Reflections from Cali May 2009

Ed Gaker Dropping a Waterfall on Dinkey Day 1. Photo TJ

Thinking back on this trip swirls my brain through the oddest concoction of emotions of any trip I have ever been on. At first it was great memories for about a week. Then it was all shattered by news from Colorado that changed the flavor of the memories. To tell you the truth, after that initial onslaught, I haven't thought much about it. But now, as I sit on a plane heading back to the Sierra for another round of epic boating, I can't continue to ignore it.

The trip started perfectly. My brother Tom picked me up from the airport in Sac and, after a night in a friends house in Davis, we headed North to meet up with Ed for a three day trip down the Middle Feather from Nelson Point to Lake Oroville, deciding that the water would drop enough from the 1400 cfs we had to allow safe passage through Bald Rock. I had met Ed a few years back on Red Creek up in West Virginia, and had seen him randomly just a few weeks before on the Blackwater where plans to meet up in Cali were hatched. After a long morning and midday of gathering supplies and figuring out shuttle in Oroville, we left Ed's truck near where we thought the illegal hike out point was and made it up to the put in around 3.

It had been too long since I had been on an overnighter, and the Middle Feather is one of the finest out there. Great class IV-V for the first two days down to Milsap Bar were a fantastic warmup for a much spicier trip through Bald Rock. At Milsap, we met up with Kieth, who informed us that the flows had dropped to a still high, yet good, 1200 cfs, so we were on for the finale of the trip. Despite the high flow, we made good progress through fantastic granite boating and scenery to Atom Bomb Falls. Fortunately my internet scouting gave me a good idea of how to do the portage, but the ferry still was a whole lot boilier than any pictures I had seen. We all made it, and sighed a momentary breath of relief, knowing that things were just about to get kicking.

Ed Boofing into the Sunshine on the Portage on Devil's Canyon. Photo TJ

The pace picked up as we continued through granite boulder garden wonderland. Big waves, holes, and seems made for great big water creeking. At the first rapid we couldn't boat scout, we all hopped out for a quick look on the left. After a tricky lead in, a huge curler took the majority of the water to river right and through some exploding holes that we could only kind of see from river left. Tom decided to head across to river right for a better look, while Ed and I were fired up on the rapid. Ed ended up missing the curler and dropping through a nasty slot while I caught the curler as planned, typewritering me into the maw of big holes before being spit into an eddy on river right. Seeing our mixed success, Kieth snuck right early which shot him into the guts with no momentum towards the eddy. He rode it on through, but missed the eddy and dropped right into the meet of a nasty hole in the next rapid. After about a minute of rodeo, Kieth swam and Ed gave chase. I was torn, but decided to wait for Tom who was already in his boat and about to drop into the first rapid.

Tom Janney Blending Into Curtain Falls. Damn White Boat. Photo Keith Kugley

The second Tom made it through, I turned and gave chase to Keith and Ed. Finding Keith shortly downstream, he appeared severely beaten, but gave the okay sign, so I continued after the boat. Fortunately it had eddied out shortly above Curtain Falls. With some rope work we were able to get Keith across the river and down to his boat. He relayed the story of being recirced until he thought the lights were going out in the hole as he caught his breath. It was certainly a close call, and Keith played it safe the rest of day portaging judiciously were possible the rest of the way down.

Ed in the Lull in Three Doors, Huge Holes above and Below. Photo TJ.

We finally made it down to the lake with lots more fantastic boulder gardens. After 3 miles of lake paddling we made it to what we thought was our hike out point, and headed up the hill. We never found a trail (Is there one?), and finally made it up through the poison oak to an old road after about an hour of grunting up the loose dirt in the high 90's heat. After walking on the road for a while, we came to what is the sketchiest compound I have ever passed in my many days of trespassing. A series of connected trailers and airplane hangers comprised the beast, which we scurried by as quickly as possible to avoid detection. Fortunately we made it undetected, as I was sure we would be shot if discovered. Soon, enough we were at the gate and a quick jaunt to Ed's truck, which had obviously been scoped, but thankfully not broken into.

We loaded up and ran shuttle as quickly as possible, which wasn't quick enough. Kieth needed a break from boating, maybe we all did, but I was taking some of my priced vacation time, so a plan was hatched to push South. It was real late by the time we got the truck at the top, and despite wanting to get South for the next adventure, we didn't make it far at all and poached a night's sleep somewhere south of Quincy. Waking the next day, we drove by Love's Falls but couldn't rally the motivation and instead pushed on to a relaxing afternoon run down 49 to Bridgeport on the South Yuba, just what the doctor ordered.

From there, it was decision time. Messages on my cell told of a royal gorge trip starting the next
morning, but we never got phone connection with Dusty and Ryan to set up a plan, so we rallied with Ed South to the South Fork of the Merced. After sleeping in a pull out near the take out we met up with Nick and Oliver and found a raft guide to run our shuttle. The end of the shuttle was pretty entertaining as we were mostly on forest roads before popping out on the golf course in Wawona and finally finding the South Fork of the Merced.

The run was fantastic. It goes well as a two day run for those who don't know it and features lots of good rapids and very little bull shit. There's a great mix of boulder gardens and bed rock in there, and though there are gorges, you never feel locked in. There are no mandatory portages although most will portage a few times. No hike in or hike out and a relatively short shuttle make this run possibly the highest quality overnighter in Cali compared to the logistics. All in all just clean fun.

Ed Blasting out of a Hole on the South Merced. Photo TJ

After getting off, we made some frantic phone calls to try to decide what to do with our last two days in Cali. When we found out Dinkey was around 300, there was only one way to finish the trip... waterfalls. Having just Tom, Ed, and I having no previous waterfalls experience we took care of provisions and made it to the take out at Balch Camp that night, planning to get an early start the next morning.

Finishing the Triple Drop Switch, Resulting in a Good Ride. Photo TJ.

Our early start proved to be a bust as we wasted in trying to figure out a way through river left before retreating to the long way to Ross Crossing on river right. We ended up starting the hike at noon and making it to the river at one. After a short break, we started making slow progress down the 1.5 miles to the normal camping slab. Although the mileage is short, there are a ton of big, sometimes consequential drops during day 1 as well as one time consuming portage. Sitting at camp just chilling next to the good morning slide and looking up at the clean bedrock above is quite the experience.

Better Than Folgers... Photo TJ.

The Perfect 20fter. Photo TJ.

The next day is much longer although perhaps a little less locked in. More great clean drops, some of which are massive, like Nikki's Slide. This has to be up there as one of the best days of kayaking anywhere. Then, once you're tired and beat from running all kinds of sweet bedrock drops, the mank shows up and you run a mile of garbage to the take out, although paddling under the tube is certainly interesting.

Nikki's Slide is Big, Really Big. Photo TJ.

And like that, a week of great Cali kayaking is over. We return to Ross Crossing to grab the vehicle and make a bee line for Sac so I can make my flight back to the real world. After a couple hours in the car, I realize how truly broken my body is. There is no way I could have kayaked another day... what a satisfying feeling at the end of a trip.

The next week was a blur of getting caught up at work, repairs at my new house, and nursing my body back to life. And then it happened. I got a text from Tony, “Did you say the Ed you were boating with in Cali was headed towards Colorado? You need to read BT.” From that, I already knew something was wrong. It was just one of those bad feelings, shortly confirmed through my computer screen. One second he was there and the next he was gone.

I don't care to speculate on the what and the why. All I can hope is that Ed made an informed and commited decision on Sherman Falls. I'm not sure all the safety in the world could have helped given the situation. Sometimes that's just the way it is. You. The river. Everything else is extraneous to the outcome.

Regardless, Ed is and will be missed and remembered.

I talked to Keith shortly thereafter. I think he had heard at that point. He relayed me a story from Bald Rock that I missed. After completing the sketchy Atom Bomb ferry, Ed and Keith had started discussing why we, as class V boaters, put our selves in dangerous situations on a regular basis. The thing that struck Keith is he couldn't come up with a reason. This conversation, coupled with the swim later that day and the news of Ed's passing the following week, has kept Keith off the water since then.

Me, I'm not sure I can answer that question either. There are a lot of cliché answers, but I don't think any of them explains it. I know I feel completely focused and connected when I'm deep in a gorge. I'm not sure what it is. Thing is, the focus is strongest when the strokes are most crucial. Those times when no matter what your buddies do, they can't help. It's not that I like boating things that scare me. And it's not something I seek out every time I go paddling. But sometimes you just feel it. It all makes sense. And then you're in it. Just you. And the river.

Smokies Double Dip

No time for many photos, just this one of the author finishing Big Tree on UWP.
Photo Kirk Eddlemon from http://gorgedout.blogspot.com/

I'm a little behind... this epic day only happened about 2 months ago.

After a slightly too late night with slightly too much shit talking, 5:30 am came a little too early, followed shortly by Caleb's truck pulling in. We rallied up to the West Prong to get to the first half of the day’s mission started. Leaving a truck at the first walkway above Sugarlands, we headed up to the loop with a nice low-medium 1.3 ish on the gauge. From there on it was classic West Prong in the early morning haze. Just good boofs and steepness.

At the halfway point, we traded out Todd, who had to go to his brother's live in ex-girlfriend's son's birthday party, and Kirk finished the rest of the run with us. The lower went quickly and we were at the take out at a little after 11 with relatively little carnage (normally on a top to bottom West Prong run, there will be some action) and plenty of time for round two. If you have the time and a decent water level, adding the last half of Walker Camp, from the loop to chimneys trailhead, and the mile below Campbell overlook to just above Sugarlands adds a few great rapids and makes for about 7 miles of continuous bolder boofing. Normally, this would be a pretty full day of boating, but not today.

Heading over the mountain on 441, we made a few calls and Bone and Mc'Lovin would round out the crew for round 2. A perfect 11ish inches greeted us for one of the greatest runs on the east coast. After a little bit of sunshine poked through as we were putting on above Lord of the Rings, the drizzle quickly kicked in to slicken up the already polished walls of the Raven Fork. I was nervous putting on, but the first few paddle strokes didn't feel too fatigued and my run was smooth the whole way through. It was sort of odd, but the Raven Fork felt so in control and smooth compared to the non-stop action dished out on the West Prong. The same can't be said for the rest of the boys, as there was certainly some undercut action at Headless and some creek boat rodeo at Jedi, but everything worked itself out and all too soon we were trading stories with Manuel and his buddies.

Fortunately Kirk and I didn't stick around too long, as we were the second to last car back over 441 before the park closed it due to the inches of snow our “drizzle” was dropping at Newfound Gap. After meandering our way through Floridians who ended up in the ditches on the side of the road, we were glad to make it back to K-Town with only a slight delay instead of hours finding a road back to Knoxville not blocked by a landslide. It was good to know that after a winter of bringing myself back into the swing of things from a torn MCL suffered in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, I could again push myself pretty hard out there, although next time I plan to actually back up the shit talking by following up a top to bottom West Prong, instead of putting in at Lord of the Rings, by hiking over the mountain.

Keep pushing...

Jim

Knoxville Low Water Staples

Every year as the water of the spring time starts to run dry, we find ourselves returning to our staples in the sunshine and warm weather. Around Knoxville, we have three rivers which tend to hold water a little better than the rest: the Big South Fork of the Cumberland, the Little River, and the Tellico River. Fortunately for us, all happen to be beautiful and hold some satisfying whitewater, while being within close distance from town. Enough with the writing, here are some photos that should explain it better than I could ever hope to...

Karl Whipp from high up above. Photo JJ

Tom Rannells dwarfed by BSF canyon cliffs. Photo JJ

BSF Scale. Photo JJ

Smokin' Steve starting the day off right on the Little. Photo JJ.

Steve aka Charley groovin into silver diner. Photo JJ

Karl Whipp cleaning up eddy out. Photo JJ.

Tunnel in its pre-log state. Now much sketchier due to new wood. Photo JJ

The defining stroke of the Tellico. Photo JJ

Or plug if you prefer, like Jonathon Markham. Photo JJ

Smokin' Steve through the trees. Photo JJ

Springtime in the gorge below Bounce Off Boulder. Photo JJ

Spring Break Cali Style Part 2

After park and hucking indian creek we departed on the long journey south to the Kaweah, only Matt had been there before so we were all excited to get on some new runs and enjoy the warmer temps down south.

Peter showing us how to beat up the beat while Brain and Christian shotgun some beers at a pullout overlooking lake oroville

We didn't end getting down to the Kaweah until late that night due to stoping at the In-and-Out (greatest fast food ever) and taking way to long to shop for supplies at the grocery store. When we got up it was apparent that Peter had a serious case of poison oak from feather country. So as he went into town to find a doctor the rest of us decided that Christian and I would go a check out hospital rock while Brian and Matt would do the park boundary run.

This is after a day of drugs and his face was still swollen the first day his eye was almost swollen shut.

Me and Christian had a great hospital rock run, getting to the takeout in a few hours and grinning from ear to ear, we waited for Matt to come and meet us for a second lap as Brian sat out do to a swim on the lower run. Once you know the run you can bomb it pretty quickly, and get lots of laps in, how much fun can you take?

We start puting in right above little niagara the first few days not realizing we could get another sweet drop right upstream. Little niagara is a sick drop with a squirly entrance that I missed up the first time and ended up rolling up at the lip and going super deep, I rolled up at the bottom glad to not be in the cave. After that i gave this drop way more focus and had fun lines every other time.

Me stomping little niagara

Christian boofing

After a few more fun slides there is a sick triple drop that offers a ton of different entry lines, i liked boofing the center and driving up over the huge boil, the second drop is just a small hole and the third drop a sweet little boof.

Christian dropping into the first ledge of a triple drop just downstream of the getin

And boofing the final ledge of the triple set

After some more sick read and run fun, you come to the 420 gorge that is worth a scout, the entrance to the gorge is a sick boulder garden affair with two stellar boofs. The crux of the short gorge is a drop in the middle that wants to push you into a pocket on the river right so a strong boof with downstream angle is ideal.

Peter about to find the deep water, he got pushed into the pocket but kept his shit together and made it out.

Christ-Ian showing the ideal line

Some more fun rapids lead lo a tight pinch drop that looks ugly but goes great, our first time down Christian routed me into in and boy was it an exciting ride.

Ginger Matt trying to wash the freckles off

N. Abrams bracing his way through the bottom

That drop leads into a short gorge with a fun 10-15 foot drop that was the sitye of a scary swim in our group when one of our party almost swam the drop but Christ-Ian used the grab that bitch technique to perfection to get Matt out of the water at the last second. Pretty soon your at one of the best boofs on the run, a straight 8-10 footer that is too much fun.

Matt about to air it out

After this there is a shitty dam drop and then you are at zero to sixty, the biggest drop on the normal hospital rock run. I had been walking it until nathan showed me how smooth the line was and it goes a lot better than it looks, but has a easy walk on the left.

Nathan showing us how it is done

Nick getting a good stroke in coming over the main drop

Me holding the left angle after plugging, glad to not be in the cave as Christian looks on

Over the next several days we stayed around hospital rock doing laps until out friends Nick Abrams and Nathan Hunkapiller showed up and Peter, brian and Matt had to take off due to other plans. We then decided to do the east fork of the Kaweah run since we had a great guide in Nathan to show us the lines, this run would take a long time to do without a guide, it took us hours with a great guide. I was a bit nervous going into the east fork not knowing what to expect but knowing it was locked in, but once getting in there most of the drops are tight bouldery affairs with some mank in between to keep us colorado boys happy. There were a few portages that having nathan along helped out a lot on, including the triple drop portage that nathan actually ran but helped us portage. I was close to running it but psyched myself out after looking at the lip for to long but as always the drop will be there another day.

Nathan Firing

After triple drop there was some more mank thrown in until we came to another portage that we ate lunch at the bottom of excited as nathan said we were getting to some fun ones.

A purty meadow during the portage, me being allergic to bees I was glad that it was early in the year and they weren't to many around

Nathan was right after lunch things started picking up with many fun drops and cool min gorges with every kind of drop imaginable from falls to sildes and even some boulder drops thrown in.

Christian on a fun one below lunch

Nathan said this is a fun one to just not look at lets just bomb and we did

Overall I thought the east Kaweah was a sick run with a lot of sweet drops and some good adventure thrown in , but I would not call it as classic as hospital rock because it have too much mank and bullshit thrown in. Some of that might be due to the fact that we had a med-low level (800 at 3 rivers), I would like to see it with more water which would make triple drop marginal at best and make some sticky holes in there but the mank would be reduced.

Happy to have completed the east fork we chilled out that evening in 3 rivers and had a feast at a local watering hole. We decided the do the upper hospital rock run the next day as our last run before heading back to CO (Me, Nathan, and nick had done the run on a day when christian was hungover). The upper part is a bit harder than the lower but just as classic and you get Chucks slide.

Nick finishing off the fun put-in drop

This upper section doesn't add much mileage but the section takes a while due to scouting more frequently, pretty soon after some in between boogie you come to a massive horizon line, get out and look at chuck kern's slide. Nick and Nathan ran it our first lap and I was itching to give it a go, it was sunny, warm and our last day in cali so we all fired it up.

Christian on line as usual

Me thinking "I wanna go fast"

Nick run #1 riding it out switch

Nick on run #2

Nathan, the calm before the storm

We were all fired up to have run such a beast of a rapid, I can't imagine running this thing in the boats they used in chucks day. After chucks drop there are a few in between rapids before your ate the china slide, nathan called it that because it takes you to china.

Christian dropping in

Nick plugging

After the china slide there is a few ledges, one of which dished out a minute and a half beat down to Christian and then recirced him twice out of his boat before he swam out of it. After we got all his stuff back minus an elbow pad, we continued down to a portage around a huge boulder sieve that used to have water flowing around it but the ever chancing riverbed changed again, stay on you toes out there. Next up was the V-slide a fun 20 foot wierd slding thing that all flushes at the bottom, after that your at the top of little niagara.

Nick on V-slide

Now to the most important part of the post, booty beers. Everyone swam on the trip except me and Nathan.

Matt swim on hospital rock, not sure which is dirtier the shoe or matt?

Nick little niagara

Christian hospital rock

Peter on giant gap and me taking mine from the Raven fork in North Carolina

Brian on the park boundary run

Thanks to Nathan and Nick for showing us the lines and for Brian, Peter, Christian and Matt for putting up with me, Cali is so good I can't wait until I go back.

Here is a Video nathan put together: http://vimeo.com/10602169