SUMMER2016
MOUNTAINLIFE
67
like the Beriman left untouched on this planet, so with whitewater
paddlers BennyMarr and PedroOliva also on the trip, Bryan Smith and
his crew had all the necessary ingredients for an epic film. Only problem
was –no onewas sure if the river could be run at all.
“I think everyone felt like we were in over our heads,” Bryan says. “The
athletes saw the river, then we [film crew] went and looked at it and it
scared the shit out of all of us. It looked impossible, but Stookesberry said,
‘let’s give it two days and seewhat happens.’”
Ben Stookesberry is a natural leader, and with 120 first descents in 32
countries, he’s one of themost experienced expeditionkayakers inhistory.
“We knew this entire river wouldn’t go,” Bryan says. “We knew there
would be canyons that were unrunnable, but Ben is the kind of guy who
tries to find solutions to these problems. When you are working with
people you know, and are at the highest level in the sport, you really trust
their ability to make decisions that they are comfortable with, but even
then, if they say ‘yes,’ you know it’s amaybe. And howmuch pressure are
we, the film crew, putting on them?”
Onebig factor to considerwas that once the teamhit thewater theywould
be totallyon theirown. “That river is so remote,”Bryan says. “It’sone thing
to commit to canyon on the Ashlu [a river near Squamish], but on the
Beriman, there is no one coming to help you.We hadDavidAdamson,
TOP (LEFTTORIGHT)
Chris rinses anddries his feet at camp—day 10. BENNYMARR.The air
changes, both in temperature and smell, about 10 km from the ocean. Portrait photo shoot opp!
CHRISKORBULIC.Day 3or 4 (orwhatever) into themainportage,which started after canyon
4.We stoppedbecause itwas dark.We hacked into the jungle, anchored the tent to the traverse
line, and sleptwell deep in the jungle. BENNYMARR.
BOTTOM
With a helicopter hovering
overhead, addingurgency to an already stressful situation, Korbulic leads Pedro intoGorge
1, one of the best sections ofwhitewater on the river and reminiscent of theAshlu canyon in
Squamish, BC. BENNYMARR
