Turning fifty years of age is a milestone to be celebrated. And if you are a kayaker, what better way to crown the life landmark than by kayaking? Such was the rationale of my love, Lisa Gelczis, who announced in 2010 that her 50thyear would be observed by paddling 50 different river runs.

So, the year 2011 saw Gelczis, with two newly repaired shoulders, hitting the water early and often. The first run of the quest came on January 17thon tiny, previously unexplored Griffin Creek in California, which provided way more excitement than anticipated (see “Whitewater Follies” at the bottom of this blog).

Her final foray was held on our local Arizona paradise—Fossil Creek—on December 30th. That’s right, number fifty was notched with a whole day to spare. In between there were trips to Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Corsica.

She paddled in every month except September, on flows ranging from 50 cubic feet per second to 25,000.

The mellowest water came on the tidal flats of California’s Mad River, the gnarliest—Corsica’s Upper Rizzanese. This was one of ten class V rivers on the list. For the record, thirteen of the runs were class IV, seventeen were class III, and ten were class I or II.

Some runs were barely a mile in length. Others, like the Colorado River’s Diamond Down, were almost 60 miles. Lisa also ran the Main Salmon and Grand Canyon during the year, but these were not tallied in the total because both were rowed in rafts, not paddled by kayak.

Fifty in fifty—a goal reached, an adventure had, a life lived. And a good time had by all.
THE LIST
Griffin Creek CA

Middle Fk. Smith CA
Mill Creek CA
Mad River CA
North Fk. Smith CA
Redwood Creek CA
New River CA
Trinity River CA
Oak Creek (Indian Gardens) AZ
Verde River (Beasley to Gap) AZ
Oak Creek (Lomacasi to Sedona) AZ
Beaver Creek AZ
Oak Creek (Cornville) AZ
Oak Creek (Sedona to Red Rock) AZ
East Clear Creek AZ

Chevelon Creek (Gods Pocket) AZ
Chevelon Creek (Lower) AZ
Virgin River (Staircase) UT
Virgin River (Hurricane) UT
Tavignano River Corsica
Fium Orbo Corsica
Travo River Corsica
Fium Orbo (Middle) Corsica
Tavignano (Upper) Corsica
Restonica Corsica
Rizzanese (Upper) Corsica
Virgin River (Springdale) UT

Virgin River (Temple of Sinawava) UT
Colorado River (Diamond Down) AZ
Mammoth Creek UT
Sevier River UT
Muddy Creek UT
Cottonwood Creek UT
So. Fork Payette ID
M.F. Payette ID
Little Salmon ID
Taylor River CO
Arkansas River (Numbers) CO
Arkansas River (Fractions) CO
Salt River (Lower) AZ
San Juan River UT

Colorado River (Moab daily) UT
Colorado River (Westwater) UT
Gauley River WV
New River WV
Tonto Creek AZ
Salt River (Daily) AZ
Verde River (White Br. to Beasley) AZ
Verde River (Gap to Childs) AZ
Fossil Creek AZ
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