Lars Holbek (USA)

Lars Holbek was one of the most accomplished whitewater explorers of all time. Futaleufu, Stikine, Fantasy Falls, Golden Gate, Hospital Rock; these titles conjure some of the world’s most difficult, top-quality whitewater, and Lars was the first to paddle all of them.

Lars Holbek, in total, he has logged over seventy first descents worldwide. Despite his impressive achievements, Lars was a paddler’s paddler, laid back, fun-loving and independent. Dedicated to exploration and pushing the limits of whitewater paddling, for decades Holbek exemplified the concept of a lifestyle paddler while leading the charge in one of the greatest periods of exploratory kayaking the sport has ever seen. In 1984, he produced “Wild Americans: Sierra Nevada Class V,” with Eric Magneson. It won the Paddler’s Choice Award at the United States National Paddling Film Festival. And in the 1980’s, ABC Television filmed the first the Rob Lesser, Lars Holbek First Descent of the Stikine for United States television.

His explorations in California gave him the knowledge, expertise, and credentials to author “The Best Whitewater in California” in 1984. Though the guide book was written 25 years ago, it is still the undisputed authority for paddling in California.  Working with the Tuolumne River Preservation Trust Organization, Lars helped save the Clavey River, a Tuolumne River tributary, from an unnecessary dam.