A new 20-minute Red Bull documentary follows Canadian paddler Ed Muggridge as he sets out on a whitewater expedition paddling over 60 kilometers down Filer Creek in his home country’s remote and rugged Coast Mountain Range.
With international travel off the cards due to the ongoing pandemic, Muggridge came up with the plan to embark on a mission closer to home. 250km North of Vancouver—to be exact. Knowing that this would need to be a team effort, he invited two close friends and whitewater mentors along with him: Ben Marr and Sandy Macewan.
As with most expeditions of this nature, the planning time took months. The trio spilled over satellite imagery on Google Earth and spent months working on travel logistics, including flying their kayaks to the launch point. But even the most extensive preparations could not prepare them for the unforgiving terrain and powerful torrents of water they would face.
Despite being rewarded with first descents down untouched gorges and slot canyons with spectacular backdrops, Muggridge still describes the trip as “type 2 fun” due to the sheer amount of lengthy and grueling portages.
“Some days we’d spend six to eight hours dragging our heavy kayaks through the thickest BC bush I’ve ever seen – pushing through our blood, sweat, and tears,” he commented in a Red Bull interview.
Overall, of the expedition, Muggridge commented that he took a reserved approach to running rapids that, under different circumstances, would have easily been within the scope of his ability.
“There were some really solid sections but the high exposure and riskiness, as well as the remoteness, removed the option of pushing any boundaries. The whole feel and character of the river put me on edge.”
It has also made him determined to undertake similar challenges in the future and be even better prepared next time. He explained:
“True backcountry is extremely gnarly, and you can never be too prepared. Going into future expeditions, I’d like to put more focus on getting comfortable in wild settings and ensuring I’m physically and mentally at my best and ready to take on the challenge. Your life is in your own hands. It was a very humbling experience and I’m looking forward to continuing my learning process over the course of my career.”
You can watch the full Red Bull TV Documentary here.
