Remembering Jeff West
Founder of Ace Kayaking School, Master Instructor, Mentor to Thousands Remembering Jeff West… A Tribute to ‘Superman’ of the River Posted by Kat Levitt, 21/09/2012 Someone once said that “Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.”...
“The Subtleties of Safety” 55 tips to keep you out of trouble
Paddling fires us up, especially when rain is coming. I get amped looking at the five day forecast. As a storm rolls east towards the Appalachians the excitement builds. Two days before a big storm, I will start rearranging my schedule, trying to free up time. One day...
“40 Minute, 20 Drill, Flatwater Workout” Complete this workout twice per week and your river skills will improve!
Practice, Practice, Practice! Flatwater training is key for staying in shape and improving your paddling skills. With the days becoming longer, head to the lake after work for a good paddle! Loosen hips by rocking kayak from side to side. Rotate torso and hold...
“Grand Canyon Express” Chronicles a 225 mile, five-day sea kayaking trip on the Colorado River
“Grand Canyon Express” Featured in the July/August 2004 American Whitewater Journal, page 36. The story of me and five friends paddling 225 miles of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park in five days. Since this trip, the Park Service has...
“For the Love of it: A Month of Driving, Gradient and Friendship”
Featured in the January/February 2006 American Whitewater Journal, page 16. Tells the story of friendship and adventure while competing in a month long creeking competition called TVF. Link to AW story:...
“The Green Mile” Tells of an epic day paddling the Green Narrows 10 times!
“The Green Mile” Featured in the November/December 2006 American Whitewater Journal, page 22. About an epic day of paddling 10 laps on the Green Narrows. At the time we believed the gradient for 10 runs would total a vertical mile. We were off by a few feet so five...
“When a Plan Comes Together” The unlikely story of a Vertical Mile on Colorado’s Oh Be Joyful Creek
“When A Plan Comes Together” Featured in the November/December 2008 American Whitewater Journal, page 18. Tells the story of a paddling trip to Colorado that should have been a train wreck, but we dropped a vertical mile on Oh Be Joyful Creek. Link to AW story:...
“The Edge of the World” Pushing personal limits on southeastern waterfalls
“The Edge of the World” Featured in the January/February 2010 American Whitewater Journal, page 32. Me and a friend try our luck at paddling waterfalls in the southeast. Link to AW story: http://americanwhitewater.org/content/Journal/index/issue/1/year/2010/ Standing...
“The Stikine in a Day” Short story describing an epic one-day trip in British Columbia
Featured September 2010 on the Jackson Kayak Blog, the Kokatat Blog and Paddling Life Magazine. Story describes the amazing honor of paddling the Grand Canyon of the Stikine River in BC. Link to Kokatat Blog: http://www.kokatat.com/blog/2010/10/stikine-in-a-day A few...
“The Magic Mile on Bear Creek” Dave Levitt and I drop a vertical mile on the Bear
A brief write-up about paddling a vertical mile on the amazing Bear Creek. Bear Creek has it all: a gigantic slide, multiple waterfalls and complex boulder gardens, packed into a 3 mile run dropping 859 feet with no mandatory portage. Throw in a horrible...