Marsh Creek and Dagger Video
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Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8687
Printed Date: 21 May 2025 at 1:41am
Topic: Marsh Creek and Dagger Video
Posted By: catwoman4cfs
Subject: Marsh Creek and Dagger Video
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2009 at 7:27pm
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Here's a video I put together of Marsh Creek and Dagger Falls from our May MF trip this year. Level was 6' at MF Lodge - good POV footage on Marsh for anyone who has never run and is wondering what it's like. http://vimeo.com/6348523 --Shelly |
Replies:
Posted By: Leland
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2009 at 7:42pm
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Sweet!! Thanks for that - cool footage.
We caught Marsh/MF at around 6ft in '08, but I'm still not brave enough to take my raft through Dagger. Maybe next spring. Did you get any footage at Velvet? I'd love to see POV on that move. Leland |
Posted By: catwoman4cfs
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2009 at 8:21pm
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We did get POV for the rest of the run (still needs editing). A friend of mine who ran the week before posted this awesome POV vid of Velvet and all the other hilight rapids of the MF at a flow of 6.5'ish+. They started with about 7' and dropping and we had 6' and rising so by the time we got down to Indian creek we each had really close to the same level. Both their group and our group ran left at Velvet (there was a huge highway there). Here are the links to Steve's videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kz197cGWqY - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kz197cGWqY Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duxHwaBZfA8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duxHwaBZfA8 Part 2 --Shelly |
Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2009 at 8:05am
| What day did you put on Shelly? I put on May 21st. Good water and great weather. |
Posted By: catwoman4cfs
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2009 at 8:56am
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We launched the day after on May 22'nd. Weather and water were awesome. Took out on the following Thurs, drove to the Lochsa and ran the "Dirty 30" on the Lochsa at 8.75'. What a week in ID! --Shelly |
Posted By: franzhorner
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2009 at 12:48pm
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Originally posted by Leland We caught Marsh/MF at around 6ft in '08, but I'm still not brave enough to take my raft through Dagger. Maybe next spring. Leland We ran the Middle Fork for the last 2 years at these flows. I have run Dagger falls 2 times now and watched a bunch of people do it. I have noticed that the people who have trouble are either pointed straight over the first drop, or, slightly towards 1 'oclock. I haven't seen anyone go over that thing with a left angle toward 11 oclock who flipped. I even saw one raft go right into the hole in the middle of the first drop and make it. You definitely want to be pointed a little to the left anywhere on the left side. I follow just to the river right of the eddyline coming off of shore and aim to go over the drop about 2 boat lengths off of shore with an 11 oclock angle. Both times I've done this my head didn't even get wet. Watch out for the big wave below the second drop of the falls! You want to hit that baby in control and straight!! Video from 2 years ago is in my PP photo gallery. I recommend having lots of safety around the corner. We waited until the area above and below the falls was loaded with boaters. If you plan on camping at Dagger you should consider what will happen if you flip and can't get to shore until its too far to camp with your group. Remember at these flows the river is cranking and their aren't many eddies. I have been super nervous before running my loaded boat over that piece. Just keep your "cool like Fonzi" and "eye of the tiger" and follow just to the current side of that eddyline, keeping your 11 oclock angle. Hang on to those oars!! My buddy Lennon rowed a few boats from other groups' trips over Dagger for wine, beer, and other fun stuff. Next year he might just camp out there and offer to row rafts through for money booze or drugs. I think he's about 10 for 10 on that drop...... ------------- MORE RAIN PLEASE |
Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2009 at 1:52pm
| Shelly, your video does not work. I'd like to see it though. |
Posted By: catwoman4cfs
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2009 at 2:36pm
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You need to make sure that HD is turned off in the vimeo player otherwise it just sits there with a black screen. --Shelly
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Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2009 at 4:00pm
| thanks. |
Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2009 at 4:24pm
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what helmet cam was used for the footage? |
Posted By: catwoman4cfs
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2009 at 7:22pm
We have V.I.O POV helmet cam, it's worked really well for us this year - LOVES batteries 
--Shelly
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Posted By: Leland
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2009 at 7:10pm
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So does anybody know at what level that left line at Velvet opens up? Last time we were there it was 5.9'. I tried to run the main line and got jacked up - me and the dog got recirced in the hole together. I'd rather not repeat that one and would LOVE to know if it was cool to go left.
I think I'm gonna try Dagger next time. We usually camp there and carry the gear up, so the boat would be empty and easier to stop if I flip (I usually have ~3 people's gear on board). Last time we had one guy who let us all off easy and rowed 4 of our boats through, as well as one from another party. Next time I might not get a pass like that, and it sure sucks portaging that thing. |
Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2009 at 9:47pm
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I know it's in at 6.5'. I'm not sure about lower then that. Shelly might know. I met these two guys last year who are 'core' middle forkers. I'll see what they know. They run laps on the thing while it's above 5'. They're in there late 50's early 60's and paddle tattered looking boats. One of the guys has over 100 laps on the thing. According to them, they always fire off Dagger without problem, but one of them usually gets it at Velvet. They don't sneak it.
They are a little picky about outsiders though, they weren't going to let me camp with them unless I had run Dagger. Then I was greeted with jumbalia and liquor. No James, nothing else.
Also, they know a pilot who flies over Marsh for them early season (and then the day before they put on) to check out the wood status. Marsh wouldn't be so bad if you had that kind of beta. If there's wood, they wait for the first raft trips to cut it out then they push off. Wise ole' bastards.
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Posted By: Leland
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2009 at 6:31am
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We deal with Marsh wood by sending kayakers ahead with radios. On our 2008 trip the kayakers were able to radio back to us about the wood that was on both sides of an island MILES downstream while we were still at the put in. They were out with ropes to help us stop, and the wood was dealt with pretty quickly and easily as a team.
I have heard 6' is where the Velvet sneak comes in, so didn't want to chance getting stuck on the left. Our whole party ran the meat that day, and out of 5 boats we had two flips plus my swim. Somehow my raft landed right side up, although it was 50+ yards downstream when we finally came out of the hole. I'd love to know precise beta on when that sneak is good - if it's in down to 5.8' or something that could make a huge difference in my pucker factor when putting on. |
Posted By: franzhorner
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2009 at 8:53am
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Originally posted by Leland We deal with Marsh wood by sending kayakers ahead with radios. On our 2008 trip the kayakers were able to radio back to us about the wood that was on both sides of an island MILES downstream while we were still at the put in. They were out with ropes to help us stop, and the wood was dealt with pretty quickly and easily as a team. I have heard 6' is where the Velvet sneak comes in, so didn't want to chance getting stuck on the left. Our whole party ran the meat that day, and out of 5 boats we had two flips plus my swim. Somehow my raft landed right side up, although it was 50+ yards downstream when we finally came out of the hole. I'd love to know precise beta on when that sneak is good - if it's in down to 5.8' or something that could make a huge difference in my pucker factor when putting on. The sneak at Velvet is open at 5.5 feet if you don't mind bumping through. I would advise scouting if you can. We got a couple of 16 foot rafts and 14 foot rafts through there at 6ft. It would be a fairly easy portage over there at 5.5 too as I bet you could line and pull it over those rocks. If you are going for it at Velvet just make sure to square up on whatever it is you hit. All the boats I have seen that had trouble there hit the thing a bit sideways.... ------------- MORE RAIN PLEASE |
Posted By: Leland
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2009 at 4:01pm
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Originally posted by franzhorner
The sneak at Velvet is open at 5.5 feet if you don't mind bumping through. I would advise scouting if you can. We got a couple of 16 foot rafts and 14 foot rafts through there at 6ft. It would be a fairly easy portage over there at 5.5 too as I bet you could line and pull it over those rocks. If you are going for it at Velvet just make sure to square up on whatever it is you hit. All the boats I have seen that had trouble there hit the thing a bit sideways.... Thanks for the info! As a note, I hit the hole at Velvet dead square straight and giving it hell and still got launched airborne and past vertical. Witnesses confirmed that - we have no idea how it landed upright. The boat ahead of me also hit it straight but with very little speed, and I got front row seats to its aerial inversion. Maybe I would have stayed focused and hit the line if I hadn't been watching the show. I guess I'll be skipping that hole above 5.5 from now on. |