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The Jordalselvi

At night we camp near the city of Voss. While Norway has incredibly relaxed laws about camping, it seems that we kayakers are wearing our welcome in this area. Good thing there are plenty of other spots to camp, just none as convenient as Voss with its stores and WiFi. 

We're really not sure what to do in the morning. It's cold and wet. Money Drop is flowing, but we're not motivated for a park and huck.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

I'd say we settled on the Jordalselvi because it's somewhat of a long drive from Voss, with plenty of in the car time to stay warm and dry, but the heater broke earlier in the week. So there really is no warm and dry. Or perhaps we chose it because it was supposed to do ok with more water than the other runs in the area. Regardless, the drive up was an incredible series of steeply inclined tunnels straight through the mountain.

Perfect weather at put-in, almost snowing.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

This is a new river for us, so we drive up until it looks too flat, then head back down to the first nice sized rapid we see. It's a pleasant warm up across the field to access the Jordalselvi. Manu Koehler.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Reiner Glanz goes first off a nice slide to freefall.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Manu Koehler on the same.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Below the put-in we cruise with some aggressive read and run down to a larger rapid above a bridge crossed earlier. Here one scouts and gives us beta to paddle hard for a significant hole. As Murphy's Law would have it, he is the only one that ends up tangling with the hole for a solid ride and eventual surf out.

A nice boxed in hole above the bridge, with just enough lead in to keep you busy.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Rok Sribar skips through a hole below the bridge.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling


It's been less than an hour since we put on and this is our take out. We do know of a waterfall below this take out, so we stash our kayaks here and take a stroll downstream. What's below the waterfall is said to be steeper and harder, requiring less water. If anything we'll just run the falls and walk back upstream. The waterfall is a straight shelf waterfall that's surprisingly complex. A shallow lead in forces water to slide to the left, while we would want to go right, but not too far right. 
Rok Sribar on the Jordalselvi waterfall.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Manu Koehler on the same, it's really a nice falls.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

We had a variety of lines from pure plugs to full boofs, all which ended just fine.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling

Well it was quick but fun on the Jordalselvi. The cold weather has us loading kayaks with speed and motoring back to Voss for a coffee shop.

Put In and Take out Via Google Maps.
whitewater kayaking driva river norway photography paddling






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