# Rafting the Vertical Mile in a day: Epic Fail



## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing!


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Do you run your boat a little soft?


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## Doubledown (Sep 23, 2008)

Looks like a blast! Is that strap between thwarts intended to be a grab strap? I would be afraid of getting stuck under it in a flip! Just curious.... Looked like a fun day on the water.


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## Dan McCain (Jul 4, 2012)

k2andcannoli said:


> Do you run your boat a little soft?


No we run it really tight for big water as it moves a lot quicker. On a downside though it does flip easier when its that tight. I think the big holes make it look like its soft (that rapid is much steeper and the features are bigger than it looks on helmet cam) in the video.


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## Dan McCain (Jul 4, 2012)

Doubledown said:


> Looks like a blast! Is that strap between thwarts intended to be a grab strap? I would be afraid of getting stuck under it in a flip! Just curious.... Looked like a fun day on the water.


We use it to cinch the thwarts together to keep our leg locked in. That rivers features hit you really quick so its easy to get knocked out of ur seat if your not locked in pretty tight especially for the bigger rapids. It allows us to lock in really tight for the bigger rapids as locking in that tight all the time gets pretty painful on the knee. If you flipped (a flip on the north fork would be very very bad) I do not think it would ever be a concern of getting stuck under the strap.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

You deffinately notice the boat control as relates to edging, more like a kayak would run it in, some ways. Would make sense that you are braced in very tight.


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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

Is that a Puma? 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Mountain Buzz mobile app


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Dan McCain said:


> No we run it really tight for big water as it moves a lot quicker. On a downside though it does flip easier when its that tight. I think the big holes make it look like its soft (that rapid is much steeper and the features are bigger than it looks on helmet cam) in the video.


Thanks, seems like a hell of a day. Love y'alls work, keep it up!


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## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

Paul7 said:


> Is that a Puma?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Mountain Buzz mobile app


That is a 143E


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Leadville to Canon City is a one mile drop over 100 miles. I refer to it as the 1% trip.


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## Flying_Spaghetti_Monster (Jun 3, 2010)

I saw you guys up there a few weeks ago. Solid work. I would love to see your Bad Jose, Know Where to run, and Jaws line. Bad Jose/Know where to run is my favorite rapid, and Jaws scares the shit out of me so I always like seeing it from different angles.


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## Dan McCain (Jul 4, 2012)

Flying_Spaghetti_Monster said:


> I saw you guys up there a few weeks ago. Solid work. I would love to see your Bad Jose, Know Where to run, and Jaws line. Bad Jose/Know where to run is my favorite rapid, and Jaws scares the shit out of me so I always like seeing it from different angles.


We usually do not film to much of the river as there are so many quality rapids on a top to bottom trip it will usually fill up most of my hard drive. We did get Bad Jose/Know Where to Run though as its also one of our favorites due to the to V feature created by two laterals at the bottom of Know Where to Run (1:38 in the video). You can drive over the right or left side of the feature for a drier line but it is so much fun to just hit it dead center in the raft! 
We never film Jaws but our line is always to take the left side of the hole at Jaws 1 then on Jaws 2 go left of the first fan rock in the middle and then drive right of the second fan rock then head out to the middle and back to the right for Jaws 3. I agree about the puckerness factor of Jaws. In my opinion it is the third hardest rapid on the entire river as it has so many big features and is so damn long. If you are ever in the area and see us make sure to stop and say hi!

https://vimeo.com/135290427


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