Hagen Gorge is on a small tributary to the Washougal River in southwestern Washington. About 3-4 miles long, this creek can be characterized by class IV boogie-water boofs and slides with various vertical class IV/V drops dispersed throughout. There is no gauge to the creek, so it’s all about proper guess-work. On our trip, the [...]
Recap: 2013 Wind River Festival
The Wind River Festival can be described as CHAOS. Chaos in the form of a mass start as paddlers leave the Starting Line together, and rally downstream all at once. Such was the case the last few years, and one could only continue the tradition in 2013. The Upper Wind River is considered Class IV/IV+, [...]
Want to Become an Instructor?
Greetings Team Sundance! Have you ever considered becoming a kayak instructor? If you love kayaking and are passionate about helping others experience the magic of this sport, then you should give it some thought. This is J.R. Weir, lead instructor for Sundance Kayak School, and this year I became an ACA certified Instructor Trainer. On [...]
Dagger Axiom Review
Last year we had quite a few people request the Dagger Axiom for their kayak school, so we bought a few for the 2013 season. Of course, I have to test all of our equipment first, so I paddled it at our local kayak polo match and loved its speed and maneuverability. Today I took [...]
2013 Upper Wind River Festival
It’s almost the end of February and the 2013 Upper Wind River Festival is soon upon us! Saturday, March 16, 2013 is the 2013 Wind River Festival, the kickoff to this year’s Western Whitewater Championship Series! The series is comprised of about 17 races over 7 festivals throughout the Northwest between March and October. Racers receive [...]
How to Choose a Whitewater Paddle
As a whitewater kayaker, it’s just as important to choose the right paddle as it is the right kayak. The paddle becomes an extension of your body, so it’s only logical to choose one that is comfortable in your hands, and feels good! If only it were that simple: what about all the different blades [...]
River Rescue: Nuts and Hexes
How many of you have been on the river and been involved in a situation where you were walled in, and needed to extract a boat, but simply couldn’t due to lack of anchors? Having witnessed this last weekend in the new gorge on the Lower Lower White Salmon, Washington, I have added a few [...]
Year in Review: 2012
2012 was a pivotal year in the rebuilding of Sundance Kayak Schools. Our goal is always to run the best kayak instruction courses in the world, but we also did some great exploratory trips and training with our instructors. We started out the paddling season with a kayak trip on the Smith River and an [...]
How to: Pack your Kayak for a Multi-Day Self Support Trip
Packing for a multi-day self support trip can be daunting. What do I bring? How do I keep everything dry? How does everything fit in my boat? While packing for a self-support river trip is not rocket science, it can be daunting. Here’s a few tips and tricks to help you pack your kayak, and [...]
Self Support on the South Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho
What happens when four lady paddlers are getting married in the same year? You have a Bachelorette Paddle! Earlier this month, 9 ladies from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Montana, rallied for a 4-day wilderness self-support on the South Fork of the Salmon River, near McCall, Idaho. At 5.25 feet, the South Fork of the [...]
