Sam Elwell

Washington, United States

Sam Elwell

FLOTTE AVEC NOTRE

PLUS DE 17 SAISONS D'EXPÉRIENCE

BOAT TYPE: Cataraft

BOATING STYLE: Catarafting

I was born into it! My parents took me on the Main Salmon River when I was 18 months old. I’ve been rafting ever since!

RIVIÈRES / RAPIDES PRÉFÉRÉS

The Crooked River in Oregon is my favorite river! Imagine floating through a Desert Canyon with water gushing out of the canyon walls, and all the Class IV-V whitewater you could dream of. Well that’s The Crooked. I’ve only run it once, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had in a day!

JUSQU'À LA SAISON 2026

LES BAIGNADES LES PLUS ÉPIQUES

I had a scary flip on Elk Creek rapid on the South Fork of The Salmon River.

I was out in lead, because I had run it twice before.
In Elk Creek you have to make it around a big hole. I did not.

As soon as I entered the hole I knew it was over. My boat was upside down in the blink of an eye. There was no time to think, only time to reflip.

The next rapid Deer Creek was coming up quick. I had to move fast and make my reflip count. I climbed back up in my cat and pulled it back over in 25 seconds. There was no time to spare I was entering Deer Creek. I got back on the sticks as fast as I could. Luckily my run through Deer Creek was much smoother than my run through Elk Creek.

JUSQU'À LA SAISON 2026

RÉALISATIONS

Tied for the youngest rowed descent of Idaho’s South Fork of the Salmon River at 14 years old.
One of the youngest rowed descents of the Wind River in Washington at 14 years old.
Rowed my first Class V rapid just two months after turning 14.
Consistently rowed Class V whitewater before I could drive.
Rowed the Lower 5 on the North Fork of the Payette River at 15 years old.
Rowed the Main Salmon River at 12 years old.
Consistently rowed the Lochsa River at 13 years old.
Rowed my first Class IV rapid at 12 years old.

OBJECTIFS

I hope to do some of the hardest rivers around the world, and follow in the footsteps of the great Catarafters that preceded me. In the next few years, I aim to continue to push my limits on rivers like the North Fork of the Payette and the South Fork Clearwater. A rapidly upcoming goal of mine is rowing the Top-To-Bottom on the North Fork of the Payette either before or when I'm 18 years old. I hope to do several expedition runs in Idaho in the next few years, such as the Secesh, Little North Fork of the Clearwater, and many more! Overall, I aim to continue to push the boundaries of what the Cataraft can do, and so far, I’ve only scratched the surface.

ÉVALUATIONS

I have a 11 foot Legend, and a 12.5 foot Legend. The feel of a legend is like no other cataraft! Easy acceleration, superior tracking, and they carry speed through hydraulics better than any! In short serous fun!