RETURN TO THE STIKINE A Deeper Look at Kayaking’s Most Iconic River

The Stikine has long been considered a rite of passage for kayakers, yet for the past two years, it has remained tantalizingly out of reach. The stars aligned this past October, and Benny Marr, Todd Wells, and Jules Domine returned to find that while the rapids had changed, the majesty and grandeur of this sacred river corridor had not. Jules Domine reflects on the past, present, and future of the Stikine and the hold it has on our kayaker’s hearts.

Words: Jules Domine for AADO MEDIA

"YOU CAN BE THE TOUGHEST, MOST RECKLESS KAYAKER THERE IS, BUT CLAIMING THERE IS NOT A MOMENT OF DOUBT AND FEAR AS YOU PUT ON YOUR DRYSUIT AT THIS PARTICULAR PUT-IN WOULD BE A LIE" Stikine… the name is often on my mind. Almost a decade after being introduced to this place, my trips to this remote region have become almost a yearly pilgrimage. I’m not the only bird of passage faithfully migrating north as the river approaches a reasonable level. But for aficionados, as much as for curious first-timers, the recent years have been frustrating. It was as if both the rain and Covid unanimously decided to block kayakers from returning to one of the most iconic expedition Meccas. A return to this sacred river would require many galaxies…

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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, Spring 2022

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