We ended up in Bellingham for the Ski to Sea event a few weekends ago.  The event went great as we were supporting and documenting a team commissioned by the Disabled Veterans Association.  Check out Team River Runner and the DVA for more info on these great organizations.

Any who, after all that work I was hungry for some brown kayaking action.  I began pestering Cody Howard of HuckinHuge.com for beta on any sweet waterfalls to run, he mentioned that Racehorse Creek Falls may be good to go.  After using Barneys I-Phone and checking out some google images I made the decision that it was a viable option.  That night I partied with my cousin Mark Landvik, who just finished a huge season of filming snowboarding for Travis Rices new video, Thats It Thats All and standard films new movie Aesthetica.  Mark and his buddies came out to come check out the waterfalling action the next day.  I was stoked to have them there.

The falls looked great.  Starting with a log slide to a 25 footer, then a ten foot slide followed by the big transitioning slide that stacks up to 60-70 feet.  The top few drops went according to plan.  Then, I eddied out to rescout the “Stout”   I decided I had to be far river left to land in the smoothest part of the transition, then I would just slide into a nice little pool. Right?

It all went according to plan until I skipped into the pool at the bottom.  Instead of stopping or at least slowing down I felt like I accelerated.   I skipped across the pool  careening towards the rocky riverbank.   Fortunately,  I was paddling a Liquid Logic Jefe.  The forgiving bow of my boat took the shore and turned it into a ski jump instead of a piton.  I was then launched through the air  and into the rocks at least 15 feet.  I landed upright and wobbled for a moment in disbelief.  We celebrated by roasting bratwursts at the base of the falls and telling stories.

Dropping the upper 25 footer, I love the way the Jefe boofs.

About to stick the transition on the big one.

Hitting the shore and about to launch!

Happy that I stayed upright.

~Erik Boomer signing out from a coffe shop in McCall Idaho.  Water is high here.

OK we got Tyler Bradt on the phone and he gives us an account of his descent of the massive and current world record, Palouse Falls. Enjoy.

Interview with World Record Waterfall Holder Tyler Bradt from Lunch Video Magazine on Vimeo.

Ian Garcia and Tyler Bradt, both from Montana, came to Hood River to run big waterfalls.  Our first day was stout, Ian and Tyler decided to warm-up on  Metlako Falls on Eagle Creek.  I think this was the 6th and 7th descent of this falls if you count the innertube descent.  They both styled the drop with only a slightly sore neck to show for it.  Looks like this week is gonna be good.

Ian and Tyler where really afraid.

Looking 80 feet down the tube, notice how small Tyler looks sitting in the eddy below.

Notice Ian locking his body into neutral position, no front flips off this stout!

~Boomer