Back on the water: Chehalis, Mamquam

Looks like the trip on the mighty Alsek rekindled the need to get on the water (combined with declining cross-country flying potential), so we met with some friends to paddle the Upper Mamquam. The lively rock gardens at the start were quite a change after the huge volume and whirlies on the Alsek, where, even if there were any rocks, one wouldn’t see them for the silt-loaded water. The rocks, good water level (55) and ‘fluffy’ rapids kept me on my toes. The last several times we paddled the run it was pretty rocky. Good fun and good start for more wet adventures!


Tudor's picture of lots of Green on the Chehalis

The Chehalis is my favorite river in the lower mainland and our weekend run reminded me why. This river always amazes with its overload of green. Everything is in some shade of it: the dark forest on the slopes, the bright maidenhair fern on the cliffs and the deep clear pools. Add in a good number of rapids at a great water level (9.55) and a good group of friends to share the fun – could there be anything better?

Well, yes ... an amazing day on the river AND a nice flight in the evening.

After paddling there was still time for a super smooth evening flight at Bridal – I don’t think I have ever flown so close to the trees. Kicking treetops, floating along the cliffs and watching a pair of falcons on the rocks – a super nice finish to an amazing day.

Flying Grouse Mt - July 5

This week we got to explore a new launch site close to home, Grouse Mountain. And our first flights on Monday were so nice; we had to go back the next two days. Pretty amazing place to come and fly after work. After doing many Grouse Grinds (as the steep 800 meter elevation hike to the top of Grouse is called) it was nice to see the place from a different angle. Thanks to the healthy snow pack this year the launch is still covered making the take-off very easy. No bumps, rocks or brush to worry about.



Could there be anything better to do on a long July evening than to float over the trees, past the restaurant and gondola station, and gaze at the city stretching south far below? Along the horizon the line-up of Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, Olympic Peninsula and Mt Baker. On the third evening we even got to see Mt Rainier in the very distance. Although I have been on the peaks of the Northshore Mountains many times, I have never before seen this mountain from Vancouver – a stunning 300 km away.

Alsek, June 15 -26

For twelve days we floated on the Alsek River through the northern Coast Mountains and Yukon, BC and Alaska. The river carves its way through an amazing ice-age landscape past jagged snow-covered peaks, surging glaciers and grizzlies. In June its light almost 24 hours a day, giving us lots of time for exploring, taking pictures and hanging out with a great bunch of river rats. As always after such a trip, I find it very difficult to sift through my many pictures. So for now, here is a fantastic selection from Josh Miller, a pro-photographer and great guy to do a trip with (like all the other river rats).


There’s a land where the mountains are nameless,
And the rivers all run God knows where;
There are lives that are erring and aimless,
And deaths that just hang by a hair;
There are hardships that nobody reckons;
There are valleys unpeopled and still;
There’s a land — oh, it beckons and beckons,
And I want to go back — and I will.

 From: The Spell of the Yukon, Robert Service

Lumby Air Races, June 10-12

This year I finally signed up to fly in a competition, the Lumby Air Races. So far I had a valid excuse: I couldn’t read my GPS without reading glasses (and don’t think I can manage to switch glasses while flying). But after some half-hearted experiments Pete found sun glasses with little reading inserts for me. In Leavenworth, WA of all places! With my excuse gone and the weather looking reasonable we went to Lumby.



The Air Races are more a party than a competition, and fun and friendly. There is good food, live music and lots of friends we don’t see that often. In the end there was only one day with weather good enough to fly a competition task, but we got some airtime on the other days as well. Pete came in 4th in the Open Class, flying with and winning over pilots on much hotter (and higher performance) wings and won the Standard Class. Looks like I have second place in the Standard Class (leading only by a couple of points). Maybe I should encourage Pete to step up a class, so I don’t have to compete with him ;-) ? Results here and here.

Not sure I’m too much into this competition thing. My flying skills may be good enough to diddle along and get some points, but my parawaiting skills are definitely lacking! During comps there can be long wait times for an elusive weather window and competitors who don’t hang around and leave to do more fun stuff (kayaking? climbing? mountain biking?) risk loosing points when they are not around to fly.

The reading sun glasses worked out OK, but the inserts were definitely in the way when looking down at the windsock!