Paddling Life: Solo Kayaker Gets Heli-Evacuated Celebrating 70th Birthday on Cataract Canyon

Happy birthday to me. That was the thought going through the head of despondent whitewater kayaker John Hereford, who, trying to celebrate his whopping 70thbirthday by solo kayaking the Colorado’s Cataract Canyon, ended up swimming in Big Drop #3, losing his boat and having to get a helicopter evacuation out.