Kayaking Alaska’s Newly Discovered River Canyon | Best Job Ever

The thing that really drives me the most is exploratory kayaking, paddling down these rivers that have never been paddled before. Our goal here is to paddle the headwaters canyon of the Chitina River, this unrung section. So, the headwaters canyon of the Chitina River is really a new canyon; ten years ago, it was covered in ice. Now, because of the glacial retreat of the Logan glacier, we are now able to access it.

Basically, the only little landing strip that we could find was this hundred-yard long gravel bar. So, one at a time, we had to strap our kayaks to the bottom of this small bush plane, and then our pilot shuttled us up there one at a time. Over the course of the un-run 12-mile canyon, we really didn't know exactly how much we would be portaging. There were a couple of rapids we portaged; they were really pretty scary. And you know, if we were to make a mistake on either one of those rapids, it could have been fatal.

In an expedition of this caliber, it can be kind of high-stress, but when you're out there with a bunch of your close friends who are all in their 20s, it's pretty exciting, and we keep it pretty lively. I've never been anywhere that felt nearly as remote as the headwaters canyon of the Chitina River—no human influence at all. I love paddling around on classic rivers that have been run hundreds and thousands of times, but what's most unique to me as a professional kayaker is when I get into the middle of nowhere that no one has ever been before. It just makes you feel really alive.

I guess some people really do not understand it, and I like, "Why? Why are you doing this? Can't you just do something else with your life?"