Author |
Message |
STLboater
PP Junkie
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 886
|
 Topic: What is your favorite river, and why? Posted: 23 Nov 2007 at 11:45pm |
Oh pro boaters out there, what is your favorite stretch of aerated liquid heaven?
Anything from anywhere, as long as it is non-alcoholic
Edited by STLboater - 23 Nov 2007 at 11:46pm
|
Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor
|
IP Logged  |
|
water wacko
Master Poster
Team Jackson
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2143
|
 Posted: 24 Nov 2007 at 8:07am |
The Skykomish is definitely in my top three. It has so many different faces at so many boatable levels with so many lines. You can boat it all year long and it's always fun. Even at the lowest levels there's always some pourover rock to cartwheel or phonics monkey off of. It's always the river that comes to mind. Tumwater is another, though I haven't done it above 2500.
|
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman
|
IP Logged  |
|
Guests
Guest
|
 Posted: 24 Nov 2007 at 9:16am |
Well, pretty much any river with moving water is awesome so it's tough to choose just one. I'll give my top 3:
1) Futaleufu River in Chile: BIG Water, BIG Waves, BIG fun. It also has a variety of difficulty levels that make it fun for everyone! The remoteness and beauty of the area is icing on the cake.
2) Green River Narrows, North Carolina: Talk about awesome, Clas V-V+ water only 45 minutes away from the awesome town of Asheville. It runs 200+ days a year and just has tons of super fun, flowing lines (as well as some big ones).
3) Kaituna River, New Zealand: The Kaituna is only a on mile long stretch. It includes several 10 foot boofs, 1 twenty foot waterfall, and numerous slides all packed into a short, 10 foot wide jungle gorge. Despite all this, better run it in your play-boat because the last rapid includes a truly world class play hole with eddy service!
Brett does make a good point though, the Sky in late summer offers up some great fun (like the little surf spots right below lunch hole or up at power-line or even at aquagasm with a little more water) when everyone else in the country is crying their eyes out about everything being dry.  . I would be paddling it right now but I am sitting here sick, at home, unable to kayak and bored out of my mind.... probably the reason for this lengthy reply.
|
IP Logged  |
|
Guests
Guest
|
 Posted: 24 Nov 2007 at 8:17pm |
Hugo-
Don't criticize Tumwater. It is a perfectly good run. Also, keep in mind that many developing boaters aspire to do this run. Don't down grade it because you have some kind of chip on your shoulder.
If Brett (or anyone else) likes a run, what business is it of yours to tell them that they are wrong. All rivers are good and fun. They don't have to be the biggest gnar or the best play in order for you to have a rewarding experience.
Hugo, I don't know you in real life, maybe you are a good guy. Hopefully I'll paddle with you someday and find out. From your brief posts here on PP, however, all I have seen you do is put people down. Anything positive to say? Stoke to add?
David
|
IP Logged  |
|
water wacko
Master Poster
Team Jackson
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2143
|
 Posted: 25 Nov 2007 at 8:33am |
Is Hugo a troll? mmmmm, could be
|
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman
|
IP Logged  |
|
Guests
Guest
|
 Posted: 25 Nov 2007 at 9:29am |
Not sure, but I don't know why he deleted that post. Must not have been proud of his behavior.
|
IP Logged  |
|
hugo
Tricky Woo
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 202
|
 Posted: 25 Nov 2007 at 9:57am |
ahhh!
Edited by hugo - 25 Nov 2007 at 10:03am
|
suck it
|
IP Logged  |
|
hugo
Tricky Woo
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 202
|
 Posted: 25 Nov 2007 at 10:03am |
I did not delete my post, I think that I am being censored!
free hugo!
Edited by hugo - 25 Nov 2007 at 10:26am
|
suck it
|
IP Logged  |
|
CRG Productions
WW Industry
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 9:03am |
hmm...It's hard to pick one favorite when there is so much good stuff out there......
Local: Little White Salmon, Truss, & Kenobi Gorge
Road Trippin: Green River Narrows, Toxaway, & N.F. Payette.
PNW Exploratory: Upper Siouxon, Blk Rok Frk South Umpqua, & S.F. Clackamas
|
www.gorgehits.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
oukr9965
Super Looper
Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 180
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 9:40am |
I'm definately not a gnar boater or anywhere close to pro, but I've got to give a shout out to the Lochsa. That whole stretch, from top to bottom is just big and fun at multiple levels. Add some of the creeks and the SF Clearwater (golden canyon/mickey mouse run) just around the way and you'll have a great weekend of boating.
Tumwater in the summer is awesome. Good class IV boating in shorts and a drytop.
Anything on the White Salmon is great all year round. I ran the Truss for my first time not to long ago and it was awesome, but it'll take a few more times on that run to really enjoy it for everything it has to offer.
|
IP Logged  |
|
James
Admin
Sum Dum Guy
Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3598
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 11:01am |
At some point you have to make a decision to paddle or to walk. Thats pretty much a black and white choice. So if were all familiar with that style of decision making why can't we do it....all you monkeys are naming lists of rivers as your favorite river... Cmon pick one and then stand for it's name!
I say Icicle Creek. I know it's over used but here is why it continues to be at the top. #1. You can't find a more road side stretch of III-V+ whitewater in the state. #2. The scenery is amazing and the river challenges and rewards. #3. Although there are contenders in BC that I like running more, the weather is not fickle on the good ole Icicle. You can pack counting on a few tanning hours. #4. I have not found many spots with the combination of such amazing creek style drops & big river play in such close proximity. #5. You can almost always count on a show when Montana's In Town so if the creek were not amazing enough, you still have more action all night with mark as he proves Little Bavaria's Night Life deserves a spot on the E!'s list of WILD PLACES.
Cmon beat that!
Oh yea its just a an hour and a half away!
|
IP Logged  |
|
CRG Productions
WW Industry
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 11:31am |
Posted by James.
At some point you have to make a decision to paddle or to walk. Thats pretty much a black and white choice. So if were all familiar with that style of decision making why can't we do it....all you monkeys are naming lists of rivers as your favorite river... Cmon pick one and then stand for it's name!
Sorry James, I can't pick just one. It's the same as walking a rapid...some days you feel it and some days you don't. Some days I want road side (Icicle Creek) and some days I want to be as far away as I can get (Salmon River Canyon). Some day I want a mellow run (Farmlands) and some days I feel like going off (Kenobi Gorge). Luckily we have more creeks and rivers to choose from than snowboarders and skiers have resorts to go to! They all have something to offer!
|
www.gorgehits.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
James
Admin
Sum Dum Guy
Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3598
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 12:10pm |
Stop that... you have to pick one... I want to be able to just list every one that makes it hard for me to consider too... Ashlu's Box, Robe and Thunder but in the end you have to pick one because of the differences. For example, The box is amazing and I'm a newb just introduced, but the weather and season give Icicle the edge needed to be ranked higher. Robe is amazing and the season rocks, its close and fun, but the lack of diversity and near by runs again give icicle the edge.
Gordie, I think you almost have to re-phrase the question just to get an answer out of these people.....
If the world stopped using gas and no one could travel on anything but horses, llamas and bikes, if you could not go bouncing around the state and region to boat, if you could only do grocery runs, beer runs and shuttle runs, if you had to just pick one spot to call home where would it be?
I would nestle my little homestead into the cleavage of our very own cascades within a few miles access of the Icicle and with a nice sunny plot for growning apples, cherries and all organic boof's. I would of course share all my pickin's with my boating friends, but not to the folks that make fun of how small and wierd my boof's look. Until I get all the kinks worked out I would rather you just make fun of my Apples and Cherries.
J
|
IP Logged  |
|
CRG Productions
WW Industry
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 12:23pm |
Ha...too funny...
O.k. since you put it that way James...
I would have to live on river left, on the upstream side of the bridge, at the Little White put in. Grow my fruits & veggies and set shuttle on my bike every other day. on the in between days I would pick between riding my bike and boat west over to the Wind River or do I go east today and run the Truss....all within bike riding distance.
and the reason why: Your sitting at the put in for one of the best in the country and you have an option on both sides of you within 15 miles away to change things up. And the elevation is just under 1,000ft. not too cold in the winter. and it runs @9 months out of the year.
Edited by CRG Productions - 26 Nov 2007 at 12:28pm
|
www.gorgehits.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
James
Admin
Sum Dum Guy
Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3598
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 12:34pm |
Ok see now that is a worthy selection....
If you were able to hitch a ride on the next wagon train up to my neck of the woods we could rig up a buggy and hit any part of the Icicle, Tumwater, the play zone on the wenatchee and of course we could do over nighters on other locals runs. Honestly these two areas are probably some of the best places in the country to be homesteading boaters...
|
IP Logged  |
|
CRG Productions
WW Industry
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 12:49pm |
Sweet! now we just need someone to settle down on the OP so we could go wagon trail trippin west and get some ocean surfing while we're there. It would be like going to a different country by the time we got back home via wagon trail.....
|
www.gorgehits.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
ashleygoesdisco
PP Junkie
Princess Sparkle Horse
Joined: 12 May 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 904
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 1:15pm |
Weeeee-snatch-ee. Just because it's so much fun. I have yet to run something that I love as much as it, and playing all day in the sunshine is so much fun.
|
Ashley Duffus
Well behaved women rarely make history.
www.naiyadays.blogspot.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
tradguy2
Master Poster
Fabric Fanatic
Joined: 25 May 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1433
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 1:20pm |
I love Tumwater. Pearly white granite boulders, long challenging (but not too challenging) rapids, great scenery and relaible warm weather when it is at flows I'm likely to run it at.
|
... preparing for a river beating!
|
IP Logged  |
|
James
Admin
Sum Dum Guy
Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3598
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 1:54pm |
How true that would be CRG... That chimes right in with Blum's Thanks Giving thoughts....
A trip to the Ashlu would probably become a once in a lifetime opportunity instead of a summer weekend staple. Planning the wagon train would be more involved than the river run it self....
I suppose this whole argument is whack though. Mainly because if we did away with all these modern day delights we would also have no need for Dams and Diversions... I have a feeling that would open up alot of new options and areas that might flow year round.... Can you say Skagit or Columbia?
|
IP Logged  |
|
CRG Productions
WW Industry
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 2:43pm |
yep, and maybe people would enjoy their stay and scenery a little more...after all the adverage stay at the GC is 20 minutes....most of that is in car time.....
Columbia with no dams....hmm....Zambezi.....
|
www.gorgehits.com
|
IP Logged  |
|
Guests
Guest
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 2:49pm |
Haha... James, you have turned a simple contemplation of rivers into an examination of dystopian kayaking.
|
IP Logged  |
|
erikSANDSTROM
Big Boofer
Joined: 13 Nov 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 493
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 3:41pm |
Hugo got censored? Must have been purdy bad stuff....
MF Salmon is my fav. Crappy river, but good times!
Everyone knows what mmy other favorite is.
Now, my favorite local ski run has to be the International/ Bluffs/ Elevator Combo, BOO-YA!
|
This river don't go to Aintry. You done taken a wrong turn.
|
IP Logged  |
|
huckin harms
Master Poster
Joined: 03 Nov 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1477
|
 Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 8:16pm |
Whoa there Hugo...
sounds like a conspiracy to silence the minority. Sorry to see that your on the receiving end.
|
IP Logged  |
|
hugo
Tricky Woo
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 202
|
 Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 9:30am |
allrighty, I did not know that kayakers gave up thier first ammendment right...but I will post again...if I get censored again, then I will post again, and again, and again. I like to exercise my rights, even if I get censored, just like I like to practice my boof, even if it means that I will miss out on a flatwater cartwheeling practice.
Tumwater is weak shit! sorry Trad and flatwater wacko...
Edited by hugo - 27 Nov 2007 at 9:34am
|
suck it
|
IP Logged  |
|
PowWrangler
PP Junkie
Joined: 04 Jul 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 793
|
 Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 9:46am |
Hugo is just looking for some internet attention......just don't feed the trolls and they usually end up feeling stupid for what they said the next day anyway.
Censorship in most circumstances is lame though.
|
IP Logged  |
|