Hey guys and gals, looking for some spring stoke? Hopefully my first post to the cks blog will get you fired up to get out this year, I'll try to throw in some cool pics along the way and maybe even a little humor to lighten things up.

A look Back:
Last year was a great year of boating for me and hopefully for all of you as well, my Colorado boating season got kicked off last year with the south saint vrain race in lyons,co. The event is a great grass roots event with a diverse amount of sports to keep things interesting, things got interesting when the night before the creek race it rained a lot and spiked the level to huge levels (600-700 cfs). The race was fast and pushy but really fun, I ended up getting 6th which I was pretty happy with among all the pros.

Here I am charging into the hole at the bottom of triple drop, here is a story: SSV story

My season continued with highlights including North Saint Vrain creek at 550 cfs which was a nice spicy level in the cali section. I was finally able to get on the crystal gorge this year with an awesome crew of friends from around the state, here is dan's write up crystal gorge. I also was able to join in on the 1st Decent of the upper north fork of the little wind up in Wyoming with a fun crew of friends including my brother all the way from Tennessee, read more here: NFLW.


Burger and Menges firing on the Crystal Gorge

Me on "windscraper" on the upper north wind
photo: Evan Stafford

Here is short my brother Jim put together, look in LVM 36 for the full version

Wyoming 2010 Teaser from Jim Janney on Vimeo.



The highlight of the summer came from the middle fork of the kings, it is so good for so long. We had a great and highly unusual trip with no carnage!

Jared Johnson on raw dawg falls, for more: middle kings

Last year ended with a winter trip up to the PacNW, our meatmeter was set on huck for the trip, highlights include Metlako and Bridal Veil Falls.

Me falling on low water BVF

Looking forward:
After such a great year last I am really excited about what this year will bring. I am now in nursing school so I won't be able to travel as much as last year, that just means that I will be in Colorado longer to get on some more of the home state runs. I am really looking forward to the SSV race this year and hopefully I will be able to improve on my finish from last year. I'm also super pumped for paddlefest may 27-29 in the ark valley, it has been a few years since I have paddled down there and I'm really looking forward to getting on some of the quality ark action. My new piece of gear for this year is a gopro helmet camera, I all ready spend enough time getting out of my boat to take still pics that it should be nice to be able to capture the action from my boat.
Up next for me is to finish finals, then I get a two week break before school get started again and I'm headed out to sunny California to kick of the season. Super excited to be part of the CKS squad this year, and I'm looking forward to meeting some new faces this year.
I'll leave ya with a few cali shots, can't wait for the melt to begin.
-Tom

Me on my favorite day run, hospital rock on the kaweah

Dustin boofing on the SB of the middle feather

About Us

We're a group of whitewater kayak, raft, and stand up paddleboard enthusiasts committed to stocking the highest-quality gear and deliver it to you as quickly as possible.

Learn more about us

Don't Forget About These

What else are we up to?

View all
Rafting the Main Fork of the Salmon River

Rafting the Main Fork of the Salmon River

multi-day tripsJonathan Kahn
by Alden Kahn  If you love boating as much as we do at CKS, then you most likely agree that there is no week better spent than a week on the river....
Down and Dirty: 9 Items You Need for Your Dry Suit Repair Kit

Down and Dirty: 9 Items You Need for Your Dry Suit Repair Kit

GearCKS Team
Whitewater dry wear is the largest apparel investment any boater can make. For those who want to extend the life and use of their dry suit (or dry top), it's best to keep a dry suit repair kit on hand. Read our 9 recommendations for the best dry suit repair kit!
Whitewater Kayak Paddle Buying Guide

Whitewater Kayak Paddle Buying Guide

CKS Team
Choosing the right paddle for whitewater kayaking can be daunting with all the available paddle options to consider. We are here to help! ...