizations and projects that protect soil and water or provide youth access to Nature. Astral will donate 5% of online sales from the Wild Things GreenJacket LE to Tri-Haut pour l’Everest, a sustainability project working to reduce the amount of plastics and waste that enter the soil and water of the Himalayas, that was selected by Newman as the recipient. “I’m stoked to support this student project because they need it,” says Newman. “They’re not just making noise and raising awareness, they are actually out there making a difference.”

About Astral

Established in 2002, Astral designs high performance wilderness equipment created in the least toxic, lowest impact ways. Built on decades of experience and experimentation, Astral has assembled athletes, artists, and craftspeople to build the cleanest, most beautiful, and highest performing gear. Astral has significantly reduced toxic PVC foam from the PFD industry, invented breathable life jackets, won awards for their paradigm changing footwear designs, and developed the stickiest rubber ever worn on wet rock.

New Rhode Island Law Requires Paddlers To Always Wear PFDs

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

-

June 29, 2023

Rhode Island has joined a short list of U.S. states requiring a life jacket be worn by all paddlers at all times.

On March 23, 2023, the state announced a new law that took effect in April, stating, “All operators & passengers of canoes, kayaks, sailboards, kiteboards, paddleboards, and any other paddlecraft shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD at all times while underway regardless of age.” Paddlers not wearing a PFD may be subject to a $100 fine.

How To Choose A PFD For Ultimate Safety & Comfort On The Water

New Rhode Island Law Requires Paddlers To Always Wear PFDs

The state’s new law was motivated by the three fatal kayak incidents in 2022, as well as the state’s recognition that nearly half of its boating-related drownings occurring between 2018 and 2021 were paddlecraft users not wearing life jackets.

Rhode Island is only the second state currently requiring persons, in an all-encompassing range of paddlecraft, to be wearing a life jacket at all times, regardless of age. New Mexico was the first. A few additional states, including Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts, have seasonal laws for all paddlers to be wearing a PFD during the colder months. It should be noted, in every U.S. state, children are required to wear a PFD while paddling, and in the vast majority of states that age consideration is 13 and under.

The Providence Journal shared the opinion of a handful of paddlers as the new law went into effect. Some felt it is an overreach by their state government, while others, including members of area paddling associations, feel it is a net positive for safety.

Most states already require a life jacket to be on board paddlecrafts, but having every paddler wear their life jacket has not broadly been enacted at the legislative level.

In the Providence Journal article, Captain Michael Schipritt, the boating safety coordinator for Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Law Enforcement, puts the difference between having and wearing as such: “There is no time to put a life jacket on before a paddling accident. It’s like trying to buckle your seat belt before a car crash.”

New law dovetails with Coast Guard campaign

Getting paddlers to put on their life jackets has long been an educational mission of the U.S. Coast Guard.

kayaker giving a high five to a friend on shore, all wearing PFDs

Why You Should Always Wear A PFD

The USCG 2022 summary of statistics on recreational boating incidents states, “Where the cause of death was known, 75 percent of fatal boating incident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 85 percent were not wearing a life jacket.”

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: View all PFDs ]

Three out of every four drownings that occurred in the Coast Guard’s 2022 report were in vessels 21 feet or under, a category nearly all paddlecraft fall into. The Coast Guard also shares that in 2022, 21 percent of drownings involved a canoe or kayak.

The message the Coast Guard has resoundingly echoed over the horn is to put on a life jacket. In Rhode Island, this safety message has evolved the way of the seat belt and will now be enforced for paddlers to “click it or ticket” in their effort to make waterways safer for recreation.

Save $100—and potentially your life—by always wearing a PFD while paddling. | Feature photo: Courtesy Old Town Canoes and Kayaks

American Whitewater Announces Open-Source Safety Signage Toolbox

By

KM Collins

-

June 28, 2023

American Whitewater is all about open-source, river information sharing. This is the motivation and rationale behind American Whitewater’s recently released Open-source Signage Toolbox. The first of its kind in the river community, the Toolbox houses a database of templates for safety messaging regarding life jackets, caution messaging, river kiosk information, map content and river rapid classification info.

Several yellow triangular signs with different safety symbols on them. — Photo: Courtesy of American Whitewater

American Whitewater has taken on the challenge of streamlining universal whitewater and river signage. Think of the Toolbox as conveniently usable excerpts and content from a universal river sign guidebook. In the same way ski resorts have cultivated unified symbols, signage and color coding standards for downhill difficulty ratings (i.e. black diamond, green and blue, etc.), American Whitewater has curated universal signage for relaying important river safety information in the form of the Open-source Signage Toolbox.

Trail map sign at a trailhead. — Photo: Courtesy of American Whitewater

And who better to oversee the production of the first universal whitewater signage Toolbox than American Whitewater? American Whitewater has been recognized as the expert in whitewater and river safety for over 60 years and has been looked at to provide input and guidance on safety messaging for signage at river access points across the country. In contributing to countless signage projects throughout scores of years, American Whitewater noticed a need for more consistent messaging and improved accessibility to a range of river managers and users.

Comprehensive by design, the 83-page Toolbox indicates best practices for symbol and text combinations, color, graphic and spacing standards on panel imagery, acceptable pictograms and preferred dimensions of physical signs and posts, as well as proximal placement to access location. The Toolbox brings together the diverse input of over 200 river industry community members to the editing process.

“The annual death toll on America’s whitewater rivers is filled with the names of people who were looking for a fun day on the water and blundered into a dangerous situation. American Whitewater’s Safety Signage Project is designed to alert people to downstream dangers and suggest simple safety practices. The Open-source Signage Toolbox will make it easier for river managers, landowners, and others to get the word out.” – American Whitewater safety chairman, Charlie Walbridge

American Whitewater communications director, Evan Stafford said, “The years of river safety experience that went into American Whitewater’s Safety Signage Project is hard to even put a number to, but suffice it to say it should be counted in centuries. Everyone from public lands agency river managers who’ve been working to educate river users for decades, to swiftwater rescue instructors who’ve been teaching courses for generations gave their input. The end result is a comprehensive, open-source toolkit, that will push river signage to be the most informative it can be, while maintaining consistent messaging that can be recognized across jurisdictions and from watershed to watershed.”

Little boy on a paddleboard. — Photo: Courtesy of American Whitewater

American Whitewater’s ultimate goal in the Open-source Signage Toolbox initiative is to reduce boating fatalities and accidents under the premise that more effective information at river access points will result in a greater percentage of individuals engaged in safe boating practices.

“As a professional rescuer and firefighter I know the nexus between information and prevention. With information people can make an informed decision about where and how they want to recreate on the river. That critical information will lead to safer experiences for people and help to prevent accidents in the river environment,” noted Sean Norman, team leader of the Water Rescue Team for Cal Fire in Butte County.

Mom and daughter in a whitewater canoe — Photo: Courtesy of American Whitewater

By building an Open-source Signage Toolbox that supplies designers and river managers with coherent signage elements and other visual assets with consistent messaging, iconography and graphic elements, American Whitewater helps improve river safety and standardize resources and materials used at river recreation sites. Supported by research and industry expertise, the Open-source Signage Toolbox has been developed to create a comprehensive signature and graphic program that will improve communication, safety and awareness. Specifically, this toolbox was developed to prevent, protect and improve the following:

Prevent deaths, emergencies, land-owner conflicts, harm to river and wildlife, and the environment, unlawful and unsafe behavior at the access sites and mistreatment of the river/sites. Protect lives, natural resources, rivers and the environment. And finally, improve communication, connectivity, safety, recreation experience, education, site infrastructure, river health and stewardship, dams, portage routes and hydraulics, equipment details, general river use and guidelines.

American Whitewater will evaluate the effectiveness of the project through outreach to state and federal agencies, dam operators, and other river managers who are responsible for providing recreational boaters with safety information. American Whitewater will work collaboratively with river managers and state boating law administrators to identify opportunities to install improved signage and evaluate effectiveness through actions of the public.

The Toolbox was developed over the course of one year in partnership with Tangram Design under a grant from Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The original concepts for the project emerged from an effort by Snohomish County, WA to develop safety messages for communities along the Skykomish River.

Keep an eye out for an AW journal article and more press on the Open-Source Signage Toolbox. For more information, reach out to the American Whitewater Pacific Northwest Stewardship director, Thomas O’Keefe, 425-417-9012, okeefe@americanwhitewater.org.

Best Paddlesport Industry Recruiting Lines

Paddling Business

By

Jeff Moag

-

June 27, 2023

Remember the old days, when an employee loyalty plan sounded something like “Go clean out those coolers and y’all can eat whatever’s in them.”

We’ve come a long way since then. Or have we?

a collage of photos from the last 50 years of paddlesports

Looking Back At 50 Years Of Paddlesports

Covid and a squeaky-tight job market have flipped the balance of power in hiring, with retail and light manufacturing wages in North America increasing about 10 percent since 2020. Many outdoor guides could get a big bump this season if a federal court backs a Biden executive order setting the minimum wage for concessionaires on U.S. federal lands at $15, plus overtime.

Companies throughout the paddlesports industry are offering more benefits, perks and flexibility—in addition to more money and some intangible smoke.

“Know and support their goals, enable them as best you can, treat them as people and peers,” advised industry veteran Roger Poor.

Reece Fabbro Jr., owner of The Backpackers Shop in Sheffield, Ohio, checked in with a dose of reality. Retail margins aren’t high enough to pay floor help $20 or $25 an hour, and they can’t live on less. Ouch.

Maybe that’s why paddlesports job postings now sound a lot like they did in the old days, just with better leftovers in the cooler.

Take this nugget from a kayak tour operator seeking guides: “As soon as you and your group are safely on the beach, you dig into the coolers and produce a spread fit for a king; three types of locally cured meats, multiple kinds of cheese, smoked salmon, house pickled green beans, fresh strawberries, macadamia nuts, sliced baguettes and crackers spill over the edges of the walnut slab.”

No word on who is going to pickle those green beans (you are), but guiding on Yellowstone Lake never sounded better. “You slip into the calm cold water as the cry from a loon sends shivers up your spine… you settle into your boat and shake your head in wonder, thinking to yourself, ‘I am getting paid right now!’”

But wait, there’s more! Here for your enjoyment are our top five paddlesports recruiting lines, the 2022 edition.

Best Paddlesport Industry Recruiting Lines

“All recreational toys like mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and even horseback riding are available for free when not in use by our guests.”
“The dates of employment run 5/10 to 9/15 and busy, full-season guides can gross $8k–$10k+ across the course of the season—that’s before taxes and after tips!”
“Employee must be available to work all 18–20 nights of each schedule. Then you’ll have 10 to 12 days off—like having your weekends put together!”
“Free glampsite housing provided!”
“Better than working for your Uncle Dale driving nails back in Ohio.”

Paddling Business cover mockup This article was first published in the 2023 issue of Paddling Business. Inside you’ll find the year’s hottest gear for canoeing, kayaking, whitewater and paddleboarding. Plus: Industry leaders on the post-pandemic landscape, 50 years of paddlesports, the rise and fall of ACK and more. READ IT NOW »

“Can’t wait to get back to the bus and crush that can of chili.” | Feature photo: Rob Faubert

Humpback Whale Swims Beside Kayaker (Video)

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

-

June 27, 2023

A kayaker in Australia had the experience of a lifetime when a humpback whale swam beside his surf ski. According to 7News Australia, the humpback whale followed paddler Glenn “Nish” Annear from Coogee Beach to Bondi—a distance of over two miles. In an interview with Annear, the paddler said the whale was so close to his surf ski he could nearly touch it with his paddle.

[ Read: Guidelines For Kayak Whale Watching ]

Drone pilot Jason Iggleden captured the footage of the humpback whale and kayaker sharing the ocean. Iggleden’s footage is credited to Drone Shark App, an Australian drone company monitoring beaches for shark and marine life activity.

This is an active time of year for humpbacks off the coast of Australia. According to the Guardian Australia YouTube post, “Up to 50,000 whales are expected to pass Australia’s east coast during the annual migration from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef.” Fortunately, North American kayakers don’t have to take a trip to Australia to spot a humpback whale. Humpbacks travel throughout the U.S. and Canada’s east and west coast during the summer months.

Campfire Book Review: Chris Nuttall-Smith Teaches Us To Cook It Wild

By

Ian Merringer

-

June 22, 2023

Chris Nuttall-Smith. Feature Image: Toby Lennox / Penguin Random House

People fall into one of two camps when it comes to cooking trip meals.

Author Chris Nuttall-Smith. | Photo: Toby Lennox / Penguin Random House

There are the pragmatists, always planning the next reconstitution of one of their many indistinguishable, vacuum-packed, dehydrated pouches. They are happy to tell you how heavy a meal is, but can get as brittle as a banana chip if you ask them how it tastes.

Then, there are the hedonists. They are easy to track by following the trail of steak juice leaking from packs bulging with heavy cans and jars.

Chris Nuttall-Smith is on a mission to blend the best of both approaches. He’s the right man for the job. The avid canoeist is the former food critic for Toronto Life magazine and the Globe and Mail newspaper. He’s also been the on-screen judge for Top Chef Canada, so you know he appreciates an entertaining approach, which comes through in his ambitious and attractive new cookbook, Cook It Wild.

Chris Nuttall-Smith’s instant camp-cooking classic: Cook It Wild

Foodies can be guilty of being a little too precious about food, and themselves. Nuttall-Smith’s down-to-earth approach is never guilty of the same anywhere in the advice and commentary sections, which make up almost a quarter of the book.

“I began to see simple, practical, high-reward hacks that could dramatically change the way we cooked and ate outside.”

Nuttall-Smith doesn’t want you to take food too seriously, but he does want you to eat seriously well without having to work too hard for it. His recipe? Prep ahead. The thrust of the book is to convince you that you can eat the way you want to, without carrying too much and without working endlessly over the campfire. Just be prepared to spend some time over the chopping block before you go.

Image: Maya Visnyei / Penguin Random House

Before heading off on your trip, you’ll want to chop, cook, mix, seal and sometimes freeze ahead of time. Heed this advice, and you’ll soon find yourself pulling up to a campsite and unpacking a next course that needs minimal labor before it becomes a campsite meal to remember.

Nuttall-Smith explains his thinking in a conversational introduction. He had always tended to keep his campsite meals simple, to prioritize packability over delectability. This changed when a friend brought a block of frozen squid on a trip. It ended up being delicious.

“I began to see simple, practical, high-reward hacks that could dramatically change the way we cooked and ate outside,” Nuttall-Smith recollects. If it can be chopped, measured, mixed, marinated, braised, frozen or fully pre-made at home, suggests Nuttall-Smith, then do it, and reap the rewards while you enjoy restaurant-worthy meals at relaxed and tidy campsites. More than half the recipes come together in ten minutes or less at camp, yet most wouldn’t look out of place on a restaurant menu.

The Surprisingly Tasty History Of Bannock, The Classic Camping Cuisine

If you are old hat at cooking in the wild, you’ll be glad for an infusion of new ideas to put your practiced meal planning over the top.

If you are new to campfire cooking, Nuttall-Smith walks you through the basics, with sections on packing, equipment, planning, drinking water, stoves, cooking fires, food safety and what to do with the waste, though the beauty of Nuttall-Smith’s approach is that there won’t be much waste. You consolidated packaging before you left, and the food is so good there won’t be leftovers.

the top of every recipe indicates the ingredient weight, and tells you how long the provisions will last, whether kept cold or not.

The author enjoys a meal at camp with family. | Image: Maya Visnyei / Penguin Random House

Each of the more than 75 recipes has icons indicating if they are best cooked over a campfire or stove, or require a Dutch oven or cooler. Best of all, the top of every recipe indicates the ingredient weight and tells you how long the provisions will last, whether kept cold or not.

Nuttall-Smith believes it’s time that camp cooking caught up with how people actually want to eat. He’s put a lot of thought into blending ingredients that are as packable as they are palatable. It’s a very achievable goal. After all, as he notes, salted butter not only lasts longer than unsalted, it tastes better too.

To entice your appetite, Nuttall-Smith shares a collection of tips and even a sample recipe from Cook It Wild.

Camp cooking wisdom from the pages of Cook It Wild

Wheels of glory

Hard cheeses like Parmesan, Pecorino, Manchego and even aged cheddar can last for weeks in a pack (keep it shaded when possible). Once out of a vacuum pack, don’t stuff the cheese back in a plastic bag. Instead, wrap it in cotton cheesecloth and parchment paper or beeswax cloth (easy to make your own). This will keep it from getting sweaty or moldy.

Fresh foods that last

Even a week into a trip, you won’t regret finding any of the following at the bottom of a food pack: Granny Smith apples, beets, cabbage, carrots, ginger, onions or garlic. As well as fermented foods that just get better with age include sauerkraut and kimchi.

Chill

Coolers should be packed with a ratio of two parts frozen food or ice to one part perishables in sealed bags. Make your own ice blocks in empty juice cartons (or freeze the juice as treats for the kids). Fill remaining space with ice cubes and keep a towel underneath the lid to improve insulation. If chilling or freezing drinks for the first or second night, keep them in a separate soft cooler. You want to open the food cooler as rarely as possible.

overhead photo of a person holding a mug of coffee over a campfire

The Worst Camping Invention Of The 21st Century

Raid the condiment counter

For maximum flavor with minimum bulk, spend the off-season raiding the condiment counters at buffets and collecting take-out accessories. A few handfuls of ketchup, mustard, plum sauce, vinegar, mayonnaise, honey, syrup, relish and soy sauce packets will garnish a meal but travel effortlessly deep into a trip.

Libations

For cold beer on your first night, freeze tallboy cans (with at least 5 percent alcohol) for not more than seven hours in a freezer just before you leave. Wrap in newspaper (to become fire tinder). Later in the trip, use a mesh bag to deep-six alcohol to take advantage of the thermocline. Any lake deeper than 10 feet will be stratified and have a layer of distinctly colder water down deep. Or skip the need for chilling. Gin and vodka are best enjoyed cold, but whisky, rum, mezcal and tequila are just as good at campsite temperature.

Go Dutch

Consider adding an aluminum Dutch oven to open a world of baking desserts, and savory, one-pot meals like lasagna. When cooking with a Dutch oven, be sure to preheat the lid. Use three rocks to lift the base two inches off the ground, then cover a quarter of the ground underneath with hot coals and a third of the lid area. Rotate the pot a quarter turn every five minutes. Rotate the lid in the opposite direction, without lifting it off.

Instant caramelized shallot-cheese fondue. | Image: Maya Visnyei / Penguin Random House

Sample recipe from Cook It Wild: Instant Caramelized Shallot-Cheese Fondue

This is exactly the dish you pull from your pack at 7,500 feet as a pre-winter storm blows past. It’s also exactly the dish you pull from your pack while car camping on a crisp fall day when everybody’s got rosy cheeks and ridiculous smiles, and they’re high on that whole outdoor life thing. Wherever you make it, this one-pot is drop-dead easy and crazy delicious, and it will make you a bona fide backcountry (or KOA-country) star.

Serves: 4
Ingredient weight: 2½ pounds
[cooler] [fire] [stove] [backpack] [paddle] [car/rv]

At home

1 tablespoon salted butter
3 small shallots, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces Gruyère cheese, rind removed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Scant ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

At camp

1 cup dry white wine (thawed) [F]
Prepared cheese and shallots (thawed) [F]
1 crusty baguette
A few hardy, crunchy dippables such as endive leaves, or apple slices

1. Caramelize the shallots

In a small skillet over low heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and salt and let them caramelize slowly and gently, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender, sweet-tasting, and an appealing hazelnut brown, 15 to 25 minutes.

Let the shallots cool, then wrap tightly in a small piece of parchment paper or wax paper.

2. Prep the cheese

Meanwhile, over a small bowl, grate the Gruyère on the coarse side of a box grater. Add the cornstarch and nutmeg and toss to combine thoroughly. Pack the cheese mixture into a resealable bag or airtight container, stick the packet of caramelized shallots inside the bag (on top of the cheese), seal the bag, and refrigerate or freeze. (The cheese mix and shallots will keep for one month, frozen.)

3. Melt, burble and serve

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the wine to a simmer. Add the cheese mixture and shallots. Decrease the heat to low and stir to melt the cheese. Once the cheese has melted and the fondue is bubbling gently, decrease the heat to its lowest setting.

Your goal is warm, very gently bubbling cheese. If your stove’s lowest setting has the cheese bubbling furiously, feel free to shuttle the pan on and off the burner.

Serve the fondue with sliced or torn bread and crunchy dippables, as well as forks if there are known double-dippers in your midst.