DBP MAGAZINE ONLINEEditor-in-Chief "Chicago" Mike Toughill is co-founder of Dirt Bag Paddlers and former Peshtigo River Manager at Kosir's Rapid Rafts in Wisconsin. He's been Wallacing since 2003.
The Nantahala Outdoor Center provides a Guest Appreciation Festival for the southeastern community each fall. This gathering is based mostly, but not solely, around whitewater events. The event is highly publicized and brings an astronomical amount of people to converge upon the sleepy little valley located due west of Bryson City, NC. to paddle the […]
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: October has come and gone, and the leaves have turned our riverscapes into glorious red yellow and orange cathedrals. We crisscross around the globe bringing you a photo spread that highlights this spectacular show put on by Mother Nature, from our Admins around the #DBWorld! Enjoy! We start off with two […]
Having mentioned that we were raft guides to a local barber, Jason got the contact info for the owner of Clarence River Rafting, and it all started then and there. We immediately got in touch with Ben, and filled him in on our guiding experience. He said he was fully staffed but wanted to meet […]
National Falls, Upper Yough. Photo- DBP Admin Dan Bowers Plans change. They never go exactly the way you hope they would, and the majority of the time it’s much better than you could have ever planned. Planning my trip to Gauley Fest was set days before I would leave and half up in the air […]
October has come back around, and with it the cooler temps and changing leaves that mark the beginning of Autumn here in North America. It is a time of endings and beginnings- the end of most commercial rafting in the States; the beginning of cold water boating; the last few weeks of Gauley Season in […]
Two years ago, some friends and I bought a boat. It began as a laugh on a river that wandered its way into a whimsy that solidified into a dream that, finally, exploded into a full-blown mission. Two years ago, sixty-three of my paddling buddies and I bought a brand-spanking new, shiny, green Blackfly Option […]
Whilst on my travels this summer running IRF & Rescue 3 courses around the globe for raft guides and safety kayakers, I find myself running into the same problem when it comes to guides carrying the correct personal rescue equipment (PRE). “Nobody has ever told us how much to carry.” During this post I want […]
The 2016 rafting season started like most before, with some overnight trips and a few day stretches trying to bag high water on the rise with my AIRE 156R oar rig. I live in Vail, Colorado, which in my personal opinion is an overlooked whitewater mecca. There’s class IV water rolling right through town, class […]
The Guide Olympics: What is it? Where is it? Why in the world have I never been a part of it? Some of the many questions you may have asked yourself about this long told of event. My answers? The Guide Olympics is an annual event that truly brings all together. An event that at […]
As paddlers, we spend a lot of our leisure time WET. After we have exhausted ourselves on the river and we’re all blissed out, our wardrobe choices vary but usually aren’t very fancy. At any given whitewater fest or takeout the vast majority of shirt choices is the beloved “T” shirt. Everyone has their favorite, […]