Chris Kassar taking the time to say a prayer at the proposed dam site of the Baker River. Patagonia, Chile. Photo: James Q Martin

by Chris Kassar via The Cleanest Line

Every time I kneel down next to a river – even if just for a moment – I swear I can hear it speak to me. I know this probably sounds crazy, but I also know I’m not the only one who hears wise murmurs rising from the ripples of wild waters. For many of us, the rhythm of a river can mesmerize our soul, capture our spirit and force us to really stop and listen.

The Baker River, nestled deep in the mountains of Chilean Patagonia, is no different. I spent weeks walking its banks, riding its waves, and crunching through the epic ice fields that feed it. I even floated over the exact spot where its journey as a river ended and it emptied into the sea – a feat in and of itself given that so many rivers, including my very own Colorado, no longer even make it all the way to the ocean. But, this trip from source to sea was much more than just a fun adventure. We – team Rios Libres – immersed ourselves in the landscape so we could arm ourselves with the knowledge needed to join the fight to protect Patagonia’s wildlands and the people who depend on them.

During our excursion, the mighty Baker spoke volumes and gave us a glimpse into what the world used to be like – full of untamed lands, untouched rivers, intact forests and people who depended on the land and each other to survive. Spending a month at the edge of the world was like traveling back in time to an age when things were simpler and nature remained largely unaltered by the trappings of man.

Unfortunately, the experience we had may not be available for future generations unless we raise our voices and speak for the river. Huge walls of concrete threaten to choke the furious turquoise flow of Chile’s most voluminous river, the Baker and its rugged sister, the Pascua. If allowed, big business will ruin pristine old-growth forests, destroy the gaucho culture and silence the beautiful sound of these waters only to replace them with the disheartening din of ‘civilization’ – bulldozers, power lines, reservoirs and dams… all to provide power for the destructive mining industry in the north.

Timmy O'Neill dropping Class V on the Baker River. Photo: James Q Martin

But this doesn’t have to happen. Perhaps, if we could just sit and listen more carefully, we might hear the river speak and fully grasp the idea that it is more important to protect the river’s power than harness it. Chile has the opportunity to learn from mistakes made in the past; they can act as a model for the rest of the world by seeking alternatives that allow them to gain energy independence while still maintaining the character of Patagonia.

We’ve written about this in the past and our team made an award-winning film called Power in the Pristine that documented our source-to-sea adventure and highlighted the various threats to the region.

So why are we writing now? We’re writing because this fight is far from over and we need your help in giving this river and its people a voice once again. A lot has happened over the past year and it seems that the wild character of the entire region – which was once endangered – is now closer to extinction than ever before. The following video will catch you up on the issue. We hope it inspires you to read on and to act. The river speaks and so can you!

***

Synopsis of recent happenings: In May 2011, the government approved the dams. Tens of thousands of Chileans took to the streets in opposition and six weeks later, the Court temporarily halted all construction due to a pending appeal. This was especially significant since the Court was the only Chilean authority to challenge the project since its inception in 2008. However, in October, the Chilean appeals court ruled in favor of the dam project causing the volley to continue as opponents who want to protect this unique environment brought their challenge to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the project still requires a permit for more than 1,250 miles (2,000-km) of transmission line to carry the 2,750 megawatts generated from deep in southern Patagonia to the capital Santiago. Earlier this week (Dec. 5), HidroAysen – the company behind the dam project – released initial plans for the powerline and the environmental analysis will begin in March 2012.

Clearly, the fight to protect Chile’s pristine rivers and wildlands is not over; protests continue and polls show that over 74% of Chileans oppose the dams. This Saturday, December 10, thousands will return to the streets in Coyahique and other cities in Chile to show the government that they oppose this decision. If you cannot make the event in Chile, please show your solidarity by taking action through these groups:

1. Rios Libres: Join the ‘virtual march’ to keep Patagonia Wild!
2. NRDC: Tell Chile’s President to stop the HidroAysén project from destroying Patagonia (Learn more)
3. International Rivers: Demand Democracy for Chile – NO to HidroAysén!

The river speaks and so can you!

For more info go to: www.rioslibres.com.

• Anna Brones. You get big high fives for quite a few reasons this week, but especially for becoming my go-to music maven, especially for mashups like this, and this… and this.
• Jenny Nichols. Umm… Wild Love is hitting full steam because of you, hot stuff. So excited to be working with this incredible + creative lady.
• American Rivers. I talk about free-flowing rivers a lot. That’s because I love them, and I get to work with inspiring world changers like the folks at AR.
• Save Our Wild Salmon. Keep on fighting.
• Andy Maser. Thank you.
• ‎”How much of your own heart would you protect?” — Dr. Sylvia Earle when talking about the ocean. Keep up the fabulous work, iLCP.
• Rachel Meyer, Amber Valenti, Molly Downey + Meagan Nuchols. There are no words. You rock.
• Big ups to Gareth, Sam, Courtney, Jeff and the entire Osprey Packs family.
• Justin Clifton. 5Point is going to be amazing. And thank you for posting this video today… gives us all something to aspire to.

Happy Friday!

Just moments after the blast, and after I tackled American Rivers' Amy Souers Kober in excitement. Courtesy Klean Kanteen

There are no words to describe how freaking awesome it was to witness the White Salmon River erupt through Condit Dam on Wednesday, so just watch the video here via Andy Maser and National Geographic and CELEBRATE! Powerful, powerful stuff.

PHOTO via Klean Kanteen’s FB page. Thanks for your support!

PHOTO of Marmot Dam explosion via

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the deconstruction of the dams on the Elwha River. I now have three chunks of concrete sitting on my mantle — two from Elwha Dam and one from Marmot Dam that was destroyed a couple of years ago. You might say I’m becoming a bit obsessed with dam removal… but hey, it’s pretty damn cool to see four dams come down in my lifetime and I’m not even 30 yet.

Our rockstar friend and filmmaker Andy Maser just released his most recent teaser for American Rivers’ Year of the River series celebrating the Elwha and White Salmon river restorations.

“I was so determined that the river run free and that the fish would return. I couldn’t stop. I always believed that Condit Dam would come down someday. What I didn’t think would happen, is that it would be in my lifetime.” — Phillis Clausen, a longtime resident of the White Salmon area and one of the most kick-ass river advocates I’ve ever known.

In less than two weeks, crews will pack the dam full of dynamite and blow it up, freeing the White Salmon almost immediately. They estimate the reservoir will drain in less than 6 hours. While no one can actually be there to see the blast, Andy is setting up several cameras at the site to catch all of the action. So stay tuned… and if you want to see some photos and updates leading up to the blast, visit Andy’s White Salmon Timelapse Project site.

And last, but not least, we want to give a major shout-out to New Belgium Brewery and Klean Kanteen who are supporting this incredible. Check out this great Skinny Dip ad on the White Salmon several years ago. Pretty cool to see it come full circle.

Happy Friday!

October has always been one of my favorite months because fall is such a dynamic season. The leaves are going through the mind-blowing process of changing colors, perspectives are rich as we leave the playful months of summer by preparing emotionally and perhaps physically for winter and the down jackets begin to become a reality once again… which is never a bad thing!

Although there are probably at least ‘one million‘ other events and notable happenings taking place this month, here is one that speaks to us:

Breast Cancer Awareness Month — having lost my mom to this bullshit, I honor and recognize the varied and vast amount of energy and effort that so many people put into not only the awareness but the eradication of this disease. The forces behind finding a cure are unstoppable! So thank you to Osprey Packs who is supporting this energy by selling a special edition pack and donating packs to climbers participating in Climbing for a Cure. Thank you to the individuals who are digging deep for the answers and well done to the survivors who are walking proud and carrying on… you are all true inspirations.

What’s happening for YOU this October… we’d love to hear all about it!

Take care!

Love from under solen

I saw a post from a friend on Facebook as the news spread of Steve Jobs’ death and all that it said was “iSad”.  This simple and clever post made me laugh while the rest of the world was/is mourning the passing of an exceptional thinker. From this laughter came deep gratitude for all of the people that are in our lives and who fill it consistently with smiles, hope and grace.

I will borrow Steve Jobs words and Rihanna’s song (to be played extremely loud — don’t be ashamed) as we raise our glasses to YOU as we venture into another beautiful weekend:

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… you can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”  — Steve Jobs

Thank you to the brands who carefully select and build products that truly stand for something and better our world in some small or large way. Cheers to the musicians and filmmakers who bare their soul each and every time a microphone or camera covers their face. Thank you to the non-profits who exist out of pure passion for something that needs to be believed in. Cheers to the silent leaders that fill our world, I trust that your voices will be heard in those times of need.

We honor and send high fives out to you ALL!  HAPPY FRIDAY and we hope that you ROCK OUT HARD THIS WEEKEND!

“This is just breathtaking for me. This is not only an historic moment, but it’s going to lead to historic moments elsewhere across the country.” —Michael Connor, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on removing two dams on the Elwha River.

I took the leap into my first nonprofit gig with a salmon group in Bellingham, Washington. After getting dirty at a few work parties, teaching kids about rivers and seeing the first first run of salmon coming home… it didn’t take long — I was hooked. With conservation it’s all about winning — because winning means we’re making this world a better place. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in the seemingly impossible state of affairs — climate change and species extinction to name a few — that we can’t even see the little and big wins happening every day.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to be a part of an incredible posse of movers and shakers at the Patagonia Tools Conference for Grassroots Activists. After meeting dozens of inspiring people fighting to protect a piece of this world, it was hard not to be motivated and energized about the work we all do. We spent a lot of time talking about celebrating the little wins, especially when you have a tough road to your final big win. The conference could not have happened at a better time because that same weekend crews began work on the largest river restoration project in history — removing two dams on the Elwha River. BOOM! That is no small feat. That is a huge win.

Thanks to Amy Kober of American Rivers for dropping off two chunks of Elwha dam. I've never been so happy to hold a piece of concrete in my hand.

What we as eco warriors need to remember that every win, large or small is part of a larger movement. Whether you live in the Northwest or not, whether you have been part of this fight or not — this victory is your to celebrate. With every win, we get stronger, smarter and more energized. So, this Friday it’s time to celebrate this huge win… we’ve got more on the way.

Happy Friday!

Every Friday, we look back on the week — the people we’ve met, the places we’ve visited and this week and the lessons we’ve learned. After a week in and around Boulder, Colorado, I’m finding it hard to put my finger on any one thing to write about, so I’ve made a list of all of the cool things that we’ve been looped up in this week…

The Himalayan Cataract Project. We were lucky enough to meet up with our friend Timmy O’Neill just a few days after his return from Tanzania where he had assisted Dr. Geoff Tabin in more than 300 surgeries. In just a couple of weeks, they had given 300 people back their sight. That’s pretty darn incredible. Learn more and support their work here.

Challenge 21: Water for People, One Peak at a Time. We stayed with the amazing Wende Valentine and Jake Norton and their wonderful kids last weekend. The two have joined forces to take on a campaign called Challenge 21. Jake, a mountain guide and climber, has committed to climb the triple seven summits over 3 years to raise $2.1 million for Water for People. They reached their first summit while we were with them. Support the cause here.

The WILD Foundation. Their vision is to protect at least half of the planet, land and water, in an interconnected way because wild-areas provide essential social, spiritual, biological and economic benefits – Nature Needs Half™. Dear Emily Loose, thank you for letting us take over your house in Boulder this week!

Paradox Sports envisions a world where people of all backgrounds and abilities can pursue a life of excellence through human-powered outdoor sports, regardless of physical disability or limb-count. They see a future where everyone is able to pursue their dreams because they have the opportunities, support and the adaptive equipment necessary to do so. Support Paradox here.

Stop the Belo Monte dam in the Amazon. Cristina Mittermeier took the photo at the top of this post of a group of Kayapo Indians in the Amazon. This community, culture and environment is threatened by the construction of a massive hydroelectric dam. Take action to stop it here.

Ash & Ore. We’re all for supporting cool people doing cool things, and that’s exactly what our friend Amee Hinkley is doing. Amee is starting up Ash & Ore, a one woman venture, specializing in handmade leather goods that combine simple functional designs with new and re-purposed materials. Check out her goods and become a fan on her Facebook page. And get excited, her online store is coming soon!

Happy Friday!

via Osprey Packs:

A new uranium mining boom is threatening further harm to the people, water, wildlands and biodiversity of the Grand Canyon region.

The Obama administration is considering a plan that would protect up to 1 million acres of the Grand Canyon’s watersheds from new uranium mining. But only one of the alternatives they’re considering — Alternative B — affords protections across the entire 1 million acre watershed.

What can you do?

1. Knowledge is power. Watch the video and learn why we need to use our voice to speak up for the Grand Canyon right NOW.

2. Share the love! Post this video on your FB, Twitter or blogs. Tell your friends, neighbors, family what’s up.

3. Take action! Send a letter of support to the Obama administration urging them to stand firm and protect the Grand Canyon from nasty uranium mining.

May 4th is the last day the government will be accepting public comments, so please act today!