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Paddling upstream efficiently has very little to do with raw strength and almost everything to do with where you choose to put your boat. A river is not a uniform conveyor belt moving at one speed from bank to bank. It is a complex, constantly varying system of fast and slow water, and learning to read that system is the foundation of effective upstreaming.

The International Scale of River Difficulty is the standard used throughout North America and much of the world. Knowing the scale helps paddlers choose appropriate rivers, communicate about conditions, and make sound judgments before putting a boat in the water.

Paddling the Little Sioux: “Alright. You be careful and don’t get lost,” she said. I gave her a quizzical look and responded, “Um. It’s a river, it goes in one direction. How could I get lost?” I responded.