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Darin
Ben Marr drops into the left line at Wason’s Hole on the great river, Stikine river valley, British Colombia. Photo: Parker
McQuoid
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Eric
Parker
Ryan Lucas throws his hands up with happiness at the canyon rim of the Stikine. Photo: Parker
PA R KE R: After we completed Day One, the boys and I were keen to explore the upper reaches of canyon. We followed some sketchy goat-trails up a steep incline to the canyon rim and were blown away. It’s easy to forget the surrounding landscape when you’re always deep in the canyon, but this view puts the beauty of the Stikine in perspective.
Lo c a l i s m at th e Sti k i n e . Photo: McQuoid
Gerd Serrasolses, Sam Sutton and Aniol Serrasolses, The Wall 2, Stikine. Photo: McQuoid
MC Q U OI D: We did a three-day descent starting on Sept. 1, with Gerd Serrasolses, Aniol Serrasoles and Sam Sutton following it up with a one-day on Sept. 6 while we shot with legendary pilot Jim Reed, 68 (known for all previous Stikine helicopter footage).
PA R KE R: This was an extremely progressive year of whitewater kayaking on Stikine. It was run more times than ever before and many of the individuals descended the Grand Canyon multiple times, including several one-day descents. Since its first descent attempt in 1981 by Rob Lesser, John Wasson, Lars Holbeck, Don Banducci and Rick Fernald, the river has earned a powerful reputation that has captured attention from paddlers worldwide.
The gauge near Telegraph Creek has allowed kayakers to know exactly when the river is running and, as larger groups make the migration, what each feature of the river is like at every flow. Kayakers making the 24-hour haul north from the Washington-B.C. border are learning more and more about the river each year— and growing more comfortable with each descent. This year was the apex of that progression.
On the long flatwater paddle out we decided to spice things up and do some cliff jumping! Photo: Parker
Sunset at the put-in. Photos: Parker
Grand Canyon of the Stikine.
Photo: McQuoid
Aniol Serrasolses, The Wall 2, Stikine. Photos: McQuoid
Gerd Serrasolses, Aniol Serrasolses, Sam Sutton Jared Meehan and Olaf Obsommer at Wolf Tracks Camp.
Gerd Serrasolses below The Wall.
Sam Sutton, V-Drive, Stikine. Photo: McQuoid
MC Q U OI D : After Ben Marr’s first descent of Site Zed in 2012, completing the 45mile Grand Canyon, on that first three-day trip of ours we knew it would be run again—I almost expected someone on the team to run it.
Site Zed.
Photo: Parker
Gerd Serrasolses running Site Zed (second descent). Photo: McQuoid
MC Q U OI D : Once Gerd Serrasolses started an extended scout we knew he wanted it. This was his third time on the Stikine in two weeks. Sunlight fell on the river for a perfect 15 minutes while he scouted, and left us too soon as Gerd returned to his kayak. Big holes are everywhere on the Sti-
Gerd Serrasolses checks his notes for the Stikine River. Photo: McQuoid
kine, in my mind Site Zed is about length. It’s 200 yards of chaos, so I opted to shoot from the top of the rapid to both capture this length and be able to signal the video team … … Gerd’s run went like the rest of our three day trip, surprisingly uneventful.
Gerd Serrasolses scouting Site Zed. Photo: McQuoid
Aniol Serrasolses enjoys a rare moment of sun. Photo: McQuoid
Gerd Serrasolses runs Wasson’s Hole on the Stikine. Photo: McQuoid
Benny in camp. Photo: Parker
PA R KE R: Ben Marr still consistently blows me away with his calculated ability to style incredibly difficult rapids and throw massive tricks. Few individuals on this planet feel as comfortable amongst an enormous torrent of whitewater as he does. You often see him smiling and giggling in situations where others are terrified and paddling their hardest. He’s been widely recognized for his paddling ability but fewer know of his tranquility and unconditional love for water. Benny is one of the most humble and content individuals you will ever meet and his passion for whitewater is infectious. When it comes down to it Benny is a lover, not a fighter, and will tear up any party you throw his way.
Ben Marr charges into Pass or Fail on day#1 of the Stikine Photo: Parker
Ben Marr kicks back after a long day of paddling and takes some casts. Photo: Parker
James Byrd charges through the Tanzilla slot. Photo: Parker
PA R KE R : On Day Three, following the biggest whitewater of the river, the entirety of the Stikine narrows and chokes through one of the most impressive and magnificent features of the run: Tanzilla Slot. Barely more than a paddlewidth across, the turbulent waters swirl, surge, and flush through this uncharacteristic feature. Here, James Byrd enters the slot with lots of speed before being spit out.
Once you exit the Slot, the river relaxes, and the true beauty and wildlife of the Stikine unfolds. During the two-hour paddle out from Tanzilla you pass through stunning columnar basalt gorges as the canyon opens and wildlife appears.
The crew kicks back and reflects on a great day of paddling at Wolf Track. Photo: Parker
MC Q U OI D: On the trip following ours two more descents of Site Zed were made (though no takers during Aniol, Gerd and Sam’s one-day descent). However, Aniol and Galen Volckhausen both ran it on their next trip (Aniol’s fifth Stikine run and Galen’s first). What’s next? Surely it will be all the rapids in a single day. It’s been an incredible time to see the Stikine mature, which easily saw more successful descents in the last year than in the entire ‘90s, prior to the gauge. Who would ever have thought that firewood would be in scarce supply?
Gerd Serrasolses, Sam Sutton and Aniol Serrasolses, Stikine. Photo: McQuoid
Ben Marr charges into the Hole that ate Chicago. Photo: Parker
PA R KE R: Paddlers are finding lots of new lines, and more of them are solving this complex puzzle than ever before. This also means that a wider spectrum of skilled paddlers—I witnessed the first swim I’ve ever seen on the Stikine after a paddler’s violent beating in a powerful hydraulic on a new, more difficult line. We
got him and his boat and paddle to shore. Exhausted, you could see fear in his eyes. Any bad line or unlucky surge and one can be thrown into a similar situation, or worse. As more paddlers make the yearly migration, no matter the level of skill or experience, we should never forget the dangers of these powerful and unpredictable waters and to proceed with caution and respect.
Design by Parker Meek
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Aaron Schmidt