Hi Everyone! It's that time of year again, time to keep this website flowing with trip reports and beta! Here's the first big news of the upcoming paddling season...

Susitna Sled and Kayak present the 2nd annual Willow Creek Whitewater Festival. This year the festival will be on Memorial Day weekend, May 26 & 27. The slalom will be held on Saturday and the downriver races on Sunday. For details, signup, and volunteer information, go to

www.susitnasledandkayak.com

Last years event was really fun, with paddling and competitions to be had for all skill levels, pack rafters included too! Come on down and show your support. Remember, free camping on site Saturday night, so come join the party!

Timmy J.

Here is some footage from our trip to the deep south. How far can these little rafts be pushed? Who knows...

I've now come to the conclusion that EVERY run down Upper Kuskulana River's canyon is a FIRST DESCENT... because EVERY time I go into that river (which is generally once a year), the rapids completely change, disappear, or form out of nowhere!

Once again, the Upper Kuskulana delivers new rapids. The water was low (circa 200 cfs) and aqua marine in color. The Chitistone Limestone gorge walls squeeze in tighter than a boa constrictor and gigantic jade and granite boulders (the size of small cars) fill the stream to form the rapids within the slot canyons. All rapids are very manageable class II+ to III+, with the exception of 1 undercut boulder garden portage about 30 minutes into the canyon, and another portage of a class IV drop with harsh consequences.

The main reason behind our run down the Kuskulana this past Sunday was to scout and run the new 80 ft. water/slide formed from a landslide at the end of Upper Kuskulana River canyon... but... it was gone! Just below the House of God (what used to be the final class V boulder garden and most demanding drop on the river, signaled on a right-hand bend with a large waterfall pouring off the river-right canyon wall at the base of the rapid), there is a 100 yard stretch of class II-III rapids that end in a class V boulder garden we call "The Main Squeeze"...a complete canyon wall closure (chasm if you will), requiring the boater to run bottom of the rapid... NO portage options!
However, the rapid CAN be scouted, the top half of the rapid can be portaged, and there is a good place to seal launch into the 2nd half of the rapid.

Below "The Main Squeeze" the river has about 10 more class III+ drops between tight canyon walls before the river mellows out and exits the canyon about 10 minutes downstream.

There you have it...

boaters: Brian Graham, Jonny Carnage, and Timmy J.

James & Debra are having a sale on ALL gear, 15% off (kayaks, paddles, helmets, etc). This sale is only 1 week, so take advantage of the discounts while you can! Check out there website at www.susitnasledandkayak.com to see available gear!

Circa 150-175 cfs. Roman Dial, Joe McGlaughlin, Thai Verzone, and Tim Johnson. Enjoy!

While collecting water samples for thesis work, Roman and I made a quick side trip over to Montana Creek, just a few miles from Talkeetna. The creek was low, but clear of river-wide wood and free enough of shore ice to paddle every rapid. A small project this summer will involve trimming prunners to cut a trail through the evil Devil's club. Here's a video of the weekend...

Hi Everyone,

So, Debbie and James Castro of Susitna Sled & Kayak are throwing together the new Willow Creek Festival on June 4th and 5th (Saturday & Sunday), 2011!!! As you all know, we are in need of more events to bring the Alaskan boating community together, and this is a festival with events for all paddling skill levels. Come check out the festivities! I have posted a few generic details below (basically pasted from their website), but please view the Castro's website

www.susitnasledandkayak.com

for more details. See ya there!
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Festival dates are June 4 and 5
Saturday (June 4th)
* Slalom Race at SSK
* After the Slalom Race there will be a fun event down to Shirley Towne
* Susitna Sled and Kayak BBQ and Party
*** Free Camping available at SSK***

Sunday (June 5th)
* Muffins and coffee at SSK
* Buddy's Guardrail Race
* Redgate Race
* Awards ceramony at Shirley Towne Bridge

Please contact SSK @ 495-1505 if you would like to volunteer your time for this festival, donate prizes, food, drinks, etc. Stay Tuned for More Details.

If you would like to sign up early it would help us plan better and save you time on saturday and sunday mornings. Go to our facebook page to sign up.
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Hey peoples. The 2nd and 3rd canyons are now completely free of ice bridges. There is still a fair amount of shore ice in the 3rd canyon, but it does not make scouting difficult and everything is portageable if need be. Below if a video from the weekend of April 22nd. Roman and I are heading in to scout/run Montana Creek this weekend. Also in the next week a mission to clear wood from Campbell Creek gorge is underway... stay posted!

LET THE SEASON BEGIN!!!!!!!@!&*^@!*!!!!!!

So, we went in to check to check out the Upper Bird and question our sanity running it in pack rafts. It went, barely:^) I definitely prefer the hard shell at higher water, but we still had a fun time. Here it is...

Yeah, the water was extremely low (238 cfs), and while Upper Willow was lacking the class V-V+ bite it normally subjects to boaters, the low water version proved to be a fun & friendly counterpart. here's out story...