that’s BrisK, BaBY:
sjoa’s glacial whitewater.
WhiteWater LoWDoWn
photo: Graham GenGe
Warm up on the middle sjoa, a six-kilometre, mid
to high volume class ii-iii+ play section with safe,
eddy-serviced holes and a world-class wave that
boasts epic playboating status in flood. Upstream,
the aseng Juvet canyon is 14 kilometres of read-and-
run class iii-iV that makes for a thrilling backyard run.
CraDLe oF norWeGian
Downstream, amot Gorge provides two kilometres of
big volume class iV+ falls that can be run in a play-
KayaKinG anD FoLKLore
boat or creeker. over a dozen more runs—including
the renowned Ulla Falls, Lower otta and Lagan— are
accessible within an hour’s drive from sjoa.
Sjoa
Cross-training
MoUntain BiKinG: Get dirty on Lilehammer’s world-
BEST
class, lift-accessed bike parks and cross-country
trails.
bY grahaM genge
11
INTERNATIONAL
hiKinG: reach treeline in a matter of minutes on
T
he world’s best paddlers migrate to the Sjoa Valley in TOWNS 400 kilometres of marked trails in the adjacent
the spring and summer to seek out the towering falls,
Jotunheimen national Park. tackle the classic,
1 sjoa, norway
six-hour Besseggen circle route, which includes a
endless slides and amazing Fresca-coloured rivers that have
2 Pucón, Chile
stunning ferry ride on glacial Lake Gjende, and
made Norway a premier international paddling destination. 3 turrialba, Costa rica top out under the midnight sun among norway’s
Situated 1.5 hours north of Lillehammer and 4.5 hours
4 hokitika, new Zealand
highest mountains.
north of the capital, Oslo, Sjoa is central to nearly all of the
5 thun, switzerland
grub, Pub anD hubbub
6 Jalcomulco, Mexico
country’s most outstanding whitewater. The valley itself sjoa Kayak Camp is the place to meet other boaters
7 briançon, France
is home to centuries-old wooden churches, bridge trolls
and settle in for cheap camping. Gear up and get
8 oetz, austria
river beta at strie strømmer—norway’s largest kayak
and historic farms, as well as Norway’s largest commercial
9 rotorua, new Zealand
shop. sjoa itself doesn’t offer much in the way of food
rafting operations and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of
10 Pokhara, nepal or drink, but with the high price of grub in norway,
rivers, waves and steep creeks. 11 tolmin, soca, ˇ slovenia
the local statoil gas station’s sausage and endless
free coffee (with the purchase of a mug) start to look
pretty good. Fifteen minutes down the road, otta is the
factoids
regional service centre and the place to stock up on
supplies. Don’t miss the annual sjoa Kayak Festival,
» population: 311 » average rent: $685 » number of gear shops/guide held in July when the water levels and weather are
outfitters: 6+ » number of rafting companies: 4+ » McDonalds: no
perfect, and there’s no shortage of paddling partners.
Off the rails: Crazy train on the arkansas river.
WhiteWater LoWDoWn
photo: Jess VoGel/courtesy chaFFee county Visitor’s bureau
Park-and-play originated in salida in the 1960s with
the construction of an enhanced site for the FiBark
Festival. today, two play holes and a slalom course
are the legacy of a late-‘80s transformation of a
rundown section of river to a whitewater playground
by visionary local boaters. after sessioning salida,
drive 30 minutes upriver to Buena Vista, where you’ll
find four play waves and holes (six after improve-
ments scheduled for this year). Up- and downriver of
salida, the arkansas river challenges beginners and
experienced boaters alike. among the most popular
PLay anD Party in
7
runs are Brown’s Canyon, serving up 16 miles of
BEST PARK ‘N’
deep, playful class iii, and Pine Creek, six miles of
PLAY TOWNS
in-your-face class iV–V just north of Buena Vista.
Salida
Cross-training
1 salida, Colorado MoUntain BiKinG: new for 2010, the arkansas
2 trail, british Columbia hills trail system now starts just across the river
3 Fort smith, northwest territories
from the F street Bridge and whitewater park.
bY Lee hart
4 san Marcos, texas
this singletrack stacked loop system offers hours
of meandering climbs, high-speed downhill and
W
hen Salida was founded in 1880 as an outpost 5 Jackson, Wyoming
stunning vistas of the Collegiate Peaks.
for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Rail-
6 enderby, british Columbia
hiKinG: Just beyond salida city limits, hundreds of miles
road, people had a less than favourable attitude toward
7 glenwood springs, Colorado
of multi-use trails traverse and summit fifteen 14,000-
foot peaks in the surrounding sawatch Mountains.
the Arkansas River. Its rushing water and narrow can-
yons above and below town were feared by residents
and cursed by the railroad. Low-rent flophouses and
factoids
grub, Pub and hubbub
started in 1949, FiBark is the oldest whitewater
» population: 5,396
festival in north america and still boasts one of the
brothels lined “undesirable” riverfront property. What a
» average house price:
toughest downriver races: 26 miles from salida to
difference 130 years makes. Today, the river is the focal
$177,504 » average rent:
Cotapaxi. in addition to downriver races, slalom and
point of downtown and attracts outdoor enthusiasts of
freestyle, FiBark features live music and the popular
$700 » number of gear
hooligan race in which costumed locals pilot wacky
all sorts, including some 300,000 boaters who come to
shops/guide outfitters: 2+
homemade watercraft through the rapids.
the area to paddle on the country’s sixth longest river. » McDonalds: yes
www.rapidmag.com 27
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