ITV: Youngest Descent of the Stikine

At just sixteen years old, Jude Franczyk has become the youngest paddler to descend the Stikine, one of the most legendary and demanding whitewater runs in the world. We caught up with him fresh off his lap to hear about the trip, the crew, and what it felt like to take on the Stikine at such a young age.

Kayak Session: Hey Jude, you’ve just come out of the Canyon of the Stikine. Looked like an incredible trip! How was it?

Jude Franczyk: It was a special trip for sure! I was with an all-Montana crew, which was cool. It was me, Alec Fletcher, Louis Overington, and Finley Bishop. We paddle together a lot since they live in Bozeman and I’m in Missoula, so we’re somewhat close. Paddling with those guys is sweet because we trust each other’s judgment and skill level equally.

On the Stikine or the Box we take turns leading rapids or getting out to scout. There’s no weaker link in the crew, and we’re all fired up to run stouts. On Day Two, the water rose fast, from 420 cumecs up to around 600. Since it was higher than anyone had paddled, we left Wolf Tracks early with the Voorhees crew and worked our way through the rapids until we reached the crux, Guard Dog. It starts with a massive crashing river-wide hole at the top, with a lateral off the left wall, then a few huge reactionaries feeding off the same wall. After that you have to ferry left because most of the river feeds into Todd’s Hole, where you don’t want to end up. Then, immediately after Guard Dog, the river pinches into Tanzilla Slot, only about the width of a paddle. At that level, swimming was not an option.

None of us second-guessed each other; we trusted everyone’s ability. We hiked our boats back up, I led the charge, and we all laced the line.

When we got there, everyone was set on portaging, so our crew expected to do the same. We started carrying our boats, but halfway through I stopped and saw a line that looked really good to me. I said to Louis, “Dude, I kinda want to run it.” The rest of the Montana crew felt the same. We talked through the consequences and everyone decided to fire it up. None of us second-guessed each other; we trusted everyone’s ability. We hiked our boats back up, I led the charge, and we all laced the line.

That moment really stands out to me. There’s something special about deciding to run a rapid you had no intention of running. There’s no ego or anyone influencing you to run it—you decide to run it purely because the rapids speak to you. Those are my favorite kinds of stouts.

KS: You claimed the Youngest Stikine Descent, congrats! How does that feel now?

JF: Yes, I did, but honestly I didn’t even know it was the youngest descent until after the lap. That fact didn’t influence my decision to kayak the river whatsoever. I think I’ve been capable of running the Stikine for a couple of years now; I just hadn’t made it up there until this year. Traveling internationally as a minor isn’t the easiest. As for how I feel? I couldn’t care less about the title. It’s nice to have something that makes this descent stand out, but more than anything I’m just happy I got a safe lap down that beautiful canyon. I’m proud of how I’m paddling and the style I’m starting to develop.

Over the years I’ve ended up with a lot of “youngest descents,” not because I chase them but because I’ve stepped up to harder rivers as part of my natural progression. Sometimes that just makes me the youngest on that stretch. I’ll never run something I’m not comfortable with just for a title. I push my limits to show myself what I’m capable of.

KS: Was the river like you expected? Had you been planning this trip for a long time?

JF: I was supposed to go to the Stikine in 2024 when I was 15, but that trip fell through. This year’s lap we planned a few months ahead. It was tough to time it with water levels and asking for time off work so early, but we lucked out and got one lap in before levels went too high.

I understood the seriousness and consequences but felt calm, almost more stoked than the day before, in a total flow state and excited for every rapid.

It was honestly more chill than I expected. Watching videos before the trip had me scared, but once we settled into paddling on Day One, it was amazing. We were feeding off each other’s stoke and I felt totally in my element, not overwhelmed, just having a blast working through the river.

Day Two was eye-opening. I’d watched videos of Sven, Aniol, and others running the Stikine at 550 and above, thinking that was insane and maybe beyond me. But we woke up at Wolf Tracks that morning to find the level at 550 and rising. Everyone was nervous since no one in either crew had run it that high, but there was only one way downstream. We put on, ran the first rapids like Garden of the Gods Two, and it was definitely bigger: waves, boils, holes, everything. For some reason though, I didn’t feel like it was too much. I understood the seriousness and consequences but felt calm, almost more stoked than the day before, in a total flow state and excited for every rapid.

Sharing Guard Dog at that level with some of my closest friends is a memory I’ll never forget. Overall, I felt more comfortable on that river than I expected. Being in there with high water opened my eyes to what I’m capable of and showed me that what I thought was above my limits is actually within reach. Next year I’ll definitely be back on the Stikine, hopefully with more high water.

KS: A lot of people wait years before tackling the Stikine. How did you prepare for it at just 16?

JF: I mean, I did wait years. I started kayaking when I was 5 and it’s been my passion ever since. I got my roll at 7, started with freestyle and river running, and paddled my first Class V at 11. From there my progression took off. I found the parts of the sport I love most, my passion for training, and I’ve worked to be the best paddler I can, analyzing GoPro footage, refining strokes, and developing my own style. I don’t think I’ve progressed too fast or gotten in over my head. I don’t really like talking about swimming, but I’ve never had a Class V swim. I’m sure it will happen one day, but for now it’s a good sign that I’ve been progressing at a safe rate. Like I said, I think I’ve been ready for the Stikine for a couple of years. I just couldn’t put a trip together until now. It’s not that I didn’t wait years, I just started earlier than most and worked really hard to become the paddler I am today.

KS: Were there any moments that made you doubt yourself? Scary Lines?

JF: No, not really. Almost right away I realized I was prepared for the river and I wasn’t overwhelmed. It was pure joy. That said, I always respect the river and was still nervous above rapids, as anyone should be. The only thing that made me uneasy was paddling the Jackson Clutch, a loaded half-slice that gave me less room for error. But I only back-endered a couple of times and had clean lines overall. I’d choose that boat again if I had the option.

KS: What would you tell another young paddler dreaming of running the Stikine one day?

JF: Over the last five years, a lot of paddlers have been stepping up to the Stikine, and I feel like the accomplishment has been diminished compared to what it used to be. But it’s still an extremely difficult and consequential section of whitewater. Just because many people run it every year doesn’t mean the achievement should be minimized. I think it’s crucial to get comfortable on big, pushy water and to feel confident in your paddling before stepping up. It’s always better to wait until you know you’re ready than to go because everyone else is there and end up in over your head, not having fun. You can never be too prepared. That said, the Stikine is a great goal. It was one of mine, and it felt amazing to finally paddle such a legendary river I’d heard countless stories about.

Photography: Jude Franczyk (all) & Louis Overington (portrait)