Swollen by a freak warm weather system that caused ice to melt high up in the Rocky's, the Outlet Falls have long been a holy grail for danger-loving kayakers.

Usually just a modest trickle, the unusually warm Pacific weather caused the falls to crash into life in January of this year.

As thrill seekers rushed to take advantage of the rare event, photographer Jed Weingarten was on hand to capture the icy scenes as they unfolded.

"I got a call from two friends who had heard a rumour that the Outlet Falls might be flowing hard," says Jed, 34.

"I had never heard of the falls flowing like this before and the fact that it was in mid winter made it even more amazing.

"I drove the one and a half hours from my home in Portland Oregon to rush to there and get my camera out."

Arriving at Outlet around nine in the morning, Jed found two of his friends from the kayaking community already there.

"They were swimming around the pool at the bottom of the falls checking to see it the drop from the top of the rock was going to be do-able," says Jed.

"They worked out that the safest way to drop was from a 50 yards run up at the top of the face and then to take the right angle in with the flow of the water.

"They both managed to get through their jumps fine."

However, it was the next day, the 10th of January that Jed committed to film as his fearless friend Luke Spencer bowled over the bulging Outlet Falls.

"Overnight the ice that you see in the pictures had formed, which made the scene look stunning," says Jed.

"This jump had far more preparation involved than the day before.

"There were 3 safety boats in the pool at the bottom, all in place should something go wrong.

"Luke had to slide off a 20ft high cliff just to get started on the 50 yard run up to the falls, it wasn't the most straightforward of jumps, that is for sure."

Crashing over the Outlet Falls and into the water, Luke's landing did not go according to plan.

"I separated my intercostals muscles that join my ribs together," says Luke.

"I got stuck in a bit of a roll at the bottom of the falls and had to wriggle free of my kayak.

"I was laid up for two weeks afterwards too."

Having been running waterfalls for 17 years and kayaking for 23, Jed says that day was still an outstanding one in his mind.

"I would love to have joined the guys on the jump over, but my back isn't what it used to be.

"I am happier now taking the pictures."