Muddy Fork Cowlitz NO, Class VI
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
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=8774
Printed Date: 05 Oct 2025 at 2:11am
Topic: Muddy Fork Cowlitz NO, Class VI
Posted By: Travisimo
Subject: Muddy Fork Cowlitz NO, Class VI
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 2:06am
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DO NOT RUN Bennett trip 279, page 307... We just completed a first and HOPEFULLY LAST decent of this run. Logistics incorrect, unless "portage the ones we deemed unrunnable" means walking at least 1 mile through 30 degree forested canyon walled forest. I do not know a more polite way to describe the entry... I know word of this run may have leaked out, but both of the participants are glad/lucky to have completed the first gorge... More details, headcam footage, pictures and video to follow. P.S. We took our zipline down too so PLEASE nobody try to repeat... I am not sure how much anybody has heard. As enticing as the falls on this trip were, the hike (minimum of a mile and and at near a thousand feet of vertical) probably make the candy beyond the realm of sanity. ------------- H2O please |
Replies:
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 4:46pm
| Gary Korb mentioned a run on the muddy fork that wasn't in the guide book to me. he said it was class IV, a few miles long, but in a incredible gorge. maybe you did a mix of the two? and I really want to see that helmetcam footage!! |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 5:10pm
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No we did not. I know the gorge you are talking about and we didn't do that one. There was nothing class four about the gorge we ran. It was V+ VI P and I feel very lucky to be alive right now. we both had near death experinces in there. this gorge is no joke.
The put in logistics are in the back of the guidebook, and they are WRONG!!! IF anyone says they have done this gorge before us I would love to shake there hand and ask them what "they saw" in there. |
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 7:36pm
| that sounds like there's a epic story, glad you and travis made it out okay. you didn't lose any gear? |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 8:47pm
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Can't wait to see the beta!!!! |
Posted By: wallyworld
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 9:26pm
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Seriously...............wow. Just saw some of the pics. Beautiful river. Reminds me of one of those huge deep-sea fish with the shiny dangler that hangs off its forehead luring in the unexpecting. That bedrock toilet bowl has to be the most terrifying.......yet facinating feature I have ever seen. Glad you guys are alright. ------------- let's go get it |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 10:33pm
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No lost gear... in fact I only flipped 3 times and once on purpose to guard from a nonexistent impact... Paddling skills cannot save you from a feature like this once at it... Thank goodness for little eddies and my partners climbing skills! It was insane, i have never seen this on a river and never imagined it could happen... Completely unnatural looking and the perfect kayak trap... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2009 at 10:44pm
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I'll also add that for a very motivated team there are 2 accessible beautiful falls, with an unportageable (without a zip line as we set up) boulder sieve of epic proportions between, you can carry around. Then you either get to carry your boat through hell up to the road or likely around the next two gorges because of a room of doom (runnable, even by morons like us) and then around the next serious section because the toilet bowl is at the bottom. It will definitely be more than anyone can do in one day, maybe not in two... We took 3, with walking out in between.... and our boats are still at the entrance to the final gorge... Thank goodness for a flashlight, gps, luckily placed abandoned trail and moonlight (over 5 miles hiking...). We had fire making materials and food, but there was beer at the truck  ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 8:36am
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please be patient, the epic story and some media will come out. I am still recovering / reeling / in shock from the whole experince. give me a few days to calm my nerves. and even though the pain and horror will fade with time, and there was a lot of beautiful rapids and scenery in here. this run is NOT WORTH IT! we almost paid with our lives to see that gorge a river level.
jared |
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 9:35am
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Finally!! Tales Of Adventure on Professor Paddle! Seriously, though-glad you are unscathed with a tale to tell. And hey, a PFD is a PFD. But, while you have stated that media will be forthcoming, I must none the less take this opportunity to use the Godzilla of all Emoticons:   can't wait to see some! |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 11:02am
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I was all to close to slapping that emot in last night. I refrained for one and only one reason. The value of a PFD/FD thread is certainly not worthless without pics. Such photographic & cinematic beta is of course highly valuable and certainly appealing but should not be the basis for value within a post. I make this statement in two fashions. 1 worded with illustriusness for leif, and 2 representing the anti-beta snob attitude that JP commonly supports. (Ok Ok just having fun here, but you know if Megan did that JP would have called her a beta snob!!!! lol ) All this to say, I always loving seeing that Icon and I really want to see the photos, so lets do this!!!! Get the gallery a little muddy!!!! |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 5:39pm
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My colleague is requesting that I not post any media until his head clears... Otherwise I would have right away... It was a cool trip as well... and a cool story but a bit scary at two points.... I'm in Everett though if you're in the neighborhood... Also I need to get editing software as most of the media is helmet cam footage since the gorge was too narrow to get out and film... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 5:48pm
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I'd like to do some real editing of this stuff too since it's so long... Where is the best place to store videos online for people to see? Currently the stuff is rough and huge... gopro helmet cam files are huge... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 6:12pm
http://www.professorpaddle.com/media/photoview.asp?File_Id=4727">
 Here ya go... the toilet bowl... |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 6:28pm
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The river feature that almost killed us. AKA Porthole to Hell, AKA Toilet Bowl, AKA The Swallower, AKA Death, AKA WTF is That! and many more names that I haven't thought of yet.
It was in the most tight commiting section of the gorge with very intence rapids just upstream around the corner. The gorge walls were 100-150 ft of overhanging smooth rock. I could have leaped across it at the top it was so narrow. and many sections were only 5 ft wide at river level. anyone want to venture to guess how the hell we got past this one alive? you can see it in a bigger version in etive's gallery. F@#K Me, I HATE This "Thing" It Still makes me sick to my stomach just to look at an Image of it. |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 7:06pm
That's one scary whitewater wormhole there... Only way that would entice me is if it were a hotspring bubbling up not sucking down. Something like a mid river hot tub.... 
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Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 8:40pm
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I'll also add that this makes the river look like it's got no volume... the videos are better... a LOT of water goes down this... or some other subterranean feature... The level was definitely low, but I would not like to paddle the tight zone above this much higher... The canyon walls are at least 80 foot high on both sides btw... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 10:19pm
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that is nasty, makes my stomach churn too.
------------- Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor |
Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2009 at 11:02pm
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Sounds like an interesting trip to say the least. Glad you're both alright. Damn, never seen anything like that toilet bowl before...something to do with the volcanic rock I'm assuming. Must've been slim finding decent cracks to set protection for anchors. How'd you set up the tyrolean? Were you able to scout much from the rim before going in? We need a tuber to go run that, take a deep breath, and I bet they'd style that sh*t. |
Posted By: 1150lbsofaire
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 9:16am
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way to go man, ive always thought that it had to be the most epic run in the bennett book, thanks for finding out so i dont have to
hans
i love how they capitalized the o in No Rafts in the write up ------------- lookin for a bow cap for a storm |
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 9:50am
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Originally posted by James I was all to close to slapping that emot in last night. I refrained for one and only one reason. The value of a PFD/FD thread is certainly not worthless without pics. representing the anti-beta snob attitude that JP commonly supports. (Ok Ok just having fun here, but you know if Megan did that JP would have called her a beta snob!!!! lol ) All this to say, I always loving seeing that Icon and I really want to see the photos, so lets do this!!!! ok-- but to clarify -- Meghan was the one withholding beta earlier this year (FITyWahwah), and I supported her in that. It was the "Beta Brats" I was admonishing for getting all huffy when she didn't cough up pics or beta. And so, yes, I can see how hypocritical I appear now clammoring for pictures! But really, it's just an excuse to use the Icon. That icon has a lively personality, you must admit.Although I do want to see pictures! --Thanks for the Tiolet Bowl pic, BTW. Terrifyingly beautiful. When you guys calm down from this and put some distance between you and the event, maybe you could write up a nicely coherent trip report (posted as a T.R.-not as a forum post). I'd love to read it. thanks! |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 10:10am
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Here's the lowdown on the canyons/runs up there... total of 4 canyons basically. #1 - The box below the road (has been run at very low water)... there is an evil gigantic wedged in logjam in this though so putting in would require rappelling down after it and would be scary as the thing is never wider than 10 feet and about 100 foot down... Apparantly there was also a second trip when something went wrong... dunno... #2 - Death canyon, two 50+ footers that slam into the left wall... Nobody... EVER will run this alive... though there is a sick looking 20 footer right at the confluence with Nickel Creek... Read More #3 - The one we have a 1st D on right after Nickel Creek, with 2 big falls and a wicked boulder seive portage between, we used a zipline, then an evil drop with a room of doom and a tough lead in, then the most committing canyon I've ever seen that ends in a toilet bowl... too much to do in one day and paddle the next gorge, any portage requires at least 100 foot climb out and waking through STEEP forests #4 - The one described in Bennett by Bill Bowie and run at least one time after that... our boats are now at the entrance to this one, guarded by a HUGE logjam that we knew was there, was just too much to do with the amount of daylight we had and we walked in at FIRST LIGHT.. 6AM I know Bowie wrote that he hiked in at Nickel Creek... but we even heard from someone there that day that they did not run this section... don't know what happened... the description is 100% wrong and probably why nobody has checked this section out... we had a helicopter scout (thanks Brian) to speed up the process and a lotta climbing rappelling and camping and multiple painful hikes in and out with boating mixed in... The next beta/images I'll put out will be the headcam stuff in some sort of coherent video... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: jalmquist
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 11:50am
| Don't forget the box canyon upstream from the road... |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 1:50pm
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Thats #1 with the logjam By "below" I meant you could jump off the bridge into it... The logjam is upstream from the bridge. ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: jalmquist
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 2:50pm
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Ahh, that makes sense. Too bad about the wood - but not a surprise.
Re historical beta on the lower canyons you might want to contact Scott Matthews. He's boated the last canyon you mention (#4) at least a couple of times, and there's a good chance he and maybe Sprague et al ventured into #3 and #2 as well.
Someday when we meet on the river I'll give you the lowdown on the "something that went wrong" on upper box - at least the "something that went wrong" that I know of, which actually occurred during the first descent by kayakers (but not by kayak - hence the "something that went wrong"). It was the 2nd descent (first descent actually IN kayaks) that went well...
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Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 3:10pm
| My wife works with Scott Kennard who did a few first d's back in the day. I'll check with him and see what he knows as well. |
Posted By: Meghan
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 5:36pm
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In reference to my name being tossed out, I'll bite. I was slaughtered in the FITW thread for not providing a blow by blow account of what the run was like. Could it be because two men ran this section that no one is bitching that the details are not given in precise detail? I wonder if two women ran it they would be dubbed liars as I was. |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 7:32pm
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"Re historical beta on the lower canyons you might want to contact Scott Matthews. He's boated the last canyon you mention (#4) at least a couple of times, and there's a good chance he and maybe Sprague et al ventured into #3 and #2 as well.
" I've done a lot of research on this river, over the last month and a half. No new school kayakers that I have talked to know anything about it. When you mention Muddy Fork Cowlits to most young kayakers, they just draw a blank face and say "Where is that?" So most of my information has come from old school kayaker John Whaley who kayaked gorge #1 and #4 with Scott Matthews back in the day. He also was good friends with Bill. According to him, the descritption in the book was written from a trip Bill Bowey and Jeff Allen did. I am not sure how long ago. Unfortunately, I was unsuccesful at finding Jeff to talk to him personaly about it. (though I would still love to do that if I get a hold of him somehow)I would also love to talk to Scott if I could get a hold of him or anyone who knows anything about the history of this run. Anyway I had always been interested in it as it is in my backyard drainage, so when the ohane dried up this august I desided to go investigate it myself with my two friends. What we found didn't seem to meet the the descrition, but we just assumed that Bill was understating the run, and that he was a serious badass. (the descrition is rather vague afterall) but it looked cool so we kept going back to investigate more and more and more... eventually we concluded that the descripton was BS not because of what it left out of the description, but more beause of what it said was NOT in there. And believe me, we are not the only ones who think that. From the old school kayakers I've talked to the descripton matches perfectly with gorge #4 however, the putin logistics don't land you at the entrance to gorge #4, they put you right above gorge #3. This is were things get fishy unless of course I suck at reading derections and maps. I know my spelling sucks, so maybe my reading does too! but I checked it over and over, and I don't think so. Anyway, I would love to hear ANY informantion that ANYONE has on this run, or if anyone knows how to contact any of the old school kayakers that were doing FDs like mad in the 80's and 90's in washington, I would love to talk to them and hear thier stories. fell free to PM me if you want, or my email is: bbisthe88@yahoo.com or call 3605662480 But as far as the Muddy Fork goes, I am still calling gorge #3 a FD untill I can talk to someone who has been in there and kayaked it themselves. Hopeing to hear from some knowable kayakers soon, Jared |
Posted By: olyyakker
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 7:50pm
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what happened to the original thread? I am a good friend of one the two involved and have seen how this has impacted him. What they did is what exploration and adventure is all about and why I became a kayaker to begin with. I am disappointed that people let their petty differences allow the rest of the kayaking community to minimize the achievement that these two guys, who spent weeks planning, hiking, climbing and almost dying for what is their ultimate thrill. I myself am am rejuvenated by their enthusiasm plan on having the best winter of boating I have ever had. I hope eveyone does as well.
Cheers
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Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 7:50pm
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Originally posted by Meghan In reference to my name being tossed out, I'll bite. I was slaughtered in the FITW thread for not providing a blow by blow account of what the run was like. Could it be because two men ran this section that no one is bitching that the details are not given in precise detail? I wonder if two women ran it they would be dubbed liars as I was. Ya, these are completely identical situations and the difference was due to sexual discrimination. LOL. |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 7:59pm
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Agreed POW!!! ( FITW vs Uber Obscure Run - Daily Training Ground vs Exploratory) Don't get me wrong, boobs out rank a dong any day of the week, but really now... Oly: not sure what original thread your talking about, or why you think this is being minimized, but it seems like everyone is excited for them to me... |
Posted By: wallyworld
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 9:12pm
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I've been running it over and over again in my head. If you guys hadn't insisted on starting so early, I'd have likely gone with you. Three boats above that toilet bowl....................would have felt really bad about bumping Travis out of that two boat eddy. Massive kudos you guys. You did it. Ready for the Tilton yet Jared? A little booze cruise surf session to heal those wounds. Sounds like Mark is fired up. Bring on the rain. ------------- let's go get it |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2009 at 11:18pm
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you would have "felt bad" ?
I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if that happend. I would have gone into that "thing" and drowned vs. knocking my paddling buddy out of the safty of the two boat eddy and killing him. I feel bad enough already. I don't think you guys quite understand the intenseity of the situation we were in. on a liter note, yes a chill booze cuze down the tilton sounds nice. hopefully the rains aren't too far away. |
Posted By: JayB
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 12:42am
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Originally posted by etive http://www.professorpaddle.com/media/photoview.asp?File_Id=4727"> Here ya go... the toilet bowl... Jesus. Just imagining being in that situation makes me feel ill. Congrats on surviving. ------------- -Jay |
Posted By: Meghan
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:32am
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Ya, these are completely identical situations and the difference was due to sexual discrimination. LOL. [/QUOTE] Hey dick...not giving out information is not giving out information. LOL? Freaking tool.
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Posted By: Meghan
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:44am
| PowWrangler...stupid name. You're not a truck driver, this isn't Smokey and the Bandit, why do you have a handle? Why not just put Dave up? Freaking tool. LOL |
Posted By: jihad
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 6:53am
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Originally posted by jihad
you would have "felt bad" ? I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if that happend. I would have gone into that "thing" and drowned vs. knocking my paddling buddy out of the safty of the two boat eddy and killing him. I feel bad enough already. I don't think you guys quite understand the intenseity of the situation we were in Check out the Scandinavian film called "Brother" to see how a simualr situation would have destroyed me mentally. there is an american version out soon by the same name, don't know if it is as good though... |
Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 9:14am
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Way to go Jared and Travis. Sounds and looks pretty epic. Thanks for sharing with this 'somewhat dysfunctional' community of paddlers.
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Posted By: James
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 9:23am
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Originally posted by huckin harms this 'somewhat dysfunctional' community of paddlers. What? Why add all that in there. Community of Paddlers should indicated all that anyway!! |
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:03pm
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Absolutely. That's certainly one of the defining facets (though not the only) of this sport. (Exploratory boating, that is. But sadly, humorously, or however you choose to look at it, so is talking a bunch of sh!t and getting your wetsuit in a bunch when you think someone has stepped on your ego.) Don't worry Meghan, it's all cool. And james is gonna Jab everyone once in a while, and that's cool too.  let's remember to laugh at ourselves. But Back to the muddy...
It sounds like the kind of canyon you'd want to rope into to scout beforehand. And yeah, I respect you two for going in there. I've (...kinda) wanted to go in there and check it out.
I don't get the impression anyone's diminishing such an achievement.
Still, canyons get explored. And some people, boaters included, aren't able to iimagine what it's like to go through such experiences, unless they have themselves. And, then there's the fact that no two river trips are exactly the same.
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Posted By: James
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:31pm
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Here Here... I should have kept my fat mouth shut. Joking in a thread like this is pretty much un-acceptable. I think the feat is certainly worthy of applause. Just like many other First D missions folks are always quick to claim it's been run before or not that difficult, but only those that have been there really know. Exploration is a great aspect of our sport and although it can take place on many levels, this is what True Exploration is about, venturing into the unknown. For everyone that thinks they deserve a certain type of response or re-action, guess what ... your wrong. They got what they deserved when they exited the run accomplishing what they set out for, and that's what no one can offer but the adventure itself !!!!! |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:42pm
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thanks man... Also, on that note... Darrin Albright had a look at "the Pinch" and decided it wasn't to his liking.... McKibbin also had some pause, but agreed to come, only to have timing not work out... This run had some teeth... and oddly the biggest teeth we didn't see coming.... Not sure how much will come out in public, but that toilet was the scariest (but not hardest part...) and 100% unexpected  The trip was definitely worth it... It was incredible in there, I kinda started this thread because I had an inkling that somebody may head in there after hearing that yahoos like us did it and get in trouble.... I would not like that, not like that at all.... also it would be VERY easy to get in said trouble... as we did... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:47pm
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Hey Jared, if your looking to become a published Author, maybe write up an account and send it in to C&K. There looking for creeking adventure/misadventure stories for their January/ February issue. Once it starts raining we gotta get some Tilton runs in. http://www.awa.org/content/Article/view/articleid/30573/display/full/ |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2009 at 2:49pm
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oh s#!t, I'm not good at this site and meant that to go just to go in a PM too late now? Anyway, sorry... didn't mean to talk about anybody in this forum... I was trying to bring paddlers who I knew were better than me and was actually surprised that they seemed to have the same concerns I did... This drop was tricky and has the room of doom.... I had wished in the beginning that we had more paddlers, then the water level dropped and it turned out that we had the right number to safely negotiate the spot we found ourselves in... The level change also may have played a part in it being so scary... A problem possibly inherent with long missions. I've gotta learn not to have multiple windows open... Sorry Darrin and Rob... ------------- H2O please |