The
x Communi ty • Acces s Respons ibi l i ty • Learning
-pedition
FACTOR
KEN MADSEN 57
ENVIRONMENTALIST; EXPEDITION PADDLER;
AUTHOR; EDUCATOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER WHITEHORSE, YUKON
WHY HE ROCKS: As expedition leader for the fi rst Canadian team to paddle Turnback Canyon on the Alsek River and the Grand Canyon of the Stikine, with numerous fi rst descents in northern B.C. and the Yukon, combined with 20 plus years of paddling
every major river in the Yukon Territory—some of them several times—Ken Madsen is the person paddlers talk to when they plan their northern excursions. A GURU’S GURU: What is most impressive beyond his hearty paddling soul is his ongoing commitment to environmental protection. Instrumental in the efforts to gain protection for the Tatshenshini River; Madsen made a signifi cant contribution to what we now know as the Tatshenshini Alsek Provincial Park; A UNESCO World Heritage site which contributes approximately one million hectares to the 8.5 million contiguous hectares of protected area in northwest B.C., southwest Yukon and southeast Alaska. For the past 10 years Madsen has been working on efforts to preserve the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which in combination with Canada’s Ivvavik National Park makes up the calving grounds for the 130,000-strong Porcupine caribou herd. Madsen’s love for and dedication to protecting wilderness waterways and paddling in particular is deeply entwined. As he has said; “Like the late Bill Mason, I can’t divorce the mechanics of paddling from a love of wilderness.” IN OTHER WORDS: “Ken Madsen’s paddling and preservation exploits have drawn attention to the need for full preservation of wilderness areas,” says Monte Hummel, president of the World Wildlife Fund Canada. LOOKING AHEAD: Madsen, partner Wendy and their son Malkolm are cycling around North America on a quest to promote fossil fuel-less transportation and help preserve bird migration habitat. Occasionally, the spirit wanes, but only occasionally. “Sometimes I feel like shouting screw it. I have a list of secret streams buried in the wilderness where I can retreat to and canyons where even the most zealous developers can’t fi nd me. But the wild places are being hunted down like the California grizzly and passenger pigeons of the 1800s and my conscience won’t let me hide forever. So, I keep organizing meetings, talking to media, writing letters and making presentations.” Just so you don’t feel too bad for him, he gets to paddle in some of the most spectacular places on the planet. —IAN PINEAU
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHER CHICO, CALIFORNIA
ROBERTSON 29 JOIN US!
>> beautiful campsite on the shore of the Madawaska River
>> whitewater kayak and canoe programs for all ages and levels
>> paddling programs for kids >> river safety and rescue, WFA >> exceptional instructors
www.paddlerco-op.com 1-888-233-3929
WHY HE ROCKS: We don’t need to mention at 29 he’s been paddling whitewater for 18 years—12 as a professional sponsored paddler—photographing whitewater trips in nearly 25 countries. To understand why Taylor Robertson is on our list, all you really need to know is: Stikine—30,000 cfs. Back in 2000 he and paddling partner Jay Kincaid put in on the legendary Grand Canyon of the Stikine in northern B.C. On this seldom-run section levels are considered too high at 15,000 cfs—half what he and Kincaid attempted. “We made a plan to paddle six miles downstream to the fi rst rapid called Entry Falls,” Robertson recalls. “We thought this would be a good place to scout because we knew just past Entry Falls the river enters a canyon and we would not continue from there if the river was un-runnable. Unfortunately, our plan didn’t work.” With high water there were no eddies and they missed the scout. “We ended up taking the worst beating of our lives. The feeling of being stuck on the river with no ability to eddy out is hard to describe. It was basically every man for himself as there was no way to help each other because of the intensity of the drops and holes.” After covering a chaotic 24 kilometres of river in very short time they found their fi rst small eddy and made their break. They left their boats on the river and hiked for three days in the dense, grizzly-rich B.C. mountains, with no more protection than a couple of bivy sacks and a whistle. “I learned a lot about myself and paddling in the wild,” Robertson says. HARD ACT TO FOLLOW: In 2003, on a fi rst descent of the upper section of the Middle Kaweah River in Nevada he was once again faced with sink or swim realities. On the run Rusty Sage took 18 attempts to make it out of a hole now called Rusty’s Rampage. Immediately after Steve Fisher broke two paddles trying to get out. “I remember watching both Rusty and Steve thinking I can’t believe I have to go next. There was no portage, this rapid is a must run.” IN OTHER WORDS: “I have run a lot of diffi cult whitewater with a lot of different people and without a doubt Taylor is among the very best expedition paddlers on the planet,” says Kincaid. “I would prefer to run hard whitewater with Taylor than with anyone else. People react in different ways when under extreme pressure, but time after time Taylor demonstrates extraordinary mental toughness acting calmly, clearly, and with intent under the most stressful conditions.” LOOKING AHEAD: “I simply plan to paddle as much as possible and to explore more rivers,” Robertson says. “Perhaps one day even open up a kayak expedition guide service here in California to share these great places with others.”—NEIL ETIENNE
TAYLOR
PHOTO WENDY BOOTHROYD
PHOTO JEN ROBERTSON
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52