EPISODE SUMMARY
In September of 2020 at Kanawha Falls in West Virginia, a river rescue at midnight occurred and was given an award and labeled the “Midnight Miracle.” A group of 13 kayakers and rafters responded late that night to a facebook post about a lone kayak floating at the falls. At the 2 year anniversary of the rescue, we went with the rescued kayaker when he ran the falls again for the first time since his rescue. He and the rescue crew tell the story.
EPISODE NOTES
As the winter of 1983 closed out in the Western United States, the Central and Southern Rocky Mountains were covered in exceptionally deep snow. Spring was warming up and rain was falling. This combination of fast melting snow and rain timed the runoff into the Green and Colorado Rivers just perfect to create record high flows well above 100,000 CFS into Cataract Canyon. It was commercial river season in Cataract and two trips were being pushed into running the biggest water in North America to ensure the company made its profit. As the river level continued to rise, trips were loosing boats and the risk was intense. Bego, Laurie Cooper and Tim Cooper were guides that season and are still friends today. 35 years later, they told that story around the campfire of running Cataract Canyon in 1983, a boss who was seeing dollar signs, and helicopters that shuttled notes and people up and down the corridor. See more at Instagram and Facebook.
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CONTRIBUTORS
- Sam Davis
- Joel Wenblad
- Corey Lilly
- Felicia Coyner
- Brandon Richmond
- Sam Carter
GUESTS
- Sam Davis
- Felisha Coyner
- Brandon Richmond
- Corey Lilly
- Joel Wenblad
