New Zealand

Some of the reasons why we loved New Zealand!

Whitewater Kayak Schools

Whitewater kayaking is difficult! It helps to have expert instruction as early as possible in your kayaking career, before you pick up too many bad habits.

Here is a list of some of the best kayak schools in the world:

New Zealand Kayak School 
The kayak school at the heart of NZ kayaking.
Murchison, New Zealand
http://www.nzkayakschool.com/

Nantahalia Outdoor Center (NOC)
Kayak instruction in the Smokey Mountains, North Carolina.
North Carolina, USA
https://noc.com/lessons-training/paddling-school

Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School
Kayak instruction based at a scenic riverside lodge.
California, USA
http://www.otterbar.com/

Zoar Outdoor
Kayaking instruction for the North East of USA.
Massachusetts, USA
http://www.kayaklesson.com/

Other places offering kayak instruction or guiding:

Ottawa Kayak School (OKS)
Ottawa, Canada
http://www.wildernesstours.com/adventures/kayaking/

Small World Adventures
Guided kayak adventures in Ecuador.
Ecuador
http://www.smallworldadventures.com/

Sundance Kayak School
Oregon, USA
http://www.sundancekayak.com/kayak-schools

Dry River and the Presidentials

The White Mountains

 For our most recent adventure we took our backpacking to the next level. We headed to New Hampshire to hike the Dry River valley trail into the presidential mountain range and back along the infamous Webster Cliff trail. It was to be a challenging 3 day trip with large changes in elevation along the way (see the chart below).

Day 1 - The Dry River Valley

After a night at the Dry River Campground we left our cars at the road and headed into the woods. It was not long before we got our first view of the Dry River, and soon after a view up the valley to Mt Washington and Mt Monroe which was where we were heading:

Mt Monroe and Mt Washington in the Distance

It looked like a long way off, but we weren't deterred. We soon crossed a suspension bridge that took the trail across the river where it continued an onward and upward. We stopped for lunch at the rivers edge and enjoyed soaking our feet in the cold water. After a few more river crossings and trail intersections the trail passed the Dry River falls. An unmarked trail that we nearly missed led down to the falls.

Dry River Falls

We continued to the Dry River Shelter where after a short break we decided to press on and find a campsite for the night. Unable to find the unmarked site we were looking for, and running low on water, we eventually found the last marked campsite before the alpine zone. We quickly found the water source and went about filtering water, setting up camp, and working on dinner. We had a great evening beside the campfire, under the stars, talking about the what the next day might hold.

Our wilderness campsite.

  
Day 2 - The Ridge Line

After a quiet night camping on the side of a mountain, we woke to warm sunshine and blue skies. We ate breakfast, packed our tents and prepared to hit the trail once more. The trail quickly became steep and narrow and the "clambering" over rocks became more like full-on rock climbing in parts. The trees got shorter and after crossing several (refreshing) streams we entered the alpine zone for the final ascent over rocks and boulders. After reaching the summit we got our first view of the AMC Lake of the Clouds Hut:

Lake of the Clouds Hut

We seemed close enough to Mt Washington (the highest peak in the Northeast) to summit that too, but it was the opposite direction of our intended route and knowing we still had a long way to go, we opted to save that for another time. After a short break a the lake of the clouds hut (which seemed a bit like Grand Central station), we set our sights on Mt Monroe (the 4th highest peak in the Northeast).

The imposing Mr Eisenhower

After Mt Monroe, the trail led on to Mt Eisenhower, which was slightly lower but more imposing. It took less than 30 minutes to reach the top and claim victory on another 4000 footer. The ridge top trail offered spectacular 360 degree views all the way. We had great weather and could see for miles around. After 4 of the hardest miles we've ever carried our backpacks,  Mt Pierce was the final peak for the day followed by a steep downhill section to find the Mizpah Spring Hut and Nauman Tentsite. 

The tail to Mizpah Sprint Hut

Day 3 - Webster Cliff Trail

We woke up to some rain on the third and final day of our adventure. By the time we'd eaten breakfast and packed up our gear it had mostly stopped and was just dripping from the pine trees. We set off from Mizpah Spring Hut towards Mt Jackson which would be our last 4000 footer of our trip. The experience on reaching the summit was very different to the peaks we'd been on the day before. This time we were surrounded by clouds and it was blowing gale force winds! It was fun, but there was no view from the top and it was hard to stand upright even when bracing against the gusts of wind.

The view across Crawford Notch

We continued on to the Webster Cliff trail which (as you might have guessed) runs along the edge of a 2000 foot cliff. This was quite treacherous in parts due to the slippery rocks and extremely steep incline/declines the trail took. It was slow going, but we had no other option but to press on.

On the Webster Cliff trail

Eventually the clouds parted and gave us some spectacular views across Crawford Notch State Park and of the surrounding area. We stopped on some large rocks at the edge of the cliff to take a break and to take in the amazing view.

View to the car!

After several hours of downhill, we completed the 2000 foot descent and made our way the half mile or so back to the car. It had been an incredible trip.

Maps and Charts

You will find the map and GPS track below, but perhaps what is more interesting is the elevation profile of our journey over the 3 days. I've added a typical Ben Nevis profile to the chart for comparison. Click on the image for a larger view:

Elevation Profile
Click above for Larger Graph

GPS Track
Click above for Interactive Map

Maine Trip 2015

We recently returned from the third annual trip to Maine and this year was great! We arrived at Indian Pond in the afternoon after meeting friends in Freeport. This year we had lakeside camping and our 3 tents were joined by the princess wagon.

On Saturday we left camp at about 9am to set shuttle for the Kennebec (map). We put on just before 11am for the first run. We had a flotilla of 4 kayaks, the red raft pirate ship with captain and 6 crew, plus 2 paddle-cats with oar rigs. The first run was at 5000 cfs and was super fun as always. One crew member took a swim at Magic falls, but apart from that it was uneventful. Erin and I hiked out at carry-brook for a second run at 2400 cfs while the rest of the group continued downstream.

On Saturday night after dark we tried something new an took the red-raft out on the lake for a starlight cruise. We paddled all the way out and around an island in the darkness. It was amazing to stare up at the star-filled night sky while floating out in the middle of the lake in the dark. What a great experience!

On Sunday we met at River Drivers and then took two cars along the 15 miles dirt road to the Dead river put-in (map). After a quick hike to see Great Falls we put-on and headed downstream. The river level was lower than last year, but the sun was shining all day. One of the oarsmen took a swim in Humpty-Dumpty rapid, and was promptly rescued mid-river. We stopped for lunch on river-right. It was then read-and-run trip down to the final Poplar rapid where we had two more swimmers that were rescued by the team.

Back at camp at the end of the day Erin and I took a swim in the lake before eating dinner and then smores around the campfire. The perfect end to a great weekend.

New Comost Bin

Thanks to the town and the Mayors office for giving us a deal on a new compost bin! It beats the pile of leaves we had before and hopefully it will stop the critters from visiting.