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Snow kayakers paddle through what’s left of winter at Bristol Pit

Snow kayaking with the Somba K’e Paddling Club
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Bristol Pit was transformed into a sledding hill - for kayaks during an event held by the Somba K’e Paddling Club Sunday. A few members gathered to whoosh down the hill for a bit of fun. Jill Westerman photo

Oh, what fun it is to slide … especially when you are in a kayak flying down the steep snow-covered hill in Yellowknife’s Bristol Pit.

So said a small but adventurous gathering from the Somba K’e Paddling Club on March 19 who were enjoying the exhilaration of the fun experience.

Lauren Hogan, president of the club was one of the members who took the plunge, so to speak, and slid down the hill in fine style.

“It’s a lot of adrenaline. It’s really fun,” Hogan said of the creative way to use the kayaks.

“This is our second kayaking event. We are using the kayaks as slides and we’ve got a couple of people here.”

“We have dowels that we use as paddles and they work pretty good. You just drag them side-to-side and they help steer,” she said of the technique used to guide their way down the snowy surface.

Kevin Cull, director of the Somba K’e Paddling Club, flies down the hill during a day of sledding fun at Bristol Pit. Jill Westerman photo
Kevin Cull, director of the Somba K’e Paddling Club, flies down the hill during a day of sledding fun at Bristol Pit. Jill Westerman photo

Kevin Cull, the director of the club, said he first got the idea after seeing videos online of people sledding in kayaks.

“I thought, we have lots of snow and a lot of the time in the year, we can’t get on the water, so I thought it was a good idea to get the kayaks out to do something while we can,” Cull said.

“It’s not difficult. It’s a way easier than kayaking on water as long as you are comfortable going fast downhill,” he laughed, adding that he hopes the trend catches on in popularity.

Hogan said the club, run by volunteers, offers year-round activities such as indoor pool paddling sessions and even marathon canoeing. They are also hoping to host an indoor community kayak instructor course at the Yellowknife pool.

And while not yet official, they are hoping to have a whitewater race on Mosquito Creek later this year.

“We are planning lots of little events,” Hogan said. “We are a tiny but mighty group.”

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Bristol Pit was transformed into a sledding hill - for kayaks during an event held by the Somba K’e Paddling Club Sunday. A few members gathered to whoosh down the hill for a bit of fun. Jill Westerman photo