Out here in Western Colorado, the rivers are just past peak. (See EddyFlower flows) for real-time info. As you can see, there is plenty of good white H2O left to enjoy! Here is a great video by Talbot Walker and his buddy Casey VandenBroek of Melting Motion Pictures on one of the most fun, scenic and remote rivers in the country…. the Yampa. Cross Mountain Canyon on the Yampa River in Colorado (3600 c.f.s.). Boaters include: Talbott Walker, Casey VandenBroek, Jonathon Hagman, and Kate Stepan.

GoPro Footage from Melting Motion Pictures from Melting Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

As if in perfect coordination with the new snowfall in the mountains this morning, priming the potential for an epic run-off for river season, Avery Brewing announced recently that it will join Colorado breweries Oskar Blues, New Belgium, Ska Brewing, Breckenridge and Upslope Brewing in canning their creations. Boulder Brewing’s Hazed and Infused is slated to hit the stores later on this month as well.

Gone are the days of suffering in the Heineken, Budweiser, Coors, Tecate doldrums while quenching sun induced thirst on the river. For those of you uninitiated into the world of recreational rafting, canned beer is as important as any other critical piece of gear on a boat. What else would fuel a day long expedition into the unknown with good friends and good food? Who else would carry a kayaker’s required ration of barley pop? Given the shrinking size of play boats these days, the role of the raft is even more important in maintaining harmony on the river. Glass is banned on rivers by anyone with half a brain, leaving cans the only other option. I, for one, look forward to reaching into my cooler and pulling out an Avery that, according to BrewNews.org http://beernews.org/2010/05/the-craft-beer-can-revolution/, is rumored to be a hoppy pilsner. A perfect complement to a sandy beach rest stop on a hot July day.

Mmmmmmmmmm…… beer!

May 31st in Glenwood Springs, CO. The second Whitewater Stand Up Paddling Championship will be held at Two River’s Park. 2010 Whitewater SUP Championship

The 2010 Whitewater Stand Up Paddling Championship will be held Memorial Day (May 31) in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. This one of a kind event features the world’s best river stand up paddlers displaying their paddling prowess on the snowmelt swollen Colorado River.

The event starts with a downriver race from Two Rivers Park in Glenwood Springs down to South Canyon. This fast and furious whitewater 6+ mile (approx) balancing act launches with a mass start. Next up is a new and exciting event called SUPCROSS.  This event (run similarly to boardercross races on snow), features heats of competitors paddling intensely upriver then pealing into the current and charging downstream.  To spice up the action, this all out sprint includes an eddy turn at a C4 Waterman flag midway down a river right channel of the raging Colorado River.

The championship’s culmination will be a surfing contest on the world famous wave at the Glenwood Springs Whitewater Park. The champion(s) will be determined by a point system with scoring accrued during the 3 events. After the surf contest, everyone will head back to the Two Rivers Park for the award ceremony at the park’s stage…and then its time to celebrate!

While visiting this site, don’t forget to check out the promo video for RiverSUP. In addition to being a great visual lesson on how to stand up paddle in whitewater, RiverSUP contains outrageous action and a bonus movie featuring amazing footage from last year’s Whitewater Stand Up Paddling Championship. You can also order the DVD via links from this site. We’ll see you on the river!

Two River StandUp Paddle events for the TEVA Mountain Games this summer in Vail

Teva Mountain Games Stand up Paddling
SUP Surf Sprint

Hop in the water and paddle like hell.
Date/Time: Saturday June 5th, 2010 @ 9:00 am
Cost: $35 Online/ $40 On-Site
Location: Vail on Gore Creek East Vail to Vail Village SUP
Difficulty: Class II – III with fairly heavy early season flows
Distance: 3 Miles

SUP Surf Cross

Mass start event with the same general rules as Boarder Cross or Skier Cross. As the rednecks say in NASCAR “rubbin’s racing”, there is sure to be a little rubbin’.
Date: Sunday June 6, 2010
Time: 11:00am Qualifier
2:30pm Finals
Cost: $30 Online/ $35 On-Site
Location: Covered Bridge – International Bridge, Gore Creek in Vail Village

Wanna learn?