What It’s Like to Face Your Fears on the “Mt. Everest of Kayaking” Stikine River Expedition with Julian Stocker

For The Love Of: Trade-offs we make in pursuit of our passions

Home to rapids with names like “The Hole that Ate Chicago”, the Stikine River Canyon in British Columbia is a Class V boater’s paradise. It’s packed with three days of big volume, remote whitewater, with no ways to leave until you make it through the staggering canyon.

We get to dive into the mind of someone who recently paddled it all.

Julian Stocker is a Swiss whitewater kayaker with 22 years of experience who calls Norway home.

He’s paddled through many of the world’s most exhilarating whitewater rivers, including in Nepal, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Chile, Ecuador, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and countless countries across Europe.

In Julian’s eyes, kayaking isn't just a sport; it's a way of embracing life to the fullest and finding solace and inspiration in the untamed beauty of rivers.

We talk about...

- How paddling helped Julian cope with childhood struggles

- Paddling in places where wildlife can drown and eat you

- The Stikine River Canyon: the Everest of kayaking

- Selecting a solid paddling partner

- Mourning loss in the kayaking community

- How paddling helps Julian deal with everyday stress in life

- Opting to feel and vocalize fear and its positive aspects

- Accessing the flow zone and kayaking as meditation

- Considering mortality and getting stuck in fun vs. scary holes

- Trading off relationships with others when getting caught up in paddling

- Building a toolbox to become a well-rounded athlete

- Competing and not comparing yourself to medal winners, only to yourself

- Forgoing sponsorship opportunities and why

- Work that becomes your life vs. work that isn’t your passion (but which fuels it)

- Giving back in legacy sports

How to connect with Julian:

• The River Guide to Voss: https://vosselveklubb.no/voss-guide/

  (free eBook for anyone interested in paddling rivers around Voss, Norway)

👋How to connect with Jeni and Angie:

• https://www.instagram.com/angvswild
• https://www.instagram.com/jenistembridge
• https://www.itsangiemarie.com/
• https://linkedin.com/in/angie-marie/

⭐Please rate and review For The Love Of:

• On Apple Podcasts
• On Spotify

Shout-Outs:

• Music: The Kind of Sandwich Island by Shut-ins
• Thank you to The Ruins, the best wedding venue in Oregon, for supporting the show.

Follow FTLO on IG: https://www.instagram.com/for.the.love.of.podcast/

For full show notes and more: https://fortheloveofpod.com

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