Darcy Gaechter generated a lot of talk when she became the first women to kayak the Amazon river from source to sea. That's why we're going to talk about none of that today, because Darcy has, for decades, been a core member of the whitewater kayaking scene in North and South America, with a massive resume of whitewater paddling accomplishments. Today we sample some of her experiences, from preparing to run the Stikine, to the state of women in whitewater, and running a whitewater guiding busine...
Oct 19, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 30
For some southeastern boys, the world is too big to stay in one place. Stan Prichard discovered a love for kayaking and the outdoors early in life and responded "hell yeah" to any offer that came his way. That attitude took him around the globe doing first descents, international class V classics, as well as pushing water levels on local classics. He did all this while still pursuing his love for skiing, climbing and outdoor fun. Come take a ride through the anthology of some Stan's greatest hit...
Oct 07, 2024•2 hr 18 min•Ep. 29
Pedro Oliva had a dream when he was just a kid, that he was going to see the world and do something great. A good way to fulfill that dream? Be the guy that Ben Stookesberry can count on to always say "yes" to his next crazy mission. That attitude propelled Pedro around the world on countless kayaking expeditions, gave him a brief stint as the world waterfall descent record holder, and landed him as the star of a syndicated television program showcasing his adventures. Using his energy, passion,...
Sep 19, 2024•2 hr 7 min•Ep. 28
From humble childhood float trips on the Colorado River to navigating some of the stoutest whitewater in Ecuador, Will Griffith has some stories to tell. In today's episode we might rattle a few cages discussing some controversial paddling behaviors, but there's no denying the paddling skills of Jamboy, and that he's made an imprint on the paddling scene. So open your ears, open your mind, open your heart, and let's go jammin'. Here are links to some of the videos we discussed: Climb - Yosemite ...
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 27
Best interview with Emily Jackson of this year, or best interview with Emily Jackson ever? Take a listen, and you can be the judge. Emily is part of one of the most quintessential whitewater kayaking families in the world today. She's an accomplished athlete, businesswoman, parent, and explorer of the world. Emily is nothing if not thoughtful and entertaining as we explore some nefarious travel stories, growing up in the Jackson family, parenting, gender in kayaking, Jackson Kayak's acquisition ...
Aug 04, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 26
Do we become more humble with age? My guest Leif Anderson says he has, but humility did not come easily. Let's go back to a time where a young and cocky Leif set out with a crew from Ft. Collins, CO to conquer the Arizona kayaking scene, in one short weekend. This podcast was inspired by Leif and Evan's dueling blog entries from 2010, which you will not want to miss: Leif's account Evan's account: part 1 Evan's account: part 2 Just to prove how cocky Leif was in his early days, and because it's ...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 25
Serrasolses Brothers River Co When people talk about the best whitewater kayaker in the world, the list is understandably short. But I doubt there's a list out there that doesn't include Aniol Serrasolses. He's made a name for himself pushing the limits of the sport in almost every aspect: inventing new downriver freestyle moves, first descents, styling huge vertical drops, and exploring the boundaries of big water rivers. I was lucky enough to catch up with Aniol as he was passing through Bould...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 24
Coto is back! It's been almost a year and a half since doing one of my favorite interviews with Andrey Coto in episode 9. When we last left him, he had dreams of starting a kayak school in his home town in Costa Rica, in order to pass along all the benefits he's received from kayaking to the next generation. Coto fills us in on how to go to the Little White race and come home with a wad of cash, how to check 5 kayaks onto an airplane and get a discount, at that. And to cap it off is an update on...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 23
In this episode I sit down with Cody Howard for a ride through the undulations of life. Join us as we discuss: learning to kayak in the backyard pool, living through a piece of history in Fallujah, unlocking whitewater runs in the elusive canyons of Arizona, witnessing the world record waterfall descent in a kayak, and that's just scratching the surface. 0:00 Introduction 6:00 Learning to kayak in the desert 29:50 Abbreviated college life 34:30 Marine Corps 45:30 Returning to civilian life 56:00...
May 12, 2024•2 hr 24 min•Ep. 22
Whitewater kayaking doesn't get much more homegrown than the Demshitz. In this episode I sit down with one of the Demshitz founding fathers Dave Fusilli who proves that you can run the shit and not take yourself too seriously. Find out how Dave fulfilled his dream of living in a van down by the river and more. If you just crawled out from a hole and this is the first time you've heard of the Demshitz, the internet is teeming with great old school Demshitz videos. I didn't bring up most of these ...
Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 21
Jessie Stone, a kayaker with a doctoring problem, joins me to talk about some of the adventures that she's stumbled into by following her impulse to go kayaking wherever it may take her. From getting lost in the jungle following Eric Jackson, to founding Soft Power Health and finding a lifelong career in Uganda, this episode is bound to make you want to grab your kayak and see where it takes you. 0:00 Introduction 6:30 Finding whitewater 18:50 Learning to kayak 27:45 Competitive freestyle 48:47 ...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 20
In this episode we explore the world with Benny Clark. Benny kayaks to find peace and Benny kayaks to survive. We explore how Benny's mental health history and kayaking history have become intricately linked. And how Benny has found ways to give back both to the kayaking community and to a community struggling with their own mental health issues. 0:00 Introduction 7:05 Life in Ecuador 12:30 Growing up in Canada 26:50 Dealing with mental health 33:20 Homeless and not in a van down by the river 41...
Jan 11, 2024•2 hr 7 min•Ep. 19
Who is Brad Higginbotham: Stunt man? Mad man? Lover? Naturalist? Cover boy? Educator? Family man? Find out that and more in this episode of Tales from the Cripps with Whitewater of the Southern Rockies cover boy Brad Higginbotham. 0:00 Introduction 9:00 If I could just get off of that L.A. freeway 30:24 Rediscovering kayaking and more 43:00 Living in Washington state 1:03:33 Climbing back from rock bottom 1:11:00 Training for the Stikine 1:20:19 High water in Russia 1:28:15 High water in Baker's...
Dec 30, 2023•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 18
I had the good fortune to sit down with paddle maker, fitter and turner, kayaker, sailor, adventurer, and all around crazy Kiwi, Mike Nash. Listen as he shares some adventures: learning to kayak in New Zealand, sailing around the world, and his most dangerous adventure of all, learning to make kayak paddles. Hammer Factor, eat your heart out, because in the last half of this episode we'll explore some of the technicalities of paddle design and paddle making. For those looking lay treats, you'll ...
Dec 16, 2023•2 hr 25 min•Ep. 17
As David Olson put it, when running the Jarbidge Bruneau section, a series of remote canyons in southern Idaho, "we always thought, ... what would happen out here, if we had an incident..." Well, David and his two companions decided to put that question to the test when they missed a critical portage eddy and dropped into the largest rapid on the run completely blind. Timeline 0:00 A misadventure on the Jarbidge Bruneau 1:55:44 Jon Hindman: bonus stories, joint replacements, and more Today's epi...
Oct 30, 2023•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 16
In late June through early July Orin and Rowan Gartner made their first descent down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in kayaks. At age 10, Rowan tied Bodie Hilleke's record for the youngest known kayaking descent down the Grand Canyon. Orwin, at age 14, also made an impressively young descent. The flow for the trip was around 20,000 cfs, considered a high flow for the run. Join me for a quick interview with the boys a week after they got off their trip to hear about the experience fr...
Aug 07, 2023•28 min•Ep. 15
This bonus episode is a companion piece to episode 14 with Abe Herrera. When Abe described his experience with a rescue on the Foss River, he noted that a Canadian crew had a pin on the same log, but their river rescue took almost 2 hours. Well, I searched far and wide and tracked down a couple of the Canucks who were involved in the rescue, and they're here to tell their story. This story from 2014 was written up from two perspectives on my guest Adam's blog . It's an interesting read. Today's ...
Aug 01, 2023•58 min•Ep. 14
Kayak Session coverboy, HBO documentary logistics man, swiftwater safety instructor, Ecuadorian river guide, international exploratory kayaker - today's guest wears many hats. I was lucky enough to sit down with Abe today, hear some of his stories, and in particular discuss how his experiences have influenced his approach to river safety and river rescue. Find Abe at Boof Sessions where he can help you out with all aspects of your river trip to Ecuador. Check out Ecuadorian Rivers Institute and ...
Jul 20, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 14
In this episode, Tales from the Cripps goes tubing with Rolf Kelly. But you're going to have to leave your foam cooler of beer at home for this tubing trip because when you're hanging out with Rolf, there's no such thing as taking it easy. If you've ever wondered how to prepare to tube a 100 ft waterfall in 10 years or less, you're going to want to tune into this one. Check out Metlako Falls in a tube as well some other beauties on Rolf's vimeo channel . See Eric Boomer's report from Metlako Fal...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 13
Alex Nicks may be one of the best kayakers you never heard of. His self-induced kayak affliction has taken him around the globe finding some of the best whitewater on the planet. In this episode he shares some of those unique experiences ranging from his time on the Zambezi river during a transformative time in kayak history, to exploring the arid mountains in the Middle East. 0:00 Introduction 5:30 Sandals vs. flip flops 9:40 Contracting the kayaking disease 12:10 Zambezi days 23:30 I tried 24:...
May 22, 2023•56 min•Ep. 12
What do you do when you find yourself experiencing your 4th near death whitewater kayaking experience, before you've even reached your 20th birthday? For some, the answer is quit. But for Gareth Fryer, the answer is, get smarter. Gareth has spent much of his paddling career learning from hard lessons and close calls. He's done his best to perfect the art of being in the right place at the right time with the right gear and the right skills. That practice has paid off in form of saving multiple l...
May 14, 2023•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 11
In today's episode I had the unique opportunity to sit down with Kiwi paddler Gareth Fryer from halfway across the world. My friend Rolf describes Gareth as an athletic freak of nature. Gareth and Rolf spent some of their formative paddling years together exploring New Zealand. In part 1 of this 2 part interview, Gareth shares some of the stories from their time together. Along the way, we'll find out why a heli ride to the put-in is potentially as dangerous as the run, and how to vet your futur...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 10
( Donate to Jaguar Kayak School at https://gofund.me/27cccbee ) ============================================= Got $20 bucks in your pocket? Great, you’ve got enough to travel the world! Most people that consider themselves river people have stories about how the sport has changed their lives, but few have a life story like my guest’s today. Andrey Coto Robles, a self proclaimed son of the river, grew up in a small town playing along the banks of the Rio Sarapiqui in northern Costa Rica. Little d...
Mar 01, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 9
Today I sit down with Gary Edgeworth who has been a prominent figure in the Western U.S. kayaking scene since the 90s, or as his friend Rolf gliby puts it, "Gary is a caricature of a human being." After sitting down with him for over 2 hours, I barely scratched the surface of the amazing adventures and stories he's generated in his life. This episode has a serious "inside baseball" vibe. I've included links to some of the rivers and people he talks about in this episode for those interested in d...
Feb 27, 2023•2 hr 18 min•Ep. 8
In this episode, I'm sitting down with Paul Raymond, who has taken the helm of OBJ race director in recent years. OBJ, or Oh Be Joy is one of the ultra classic kayaking creek runs in Colorado, replete with steep slides and waterfalls. He shares the history of the iconic event and how he found himself taking an active role in the race. As a bonus story, he shares his tips and tricks for how you can combine your Wim Hof cold therapy practice with a casual day of kayaking - it's easier than you mig...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 7
Adventures are good, but misadventures make great stories. From rolling instructor to safety class architect to paddling partner, Nick Wigston has been a pillar of the local paddling community for years. Come hear how his approach to paddling was shaped by ignoring the advice of Tao Berman and charting his own path because we all know, you learn best by doing. 0:00 - 6:54 Introduction 6:55 - 21:30 Showing Tao how to run Rogers Creek 21:31 - 27:25 Reflections on misadventures and preparations 27:...
Nov 01, 2022•56 min•Ep. 6
Take a ride on the pain train with a founding member of Durango's Narrow Escape Crew, Russ Gartner. Russ gives us a harrowing account of their attempt to open back up the Rio Patria in Costa Rica, along with some warmer, if not drier thoughts on fun in the jungle. 0:00 - 1:30 Guest Introduction 1:31 - 4:59 What I did last summer 5:00 - 14:52 The Costa Rican appeal 14:53 - 52:36. Rio Patria 52:37 - 59:15. Rio Patria retrospective 59:16 - 1:07:40 Rio Volcán 1:07:41 - 1:13:24 Conclusion Here's a li...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 5
Pack your shiny emergency space blanket and let’s do some traveling with Scott Young. Today you’ll learn how many power bars to pack for your paddling trip, why urinating on yourself isn’t always a bad option, the quickest way to create an intimate bond with your paddling friends, and how to become a movie star in Mexico. 0:00 - 1:57 Intro 1:58 - 4:50 Spring and summer fun 4:51 - 22:25 Aloha whitewater 22:26 - 52:49 Paddling the Peruvian desert 52:50 - 56:37 How to become a movie star in Mexico ...
Oct 05, 2022•57 min•Ep. 4
Today, let’s travel through time and space to Central America in the 1990s. My guest spent several years exploring whitewater paddling in Honduras at the behest of Dick Eustis, who helped sponsor his crew’s travels in hopes of opening up commercial opportunities in the region. We take a deep dive into the Mame River and Rio Yaguala, a couple of highlights from his travels. Hear how his crew rolls the dice in the name of exploration when they encounter one of the most unique features you’ll ever ...
Sep 25, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 3
Fun doesn't come easy. Today we hear the story of the inception of Bailey Fest and how a once tenuous relationship with a landowner at a critical rapid on the run became a forgotten issue. 0:00 - 3:00 Introduction 3:01 - 5:18 Who cares about Bailey Canyon? 5:19 - 8:16 Where’s the Gauley Fest of Colorado? 8:17 - 19:38 Acquiring water for recreational use 19:39 - 27:10 Putting together Bailey Fest 27:11 - 35:32 Foamy Race 35:33 - 37:47 Not all unicorns and rainbows 37:48 - 56:21 Liberation of Firs...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 2
