Whitewater kayaker Rush Sturges is one seriously talented dude. He just released his newest film, Chasing Niagara, this month through his production company, River Roots, where he chronicles the story of his good friend, Rafa Ortiz, and his mission to run Niagara Falls. The film has been well received. Sturges is also working on an upcoming album release–he’s actually a really good rapper/musician, too.
Then this week he released this short, “Little White From the Sky.” In March, Sturges, along with Evan Garcia and Ben Marr ran the Little White Salmon, one of the world’s best waterfall runs, at higher than average flows. The duo was followed by a helicopter, giving a bird’s eye view of just how continuous the whitewater is within this tiny gorge just across the Columbia from Hood River, Oregon (it’s actually in Washington state).
The heli follows the trio as they charge through rapids like Getting Busy, the first drop on the river, through Boulder Sluice and then over the legendary–and aptly-named–Spirit Falls. I’m a huge fan of Sturges’ work. Whitewater kayaking is so foreign to so many people, but he gives it an air of beauty and mystique that attracts folks to the pure aesthetic of the sport. Even if they never try running a river, they come away appreciating the athleticism.
