REMEMBERING OUR FRIENDS WE'VE LOST. by Chicago Toughill.

Another fantastic boater and friend was taken too soon by The River this weekend.

Logan Jauernigg was lost to us paddling the Green Truss section of the White Salmon River in Washington, one of the most famous stretches of Class V whitewater in the Pacific North West. He was only 20 years old, but packed so much life and adventure into the too short time allotted to him. Logan was an expert paddler, a skier, climber, longboarder, and more who excelled at anything he set his passion to. He will be sorely missed.

DBP Admin Caleb Chicoine knew Logan, and reached out to a mutual friend for some words. Carter Peel had this to say, “Yeah I’m just kinda at a loss. I mean Logan did more and accomplished more in 20 years than any of us probably will in our lives. He put a positive spin on everything and his grin was classic, you could tell he just enjoyed life.” It is hard to come to terms with such unexpected loss, when a person is at the height of their power, with so much to do… It puts us all at a loss.

A huge shout out and MAD PROPS are in order to Ben Hymes, Logan’s buddy and paddling partner that fateful day. He stuck by his side and aided in the recovery, which took 72 hours and a 25 man team operating in a very dangerous environment. Ben, your courage, love, and true friendship will never be forgotten. You had his back, like none other. You are a hero, and you are in our thoughts too.

Once again our community mourns. As we move All Forward into Memorial Day Weekend, we ask that each one of you takes a moment, on the water or off, to think of fallen homies. Whether they were young like Logan, with so much ahead of them, or friends who had accomplished many big goals… Whether the loss is still fresh and painful, or something that happened decades ago… Think back to them. Remember a smile shared on The River. Recall our friends in the prime of their power. Shed a tear. Tell someone new their story.

And take care of yourself, and of each other. Our community, despite being worldwide and welcoming, is a close knit group of enthusiasts, and all of us are only a few degrees away from someone who has lost a friend. We all know that regardless of how stout our skills are, how bomb our crew is, how much we love each other… That OUT THERE ON THE RIVER, ITS DOWN TO YOU. Once you commit to the rapid, there’s not much else any mortal can do for you. Logan was an expert among experts, and when he entered Zigzag Canyon, he knew it was down to him and the River. No one could have helped in that crucial time. This is the reality we must boat with on every mission. Don’t deceive yourself, or place too much emphasis on your crew playing safety. It’s a one on one battle, and The River is much more powerful, and very arbitrary. She will do what she wishes, and move on…

Still! Set safety, watch each other’s back, remember our friends who have gone before us, and paddle hard! There is no finer Memorial than that.

All photos from Logan’s Facebook page