Brennan's Wave Missoula, Montana

Ranked #2,654 in Travel & Places, #89,386 overall

The Wave

The newest addition to the Missoula Paddling Community, Brennan's wave is located in Missoula, Montana on the Clark Fork River at Caras Park. This moderate play spot is the perfect place to dial in a new play move.  At most water levels, this wave will allow for surfing, spinning, cartwheels, loops, helixes, and anything else you might want to try.  Plus, there is super-friendly eddy service.

The Wave ©2007 Chris Lombardi

Photographed at Brennan's Wave, Missoula, Montana, by Chris Lombardi.

History of Brennan's Wave

Remembering Brennan

Brennan Guth, right, teaches kayaking during a class on the Clark Fork River in August 2000. Photo by KURT WILSON/MissoulianKayaker's legacy lives on in waves
By MEA ANDREWS of the Missoulian

Five years after he died in Chile, more than a decade after he started a Montana-made kayaking school, and nearly two decades after captaining his high school basketball and football teams, Brennan Guth has a legacy in the middle of Missoula, the town he called home.

On Sunday, Brennan's Wave near Caras Park will be formally dedicated. It's a man-made, engineered whitewater play pool in the Clark Fork River and is named for the world-class kayaker who died in 2001 at age 32.

The man behind this whirl of water remains very much in the thoughts of his friends and relatives.

"Fishing, bowhunting, athletics - he was someone who focused on something and became engrossed," said his only sibling, Valerie Guth Boyd, who now lives in Minneapolis. "I miss the uncle he would have been to my kids. I'll miss growing old with him."

"He had such a big heart," said his business partner and friend, Land Heflin, one of the friends who built the kayaking school, Tarkio Kayak Adventures, with Guth. "He wanted everyone to be able to experience the rivers. He felt bad about charging people to do it."

"Look at all of the things that make a difference in Missoula," said Mike Munsey of Missoula, a friend of Brennan's father, Dr. David Guth. "This has just made Missoula even more attractive. Besides honoring Brennan, everything like this makes Missoula better."

Brennan would have marveled at the effort it took to get the project in place. Never great at the ledger end of his business ("I told him so many times he needed a bean counter," said his dad), constructing Brennan's Wave took five years, more than $300,000 in donated equipment, labor and cash from companies like Envirocon, support and cash from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency, rafters and kayakers, the medical community, hours of pro-bono work by Missoula lawyer Trent Baker, and the efforts of many friends and relatives.

Read the rest of the story...

Brennan's Wave Arial View

Click image to visit interactive Google Map

Brennan's Wave, Clark Fork River at Caras Park, Missoula, Montana

Live Camera Stream of Brennan's Wave

WilmaCam (Click Image To View Live Stream)

WilmaCam

The WilmaCam is hosted by Modwest atop the historic Wilma Building in partnership with the Missoulian and the Missoula Downtown Association.

Flickr Photos of Brennan's Wave

Updated Daily

Loading

Brennan's Wave vids

Brennan's Wave
by groundswellzoo | video info

3 ratings | 1,418 views
curated content from YouTube

caras park kayaking: missoula

Missoula's Wave Park @ Caras Park

July 19, 2007
A Taste of Missoula & Kayaking Competition
caras park kayaking: missoula
by vdotmatrix | video info

2 ratings | 2,545 views
curated content from YouTube

Wave Park Gear on Amazon

:::Kayak's:::

Loading

Brennan's Wave Link List

Brennan's Wave - Sports Venue - Missoula | Facebook
Brennan's Wave - Kayakers Paradise, in memory of Brennan Guth | Facebook
Brennan's Wave Kayakers Forum
discussion forums
Team Tarkio created in 1997 by Brennan Guth
Tarkio Kayak Adventures was created in 1997 by Brennan Guth. Brennan's vision was to create a community for paddlers to come together and enjoy the beautiful rivers of the Northern Rockies, while being guided by some of the best instructors and people who call the river their home. Through multi-day instruction, people would improve their paddling skills while exploring remote canyons and live together on the river. Thus, the idea of 'Team Tarkio' was born.
Brennan's Wave Missoula | Missoula Gazette
Brennan's Wave viewed from the other side of the Clark Fork on the Kim Williams Trail Missoula. Brennan's Wave was built to create a play spot for kayakers

Kayaking on Brennan's Wave

Ben kayaking on Brennan's Wave Missoula, Montana
by geodataservices | video info

5 ratings | 5,884 views
curated content from YouTube

Brennan's Wave

News from the Past

Brennan's Wave Begins to Take Shape | Dylan Tucker | Missoula | New West Missoula
The view of the Clark Fork River from downtown is one of the simple joys of Missoula living. On any given day you might see deer crossing the cold waters, a fisherman trolling for trout, or a family of ducks cruising the currents.
Kayaker's legacy lives on in waves | Missoulian.com
Five years after he died in Chile, more than a decade after he started a Montana-made kayaking school, and nearly two decades after captaining his high school basketball and football teams, Brennan Guth has a legacy in the middle of Missoula, the town he called home.
2010 U.S. Freestyle Kayaking National Championships: Whitewater wranglers take on Brennan's Wave | Missoulian.com
Big surf, big tricks and some of the biggest names in the flamboyant sport of freestyle kayaking will converge in Caras Park this week when a national competition comes to Missoula for a three-day whitewater rodeo.
Brennan's Wave | Missoula Whitewater Kayak Park | The Max Wave
Brennan's Wave has turned the heart of Downtown Missoula into whitewater kayaking paradise. Planned next is The Max Wave, just down river. More about both here.

more Wave Park Gear on Amazon

:::Kayak's:::

Loading

Surfing Brennans Wave

Sufing the Clark Fork River, Missoula, MT
by jpotter1111 | video info

15 ratings | 16,752 views
curated content from YouTube

Wave Park Accessories on Amazon

Loading

Brennan's Wave

Especially corny music included on this one...

Brennan's Wave
by freakofsnow | video info

0 ratings | 2,093 views
curated content from YouTube

Brennan's Wave Feedback

submit
THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER? Join Squidoo for Free then Try

by

Groundswell

I am a freelance Web Designer, Social Media and Search Engine Marketing Strategist with a background in Media Arts. I'm an audiophile, a husband, a father... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!