White River Kayaking on the Skyscraper Waterfall in California

White River Kayaking on the Skyscraper Waterfall in California Host: Having run the South Silverfork series of waterfalls called teacups, Scott and friends scout the skyscraper, the last and greatest waterfall on this high mountain river. The skyscraper is a series of granite walls and waterfalls that have put more than a few kayakers in trouble. To run skyscraper safely, Scott studies his route and consults with his friends. It takes not only confidence to run such a fall, it takes the right stuff. Scott Lindgren: I think a lot of people refer to me as being on the edge, a lot of people that see what we’re doing, look at what we’re doing and think, wow that’s crazy but what a lot of people don’t realize is that the last 15 years of my life has been essentially focused on traveling down the river. I don’t typically look at what I do as job but traveling down the river for me is of the same comfort zone as what a lot of people consider their normal work place. I firmly believe it’s probably more dangerous to jump on the free way and drive to work everyday than it would be to for me to actually jump in my kayaking go around the classified river. Host: Scott will run the massive waterfall skyscraper first. A test of the route, his device from his scout, protected only by a helmet, life vest and his kayak, the kayakers still suffer bruises from slamming in the granite walls. Skyscraper is a test not only of skills but of the kayaker’s will. Scott takes another look at skyscrapers as one member of their party has never run this waterfall. Lissie English has run the teacups before but this is her first run down the skyscraper. It’s a bone shaking experience for all who run this rapid. Having successfully run this skyscraper, it’s time to do it again. Practice is the rule for White Water kayakers as is taking advantage of a big year of snow melt and an extended season. Scott Lindgren: A lot of times California spring run off we’ll go into the middle to the end of July and beginning of August and then we’ll be done and for instance, this year everything seems to be a month to a month and a half behind. So we’re going to be seeing flow still probably all the way through the end of August and maybe even in to September and this year you're actually cable of getting a lot more done and because of the season of which translates to more time in the water which translates to more fun. Host: More fun for Scott Lindgren and friends is dropping off cliffs and waterfalls through pounding White Water. Is this a liberating experience or is it a form of masochism? There are few in lives that choose the path these extreme kayakers have taken. It’s a path of path of acceleration, discipline and bruise bodies. For this few, all the elements of everyday life are joined in the moment of flying down a watery skyscraper. For Scott Lindgren, the sheer granite walls and for winding White Water of skyscraper is a treat. Scott’s expeditions have taken him to the most exotic White Water Rivers in the world. He has made first the sense of remote ferocious rivers from the Himalayas to South America, from Canada to Africa. How do California’s rivers compare? Scott Lindgren: A lot of people ask me where is the best place you’ve ever been kayaking? That’s like a common question and then I’ve pretty much search the globe upside and down looking for the next best river trip and I basically have chosen this area as my home because I firmly believe as far concentration runable White Water access and quality of White Water there’s probably not a better place in the world to go kayaking. Host: For Scott Lindgren, it is an endless summer of floating on water off granite cliffs. It is this summer of never ending snowmelt where weeks instead of days can be spent playing in mountain rapids. It is a summer for White Water kayaking.