BANKS, Idaho — This weekend whitewater kayakers and rafters could be found up on the Payette River after warm weather melted ice bridges that create a hazard on the river during winter.
You might be wondering about winter kayaking and how cold is to cold to be on the water.
"It’s never too cold to go kayaking if you have the right gear," said Mateo Kowalczyk who kayaked the Staircase section on the South Fork of the Payette River with his friend. " If you can get dressed and get pumped up for it, you can always have a good time."
Kayakers and rafters have safety gear for every trip down the river, including a helmet, a life jacket and proper footwear. However, the evolution of the dry suit has made it possible to kayak even during the winter.
"The dry suits have these latex gaskets that go on my wrist and my neck so I’m completely dry and underneath my dry suit," said Kowalczyk. "I wear the exact same layers that people wear when they go skiing."
The face and the hands are the hardest parts of the body to keep warm on the river during winter. Kowalczyk uses a neoprene hat and gloves, but admits it's still cold on those extremities.
Winter kayaking also means low-water kayaking. The water is significantly lower than during the summer and that means it's less pushy. It makes it easier, but it also uncovers many rocks. Winter is not a time for beginners, it's a time for river runners to stay sharp.
"It's harder to train in the winter, but it is still good to get out and paddle around," said Kowalczyk. "That way in the spring when the high water comes we are ready."
River runners need to watch out for ice bridges during the winter. These hazards can prevent kayakers from going downstream forcing them to get out of the river and walk around the ice. However, the warm weather this past week melted all the ice bridges on the Staircase section.
“Ice bridge can be quite dangerous because water goes underneath, but obviously if you go under there you wouldn't be able to breathe," said Kowalczyk. "We have email groups where we communicate with each other and you want to scout from the road before you get on the river."
We saw several groups on the South Fork of the Payette River and another group on the Main Payette. Obviously, if people are willing to brave the elements during the winter it shows how much they love the sport.
"I just love being on the river and I feel that I'm free," said Kowalczyk. "Gliding through the water, catching waves and surfing is just so much fun and being out there in the water with your friends is the best thing you can do."
The dry suit is an expensive piece of equipment, but it's necessary to run rivers in cold weather. I got my drysuit from Immersion Research which is headquartered in the gorge where their water season is from November to June. Kokatat has always been at the top of the industry in terms of quality and NRS has dry suits too. They are based in Moscow, Idaho.
