Another great year for Ute Heppke!

2015 was an extremely successful year for me.  At the start of Spring I was in Slovenia kayaking on the beautiful Soca River and gaining another British Canoeing qualification. After Slovenia Steve and I were on the rivers around Tirol / Vorarlberg and Bavaria where we managed to kayak the Duerrach - a sweet little creek in the Karwendel National Park on the border of Austria and Germany.  It took us two attempts as the first time we got there the heavens opened up for 2 days and the river was way too high, so we ended up heading to the Allgaeu to drag John Blake onto a river and kayaked the Upper Breitach (Vorarlberg) instead.

The summer was full on in our Kayak School. It was the sixth year and it has been growing every year.  We coach everyone from beginners all the way up to class V boaters.  Our guests are mainly from Europe but we also have people coming from Israel, Russia, North America, Australia and even as far away as New Zealand!

After working with the Peak UK Team at the Kanumesse in Germany, we headed out to Peru where I became one of very few (and possibly the only female) Austrians to kayak both the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyon.  It was a dream come true to finally kayak these immense and unbelievable rivers and canyons.  The intensity of the Colca and the feeling of solitude is unparalleled and the Cotahuasi Canyon is not only the deepest canyon in the world but has some of the best class IV-V whitewater I have ever paddled - also lets not forget that we were sleeping in Inca Ruins by the side of the river!!

Back at home I am working in one of Austria’s most prestigious ski schools in Zuers am Arlberg - where I am the only female ski instructor to hold the Mountain Guide "Skifuehrer" qualification.  I am getting to ski powder a lot, teach skiing and lead clients on tours into the mountains during the Winter. But as soon as it starts warming up and the snow melts and feeds our rivers, I am happy to finally go kayaking again!

For 2016 my plan is to spend more time creeking in Austria and Bavaria before coaching and guiding in our kayak school here in St Anton am Arlberg.  I will be again at the Kanumesse working with the Peak UK Team and autumn is going to be either South America or the Indian Himalayas.

Wherever my kayaking adventures will take me I know full well that I can rely on my Peak UK kit to keep me dry and warm.  So here is to a great 2016….