# So what runs did you knock off in 12'



## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

Share some of that love. What did everybody have the chance to get on? New runs anything absolutely necessary to get on?

Here's my list
New runs

Little White Salmon at 4 ft 
Upper White Salmon farmlands
Wind River at med and High
White River (Celestial)
Kootenai Creek 
Alberton Gorge
North Fork Blackfoot River... Def worth checking out..
Sweet Grass Creek
Stillwater river Woodbine and whitebird to firemans
West Rosebud Creek... Def worth visiting during the AW release
East Rosebud Creek.. def worth saving from future Damminghttp://www.facebook.com/EastRosebudCreek?ref=ts&fref=ts
Upper South Fork of the South Boulder River... Includes old dam debris
Boulder River Hells Canyon and Bible Stretch..

Reruns
Gallatin River lots of times
South Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River couple times
Hyalite Creek couple days
Big Timber Creek x 7
Quake Lake lots
North Fork Little Wind River
Clark's Fork Box
Fremont Canyon
Boxelder Creek
Deer Creek
Shoshone River
Mesa Falls couple times
Pots of Stillwater couple times

Overall lots of good quality runs. Hope everybody got there fair share as well hate to see the water wasted.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Nice list CM. With the lack of real water around here this year most of the "new" stretches I boated were floats, including:

lower Gunnison
lower "upper" C
San Juan
White Rock Canyon of the Rio Grande

also ran the lower Crystal, Piedra, and EF San Juan/Mesa Canyon San Juan for the first time this year. Hoping to come up that way next season and run the Shoshone River and some stuff around Jackson.

Definitely had more then my fair share of laps on Numbers this season...


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*If you head up north...*

Logan you should check out Miners Delight if you like surfing its good wave sorta of a lateral it would probably be super to fun to rip on a sup to. located on North Platte below Kortez dam and above Pathfinder. Fremont Canyon is below Pathfinder Reservoir. 3 k is best loop hole I ever seen, 4k is standing wave I think we surfed it up to 4.5k. Below the wave is a nice section of class II And III with some really good wave trains at higher water when the delight is washed out
Sweetwater canyon on the Sweetwater River which drains from the south end of the winds and into the platte river at pathfinder Reservoir. It has a short stretch and one class four supposedly. Lots of Native History in that area which makes it sweet. The Arapho migrated through the area regularly.
Both of these runs would practically be on the way for you


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## Fuzzy (May 25, 2005)

Not a crazy run but did run browns canyon at 350ish. Never been in there that low so cool to see the riverbed like that. Not looking to do it below 800 again anytime soon though.

great group pulled off a wedding on day 4 of cataract. Jetboated grandma etc down from moab for a day and night (wedding night) then the jetboat pulled them all back up and out and the 15 river folk kept going! Great wedding!!


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## idahofloater (Feb 23, 2011)

Well, my list ain't so impressive, but I did knock off the EF-SF Salmon. I'm stoked about that. Still lots of water left for me to drop. Best monent of the year was the black bear that came into our camp at pistol creek on the MF Salmon. Note to self, bears like groovers!


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Great topic for a non controversial tread!
Mike, I spent 3 weeks in your neighborhood.

New this year: Piedra, Stillwater, Upper Half of the Dirty Thirty (Lochsa), Little Salmon, South Fork Clearwater and the Greys River.

Returned to a few old favorites: Galletin, Bear Trap Canyon, Payette, Alpine Canyon on the Snake and did 240 miles plus of the Middle Fork, Main Fork and down thru Riggins at High Water.

High on my list for next year: Marsh Creek, Dagger Falls, South Fork of the Salmon and EF of the SF.


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

for me This year included.

parts of o.b.j
upper east
pine creek run
big thompson, all sections, some low water
lower south boulder creek
upper narrows of the poudre
crystal mill falls
gore canyon

next season i'd like to run the animas, 3 gorges of lime creek, south mineral creek, upper taos box,(maybe this year still) n.f crystal, s.f crystal, headwaters of the eagle, headwaters of gore... so many... only 5 months 14 days.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

Mike, glad to see you moving on. I tried to start a new thread as well. 
Fuzzy, well done on river wedding!

Having a baby, buying and moving to new house, and lack of CO snowpack led me to only one new stretch. Rio Chama.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

idahofloater said:


> Well, my list ain't so impressive, but I did knock off the EF-SF Salmon. I'm stoked about that.


Me too, have tried to get there for 3 years and finally was able to make it. Had a blast. Also did the upper-upper (though no one knew why it required two uppers, where is the regular upper?) which was my very very very first creek first descent (creeking for a cat). Can't wait to get a smaller cat!


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

I used open oarlocks with oar rights and drained my cooler on the Upper C...


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

caspermike said:


> Logan you should check out Miners Delight if you like surfing its good wave sorta of a lateral it would probably be super to fun to rip on a sup to. located on North Platte below Kortez dam and above Pathfinder. Fremont Canyon is below Pathfinder Reservoir. 3 k is best loop hole I ever seen, 4k is standing wave I think we surfed it up to 4.5k. Below the wave is a nice section of class II And III with some really good wave trains at higher water when the delight is washed out
> Sweetwater canyon on the Sweetwater River which drains from the south end of the winds and into the platte river at pathfinder Reservoir. It has a short stretch and one class four supposedly. Lots of Native History in that area which makes it sweet. The Arapho migrated through the area regularly.
> Both of these runs would practically be on the way for you


Thanks Mike, I appreciate the info. I've got a buddy Aaron who worked at CKS for a while and lives (has family) up near Bozeman http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/members/aaronraines-23026.html ..... I have spent the last couple season exploring the 4-corners area, looking forward to heading north this year.


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## idahofloater (Feb 23, 2011)

lhowemt said:


> Also did the upper-upper (though no one knew why it required two uppers, where is the regular upper?)


The upper SFS used to be from the mouth of the EF of SFS to the bridge that crosses below elk/deer creek. Then the lower was from the bridge to Mackay bar. But nobody really drives over the Burgdorf way anymore. Its just too long of a drive.


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## floatingk (Aug 5, 2008)

Nice thread!

first time on the Middle Fork Salmon @ med high flow, twas a blast! As well the upper section of GC

reruns: Main Salmon, Lochsa Fest, Lower GC, Payette....


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Hmmm, I don't think I got on anything new. I tried but the Escalante in Utah never really ran this year. I did boat the hell out of the Numbers including at least twice? a month all last winter and being an ELFer I didn't mind the low water year on the Ark. I boated 25 days in August, over a hundred total on the Ark?, and am pushing 150? days in a kayak this year. My biggest year in the 16 I've been paddling.

Made a point of paddling Brown's Canyon more including my first over nighter in there. 

Paddled 4 thru 7 at 110cfs, my personal low. Will probably break that this week. Logan? 

Took a spring trip to NM and the Rio Grande.

Paddled the San Juan, in Utah, twice. Once on the upper with my 3 and a half year old grandson w/o his parents. And then was TL on a 9 day upper and lower with grandkids, kids and introduced my 61 year old LA, CA river virgin cousin to the rio. Awesome trip.

Spent some time back in Maine and returned to some of my fave old runs including my fave creek, Sandy Stream, at scratch level.

While in Maine paddled my sea kayak probably 10 times among the islands of the mid coast. Had a special sunset with a couple porpoises hanging within a paddle length of us for quite a while.

Paddled my old playspot, a small reversing tidal falls. 20 minute soul surfs...

Made a bunch of new friends, spent a lot of time with old, and really old, friends. Paddled multiple new runs with my grandson. And that and the renewal the rio gives me every time I paddle made for a great year. But it's not over yet!


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## BryanS. (Jun 22, 2012)

First time: McKenzie, Deschutes, Crooked, lower Salmon (OR), Rogue and middle White Salmon. No revisits but did multiple runs on most of these.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

idahofloater said:


> The upper SFS used to be from the mouth of the EF of SFS to the bridge that crosses below elk/deer creek. Then the lower was from the bridge to Mackay bar. But nobody really drives over the Burgdorf way anymore. Its just too long of a drive.


No no, the upper upper efsf. Drive up through and past yellowpine a few miles. Stop at wide spot just as you come up out of the canyon and the river flattens out. Maybe 3-4 miles to the confluence with johnson creek. Or 2? I don't recall. Once that is done you get to start the main efsf run with flight sim next. Very fun!


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

lhowemt said:


> Also did the upper-upper (though no one knew why it required two uppers, where is the regular upper?) which was my very very very first creek first descent (creeking for a cat). Can't wait to get a smaller cat!


 
Logan said


> lower Gunnison
> lower "upper" C


This $hit gets confusing

so Colorado has the "Upper C" which is Pumphouse to State Bridge,
now the "Lower, Upper C" which I assume is State Bridge to Dotsero?
so I guess we also have the "Upper, Upper C" (aka Gore Canyon)?

Idaho has the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River and 
the Upper East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River 
AND NOW the UPPER, Upper East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River (aka UUEFSFSR)?

I'm going to go have a beer, then maybe an upper beer and then an upper, upper beer. 
And Laura, how much smaller of a cat are you getting?


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Big timber and the Lochsa were the new run highlights.


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## shoenfeld13 (Aug 18, 2009)

It was a great year for me. 

Deso
San Juan
Ruby Horsethief
Grand Canyon

39 days
40 nights

Every day was a gift.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Phil U. said:


> Paddled 4 thru 7 at 110cfs, my personal low. Will probably break that this week. Logan?


Thought you had to work weekdays now....? Got a full day today, but I could possibly boat tomorrow.... and just to throw it out there, I ran the Miracle Mile Friday at a new all time low flow for me, 94 cfs, and it was fun.



Rich said:


> Logan said
> 
> This $hit gets confusing
> 
> ...


Yeah, stupid name, but I didn't know what else to call it. Floated Catamount Bridge to Lyons Gulch above Dotsero. Camped near Jack's Flat and hiked in the Bull Gulch WSA. Much better trip then the upstream shit show. I think Gore Canyon is still Gore Canyon, the Upper Upper would maybe be Byers Canyon?


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

Rio Chama
San Juan
Westwater
"lower" upper C
-all firsts this year.

Lots of returns-
Upper C
Shoshone
Grizzly to Two Rivers to South Canyon to New Castle to Silt (Middle Colorado?)
lower Roaring Fork
Ruby-Horsethief
Moab Daily

Great season despite low water! Hope to be moving at more than 3 miles per hour next year and covering more distance.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

I did pretty decent this year between 60+ hour weeks. Personal first Ds:

Raven Fork
Upper West Prong
Horsepasture
Little River Canyon
N. Chick/Cain Creek
Russel Fork
Big Hungry
Tallulah
Cheoah
Section IV 

Other awesomeness:
Triple Crown on the Green x lots and moonlight run
Watauga
Overflow
Gauley

Been a good year. Looking forward to tons of new runs in the PacNW next year!
Joe


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

For the low water we were dealt, I had a pretty fine season:

Started with first trip to Cali in 12 years.

All firsts for me there:
The North Fork Yuba: Wild Plumb to downieville and a warmup run near goodyears bar.
Paulie creek
Butte Creek
Upper and lower Mill Creek, 
Upper and lower Deer creek

Selway, with Alpine canyon on route
Some part of the lower, upper C that had previously been missed

Firsts for Riley, 11 now, included Westwater and Shoshone. He thinks he's now ready for whatever comes up on vimeo, including the Stikine!


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

I think from a water management perspective the Upper C begins at windy gap res. So Byers and Gore are inclusive of the upper C.


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## jmcdannel (Apr 22, 2009)

Laura,

I believe the Upper EFSF is from confluence to deadman. The Lower EFSF is deadman to bridge. Each of those sections is worthy of being designated separate sections since they vary in difficulty and are long enough to be a 1/2 day run each. So, that's why we need the "Upper Upper" designation for above YP. Right?


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## DoubleYouEss (Oct 4, 2011)

For my first full boating season in CO it was rather slim, but it's not over!

New Runs for 2012:
Bailey (including a run at 160cfs, totally fell off the bubble on that one...)
Shoshone
Black Rock on Clear Creek
In 3 days I can add the Grand Canyon to this list as well.

"New River Experiences"
Rafting Brown's in a 14ft Achilles gear boat at ~250cfs


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## xena13 (Mar 21, 2007)

I paddle a ducky, so I was able to make the most of a low-water year.

Personal firsts: Upper Eagle, Stone Bridge to Salida, Lower Mich, Clear Creek ID Sprngs Town Run and the one I never thought I'd be able to run in a ducky, Pine Creek and the Numbers.

Re-runs: 4 Westwaters, Browns, Bridges, Parkdale and Royal Gorge, Pumphouse, Lower Blue and lots of Foxton!

I also like paddle rafting and I did the Piedra, Upper Animas and 7 Gore Canyon trips.


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## wheretheriverflows (Mar 4, 2010)

For my birthday, I got to run the Poudre (May 5th, prior to any fires). Amazing to finally paddle it after almost 3 years in Colorado! Lots of time guiding on the Ark and Clear Creek will do that to you...
I got the OC out on Foxton, which was amazing as well. Love that old boat! 

And I cannot believe that no one has mentioned my favorite new run - BAILEY!!! Amazing to have such a great crew on the rio for Bailey Fest weekend - I don't know about any one else's thoughts, but I really enjoyed having such a big group in all kinds of craft in such a beautiful and challenging canyon. And only 40 miles from Denver! 
Next year is the overnights - gotta get out to Westwater and the Chama...


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

No doubt who doesn't love some baileys with there coffee and bacon.. I was super bummed I couldn't make the fest again this year! If you like baileys you might be interested in Deer Creek outside Casper wyoming. High quality granite class IV-V. Lots good little boofs and some fun bedrock drops. Also you can make it into a overnight if you wanted...and I would def hook you up with that, cause I want to do it too.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

New for me:
Swan River/Wild Mile. Physically did well, but the headgames were awful!

Met some MBuzz peeps:
Met up with rbrain for MF Flathead and NF Flathead runs
Met up with glenn for a Gallatin run

Oldies but goodies:
4 weekends on the Lochsa, first kayak swim in 12 years
Took both girls from Wilderness Gateway to Fish Creek in a Topo Duo.
8yo tried to run it solo in her Fun 1.5 and swam. 

Alberton Gorge at the biggest flow my 10yo had seen to date

Kayaked the Bitterroot with my 8yo. Played with eddy turns and looked for fish.

Yellowstone (Yankee Jim) with my kids at ~6kcfs. My 10yo swam and drank a bootie root beer off her flip-flop.

A lot of late season MF Flathead runs with my buddy and his 10yo and 8yo kids. His 10yo surfed Bonecrusher with me. 


Next year I hope to add the Yaak and Poudre to my new runs list.




caspermike said:


> North Fork Blackfoot River... Def worth checking out..


What was that like? Did you post a trip report thread?



glenn said:


> Big timber and the Lochsa were the new run highlights.


Good to meet you for a Gallatin run. Let's stay in touch for more next year--or a Lochsa trip. We've always got raft space in our crew for Lindsy.


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## Favre (Nov 17, 2010)

Long overdue, but I ran the Secesh for the first time this year.. Combined it with the SF Salmon (2nd time.) Those runs are awesome.

Also spent a day enjoying Hazard Creek and the upper Little Salmon at 2500cfs (put in below the waterfalls..) Had a great time as there are about five excellent drops in just a mile. We walked our shuttle.

Also had many days at the Boise Whitewater Park between 500 and 7000cfs. This is an excellent resource in the heart of the capital city of Idaho.

Competed in the expert division of the North Fork Championship and had decent results. Tied for 15th with three studs. Looking forward to doing it again next year. Happy with how I finished but might train more seriously next time and drink less beer beforehand.

Unfortunately, not the best year for tackling new runs, but I turned 30 and have a new girlfriend. She learned to kayak so I spent more days on class 3 this year than I had in quite some time, some of the most rewarding days on the river..

As usual got plenty of North Fork Payette laps in and only wimped out on Jacob's Ladder a few times. Also, I continued paddling the Dynamic Duo some, including taking the lady down the South Fork Payette - Canyon stretch. One day in April I left work early and made a lap on Succor Creek. That was about the only day it ran this year.

As I traditionally do, I did not lap Big Falls (low water) nor did I make it to the PNW.

I didn't run Lake Fork in McCall, didn't hit Goat Creek or the EFSF, didn't surf Gold Hole, didn't make it to the SF Clearwater or the Selway, and overall missed a lot of the things I hoped to do. But that will happen in your thirties.. Ughhh...

I made memories with good people and enjoyed these trips with my closest friends.

Cheers,
Micah Kneidl


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

jmcdannel said:


> Laura,
> 
> I believe the Upper EFSF is from confluence to deadman. The Lower EFSF is deadman to bridge. Each of those sections is worthy of being designated separate sections since they vary in difficulty and are long enough to be a 1/2 day run each. So, that's why we need the "Upper Upper" designation for above YP. Right?


Ah, so the typical EFSF is really the UEFSF? Arghh, but it made for some good, inane camp discussions. Had some of the best of those this year, predominantly on the grand! consensii!

Wait, I also should not that I had a FD on Deubendorff in a Ducky - love that rapid.

Also did the lower SF Clearwater, the section that starts with "rock n roll" or something like that. Probably part of Mickey Mouse but previously I took out at the big private bridge.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

https://vimeo.com/45008032
North fork Blackfoot starts about 17:15 just a little bit of it super fun and really scenic area. We camped the night before at the trailhead than hiked early over all I think it took like 5 hours with hiking. No had no portages but logs could easily move at anytime. Enjoy


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Now that you mention it, I have had a good year with firsts for me: 
- Little White at 3.6'
- McCoy Creek (WA)
- Portland Creek 
- Little Luck Creek
- MF Feather
- Little Klickitat
- Abiqua Creek above the big falls
- Ohane
- Upper Upper Cispus
- Miracle Mile
- East Fork Hood

That makes for 16 of my 54 river days this year on new stuff.


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## idahofloater (Feb 23, 2011)

Its really cool to see people ripping off pfd's on the rivers I call home. It makes me appericate them even more! But reading all these lists just made my bucket list longer.


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## ski_kayak365 (Dec 7, 2003)

For low water and now having lived in 4 states this year I've racked up a good number of new runs. Thanks mike for the id/mt runs, flowtorch for WA/OR.

CO:
deckers
Glenwood Playpark to South Canyon

WA/OR:
East Fork Lewis
Canyon Creek
NF Washougal
Upper Icicle
Top Tye (bottom mile)
Foss
Sykomish
Little Wenatchee
Fall in the wall
Opal Creek
Breitenbush

ID/WY/MT:
Hoback
GrosVetre
Quake Lake
Gallatine
Big Timber
Snake from jackson lake damn to Pacific Creek
Snake river from Pacific Creek to Deadman
Snake river from flagg ranch to lizard creek
lake jackson

WV/MD/PA/NY:
Shenandoah Staircase
VA lines Great Falls
Mather Gorge
Little falls
Lower Gauley
Savage Creek
Shohola Creek
Raymondskill Creek
Independence Creek
Otter Creek
Lower Moose
Atlantic Ocean

Boating season is still going in the east, especially with this extra water. More to come for sure.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Dave Frank said:


> Firsts for Riley, 11 now, included Westwater and Shoshone. He thinks he's now ready for whatever comes up on vimeo, including the Stikine!


Dave - that got a true and very hearty LOL out of me. had a great time with y'all and our surprise serendipitous company, and look forward to getting back out with the fam again next season.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

New Runs for Me:

Upper Chetco River from Carter Creek to Steel Bridge long on the tick list of just about any anyone who knows of it, pulled it off this year, 4 day on the river IK trip

Devils Lake Fork of the Wilson River, day trip, backyard Class IV to our new house

Upper North Fork Lewis River starting at the base of Lower Falls, take out at Curly Cr. Bridge (2 day, 1 night self support trip) - have done this three times for work survey trips this fall, and have potentially 2 more trips if the water goes back down

Not New to Me:

NF John Day 3 night trip in the IK

Blue River IK day trip

Fall Creek IK day trip

Grande Ronde Twice (fully loaded rafts), once with the family for 4 days, once for a trip I donated for a fundraiser auction for 3 days

Lower Deschutes (fully loaded rafts for fishin)

Hope to get on the Grande Ronde again before the end of the year for a 4 day steelhead trip.

Hawaii Coming up for 2 weeks in November, 1 week at the Hilton, 1 week driving around and camping in the top top VW van

Not as much as I would have hoped for, but then again, we moved our household a 4 hour drive to a new state, bought another house, fixed up the old house pretty subsantially, and got it rented out


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## coloclimber512 (Aug 29, 2009)

Stayed in CO all season. Managed to get on a couple new sections. 61 days on the water so far this year. 23 of those were on Bailey, 6 on Gore.

Big Thompson- Idylwilde to Cherry Store
NSV-Proving Grounds
Arkansas- Pine Creek
Colorado- Ran the meat on Gore for the first time
NFSP-Also, ran Supermax for the first time

Hoping for snow and an awesome 2013 season!


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

Well, it was a horrible year to live on the front range. I can claim personal all-time low water descents on Lower CC and SSV (during LOG). And a few Bailey laps kept the season from completely ending when I couldn't get out of town. And, I paddled a lot of low water class II with my daughter, which is always cool.

March: 
Yampa Canyon through Dino self support.
Rio Grande self-support, starting at top of Razorblades section, ending below Lower Taos Box. Favorably caught peak flow of the season on the Upper Box. Squeezed in an ELF Embudo, and another lap on the Upper Box in the same 4 days.

April:
San Juan, Bluff to Mex Hat. Personal first. Family raft trip. Rad.
Mas Embudo, with okay flow.

May: 
Marsh Creek - MF Salmon - Main Salmon - Lake Creek Bridge. 6 day, 5 night self-support. Fun crew. Three nights of hot springs. One night of Mackay bar luxury (beer, steak). Probably the coolest trip of the year. Definitely the fastest 220 miles I've ever kayaked. 
Lake Creek x2 for Paddlefest. Finally some stout class V! 

June: 
My first, rather scary, rather magical, early morning solo descent of Vallecito Creek! Sometimes the worst ideas are the best ideas. 
Big South
SSV
Bailey

July: 
I think I ran Bailey, and I ran Gore once, as a warmup for,
Clark's Fork Yellowstone, The Box! As far as whitewater goes, this was certainly the biggest and best of the year.

August:
Finally rafted Desolation. Great place to explore, and holy hell is it flat.

September: 
RHT raft.
RHT - Westy kayak.

October:
Rio Chama. Self-support with my daughter.


Not bad for a drought year.


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## leif (Jul 11, 2009)

I did a lot of paddling, but here are my personal firsts:

- 2nd gorge lime (so sick)
- nf and sf crystal (but with really low water)
- paralyzer with water (well, ok, not a first, but first for me since like 2005 or so)
- mamquam falls
- Honey badger on the slave river (3rd person to ever run it, so far as we know)
- Pratfall on the slave (really fun, but I always skipped it because it was too easy until this year)
- Highest water descent (that I've ever done) of Pelican on the slave
- duo runs with natalie down dave's demise, pratfall, english channel, and pre-edge/edge (all lines on the slave)

And there's still a lot of time left in 2012. Going to chile to watch natalie compete in the wwgp. I'll get at least a little paddling in.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

I ran 3 different Fish Creeks and 2 Salmon rivers this year. Kinda weird.


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

*2012...*

I love these threads, some of you guys got some really impressive lists, especially for such a low water year.

this year i had 112 days on the water (my personal best) 
just a hair over 1000 miles, including 500 commercial guiding miles (again both personal highs)
finally made it to commercial instructor mileage
winter Grand Canyon, 1 gore run (as a paddler), lots of poudre runs and a couple westy trips. 
...however i think the only new stretches i knocked off this year were shoshone and ruby horsetheif.
still an awesome year, even if there wasn't much water


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

Yeah no doubt everybody seems to really be getting after it. Def wouldn't have been a bad year to go to slave Leif. Have fun in chile you guys doing any sort of fun raiser for Natalie I'd send a couple bucks for some food.
2nd gorge of lime does look sick!


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## one legged wonder (Apr 19, 2011)

For a low water season I am pretty stoked about the amount that i was able to get out on the river on a regular basis and knock off so a good list of new runs

*Pine Creek on the Arkansas (ended the summer with over 50 laps)
*Escalante Creek
*Slaughterhouse
*Bailey on North Fork of the South Platte
*Waterton
*Upper East
*top half of Oh Be Joyful
* Daisy Creek
* Cauldron on Lake Creek
*11 mile
* Gore!!!
~am currently at 38 laps with one of my days containing 3 laps in a single day. 
~ ANYONE WANT TO CAMP OUT AND PADDLE THIS WEEKEND. GOT TO GET THE
NOVEMBER RIVER DAYS!


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## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2006)

Didn't get as much paddling in this year as I wanted but got some in, first year in a while with no trip to cali.

Rio Brazo
Bull Lake
Dean River
Box of ashlu
cayoosh creek 
The Bear in GA
the poo poo fork in TN


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## Leland (Jan 25, 2004)

New runs have gotten more challenging to come by for me lately, but I managed to nab about a half-dozen so far in 2012.

-Elkhorn Creek (KY)
-Eagle Creek/Metlako (OR)
-Upper Wind (WA)
-Clearwater Creek (WA)
-Gros Ventre (WY)
-A Couple of class I sections on the French Broad (NC)

Got back to Mann's Creek for the first time in 8 years, Cranberry for first time in 16.

The variety of craft was nice for me this year - creek boat, playboat, oar rig, paddle raft, shredder, squirt boat, and canoe.

Sitting at 110 river days with two months left in the year, have gotten wet in 11 states.

And of course, the highlight was getting back on the magical Middle Fork of the Salmon for 7 days back in May/June...


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## Leland (Jan 25, 2004)

JCKeck1 said:


> I did pretty decent this year between 60+ hour weeks. Personal first Ds:
> 
> Russel Fork


I have photographic proof that you first ran this one last year, in 2011.

Sandbagger.

ps. nice list. bet your next one will be equally awesome, PNW style!


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

Firsts:

N. Yuba (CA)
Butte Creek (CA)
Upper and Lower Mill Creek (CA)
Pandora's (CO)
West Fork San Juan (CO)

Other notable goodness:

Pauley (CA)
Upper and Lower Deer (CA)
Middle and South Smith (CA)
E. Fork Lewis (WA)
Embudo (NM)
Escalante X 3
1st Gorge Lime X 3
Cascade Creek
Vallecito X 10
Upper A X 2
Rockwood X alot
Gore X 8

Really not so bad for a super low water year.


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## leif (Jul 11, 2009)

Mike, yeah we are planning on doing a little fundraising. This trip will be hard to afford. I'm guessing that the total price will come in around $5000. We'll set something up once we have the costs a little more precise. In the mean time, people can use the tip jar on natalie's entry video: 

Natalie Anderson Grand Prix entry video on Vimeo

(Tip jar is the green button down below the video description.)

Trying to think of either the most controversial or least controversial way of asking for donations. We're also going to ask all our sponsors.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Leland said:


> I have photographic proof that you first ran this one last year, in 2011.
> 
> Sandbagger.
> 
> ps. nice list. bet your next one will be equally awesome, PNW style!


True, it was 2011, but also just about one year ago... How about I'll remove that one and add Nanty Cascades!

Clearwater is killer! Can't wait to get back in there! Did you run Cranberry in TX? It's supposed to be the best run in TX, but guarded by an AK-47 and only flows every other year. Needless to say I missed it.
Joe


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Aw, a positive upbeat thread. How cute. 

Well, I also didn't want to let a bad snow year keep me down. I got more days this year on the water than I ever have in my boating career. 2011 seemed to be all about doing lots of the same stuff at big flows and less driving. This year was about chasing everything peaking, which usually meant a low-med flow and the rest of the time surviving on Bailey runs at fun flows and of course late season Gore. Still managed some fun on Escalante, Embudo, Homestake/Gilman, just about everything on the Poudre: Upper Poudre runs, 1/2 the Big South, Narrows, Stevens down, some low water Clear Creek, South Boulder Creek, low water RG on Ark, fun surfing on flooded Confluence effluent, awesome surfing at Durango PP. Even learned how to stick some loops in the October hole. Can't really complain.

New for me this year:

Colorado:
- Upper/Middle/Lower Poudre Narrows (low hanging fruit)
- Upper South Boulder Creek
- Vallecito
- West Fork of the San Juan
- 1st Gorge Lime Creek

Out of State:
- Upper and Lower Mill Creek (Cali) at great flows
- NF Yuba (Wild Plum)
- Selway
- SF Clearwater (Golden Canyon)
- Icicle Creek
- Ingall Creek
- Little Wanatchee
- Foss 
- Rapid River
- Upper Tye
- Skykomish River (NF through main)
- S.F. Snoqualmie (Fall in the Wall)


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## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

First time for USB and the Embudo for me. Also ran 119 to Golden for the first time, though most of that section was familiar. Also ran the bridge rapid on LSB for the first time.

Beyond that it was a lot of the usuals; Escalante, Gore, Bailey, Big Thompson, Black Rock.


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## CGM (Jun 18, 2004)

This was the least I've paddled in over 10 years. Got in my boat a grand total of 5 times with no new runs (also the first time in probably 10 years)..but got some decent quality:

Embudo
Bailey
Gore

wow - that looks bad compared to y'alls lists


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

Alot of class II-III new but got to see some cool places

Nantahala
Little TN
Klickitat
Canyon Creek, WA (had never done the rapid under the log jam)
Main Payette
South Fork Payette
Boise and Kelly cascade whitewater parks
Main Salmon
Alpine Canyon Snake
Upper Animas
Black Rock
Lower clear creek
Upper Clear Creek

Plus the old classics

East Fork Lewis
Poudre
numbers
Gore 
Bailey (10 times?)
foxton
waterton
Hopefully westwater this weekend


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