Fiery passion, cold water

On a chilly February morning, snow drifted onto the rushing water as Drew Stephens and his fellow kayakers paddled on the Spokane River near the State Line bridge. The group of five Spokane and Coeur d’Alene residents stayed together, near one powerful eddy line. The kayakers wore gloves, brightly colored drysuits and skintight hoods to stay warm in the 38-degree water.

For Stephens, this was a typical day on the water.

One by one, the freestyle kayakers performed a variety of tricks. Water sprayed in all directions as each athlete spun and flipped on the powerful rapid. Their small kayaks, known as play boats, are specifically designed for freestyle tricks.

Stephens, who has paddled on and off for 20 years, discovered winter kayaking two years ago.

“Before I found out about dry suits, I was limited to paddling for three or four months out of the year,” Stephens said. “Then you have to put your gear away and wish that it was summer again. Now that I’ve got all the right gear, it’s opened up a whole world to me. I can paddle any day of the year.”

After investing in the proper clothing and equipment, Stephens found a small community of winter kayakers on social media. Facebook groups like “Spokane Whitewater” and “North Idaho Whitewater Boating” all share information about river conditions, kayaking meet-ups and stories about their experiences on the water.

Experienced freestyle kayakers welcomed Stevens into the community.

“The guys that are way better than anyone else are almost always willing to give you pointers and help you get better,” Stephens said. “You’re all out there just to have fun and keep each other safe.”

Steve Bailey, a seasoned local paddler, kayaks between 140 and 180 days per year. The Rockford resident enjoys connecting with fellow kayakers and welcomes newcomers to the sport. Regardless of skill level, everyone who paddles has a shared interest.

“The common theme is we all end up loving the river,” Bailey said. “If you talk to any kayaker, they’ll talk about their addiction. It’s so much fun, you can’t even explain it.”

The Spokane River is home to more than seven distinct water features between Coeur d’Alene and Spokane, Bailey said. Rideable locations include Corbin Park in Post Falls, Dead Dog near State Line, Sullivan Hole, and Duplex Wave. Every spot offers a specific type of riding experience, according to Bailey, but most feature a “wave” or a “hole.”

These water features are all affected by the amount of water that flows downriver, so freestyle kayakers keep a close eye on water conditions before choosing their destination. Water levels at State Line’s “Dead Dog” were nearing the 16,500 cubic feet per second (CFS) mark, but they can swell to over 20,000 CFS, Bailey said.

With optimal water levels and the weather hovering around 21 degrees, the group enjoyed a long morning of kayaking under the State Line bridge. Weather conditions are not always as optimal.

Some days are too cold to ride.

“Last year I went out when it was 4 degrees outside,” Stephens said. “For me, that was too cold. My gear just turned to ice. When I got back to my car, I couldn’t unzip my life jacket. I had to drive home with my life jacket on because it was frozen shut. Above 20 degrees, I’m 100 percent comfortable.”

The extreme elements are only one factor to this potentially dangerous sport. In the early days of his winter kayaking passion, Stephens flipped upside-down in a hole and was unable to “roll” out of it. The father of three was forced to bail out of his kayak and swim to the surface. After escaping from his kayak, Stephens slammed against several boulders before emerging from the rapids. The experience motivated him to improve his skills and progress in the sport.

“That’s actually one of the better things that’s happened to me because after that I really convinced myself that I’ve got to get my roll way better,” Stephens said. “It was just one of those times when I could either do one of two things: I could quit because I’m never going to get this, or I could go out and do it right. Mentally, things just changed. Now I go out and practice doing those rolls more to make sure that I’m always on my game.”

Stevens is excited to build on his freestyle kayaking skills.

“I’m finally starting to get that progression,” he said. “I went from a decent beginner to a pretty solid intermediate paddler, so having the confidence to go try new tricks is awesome. I think that progression is going to stack.”