Come On Vacation, Leave On Probation

So after our Kimshew experience, we thought it appropriate to take a bit of a slower day and hit up Ben & Jerry's on the West Branch of the Feather. We were still licking our wounds and sore muscles from the day before as we pulled in to the take-out expecting to wait a while for Darin and Devin to show up. 

We pulled in to find a few locals also enjoying the sun.

Little did they know we were about to go kayak class 4/5 as they gifted us with some high quality brews. It was impossible to say no to the glistening cans dripping ice as we sat in the shadeless parking lot. 

Mike says: what you gonna take a picture of me?

Well we ended up waiting a while as Darin drove from Chico and our new buddies invited us to a barbecue that night just up the road. Promises were made of huge pieces of meat, pretty girls, and an abundance of high quality golden drink. Cultural experience second to none to say the least. 

Just some of the locals. Right.

Well back to kayaking. The next day we rallied back to the South Branch hoping to do the two day section after camping on the island above the portage of Seven Falls. 

The first day went well again, with the brothers Knight running the second and third decents of the chunky 40 footer above the real portage. 

The lead-in to the chunky 40. 

The river getting its revenge.

We got down to camp in good time and watched the group behind us bomb off the final 50 in good style. The days destructometer totalled two paddles and one chin out of twelve people on the river. Our group had eight, with six planning to continue for the second day down to Milsap Bar. After the rigors of the day though, the group dropped to four. 

Maybe it was seeing the portage route that scared people off?

We have to portage where?

Drying gear on the island below two amazing waterfalls and at the lip of a 150 foot falls. 

Boat repair after day one.

One of the most amazing places I have ever been. This was just across from where we camped and about 20 feet farther downstream. 

Devin boofing out on a sweet falls shortly after putting on. 

We began our portage in the morning and only feet from the river one of the group lost footing and slid towards the river. Arresting himself and his boat with one arm proved to be too much for his shoulder and a good hit to the knee took its toll on motivation. 

Then there were three. 

We continued the portage and made good time taking the previously unused left side route. Once on the river, Jono, Devin, and I worked our way downstream taking our time to scout things that Devin didn't remember. Devin and I ran a rapid that had never been run before and both of us got stuffed into a bit of an undercut, finding out first hand why it hadn't been run. 

Me getting down the triple drop. Shortly before a short ride in the bottom hole.

Stroking till the bottom.

Takin 'er deep off the Headhunter.

Getting ready for another day on the Kimshew.

The Kimshizzle

If you see this, we are near.

Ben making the move.

Me not making the move and going into the eddy of doom. 

Luckily Devin was standing guard at the eddy with a rope just in case someone missed the line.

Humbled by the complexity and power of the slide, I sat on the rock wall above the eddy and contemplated what had gone wrong and why I hadn't made the all important left driving move away from the eddy and into the outflow. This was my biggest missed line on something so consequential and I definitely feel lucky to have emerged at the bottom with little more than lightly bruised elbows.

Everybody says, "Good line Ben."

"Oooooooooohhhhhhh," with grimacing faces for my line.

(you should view the Picasa album after clicking this photo)

With only lightly bruised elbows after the slide gone wrong, we continued down Kimshew until the West Branch, took out, then got ready for the South Branch overnight. 

All went well on the upper South Branch, but the group still dwindled from eight to three for the second day. Devin, Jono, and I rallied and were rewarded with what Devin said was the highest run to date, a new portage route around seven falls, and a perfect sunny day. 

Still around the Feather and off to something fun tomorrow.

It Goes On...

Photos by Jono Ramsay unless otherwise noted.

After the Salmon we rallied straight to the Feather drainage where the goods are as densely packed as the poison oak and the snow has been melting and providing great flows. First stop was the South Branch of the Middle Fork of the Feather. 

Put-in scene.

Yard sale at the put-in. Cheaper than you might think.

Photo: CG

On good beta from Darin McQuoid, Chris, Jono, and I drove the excellent FS roads and camped at the hike-out point for the one day section. After an entertaining night around a great fire and a leisurely morning at the put in, we geared up and put on to what was to be one of the best one day runs any of us have ever done. 

From the bridge, the river starts slowly with mellow boulder gardens and slowly picks up the pace with a few more complex drops before the first bedrock section. 

The first falls after a great warm up.

Photo: CG

After a mandatory rapid and another short, mellow, and incredibly scenic section the river picks up the pace and every corner holds the sight of what could very well be the edge of the world. 

Dropping into the mandatory.

Hitting the boof at the bottom, avoiding the spicy hole. 

Photos: CG

I don't even know how to begin to explain the steep section of falls, slides, and rapids that make up the steep part of this run. It truly is an amazing place and one that defies description. Imagine standing at the lip of a twenty foot waterfall, looking downstream, seeing another twenty footer, then a horizon line and tree tops. Imagine this for a mile and all but one drop is runnable. Paradise indeed. 

Dropping into the steeps.

Chris G trying not to boof.

And again.

Just around the corner...

Coming in hot.
Photo: CG

Right into this

It goes on

And on.

This one was a little more consequential than most of the other drops on the run, as it flows rather quickly into a usually portaged falls. 

Stacked is what we like to call it. 

Photo: CG

Dropping the final slide above the mandatory portage around a 150' falls. This is likely the most consequential, oft run drop on the South Branch, with the pool leading directly over the lip of the 150' falls.

Photo:CG

Looking down the portage falls at the nice slide and the lip of the perfect 50 downstream.

Photo: CG

The perfect 50.

Chris G choosing the right place to go for it.

The day after the South Branch we rallied over to Big Kimshew creek and had another great day, though my boat might tell a different story. 

Post Kimshew.

CK

So It Begins

So the summer odyssey has begun...
We just got down to California and made our first stop at the Salmon River where the 70 degree temps didn't seem to do much to release lots of water but kept us all in shorts and sandals. The great weather and lots of people made for a very fun weekend and got us all stoked on the paddling to come.

Camping at the Salmon.



Getting down into the South Fork.


Chris G launching


Watching the carnage at Cascade on race day. There must have been about a hundred people at the river and only a handful of racers. It was definitely a low key event more for the fun of having so many boaters together for the weekend.




Chris G side boofing. I can't get the photo straight?


Brian McQueen bustin through the train.

Off to the...

Great things have taken place over the last two weekends; the Canyon Creek Race and the Little White Salmon Race. Kiwi friend, Jono, and I spent a few days lapping the Little White and Green Truss the week before the Canyon Creek Race to attempt getting into decent racing shape.  Maybe didn't succeed. Paddled a lot and had heaps of good times on the river though. 

Enjoying the best of the LW. 

West to the Canyon Creek Race and more people than I ever thought would show up to a kayaking event in the northwest. People lined the shore at the finish and watched the race action. 

In the sun. It was great.

After the whole week of rain and snow and cold this was the perfect sunny day to be out on the river. 

After this race we spent a few days back in Corvallis working getting ready for summer then went right back up to the Little White to get ready for the race. The weekend came with snow and cold and 18 people fired up to race down one of the best rivers in the states. 

Gettin the down low.

Photo: Keel Brightman

The basis of this race was like that of any other; get down the course as fast as you can, hopefully fast than most other people. Stage this basic race premise on a steep river, sprinkle in a few class V rapids over about 2 miles, and expect it to be done in about 15 minutes. More like 18 for the likes of me, far from the front runners. Locals represented in good fashion with Tao and Todd taking first and second. 

Jono looking tired and finishing the down river.

Photo: Bo Wallace

Day two was to be a slalom. And indeed, it was.

Jono sneaking by gate four at the lip of boulder sluice, one of the most fun rapids on the river, made even more fun by a few gates.

Photo: Keel Brightman

Again, Todd Anderson represented, posting great slalom times and taking the overall title.

LOTS of people fired off spirit after the first day of racing and with little carnage, finishing off the day the best way possible.

Photo: Keel Brightman

Spring/PNW

Just spent the last week up in Hood River paddling the Little White Salmon a bit and the regular old White Salmon a couple times. Yes it's very good and the water is sticking around the low but very, very fun and non-threatening levels. Hopefully it will hold until the race next weekend!
Canyon Creek Race this weekend so we're heading that way for a little low-water sprint race action.
Photos by Jono Ramsey

Chris Gabrielli: Right, that looks like a great boof. I'd like to hit that.

EJ Etherington: Well, ya know, throw a little stroke in.

Wow, I'd like to do that too.
CG: the boof is good

We had crew, and that's not even everybody.

Richard Young: Well I was thinking about this job in Idaho, but after this, maybe I'll look in Hood River.

RY: Yes, I'll look in HR. First LW run is so good.

Party time

Rick Cooley: Well I hope my line at Spirit goes this well.

Jeff Hazboun: Well I was thinking about and black holes, but something just came up. Ah, right. Wishbone.

RY: Well this seals it, Hood River it is.


Setting the angle


This is quite the view looking back up at Spirit waiting for someone to run.

RC: not quite as planned. uh-oh.

Nick Zegre: I like caving, but not especially behind big waterfalls.

Return to Oregon

Well it's been too long since an update so now that I am back in the early spring Oregon rains I have some time to relax and get things in order after a long trip and prepare for the next leg. I was very excited to get back to the homeland and see so many people and places I have been missing for the last few months.
So here I am now in Corvallis about to watch one of my best friends defend for his masters degree, after which there will be much celebration followed by a few weeks paddling in Washington then on to a California summer.

As for the last couple months, I spent one traveling through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru on my way to a free trip with Small World Adventures in Ecuador. I won the summer free trip give-away last October and cashed in on it in early February. I had already been planning on leaving from Ecuador, so it worked out perfectly and I got to paddle briefly before I came home.

Eating lunch on the Jondachi

Boofing on the Jondachi.

Scenery from the river

Jason Schroeder, Hood River representative, on the first drop of the Jondachi.

The Small World van parked outside the lodge.


Everything at SWA was exceptional, from the food and lodging to the guiding and river experience. I was surprised and very happy with the quality of the paddling and especially the on-river guiding.

I came back to Oregon for a couple days then left for Arizona and a trip on the Grand Canyon. I had been expecting cold, wet weather and a generally uncomfortable trip, but was again surprised and very happy with our many days of sun and unseasonably warm weather.











Random kayaking shot by Jonathan Blum