Nathan Danforth grew up in Powell, but his heart was on the Shoshone River in a kayak. Once he experienced the rapids, he was hooked for life.

His father Luke introduced him to the sport at age 7, but it was tough to get started. He eventually found a community in Park County that had his same passion, but at first Danforth had to borrow equipment from his new friends to continue in his chosen sport. Cody wasn’t set up to serve the community at the time.

“The closest shops … were in Jackson, Billings and Bozeman,” he said.

When Danforth was 14 his father drove him to Jackson to buy his first kayak. That was a big day for the Powell teen.

Twenty years ago this past weekend Gradient Sports opened in Cody. Andy and Amy Quick, both born and raised in Park County, are co-owners of the popular retail store on Sheridan Avenue in downtown Cody.

They celebrated their anniversary this year while running the Wild West Riverfest, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last weekend as well.

“Amy and Andy were the brains and the muscle behind the Wild West Riverfest since day one,” Danforth said.

It would have been the 11th year, having started in 2013, but the festival was canceled for 2020 due to the global pandemic.

After Gradient Sports opened, the Quicks started the Wild West Paddle Club; a nonprofit organization offering introductory instruction in whitewater kayaking for young, aspiring paddlers. The club’s skilled volunteer instructors help provide beginners with a safe and fun learning environment as they build skills ranging from the basics to more advanced whitewater skills.

Now, if a kid wants to give whitewater kayaking or paddle-boarding a try, the paddle club will help equip members, allowing them to try the sport before they have to open up their wallets to make the pricey plunge.

The Riverfest is the main fundraising event for the club. It draws in competitors from across the West who wish to test themselves in the rapids from above the Hayden Arch Bridge (named for an engineer with the Wyoming State Highway Department, who designed the bridge and supervised its construction) and south towards Colter’s Hell.

Years after Danforth bought his first kayak, he became an engineer, currently employed at a gypsum plant in Lovell. Yet he continues to volunteer to assist with the races.

This past weekend consisted of slalom and “boatercross” races on Saturday, followed by a free concert in City Park by Float Like a Buffalo, out of Denver.

The second day of the festival featured yoga by the river with Jenna Lewins and a French toast breakfast at the Belfry Bridge, sponsored by Wyoming River Trips, before the final event: the Stinking Water Sprint. The event is more of a family float than a race. After the event, there was a nacho bar to snack on while awards and times were announced.

The entire event has the vibe of a huge weekend with family, Quick said.

“It's friends and family, and it's shared interests — a love and passion for the river,” she said. “It’s fun to see people come back every year, but we don't get to see many of them more than once a year. So, it's like a family reunion.”

Andy Quick said in the busy work of the event they had forgotten this was the 10th anniversary of the event.

“It kind of snuck up on us,” he said. “It’s pretty neat accomplishment to be going for this long.”

However, Quick said the event is run by a “skeleton crew” of club members and volunteers from the community.

“We could use about 10 more [volunteers],” he said while running from one end of the course to the finish.

It would be especially helpful to have more volunteers as the 501(c)3 organization expands the festival, offering more fun and to bring in a larger crowd, he said.

Amy is looking forward to the coming decade, but is also sending out a plea for more volunteers.

“It's been great, you know, we'd love to see it go at least another 10 years,” she said. “And we'd love more people to get involved with the planning. So we always welcome more people to come participate, come spectate and to come take part and get involved.”

For more information, to volunteer or to donate, contact Andy at 307-587-4659.

Final Results

Women’s slalom

1. Hannah Claiborne: 140.16

2. Abbey McMurty: 140.59

3. Brooke Dunnagan: 143.16

Youth Slalom

1. Orrin Couture: 138.06

2. Maz Lynch: 181.62

3. Emelyn Baev: 220.1

Men’s Slalom

1. Carson Lindsay: 108.35

2. Ford Smith: 118

3. Tagert Muller: 120.41

Stand Up Paddleboarding Slalom

1. Chad Dokken: 223.56

2. Chris Hassler: 259.6

3. Christine Montiel: 292.31

Women’s Boatercross

1. Brooke Dunagan

2. Hannah Claiborne

3. Kelsey Ewing

Youth Boatercross

1. Orrin Couture

2. Maz Lynch

3. Emelyn Baev

Men’s Boatercross

1. Carson Lindsay

2. Kevin Kennedy

3. Grant Garmone