Here is the video update for New River Academy’s first semester in Chile:
Video by Hunt Jennings.
Interested in Applying to New River Academy? Call Us today and we will happily answer your questions, 304-574-0403.Archive for the ‘Kayak School’ Category
New River Academy’s Fall Semester in Chile | Rio Claro, Rio Nevado, Rio Turbio
Saturday, January 7th, 2012Mariman
Friday, January 6th, 2012We have been lucky enough during our break to stay over at Pucon Kayak Hostel, which is owned by David Hughes. The hostel is located on the banks of the Trancura river, only 15 minutes outside of pucon. The Trancura, which is our prime run right outside our hostel has one of the best big water rapids in the Pucon area.
Earlier this year when the water was higher, Mariman, combined with “last laughs” is normally the portage of the run but with lower water levels, and having spent a lot of time on the Trancura, those two rapids are now our favorites.
The rapid consists of two boofs. The first one bring you over a reactionary that leading to the bad side of the hole. The second one is needed to get through the river wide hole seen in the pictures below. As Eric Bartl discovered the the last time we ran the rapid it is very shallow on the left side of the hole. An unlucky line resulted in several skinned knuckles and a rock in his back.
The rapid is very manageable and it is super fun. It is amazing training run and rapid for big water paddling.
Drooping in to hole
Driving right for the boof
Kayaker Interview | Joey Hitchins
Saturday, December 31st, 2011I’ve known Joey since the first time I went kayaking at Liquid Skills 8 years ago. He was been a true inspiration to me in my kayaking career and has helped me so much to get to the point where I am today. He coached me at Team Trials as well as at Worlds in Germany and helped me progress even more this summer with my playboating. He has also been generous enough to pass down his teaching techniques to me in his shadow program at Liquid Skills.
Aside from coaching many great paddlers, Joey himself is a very accomplished playboater, having travelled all over the world to pursue this passion. His accomplishments in kayaking include: “being a three time member of the Canadian Freestyle Team, winning some contests here and there, they just kind of all disappear into the past.” Some of Joey’s best times paddling were in Mexico and Chile. His favorite river other than his home river is the Futalafu in Chile. Another big part of his boating career is his new boat that he designed himself and took for a test drive this summer in Germay. “It is called the LSD and it is still in constant change,” he says. Joey has a second prototype coming out in the spring this year. It is definitely the boat of his choice. It has been so good to him so far as it lasted all summer: in Germany and then on the Ottawa in holes and on wave features. The first prototype is made out of a kevlar and fiberglass infusion. It is great material as he has still not had to fix it yet, which is a huge struggle for most custom made boats.
Although Joey is a world traveller, his heart rests at home in the Ottawa Valley with his favorite river and growing business. Growing up in the Ottawa Valley, it is no wonder that he got into playboating at an early age. He started off in a Dancer, a boat worlds away from the playboats we use today, when he was 12. His river of choice is no doubt his home river, the Ottawa, where he learned to kayak and did his first rolls. The Ottawa is also home to his favorite playspots: Bus Eater and Gladiator, two huge waves where he throws down even bigger tricks! In the summer Liquid Skills, Joey’s business, keeps him busy at home. He runs many clinics for anyone from beginners to advanced playboaters on the Ottawa River. He says, “One of my biggest accomplishments in kayaking would be staying with Liquid Skills from day 1. With owning it for past few years we’re just keeping the dream alive. It keeps us in close touch with the kayaking community.” This summer he plans to add new big things to Liquid Skills. There is going to be SUP classes, a boot camp program, and the usual whitewater clinics with occasional guest instructors for the playboating clinics. In the winter months Joey runs clinics in Costa Rica. Sounds like a pretty good life to me!
Joey Hitchins on his home river getting ready for a session at Garburator.
Joey ripping it up on Garburator.
Sticking in a stabilizing rudder stroke on Gladiator.
Canadian Freestyle Kayaking Team 2011.
Joey and DL with their son Calder, starting him off young.
Nilahue
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Two days after my break of stouting began we went to the Nilahue.
Me running Nilahue. Photo by Seth Dow.
Photo by Seth Dow.
Nilahue Falls. Photo by Seth Dow.
Nilahue is an estimated 30 foot slide to a 30 foot free fall. There was a volcano that erupted recently before we got there. It brought the river up to 93 degrees fahrenheit and the level shot up. When we got there it was very brown and there was pumice rock floating around in the eddies and popping up in the boils however the level had gone back down making it more vertical.
Pretty eventful Day!
Garganta Del Diablo
Monday, December 19th, 2011Most of the students at New River Academy had been waiting for this day the whole time we were in Chile, maybe even the whole semester. Personally, I had been waiting to run this drop since I first saw pictures of it in when I was in grade 9, three years ago. This run had been talked up so much that I was extremely nervous almost to the point of not wanting to do it. After a lot of contemplating and encouragement from everyone I decided to do it. This was it. I was going to run Garganta Del Diablo.
The group at the top of Garganta getting pumped to run it. Who's nervous? It's hard to tell.
Garganta Del Diablo or Throat of the Devil is an extremely unique and picturesque drop. It is a 20 foot slide to a 25 foot waterfall. On top of that, it is nestled in a 100 foot canyon. It is almost too beautiful and clean to be true. And that’s exactly how the group did when running Garganta. We all did it beautifully and super clean. Everyone was very happy with their lines and had a great time running the drop. A few of us may have been a bit nervous, a.k.a. the girls, but we still styled it. Thanks to Seth and Carla for taking amazing photos and video of all of us!
We did it! Everyone at the bottom of Garganta.
If you want to run Garganta you can’t just run Garganta you have to run a whole section of the Rio Claro along with it. There is a take out two rapids before Garganta but after that you are completely committed to doing the whole run. There are a bunch of fun drops on the run. There is a 10 foot auto boof, two slides, and even a mini Garganta, not to mention a few other fun little drops! Another spectacular part of the run is a waterfall that pours into the main part of the river from the top of the canyon. In a flat part of the canyon you turn a corner and all of a sudden, there is a gigantic waterfall to your left. You can paddle right underneath it. This was truly an amazing experience because that is something I have always wanted to do. It’s easy to say that I have a new favorite river after running the Garganta Del Diablo section of the Rio Claro.
Me on my favourite drop.
Happy Holidays from the Well-Rounded Ladies and Gentlemen of New River Academy!
Monday, December 19th, 2011We are nomads. Moving from one of the world’s best kayaking locations to the next, we have all quickly come to realize that home is just as much the people as it is the place, and that family doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be genetically related.
For the Holidays, all of the members of our high school kayak team have dispersed to different locations around the globe to re-unite with, shall we say, our lovely genetic families, but I thought it would be appropriate to share some photos from our New River Academy Kayak Family Thanksgiving celebration and some other photos from the semester to wish everyone Happy Holidays!
Note: As shown in the pictures, New River Academy men bake, write and share poetry, and give speeches on “How To Be Chivalrous,” and New River Academy Ladies stomp such drops as “Garganta del Diablo” and style runs such as the Nevados. We are all about balance, and being the best we can be by mixing it up and trying new things with the support and encouragement of each other. We feel so lucky to have such opportunities every day.
- Hunt Jennings and Kincaid Wurl learn to make cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving breakfast the next morning.
Hunt Jennings, Kincaid Wurl, and Galen Volkhausen state clearly that REAL MEN BAKE.
...Although naturals on the baking front, sometimes the boys instigate trouble/ fun in the kitchen... Waaayyyynnne!
Eric Bartl and Alex Muck communicate with each other to find perfect balance in team yoga.
Sara Jane Daub runs Garganta del Diablo or "Throat of the Devil." Fellow girls team member Hayley Stuart couldn't get enough and ran it twice.
Me and the ladies of New River (minus the absolutely wonderful Anna and Carla).
Galen Volkhausen, not afraid to be dressed by Sara Jane Daub. Forget your gear? Don't do it, but when you do, we've got each others backs!
Hayley Stuart and Wayne Poulsen make the new recycling center more colorful for Art class.
The Stomping Stouts with Authority Crew stomp with authority by day and give educational speeches on chivalry by night. (Note that the balloon under Kincaid's shirt is unrelated to the speech on chivalry... this was dress up for karaoke).
English Paper I Heart of Darkness
Thursday, December 15th, 2011David Miller
British Lit.
Heart of Darkness response.
For hundreds of years, humans have migrated to newly discovered parts of the world, taking with them their own cultures and ideas. Many countries have extended their influence and control over far-reaching dependencies. A select few have always seen this as wrong to say the least. Joseph Conrad is one of the harsher critics of colonialism. This is probably credited to the fact thats he’s Russian and is therefore always in a bad mood. Conrad wrote his best selling novel Heart of Darkness, in 1899. In the novel, Europeans establish an “outpost of Progress” in Africa. Throughout the story Conrad depicts terrifyingly brutal scenes in which the colonists take advantage of the natives.
Some might argue that this practice was merely a flaw of the times these men lived in; that humans as a race have “grown out,” of these old habits. In our modern Western society colonization has taken a new identity, globalism. Today we send our armies to other countries under false pretenses and take the resources. There seems to be some unsaid rule that whoever has the most power can freely take from lesser societies.
To succeed in our modern world it seems as though we must out aside any sense of moral understanding, to grow we must make sacrifices. Many of our worlds great minds have recognized this trend. Alfred Sauvy took Abby Siyes’s “One Planet, Three Worlds” description of the French Revolution, and split the said world into three parts: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The trend he noticed is that the 1st and the 2nd Worlds have been coming closer and closer, almost becoming indistinguishable, while the 3rd has been moving further towards extreme poverty.
Conrad used the most extreme example of this trend. Great Britain’s colonization of the Americas, Africa, and the Middle-East saw some of the most horrific treatment of humans by other humans. After England stored up enough wealth on its own land, it spread its reach out across the globe, taking all that it saw fit to be taken. In our modern world, similar Western nations spring up. But with new technologies in communication and education, it has been harder for new powers to justify their modern colonization efforts. But not to fear, excuses can always be made. In modern society world powers are very quick to explain that they are actually educating these less developed third world countries. They tell us that these countries weren’t really happy doing things their way and that they actually wanted chain corporations and shopping malls, where before they had only drab depressing forests and mountains.
But who is to really blame? In Conrad’s example the British are in Africa looking for Ivory. It does seem that in most cases what starts off as a quest for the “mother-land,” turns into a shopping run for K-Mart. Major powers are in search of three things when they’re expanding: new markets, raw materials, and a cheap labor force. So either we are here to steal your people for our cotton farms, to rape your land, or (if your lucky) to have Arbies and KFC shoved down your throat. As major corporations tighten their hold on politics, the corruption also sinks deeper and deeper into our society.
Great minds throughout our history, now including myself, have argued the same point. Conrad told it through his book and for all we know Jackson Pollock told it through his paintings (they could mean anything). But the underlying message through out is that when we let greed and power get in the way of our morals… Well _____ goes down.
Chilean Trees.
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Acacio
Chile is one of the most unique countries in the world. It is separated from the rest of South America by the Andes Mountains to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. This isolation has lead to its extraordinarily unique flora and fauna.
Parra
In my spanish class, taught by Carla Astorga, we learned about the natural side of chile. She taught us how to identify different trees and plants, which ones we could eat, and which ones were poisonous.
Nogal
Here are a few different trees that Carla has identified for us:
Nispero
Acacio- The Acacio tree has small round leaves with long thorns on its branches. In the spring it has yellow flowers.
Araucauria
Guindo- Guindo trees also known as the Beech tree have oval leaves and small berries.
Aracauria- This is Chile’s national tree, also called the monkey tree. It has thick and sharp leaves which cover its branches completely.
Guindo
Nispero- The Nispero tree is a short tree with long waxy leaves. It bears small fruit which are edible.
Nogal- The Nogal is a walnut tree. It grows 3-4 meters tall with long leaves.
Parra- In english is a grape Vine. Very important to Chile’s economy, grapes are grown in the central regions. The parra can be identified as a thin fine with broad with scalloped edges.
Chile es uno de los países más singulares del mundo. Está separadadel resto de América del Sur por la cordillera de los Andes hacia el estey el Océano Pacífico al oeste. Este aislamiento ha llevado a su flora y fauna extraordinaria.
En mi clase de español, impartido por Carla Astorga, hemos aprendido sobre el lado natural de Chile. Ella nos enseñó a identificar los diferentes árboles y plantas, que las que se podía comer, y cuáles eran venenosas.
Aquí hay unos pocos árboles diferentes que Carla ha identificado para nosotros:Acacio-El árbol de Acacio tiene hojas pequeñas y redondas con largas espinas en sus ramas. En la primavera tiene flores amarillas.
Guindo Guindo árboles-también conocido como el árbol de Haya con hojas ovales y pequeñas bayas.
Aracauria-Este es el árbol nacional de Chile, también llamado el árboldel mono. Tiene hojas gruesas y afiladas que cubren sus ramas por completo.
Níspero, El árbol de níspero es un árbol con hojas largas y cortas de cera. Se da frutos pequeños que son comestibles.
Nogal, El Nogal es un nogal. Crece 4.3 metros de altura, con hojas largas.
Parra-En Inglés
es una vid de uva. Muy importante para la economía de Chile, las uvas se cultivan en las regiones centrales. La parra se puede identificar como un bien delgado, con amplio con bordes festoneados.
Evan Garcia Teaches Brown Claw to High School
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011It’s easy to Apply to New River Academy.
Evan Garcia Teaches Brown Claw to High School
Evan Garcia describes the dangers of a Brown Claw placed too high. Safety. Safety. Safety.
It’s no surprise all the high school kayakers at New River Academy want to be a pro just like their Bomb Flow idols. It’s a special day for the students at their Pucon, Chile base, aka Pucon Kayak Hostel, as Bomb Flow and Demshitz stars Evan Garcia, Anton Immler and Aniol Serrasolses roll up in their slick new 1,700,000 peso truck. Students flock into safe little huddles nearby hoping one of their idols will say to them, “looking stout kid” or “I saw you brown that slide the other day… stout.” Instead the students awkwardly stand their with fuzzy mustaches and shorts riding low.
“Team meeting! Everyone meet on the deck. Today we’re going to the Rio Nevado and we’ve got some guest coaches. You’ve all heard of Evan, Anton and Aniol.” The student’s have been watching videos of the hucksters every night trying to mimic their stomps and power positions. The thought of running one of Chile’s finest cascade runs, Rio Nevado, with the world’s best stompers has the students in an untypical silent excitement.
Garcia makes the Brown Claw look easy and can brown without looking at his hand.
“If you’re going to be a great kayaker like the Demshitz and Bombflowers you’re going to need one move, the Brown Claw.”
Garcia steps forward and begins explaining the proper height of a Brown Claw, “You don’t want it to be too high… you might open yourself up for an injury.”
Garcia drops his right hand claw from extended high to a comfortable balanced bend. Students study their hands and try to picture themselves doing the brown claw on the local stout “Sweet Love.”
Student Hunt Jennings raises his hand to ask, “Which hand do you use?”
Garcia replies, “Good question. Everyone has a dominant brown hand. Once you become natural the hand you brown with depends on the drop.”
View Video, “How to Brown Claw.” By Hunt Jennings.
Jennings is stunned by the ideal to ambi-brown claw and once again is impressed by the pros.
Garcia helps position Galen Volckhausen's cave-hands.
Brown Tip- Use your knee to naturally fit your claw size and finger positions.
Garcia being as adept at teaching as stomping lines notices a student struggling lacking the dexterity of the brown claw position. New River student and 16 year old Dempoop Galen Volckhausen almost in tears is embarrassed as he struggles to claw his cave-like fingers. Garcia sensitive to the matter patiently illustrates a way to place the brown claw on to your knee to secure the proper sizing and positioning of the Brown Claw.
Again, the go Huge Kayakers are in awe by Garcias ability to simplify the complex move.
Wayne Poulsen sticks a righty brown on the Rio Nevado Cali Slide.
It’s easy to Apply to New River Academy.
By David Hughes
Owner Pucon Kayak Hostel
Director New River Academy
Afterschool Rio Nevado
Monday, November 28th, 2011It’s easy to Apply to New River Academy.
Jake Greenbaum, reighning Palguin Race Champ, coaches New River students daily on stomping Rios Palguin and Nevado.
Sixteen year old Galen Volckhausen masters aerial balance on "Cali Slide."
As this semester’s head coach it’s been a pleasure to challenge the athletes on creek racing skills. And there is no better place to do that than on Chile’s whitewater wonderland. New River students have their work cut out for them with an eleven year winning tradition. Why is that? Well let’s name drop a few Huge Experiences extreme alumni:
- Isaac Levinson- reigning Green River Champ and top US Extreme Racer.
- Pat Keller- Past Green Champ and Freestyle Runnerup World Champ.
- Casey Eichfeld and Rick Powell- Olympians.
- Jake Greenbaum and Keegan Grady- winners of Palguin Races 2010 and 2009.
- Tino Specht- coach and videographer.
Pucon, Chile holds a magical energy as it lies between three volcanos in the heart of the lake-district. Imagine geological perfection for creating clean waterfalls as rain and snow meander their way down the Andes and volcanic drainages to the Pacific.
New River Academy students have been staying at Pucon Kayak Hostel enjoying classes and kayaking under the Chilean sun. This past week has been the semester climax with 80% of the student body paddling the famous Upper Rio Nevado and Upper Palguin daily afterschool.
It’s school history in the making with each student honing aerial balance skills on such a perfect stomping ground.
About Pucon’s Rio Nevado
Often called “the Nevados” the Rio Nevado has become Pucon’s favorite creek run. The upper stretch is speckled with 6’ to 10’ boof after boof. All having character, unique lines, zigs and zags, clean corners to launch, and soft pads to land within a canyon. Add to this three clean twenty footers each with signature moves.
What class is the Rio Nevado? While, many call it class V the drops break down into a series of class IV moves with a couple of class V portages. Paddlers mistakenly label it as class V based on the canyon nature and few portages. Note there is a trail to every rapid on the Upper so it’s not as remote as many assume. Additional note- 300 meters of the Lower Nevado below Demshitz drop is a non-hikable access canyon of cascade beauty.
The Cali Slide (You can park and huck)
Kincaid Wurl takes the speed bump for a little pop wheelie.
It’s a quick hike in and out to the Cali style slide. Bring your camera for those once in a lifetime shots. Taking a right line helps you slow your speed and avoid the aerial hump. Better boaters enjoy riding the ramp for those once in a lifetime aerial shots. Most folks will lap this slide to maximize the fun factor.
Wall Falls
This is a super cool twenty footer. You’ll slide an 8 degree slope to a 20’ horizon staring at the giant wall. Take a subtle righty boof stroke to turn you boat left and practice stomping a 30 degree pitch entry.
Double Drop
Go through the first three foot drop on right and then let’s see you “get there” on the bottom right side boof. Air it out for style points.
Ecstasy aka Pitch 20
Hayley Stuart takes a pro stroke on a tough line to time at Ecstacy.
This cool twenty footer goes through a 3’ wide narrow gap and creates a super cool horizon. Ride through the gap on a balanced right rudder and time a righty boof stroke.
Boof and Auto Boof
The next two are simple boofs. The auto boof makes for a sweet photo.
Make the Ferry
At higher water the ferry below “Auto Boof” is tough real tough. You can paddle under the cave rock and portage. After the ferry boof right and slide right.
Boof Ten Footer
Not sure the name of this 10 footer. At higher water air this big boy out for style. Get up on the boof heading left as a low boof slides you off into a rock on your right.
Hero Move at low water. Catch the left eddy above the boof, turn and boof the river right side.
Sara Jane Daub at Auto Boof.
Dulce Amor aka Sweet Love
Has to be one of the best 20 foot boofs on the planet. The river converges into a 5’ wide channel sloping off the perfect 45 degree wall. Charge that wall and get your boofsmear on. This is as good as boofing gets.
Pyramid Rock below Dulce Amor
It’s a steep 6 footer. Go on the right side of the pyramid and boof left. You’ll have to reach low staying balanced to keep your bow up.
Rock Jumble
There’s a right line, there’s a left line and there’s a portage. Better scout this one.
Sara gracing the ten foot boof. New River Girls Rock!
River Right Portage or Scout
There’s a tight little tough to make eddy. With groups you should get a boat catcher. New River walks this one as the slot walls are undercut.
Demshitz Drop and Takeout
Congratulations you just ran one of the cleanest waterfall runs in the world. Takeout and do it again. If you want more then scout the Demshitz 45 footer with solid entrance.
By David Hughes
Director New River Academy
Owner Pucon Kayak Hostel
It’s easy to Apply to New River Academy.
Eric Bartl timing his stomp at Sweet Love... world's best twenty foot boof.
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