(Entrance Exam - photo by Chris Arnold)Chris Arnold has finally gotten his Chelan Gorge trip report up on Oregon Kayaking. There are a couple of pictures of me. I still need to finish my report for that trip, but it's getting close.
Showing newest posts with label trip report. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label trip report. Show older posts
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Oregon Kayaking: Chelan Gorge
(Entrance Exam - photo by Chris Arnold)Chris Arnold has finally gotten his Chelan Gorge trip report up on Oregon Kayaking. There are a couple of pictures of me. I still need to finish my report for that trip, but it's getting close.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
weekend update - clack, canyon creek, and rest
Sunday. I'll try to get out today, maybe an afternoon Clackamas run. The last thing I'd like to do is hit my schnoz again. EDIT: didn't make it out Sunday. Took the opportunity to patch myself up.
Saturday. I rolled out with Oly to meet Luke S. and Deek for a Canyon Creek run. Our group swelled to around 18 before it was done: Neal F, Chuck T, Ken Braumeister, Cory N, the midget and Cory M, R.T. and co. from Seattle, Mari and her "old-school boater husband", Ryan M, et al. Given the amount of people on the run, the carnage was minimal. Level was about 6" below the unit...pretty mellow.
Saturday Carnage. Wildcard IK crossover Markus got pinned upside-down between a boulder and the wall of the gorge, which was scary to everyone but him for a moment. I managed to bloody up my face with a close encounter of the paddle-shaft-related kind at Big Kahuna (a.k.a. Big Falls) by sneaking up on the undercut wall from below. I was in a borrowed LL Gus, and paid the price for a launch line gone awry, boof gone weak, and a melt line gone sideways. My nose was bleeding profusely from both nostrils and a cut by the bridge of it, so I was scaring the children with my bloody visage, for sure. Maybe Dave G got a good shot of it when it was fresh...time will tell. It looks a lot better since I cleaned it up, and I should only look like Meatloaf (per independent assessments by Dr. Peake and the Honorable Luke S) until the swelling goes away.
Reunion. Dr. Peake is returned from Mexico, and he, Kourtni, and I had a chance to catch up a bit Saturday night...the two that made it happen, and the one that couldn't. He shot some great photos down south, for sure. Summer schemes are still being hatched.
Friday. I got out on the Clack after work for a short run that actually included some decent play near Armstrong. Todd R, Jim, and Oldschool Ken gave me some good instruction in the fine art of surfing gracefully. By the time I got down to Joe Bob's I was actually applying some of it, even! Lots of work to do there, but it's getting better quickly. It was nice to see that my friend Diana actually boats these days. Level was around 1800...perfect for Teeny Weeny Wave.
Saturday. I rolled out with Oly to meet Luke S. and Deek for a Canyon Creek run. Our group swelled to around 18 before it was done: Neal F, Chuck T, Ken Braumeister, Cory N, the midget and Cory M, R.T. and co. from Seattle, Mari and her "old-school boater husband", Ryan M, et al. Given the amount of people on the run, the carnage was minimal. Level was about 6" below the unit...pretty mellow.
Saturday Carnage. Wildcard IK crossover Markus got pinned upside-down between a boulder and the wall of the gorge, which was scary to everyone but him for a moment. I managed to bloody up my face with a close encounter of the paddle-shaft-related kind at Big Kahuna (a.k.a. Big Falls) by sneaking up on the undercut wall from below. I was in a borrowed LL Gus, and paid the price for a launch line gone awry, boof gone weak, and a melt line gone sideways. My nose was bleeding profusely from both nostrils and a cut by the bridge of it, so I was scaring the children with my bloody visage, for sure. Maybe Dave G got a good shot of it when it was fresh...time will tell. It looks a lot better since I cleaned it up, and I should only look like Meatloaf (per independent assessments by Dr. Peake and the Honorable Luke S) until the swelling goes away.
Reunion. Dr. Peake is returned from Mexico, and he, Kourtni, and I had a chance to catch up a bit Saturday night...the two that made it happen, and the one that couldn't. He shot some great photos down south, for sure. Summer schemes are still being hatched.
Friday. I got out on the Clack after work for a short run that actually included some decent play near Armstrong. Todd R, Jim, and Oldschool Ken gave me some good instruction in the fine art of surfing gracefully. By the time I got down to Joe Bob's I was actually applying some of it, even! Lots of work to do there, but it's getting better quickly. It was nice to see that my friend Diana actually boats these days. Level was around 1800...perfect for Teeny Weeny Wave.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
open pdxk run on the upper clackamas
I posted this on PDX Kayaker on Friday:
Weather is predicted to be partly cloudy with a high of 48 degrees. That'll do.
The flow is 2629cfs and dropping at Three Lynx -- Toilet Bowl should be nicely activated today.
The shoulder feels tons better this morning, and paddling motions aren't causing pain, so I'm stoked about that.
Post-trip update:
Paul M., Anthony E., Dave B., Luke S., and I had a great day in the sunshine on Three Lynx to Bob's. Todd joined us halfway down, and Kourtni was able to serve as a shuttle bunny owing to her going to the wrong put-in and finishing her run before we even got to where she put-in (Fish Creek). Betsy met up with us at the Hangar and good times were had. Nice day on the river. It was nice to see Alex D. and Shane on the river, too.
I was sorer than I thought from my Saturday fun times on Canyon Creek, but had a breakthrough cartwheeling the RAD 195 in the shoulder of a pourover hole. Surfing the massive pillow at Hole in the Wall while a raft and an unboated rafter were stranded in and above the Hole proper was a rush, too...looked like they had safety covered already. The wave at Toilet bowl was epic and my line was good.
Lots of raft and kayak traffic alike on the Clack yesterday. Level was 2600 at Three Lynx, but lots of cfs seemed to come in with the tributaries (Roaring River, Fish Creek, etc.), so it was pretty big by the end. The weather was mostly sunny and 65+ degrees in the sun...a wonderful taste of the spring to come.
Getting back to my roots, taking J.O.'s advice! ;)And so begins a mellow trip down the Clack today. Got a couple of responses: a gal named Michele wants to join us, Paul M. will be heading out, and a feller named Todd might try to catch us on the fly midway down.
The NWRFC forecast for Sunday looks to be about 2600-2700...one of the best levels for this run. Weather forecast is fair, too. If you have a hankering for a 10-mile run with some Class III this Sunday, meet us at Bob's Hole (Mile 36.7 on Hwy 224) at 10:30.
If you have any questions, feel free to give a holler or send an email. I'll be happy to show you down if you are new to the run.
Willie
Weather is predicted to be partly cloudy with a high of 48 degrees. That'll do.
The flow is 2629cfs and dropping at Three Lynx -- Toilet Bowl should be nicely activated today.
The shoulder feels tons better this morning, and paddling motions aren't causing pain, so I'm stoked about that.
Post-trip update:
Paul M., Anthony E., Dave B., Luke S., and I had a great day in the sunshine on Three Lynx to Bob's. Todd joined us halfway down, and Kourtni was able to serve as a shuttle bunny owing to her going to the wrong put-in and finishing her run before we even got to where she put-in (Fish Creek). Betsy met up with us at the Hangar and good times were had. Nice day on the river. It was nice to see Alex D. and Shane on the river, too.
I was sorer than I thought from my Saturday fun times on Canyon Creek, but had a breakthrough cartwheeling the RAD 195 in the shoulder of a pourover hole. Surfing the massive pillow at Hole in the Wall while a raft and an unboated rafter were stranded in and above the Hole proper was a rush, too...looked like they had safety covered already. The wave at Toilet bowl was epic and my line was good.
Lots of raft and kayak traffic alike on the Clack yesterday. Level was 2600 at Three Lynx, but lots of cfs seemed to come in with the tributaries (Roaring River, Fish Creek, etc.), so it was pretty big by the end. The weather was mostly sunny and 65+ degrees in the sun...a wonderful taste of the spring to come.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
canyon creek with the oregon rafting team
Should be a good level for today. :)Post-trip update:
I learn something every time I go kayaking. This time the learning was intense and tiring. Canyon Creek was 2" above the unit (high-ish medium flow), and had many lessons for me. While I had several moments of brilliance, I managed to swim at Prelude to Thrasher after getting worked for a while.
Being worn out from my out-of-boat experience and agressively setting safety for the rafting team had me exhibiting some serious lack of grace at times throughout the rest of the run. Near the end I was upside down on some rocks and bruised the point of my right shoulder. Owie.
Thrasher was touch and go. I had a good line on Kahuna, and Champagne and Hammering Spot were kind to me today. It was a good, if strenuous and injurious, day on the river. :)
Edit: I forgot to mention that Mike G. and Sam D. were along in kayaks for the trip.
Friday, February 29, 2008
upper wind
Ran the upper Wind River today with Alex D., Mike G., Neal F., and Tony S. The gauge rock at the takeout had water consistenly sloshing over it between the horns. This was a lot higher level than my one prior run on this section, and the boogie water through the boulder gardens was fast and entertaining. I flipped a couple of times early on, then tightened it up and had a solid run. We broke with tradition and had Hamm's and Rainier at the takeout. Fun group, beautiful day, and bitchin' technical whitewater...nothing else is needed!
Looking forward to providing safety for the Oregon Rafting Team on Canyon Creek tomorrow. Watching those cats R2 (two-man raft) all of those stout drops should be quite entertaining indeed. I might even get to practice throwing my rope bag! Hehe.
Looking forward to providing safety for the Oregon Rafting Team on Canyon Creek tomorrow. Watching those cats R2 (two-man raft) all of those stout drops should be quite entertaining indeed. I might even get to practice throwing my rope bag! Hehe.
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