Page 115 - 2022-08-01 Paddling Magazine
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ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
BEAR SPRAY &
BLIZZARDS THE PRICE TO MAKE IT A
Nouria Newman recently REALITY IS TIME, EFFORT,
embarked on an epic trip in the SACRIFICE AND SWEAT.
—USAIN BOLT
mountains of Squamish, British PHOTO: ROB FAUBERT
Columbia, to be the first person to
paddle the Pitt River. To access the
remote river it required a two-and- ALCHEMY
a-half day solo hike and traversing
a mountain pass—in the Dreams Are Cheap
middle of winter.
Knowing she would be
bushwhacking in bear country, But it takes three types of paddlers to make ‘em a reality
Newman had clipped bear spray to by jeff jackson
her PFD. It didn’t take long for the
bear spray trigger to catch the low- I HAVE A FRIEND WHO LOVES TO PLAN TRIPS. being achievable, realistic and timely. Once a plan is
hanging branches that were slap- The ratio of trips planned versus taken is probably in play, it directs attention, time and money, all with
ping at her face and gear. Tsssst. 10:1. Whether remote expeditions in foreign countries the intention of getting closer to the put-in.
“It burns!” said Newman as she or unlikely routes close to home, planning trips is what I dream of paddling the Firth River in northern
recounted being sprayed with her he does for fun. There is always a route in the works Yukon, during its brief Arctic summer window, or
own bear repellent. The active with miles measured, logistics considered and maps the Selway River in Idaho with its notoriously difficult
ingredient in bear spray, capsaicin, spread out on the desk that they are eager to discuss. permit lottery—but they are just dreams. I love the
causes burning and instant inflam- Occasionally, a trip comes out of it. idea of both trips, but I’m not putting my name in
mation of eyes, nose, throat and There’s no right way to plan an adventure. The fa- the Selway permit draw and will never run the river
lung tissues. “The problem with a mous mountaineer and explorer Eric Shipton, whose unless I do. If either of those trips dropped in my lap,
loaded kayak in the forest is that journeys spanned the globe from the 1930s through I would jump on them, but I’m not the one who will
you cannot go anywhere if you’re to the early ‘70s, said, “Every good expedition can be make them happen. Wow-worthy as they would be,
not looking and breathing.” planned on a bar napkin.” I have some other plans.
Despite the literal obstacles in I have a group of friends who dispense with the The 100-mile upper Missinaibi River in north-
her path, Newman managed to de- napkin altogether and just go, planning be damned. ern Ontario is at the top of my list. I have the maps,
liver her gluey-eyed self to the river. Some are lucky if both a sprayskirt and helmet make collected beta on the raft-ability of the significant
She even ran into a bear when she it to the put-in, let alone a map or first aid kit. These drops, roughed out the camp locations, and sorted
got there. Thankfully the bear didn’t folks tend to stick to local day-run adventures, but I the logistics. Of course, it helps that this river is only
seem too interested in her. have also seen the throw-all-the-stuff-in-a-garbage a day’s drive from my home. The next step is to carve
“The Pitt wasn’t the best bag gong show on multiday trips. out the time this summer or next. A float trip on the
whitewater, but with the right Say what you will about the method; they do get historic Hayes River in northern Manitoba is also
flow, it has potential,” Newman out a lot. planned, waiting for the right time to make it happen.
reflected. Despite the fear, pain And don’t forget the dreamers. Dreamers tend to There are dreamers, planners and doers, and some-
and unfulfilled river expectations, have the longest and boldest list of rivers to run, with times each of us needs to be a little of all three to get
Newman still rates the first descent unbridled enthusiasm for each one. But the difference to the put-in. Waiting for dreams to drop into our
trip as “a very good mission” and between a dream and a plan is substantial. Dreams laps or major plans to come together means a lot of
is scheming up her next spicy don’t direct resources—it’s all ideas, emotion and unpaddled days and a lot of dreams never realized.
adventure. Watch the video at pad- potential, and often little action. Real trip planning After all, a bar napkin is all it takes to make a trip
dlingmag.com/0114. —LS is more like goal setting, focused on the specifics and happen. And for some, not even that.
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