The roiling river that runs through the heart of Bigfork tracks time in a slippery dimension, its genesis – a tiny rivulet of glacial melt water – flowing in cyclic harmony with its terminus, all the while mounting a frothy front in between to create the centerpiece of the town’s signature annual event, the Bigfork Whitewater Festival.
And just as the Swan River rises from trickle to torrent, so too has the Bigfork Whitewater Festival evolved from humble beginnings, carving out a niche in the valley that this year runs 40 years deep. Although its flows will run at below-average levels this Memorial Day weekend – typically the height of runoff – the richness of its history will surge off the charts as the event celebrates a milestone and kicks off a full slate of activities, events and stacked competitions May 23-24.
The aptly named “Wild Mile” of the Swan River promises big water and vaunted Class IV rapids as kayakers and rafters compete for a $5,000 cash purse, and the crowds turn out in droves.
But the festival began as a low-key affair, organized by a few local whitewater pioneers looking for new sections of river to run.
Some of the first area kayakers, notably Cliff Persons, Tom Moe, Bob Hilbun, and Jimmy and John Anderson of Whitefish, and Onno Wieringa of Conrad, began traveling to Bigfork to run what is now known as the Wild Mile after conquering the Middle and North Forks of the Flathead River, and Buffalo Rapids south of Polson.
They began by the dam powerhouse and started working their way up river in increments. By summer, they were running the river from below “The Big Rock” – a popular feature for spectators – but were aiming for a run all the way from the dam, where the race now begins.
By the end of the summer, they had run the full stretch of rapids, shattering plenty of gear and more than a few nerves along the way.
“The exploration process was very dangerous. Even though we had a deep respect for the power of the river, there was lots of broken gear, and many times we wound up swimming,” Persons said.
A post-river tradition sprung forth from those early outings, and the kayakers frequently ended their days at the Mountain Lake Tavern in Bigfork, where the bar’s intrigued owner, Fritz Groenke, would ply the whitewater enthusiasts with beer and questions.
One day, he offered $100 in prize money if they would come back the following spring and host a race. They organized and sent out flyers, and a handful of racers turned out, paid a $10 entry fee and ran what is now the Wild Mile (at the time they had dubbed the stretch of swollen water the “Mad Mile.”
A tradition was born, and the race has since grown from a nascent trickle to a destination event for competitive paddlers and spectators.
“We have a lot of paddlers returning from last year, so it’s exciting to get that caliber of athlete,” said organizer Britt McGillivray.
Those athletes include last year’s winner, who hailed from Spain, as well as members of the Oregon and Chilean rafting teams.
This year, the event features its normal slate of races and activities, as well as special, limited-edition 40th anniversary trucker hats, T-shirts and hoodies.
Three races stand out as the event’s most popular – the expert slalom, the downriver race and the giant slalom. To win the cash prize, kayakers must combine their times from all three races. The first place prize is $2,000, second place is $1,000 and third place is $500, while rafters are eligible for $800, $500 and $200.
“We offer the biggest cash prizes in the region,” said organizer Beth Woods, adding that the cash incentive has attracted big-name kayakers from around the world. “It’s a nice incentive and, coupled with the big water, draws a lot of big names.”
In the slalom race, kayakers navigate about 20 gates hung over the churning rapids. The downriver race pits kayakers on the entire length of the Wild Mile, starting at the dam above Bigfork and running all the way to Sliter Park in downtown. The races are accessible for spectators on the Swan River Nature Trail, making it easy for families to watch the whitewater action.
In addition to the three advanced races, the festival dishes up something for everyone, with a slalom course geared toward beginners, a triathlon for endurance types and standup paddleboard demos.
Jonathan Meyers, a Bigfork native and professional kayaker who now helps organize the event, described it as surreal to see his hometown event celebrate its 40th anniversary. Having traveled the world for whitewater events and competitions, he said nothing compares to the Wild Mile.
“I used to paddle the Mile before class started in high school, and growing up here I sort of took it for granted,” Meyers said. “I didn’t realize how good I had it. And now, coming back to this venue, it really is the perfect venue for a whitewater festival. Even though the water level isn’t optimum, it’s going to be a challenging course and a lot of fun to watch.”
“Here’s to another 40 years,” he added.
The official schedule of events will be posted on the festival’s website, bigforkwhitewaterfestival.com. Additionally, the website offers pre-registration as well as limited edition 40th Bigfork Whitewater Festival merchandise. Updates and information will also be posted on the festival’s official Facebook page.