DOUG AMMONS


DOUG AMMONS PHOTO: COURTESY DOUG AMMONS


RICHARD BANGS PHOTO: COURTESY RICHARD BANGS


WALT BLACKADAR PHOTO: FRANK WILCOX


» Doug Ammons continues to be both a prolific boater and writer. The Montana native is perhaps most well-known for his love of solo expe- ditions. Most notably, he boasts the only successful solo descent of the Grand Canyon of the Stikine. Ammons is also known for valuing sense of place and power of nature over sponsorship, TV deals and the attitude of conquering rivers that permeates the paddling scene today. River comrades with ‘70s paddling pioneers like Walt Blackadar and Rob Lesser, Ammons remains relevant today as a mentor and role model for many seeking a grounded perspective on paddling.


RICHARD BANGS


TYLER BRADT PHOTO: DAVE BEST


EXPLORERS


MICK HOPKINSON PHOTO: COURTESY MICK HOPKINSON


STEVE FISHER PHOTO: BLAKE JORGENSON/RED BULL CONTENT POOL


50 RAPID EARLY SUMMER 2013


SCOTT LINDGREN PHOTO: CHARLIE MUNSEY


» In the early ‘70s, Bangs initiated his whitewater career as a Grand Canyon river guide. Now in his sixties, he’s still paddling strong, completing runs like the Colorado River’s Cataract Canyon at 65,000 cfs in recent years.


His first descent of southern


Africa’s Zambezi River resulted in the birth of the whitewater rafting industry in the area, now known for being some of the best runnable whitewater in the world. As if his first D’s of the Zambezi,


China’s Yangtze and 35 other rivers weren’t enough to secure a spot on this list, Bangs has chronicled his stories of river travel and exploration in more than a thousand magazine articles, 19 books, over 20 documentaries and a full library of digital media.


WALT BLACKADAR


» Remember when common wisdom dictated that you couldn’t paddle anything bigger than class III? Neither do we. Paddling pioneer Walt Blackadar blew off the con- servative river running and slalom mentality of the ‘70s with a go-big- or-go-home attitude. Home was never an option.


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