Ecuador- February 2009

I went to Ecuador in February for a week of creekboating with Small World Expeditions. As advertised, the county is beautiful and the whitewater is plentiful. I would highly recommend it. Coming from the desert that is Colorado, it is simply amazing how much water there is in Ecuador.



Typical scenery

The first day we paddled the Cosanga, which was nice Class IV, but really just a warm up for the week to come. The next day, we paddled the Oyacachi, which was a simply amazing river. 6 miles of pushy IV+ with great scenery.






The next day, we headed over the divide, through the cloud forest, to the famous Upper Hondachi.


Given the Jondachi's reputation for quickly getting too high with rain, it was a little concerning when it poured throughout the entire hike in. However, when we got to the put-in, the water was low, giving us plenty of leeway if the river rose. The hike to the put-in was easily the slipperiest walk I have ever done with a kayak. Actually, it was probably the hardest thing we did all week. And completely worth it.

Landslide portage early on.

People claim the Jondachi has over eighty distinct rapids. I'm not sure about that, but it is a long six miles, with a significant rapid every 30 yards or so the whole way.

The water level about doubled as we ate lunch and we finished out the run with a nice medium flow.

After the Hondachi, we went to Tena, where we paddled the Mishualli when it was flooding.

And then when it was not flooding.

We also paddled the Piatua, in the Tena area before we headed back to the Quijos. Our last day, we paddled various sections of the Quijos. The water was kinda highish. Some of us put on part way through the Cheesehouse section and experienced some powerful whitewater.

Our put-in: Piggly Wiggly

Slackwater on the Quijos.

I can't say enough about Ecuador and SWA and can't wait to go back.

North Fork Crystal

The North Fork Crystal is high elevation Colorado 4X4 and huck, with the emphasis on 4X4 (your Suby will not make it). The water is clean and the drops are too. We only ran the first 4 drops due to wood in the short gorge. This short section is very steep (loses about 100 feet over 4 drops) and high quality. We had about 500 cfs on the downstream Crystal gauge (about 1/3 of that is in the creek). This seemed like a nice medium-low level.

The first drop is a long, low angle slide.



There is one eddy between drops one and two. Two of us caught the eddy, one missed it. Luckily, missing the eddy sets you up fine for drop 2. This drop has a twisting entry ledge follows by a large slide falls with a kicker. This year there was a tree in the eddy river right below this drop, so you need to run it under control.





Drops 3 and 4 are smaller, with drop 4 being the cleanest ten footer in Colorado.

Summer '08 photo dump

I didn't take a whole lot of photos this summer but here is a handful of the good ones from my various kayaking travels.

Josh Heise melts the big one on Oh Be Joyful Creek.



Top half of the last slide on OBJ. This slide goes for another 60 feet around the corner and ends in a 12 foot almost vertical falls. So cool.



Huck the System- South Mineral Creek. One of the cleanest runnable waterfalls in Colorado.



Al with a good line at Dragon's Back- Lime Creek.



New No Name at 3800 on the town gauge. Very burly rapid at this level, but much easier as the water drops.



Crystal Narrows at 1300- no pictures with paddlers when you paddle solo.



Glenwood wave at 15k- Skook in Colorado.



Russ on Eye of the Needle- Piedra

RIP Corner Pocket

After a glorious spring, the high water pretty much blew it out. Time to break out the concrete. A few shots from our dearly departed friend:

Escalante- Spring 08

It has been an epic Escalante season. The levels have not dipped below medium for a month, being higher most of the time than the peak of a normal year. I'm not sure how much longer it will last but it could go for a week or two more (still running high as of 5/18). All photos here are from medium to high levels.

Uh- where's the fin?


George at Leap of Faith.


Link to quick Leap of Faith video:

http://www.vimeo.com/1008222


Waterslide is the most consequential drop on the run. The low water right line does not go if the level is above medium-high. At these levels, you have to boof down the center, being careful not to get pushed into the seived-out left channel. Kevin runs a good line at Waterslide at high water.


Craig in Double Drop.


Rib ripper- great high water boof.


Neat view of Corkscrew.


Inner Gorge late in the day.

Spring 08 Oregon/Washington

In late April 08, our quest for ample flows and clean waterfalls motivated an 18 hours drive to the Pacific Northwest to sample the finest whitewater that the region had to offer. We found some rivers to low, some too high, and a few just right. In chronolgical order, we paddled:

1) Upper East Fork of the Hood- too low when we did it but it had good gradient and lots of potential with more water.

2) The Farmlands- would be considered a classic if it was anywhere but upstream of the Green Truss. Definitely worth your time if you are in the area.

3) The Upper Wind- nice Class IV run but didn't quite live up to its billing. Reminded me alot of Chekamus (BC).

4) Canyon Creek (WA)- one of the best runs that I have ever done. We had about 700 cfs which seemed like a nice medium level. Clean drops and some big sticky holes. We had 3 swims. When in doubt, boof hard.

5) East Fork of the Lewis- really fun run. 1200 seemed like a good level. Two very clean 15-20 foot waterfalls and a great class IV gorge with a few sticky holes.

6) West Fork of the Hood- pretty but kind of easy. Maybe good if everything else around there is flooding.

7) The Green Truss- total classic. Lots of great rapids besides the big 3 that you always hear about. Pool drop with clean rapids and a few sticky holes. All in rugged and spectacular gorge. Thanks to the local boaters who have placed fixed ropes in all the right places throughout this run. The only issue right now is the log in Lower Zig Zag that necessitated a pretty scary portage (hand rappelling anyone?). I think there may be a better way to do this. It would be worth looking into. Notwithstanding the portage, I can see how people come back to this run over and over.

8) Rock Creek- our backup after being scared off the Upper Little White by the monster take-out drop and excessive amounts of wood. Very pretty run. Needs more water.

Here is a semi-chronological photo dump from the trip. Some taken by Brian and some taken by me. Enjoy.

Me- Lava Dam Falls- Farmlands.


Trent- same.


Tim- Sidewinder- Farmlands


Ian- Big Kahuna from the top (Canyon Creek).


The Hanna- Kahuna from the bottom.


Me on Sunset Falls- East Fork Lewis.


Ian- Horseshoe Falls- East Fork Lewis


Kevin- in Rock Creek mini-gorge.

Dolores 4/5-4/6 2008

Water in the Dolores River is yet another good consequence of our big snow year in the San Juans. They are releasing 800 from McPhee at the moment and it will ramp up to 3000 over the next month and a half (allegedly). We checked out the upper section over a chilly weekend in early April. We managed the 47 mile section pretty easily over the weekend. The river moves pretty quickly even though there is alot of flatwater- like alot of flatwater. Basically there is one rapid. I definitely questioned my decision to cram my feet into a playboat for 47 miles for one rapid and a couple surf waves. Actually, you are probably better off just sitting on a raft and enjoying the scenery.

Scenery:



More scenery (did I mention that there are not alot of rapids).



Snaglepuss! Our raft ran a nice line, which was good because it was a bit nippy for a pinned raft extraction.



Link to cool Snaglepuss video:

http://www.vimeo.com/884462