# Best day this season



## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Ladddy Dawdy, we likes to party, we don't cause no trouble, we don't bother no body - figured I'd start this post with a little Snoop. 

Anyway, I'm at work - it's 2 am and I'm not kayaking this weekend. My first one off this season. I'm tired and sore with 70 days behind me. So in my nastalgia, I figured I see what some other people's favorite days on the river have been this year.

My top day had to be my virgin run down vallecito. That run is epic - the water, the rapids, the ridiculously cool boofs, the campsite....We had a great crew including Dr. Brad himself to show us down. The run was just over 2.1 and I had smooth lines all day. Cold Pibbers and a lady waiting at the takeout rounded out the run.

Second had to have been the crystal gorge, also with Brad and Mr. Crystal - Jeremy Signorini. Not a better feeling in the world than stomping Zoot. 

Noteables were also my first no-portage run of the Big South with Pete and the dupe crew and also an early season, late evening Bear run with Cutch.

What was everyone else's favorite run this season? What was the funniest thing you saw (can you believe that a deer jumped onto kevin's boat)?
Joe


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

Early season Gore with Ken O....I think it was March......or early April.....
SSV adding new rapids in my repertoire
But The All time Best was PROVING GROUNDS WITH CRAW AND LIVINGSTON
"Just like ol'times"
Times are Changin


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Too bad the proving grounds didn't run longer this season, but I'm glad the highest day was during the LOG! Anyone fire up the booth slot this season?


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## randomnature (Jun 10, 2007)

Every day on Shoshone and not behind a desk at 2:00 a.m.!


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Its been a great season!

Best day by far for me was 1st time on the Big South. Beautiful high alpine scenery, fantastic action packed rapids, amazing mini-gorges, incredible day.

Second was bear creek in the snow the first day it ran from the big blizzard. Ditching work, cruising the city gaping at the flooded south platte and cherry creek, and then two laps on bear creek with snow on the ground at the put in. Great day. The excitement of something running from rain / snow out of the blue is a kick in the ass.

Honorable mention was dropping back from the pack on the last day of the middle fork of the salmon and going into a solo surf mission deep in the heart of a huge canyon in idaho in the middle of nowhere. Total zen soul surfing moment. 

On a more serious note, I am developing a severe case of low water-icitis. Withdrawls are a hard thing to go through...


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

Yeah, it's hard to narrow it down to just one day. For me, this season has been awesome for finally getting stuff done that has been on my list for a long time: Salt, Fossil, Bear, Red River, Bluegrass, Upper Snake, Upper Tenmile, Blue Source, etc., etc. It's been an awesome season for exploring new rivers for me. I've managed to hit every drainage except the Crystal and Dolores.

Oh, yeah, and I guess Turkey was a bit of a highlight, in a sort of twisted masochistic way...

COUNT


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## Ture (Apr 12, 2004)

Black Rock on its way down. 350 cfs with a portage of Rigor Mortis. I think the old folks home was there that day doing the same thing but I don't care. It was a stress-free sunny day.


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

1) Big South on a beautiful July day when the guys that "knew the run" didn't show. Actually remembered most of the lines (except for leading newbies into Slideways blind). One member of the group ran a solid section of class IV with no paddle, and I experienced the most dramatic piton of my life, but we finished the run with smiles on our faces in a repectable time.

2) Bear Creek at high water. I got my first run of the dam (which is a sweet drop with alot of water). We put on late and spent some time finding and freeing a lost boat post-swim, and hit the takout just as it was getting really dark. 

3) Upper Animas- running a new river on warm sunny day. Good lines for rafters and kayakers alike, and margaritas at camp afterwards.

4) High water Bailey with the Freedom Fighters. Big crew on the river, 3 swims (including one hilarious hole beatdown) and all of them were totally harmless. 

I could go on and on. We gotta get our Gore/Bailey on because this season just can't end!


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

March 13th...my daughter was born. 

I paddled one day at the playpark, one day on lower clear creek at 1000 CFS (OMFG!) and one day on Foxton at 700 CFS. It was my first time on all of them and all three were awesome, but every run was overshadowed by the fact that I could be at home with my newborn. So, I sold my boating gear. 

Now, anyone wanna buy a truck?


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## Oopps (Jul 6, 2006)

climbhoser said:


> March 13th...my daughter was born.
> 
> I paddled one day at the playpark, one day on lower clear creek at 1000 CFS (OMFG!) and one day on Foxton at 700 CFS. It was my first time on all of them and all three were awesome, but every run was overshadowed by the fact that I could be at home with my newborn. So, I sold my boating gear.


Smart man.

But five years from now, though, and she should be big enough for a Fun 1.


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## climbhoser (Apr 12, 2005)

Oopps said:


> Smart man.
> 
> But five years from now, though, and she should be big enough for a Fun 1.


 
No way. She doesn't boat whitewater until she's at least 10. 

I've got plenty of other hobbies for her to follow my footsteps in, anyways. I was a skier first, climber second, hunter and fisherman third and cycling and whitewater came in tied at fourth. 

What I'm going for is taking her up every 5.7 in Eldo by the time she's 14. Oh yeah, and can you imagine a 14 year old who can rip tele turns at Berthoud? And can identify depth hoar? 

Whitewater is the least of my priorities.


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## jonny water (Oct 28, 2003)

Getting tossed in the Ostresizer at 3 grand, stomping upper Fish and Bailey at 700 were incredible but my top 2 were:

Encampment and Homestake. I have wanted to hit the Encampment for 6 years and i finally got a run. I never thought I would run Homestake but after watching the Teva race, we figured, what the hell....icing on the cake! That puts me over 70 runs that I have checked off from CRCII....any one else trying to check em all? At this pace I only have about 20 more years to go.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

1. Big South for the first time and then hitting up Cool World for the first time and making Pete proud with my boof.

2. Crested Butte Creeks: Got to run everything except stupid falls. That place is just a whitewater disneyland.

3. Joe Wright and Spencer Heights first time. Once again Pete was proud at cornholio.

Looking forward to a lot of time on Bailey and Gore in the next three weeks
Oh yeah getting hit by a deer was also pretty cool


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## doublet (May 21, 2004)

Being a recent CO transplant a lot of local runs are still really new and exciting for me. Highlights:

1. Big South: lived up to the hype. I'm actually glad the road is closed most of the season, otherwise I would probably never paddle anything else.

2. Pinos: Epic wilderness adventure with a great crew. I might go back if my feet ever recover from the hike.

3. Watching various shit-talkers (including myself!) get scared/destroyed/roped out of holes/hike out of gorges. Lots of unfinished business for me and my friends to take care of next season.


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

jonny water said:


> Getting tossed in the Ostresizer at 3 grand, stomping upper Fish and Bailey at 700 were incredible but my top 2 were:
> 
> Encampment and Homestake. I have wanted to hit the Encampment for 6 years and i finally got a run. I never thought I would run Homestake but after watching the Teva race, we figured, what the hell....icing on the cake! That puts me over 70 runs that I have checked off from CRCII....any one else trying to check em all? At this pace I only have about 20 more years to go.


I'm somewhere in the 50's but figured that at the rate I'm going it should only take 4-6 more years  However, I suspect things will slow down once I finish all the easy and logistically simple ones. Runs like Toltec, Rock Creek, and Piney River may never happen for me. Gotta keep your eye on the ones from CRCI, too, though. There's four or five that aren't in II (Unc Gorge, Smith, Leon, and some flatwater run). There was some guy on here about a year ago who had done all but 10 or 15 of 'em. Impressive. But now I've this damned new book to work on, too. 400+ runs? C'mon guys, are you just trying to torture people? But no, really, huge props to Kyle and Evan and all the contributors for that sick new book.

COUNT


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

1. Running the CB creeks with my (real) dad was pretty cool, especially running wicked wanda blind with the instructions easy double drop, probably don't need to boof

2. its a week, but got to run the main salmon, my first overnight river trip longer than two days and it was amazing


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## miker (Jan 26, 2006)

Definitely not on the same level as most of these lists but I am bored at work. 

- pacuare Costa Rica, jungle paradise. Even with the swims. The water was 70 deg.

- Upper and lower mish at 4'

- First time in Middle narrows 

I figure I am set up to expand the list next season

A lot of credit is due to the folks leading me along the way. 

Thanks peeps


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## b dash rian (Mar 30, 2007)

Pine creek and numbers with low water with Count and Jace and a fistfull of others. It was one of my few days paddling this year, but it kicked ass


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

For me, getting as many new runs as possible makes the best season. I've traded quality for quantity over the years, and am finally finding a healthy balance. A few of my favorite times this season. Hard to rank them, but I'll number them for the hell of it. 

1) Finishing a book. 

2) Taking my 6 yr old daughter on Gates of Lodore for her first raft trip last week. I'm so grateful to the people that helped make it happen. 

3) South Fork Salmon. Just Tina and I for 70 miles, big water cruising rapids, and pristine beaches. I watched Tina's confidence soar as she led the biggest rapids. 

4) Double Trouble on the Big South. High side of optimal, and most of the boys were there that day, including the FC locals. Best line I could have ever hit. It's an amazing feeling to do something exactly how you imagined doing it. Best boof of the season for me. As far as pushing my personal limits, that was the moment. 

5) Floating by the officer at the put-in to Cheeseman with 13 kayakers. Not getting arrested at the takeout. 

6) Paddling Clear Creek on peak day. We put-in at Lawson Hole. We arrived in Golden WWP 4 hours and 10 minutes later, and I didn't portage. We passed lines of cars stuck in I-70s sunday traffic. When the five of us finally made it to dinner we had shots of whiskey as an appetizer. 

7) First Falls, Bailey. I've had a couple seasons of no scout, no portage runs on Bailey now. Another personal challenge that can only be done on my local creek run. Just when you think you've mastered a drop, it crushes you. The first time I ran it this year I had a slightly sketchy back ender, but no roll. The second run, I back endered, spun while on end, and was slammed into the wall body first. I rolled up dazed and stunned. 

8) Third run, Bailey, solo. I was in a hurry to make dinner plans with the Wigstons. At the boater's dream house a woman was hanging out in a bikini. Figured it was going to be a good day just based on that. Cleaned first falls, finally. Missed my first two eddies in Super Man, but recovered nicely. Come to think of it, Bear Creek with Joe was probably a better day. 

9) Gore at 2700ish. Just Fred and I, the day after Cheeseman. Pyrite was HUGE. 

10) Just a classic roadtrip. Three of us on the road with six boats for 10 days, and 3500 miles. We paddled in Idaho, Washington, BC, and Montana. I experienced Devils Club first hand while hiking out of a bear infested run, ran tons of class V, and paddled 9 new runs with old and new friends. 

Keep the stories coming. See you all at Gorefest!


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

*taylor canyon at 700*

my best day was blue angeling the taylor from Corner Pocket (the fish'n access just below Lottis Creek) all the way to Almont, with one two mile portage around Crystal Creek Properties. 18 miles or something of non stop class III/III+ granite. one break for food/safety at Tod's Slot and that was it

such a fun stretch


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## JRC (Jan 31, 2007)

CB Creekin' in June. Wet hot american summer slides and waterfalls


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## Badazws6 (Mar 4, 2007)

This was my first season so:

0: Meeting so many kick ass people and getting involved in such a great community
1: My first "run" down golden at 75CFS
2: Getting talked into doing waterton at 1600 CFS on my 6th day on the water ever, swam above green bridge, thought I lost a brand new AT3 until I got back to the parking lot.
3: Doing a clean run down Waterton
4: My first combat roll up on on the Eagle
5: First trip down Granite/Numbers (No I havn't run Pine Creek yet)


Thank you to everyone that has made this possible.


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## Old Fart (Oct 12, 2003)

I'm gonna add my 2 cents here cuz it got me reflectin. This being my 35th season paddling and the beginning of my 59th season on the planet, I gotta say that every day out there on the rio is the best ever. Whether I'm paddlin class 3 with the few old buds that are still doin it or chasing the young guns from RCRE down class 5, I'm just glad to be doin it. Kayaking may not be the most important thing in life, but it's damn sure gotta be the funnest!


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## CUkayakGirl (Mar 31, 2005)

Of course there can be nothing better than guiding browns canyon 3 times a day for a month and then twice a day for the rest of the summer...how can it get any better...ummmmm ya, about that.

1. Red River! Awesome! It was so much fun, so beautiful and the paddle out is not so bad with good company (Jace). The best part was driving into a scary weird drug deal with people that couldn't read and making it out alive.

2. Numbers every day after work or during work solo...it hasn't gotten old yet and being chased down by rafts always makes it more exciting.

3. Early season union chutes, getting beat down in the holes a few days before and after knee surgery. I really hoped I could get out because I was not released from the doctor yet. The boys even carried my boat for me.

4. Rowing Browns on a Virgin Raft with Whiskey and a PBR in my life jacket (ya, Booth even though you made fun of me, I have not changed my technique.)...The full moon floats were awesome too.

5. Gore season? I can go after aug 15th.


My kayaking season has been kind of lame, I really need to redeem myself this fall.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

F'na Old Fart, maybe some people do get wise with age. Those are good words. Maybe it's because I'm 30 going on 59, but my initial thought was the same as yours. Since the title of this thread should obviously be plural, I'll give it a go myself anyway:

1) Escalante - thank you for existing

2) Pretending I'm a playboater at union chutes at 2000+ cfs - that wave will make anyone want to pretend to be a playboater. Then sitting around in the parking lot, drinking beers, talking safety, and trying to call out my buddy in an interview with the local news, for swimming at union.

3) Bailey at high water and then Bailey at higher water. Taking a swim on Bailey at the highest I ever ran it, getting humbled, bruised to hell, and still having a fantastic day.

4) Virgin run down Big South - enough said.

5) It's Gore Season!


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## crane (Oct 25, 2006)

1) Leaving denver in a freezing rain/snow storm only to arrive at the gore putin to find blue sky, mid 50's and a flow of 1050. 

2) Bailey at 700 with 7 other paddlers and only one swim. It is always nice to paddle with a big group when everybody knows how things need to be.

3) Running ALL sections of clear creek, including rigor! All were new to me until this year.

4) Bear Creek! Bear Creek! Bear Creek!

But the most fun was meeting lots of new faces and many that I hope to paddle with in seasons to come.

Jace


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*great season half done*

awsome season.

early season big water on the north platte, flushed the river for a week and a great 4000 during later february.

3rd known decent of deer creek by casper wyoming in late april.

plus got on the poudre for the first time 

gore cayon already this season in my agent 6.2

baily top to bottom at 800+ in a scud.

hit alot of new runs this year

hilight so far has been 

bluegrass creek last weekend
was testing my cracks on pyranha micro 240(rainbow edition) when one broke open day before.
decided to just take the agent and it was fucking awsome.
waterfalls are awsome in a playboat!



and the seasons only half over! gore is still great blue is good narrows is in get out there before snowboarding season comes around!


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## phlyingfish (Nov 15, 2006)

*Day 2 The Box*

This being my first season in the west (Idaho), I've stacked up a lot of highlights this year. That's bound to happen anytime you are constantly paddling new runs. But, one day really stands out as the best this season, if not my whole kayaking career: Day 2 in the Clarks Fork Box. We caught the tail end of the flow window for the Box, so our run was on the creeky side. We camped in the canyon and awoke to a nice portage. After that the whitewater cleaned up, and we bombed some quality mank. Dillworth, Deliberation, and Leap of Faith were all memorable in their own right. But, the real joy of that day was paddling into the ampitheater after the last portage. Two creeks come crashing into the Box from on high, the walls tower all around you, you know the portaging is done, and all the stress and anxiety that comes from being locked deep in the shit for two days just kind of melts away. 

The runner up would be my first top to bottom on the NF Payette. God damn, that is a lot of whitewater.


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## GDalton (Nov 4, 2003)

Nice benchmarks Joe. What a stomping season for you. Sorry our Big South schedules didn't mesh.



doublet said:


> 2. Pinos: Epic wilderness adventure with a great crew. I might go back if my feet ever recover from the hike.


TT - funny how we forget the pain and amp up the positives. The Pines was definitely the prettiest run of the year for me. So far.

the "best days" this year -
* Viagra Gorge with Mo and the dogg - well done mission
* Punchbowls - even though I flailed
* taking 4 solid creekboaters down their first Vallecito run - thanks Tyson
* taking Wendy down the Greys R in WY
* Every run i've been lucky enough to have on Bottom Creek this year

Hope to see some of yall out here for Gauley...
GD


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## ActionJackson (Apr 6, 2005)

1. 6/13 - First time to hit up the CB creeks back in June. Best day was nailing all the lines on my second run down OBJ.
2. 6/15 - Caught Royal Gorge on the way home at a pretty healthy level. Lots of fun energy in there. Hard to find that stuff in the Dust Bowl.
3. 6/16 - Crashing at 3AM from the drive back from CO, then up at 7 to make a first-D on a mile-long spillway less than an hour from the house. Stompin' Class IV at 5K cfs. Last time it ran was nine years ago. So maybe there ARE some goods in the Dust Bowl...
4. 7/2 - Catching my closest creek run at super-flood, walking out (no shame), then back in to run it sane the next day.
5. 6/30-7/4 - Five days in a row of III-IV boating in - yeah - Oklahoma. It's all rain-dependent around here, so five days in a row? In the summer? No way.
6. Back to the spillway last weekend: three runs at 10K cfs. What a screamin' buzz!
7. Watching...waiting...

Probably ho-hum stuff for you Buzzards that have so much out your back door. It's hard to live around here and be a decent Class V boater, but this has been a big year, with - no joke - some really respectable boating finds nearby in the last year or so. And we can hopefully get the Corps to start putting water in the spillway more often.

Paddle whatcha' got left out there...


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## Edward-Oh (Jul 9, 2007)

Destroying the Upper C. Totally gripped it and ripped it! Anyone else feel that way about the Upper C?


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

No way, dude. That hole at the bottom of Yarmony still has me gripped. But judging by your website, it's nothing compared to duckhunting with a slingshot. You're waaaayyy to corps for me.

The Count


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## Livingston (Jan 8, 2004)

Starting the season I was dissapointed at the dismal snowpack in CA. The annual spring trek to the clear blue waters and new rivers every day looked like it wasn't going to happen. Combined with the fact that one of the old standard crew was skipping this year's trip to have a beautiful baby girl, it looked like the year was going to start slow.

Then the idea of Wyoming was presented. I was skeptical, North for early run-off? The drive was shorter, the runs were spectacular, and the locals suicidal. A great 4 days.

So here is my list:
1) The day on Gore yet to happen with the whole crew, MC, MB, DL, TB, DM, CF, AG, JB... probably late August.
2) Proving Grounds, can't argue with ERVDM
3) Upper West Fork Tensleep, my 1st 1st D
4) Bighorns Clear Creek

This may need to be updated after Gauley.

-d


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## Gary E (Oct 27, 2003)

I only paddled 4 days this year, lol. Jesus! My first day was hitting Black rock at 1000+ with my boys forrest and bruno. Love racing Forrest to see who gets rigo first. Always nice to warm up on a run you love.

Next was taking my girl down the gross ventre. Watching her style it with smiles and the most amazing view from the water you could ever see.

Gordon D- You show up to jackson and don't call? Whats up sucka?

Kyle- your double trouble run was awesome. Sick level and great boof. Forrest and I kept watching it while in the virgin islands wondering if we could run that sweet.

I remember two great moments like that at DT. All the bad boys were there, I think 8 of us. Same level as yours and we are starring at it like holy shit! Up stream Rob Dastin put a stick through his skirt. So as we are looking, waiting for someone to give er, Robby is sewing his skirt up. About 10 minutes later Robby stands up, looks at his skirt and says looks good! Then he walks over to look at DT and says in 2 seconds Looks good! Gets in his boat and cleans that thing like you did. Best runs I've ever seen at that level, his and yours. Sik!

The other, we were in there at 4+ft and got to DT. Dave Pizzuti was killing it and making it look so easy all day. The boys told him he had to run it. He was like, you can't make it. You're gonna swim. Were like, you got that shit, get er done. He's like hell no! Finally we all agree if he fires it we will. He tells us where he wants safety and said you guys will go no matter what? Hell yes we'll go! He comes in perfect, nails the greatest boof ever and is almost out when all of a sudden he gets pulled back brutally fast like something had roped him. LMAO! After he gets out he looks at us and is like lets see it. Were all speechless, as it doesn't get any cleaner than that. UM---were walking that shit! No one else fired it, lol at you snake. Crazy mofo.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

Nice stories Gar. Funny you mentioned the Rigo thing with Forest. Wigston, Forest and I put on late at around 850 this year, and all day long we refused to share an eddy. If you were in the lead and eddied out, it was guaranteed that the other two would pass you. Yet, when I eddied out above Rigo I thought for sure that they would stop and everyone would debate about it for a second. Not even. Both those guys blazed into it full speed and I was left sitting at the top thinking "fuck, now I have to run it." 

Get healthy. Let's paddle. 

Darren, so stoked you made it up to the Bighorns. I'm jealous.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*cutch*

cutch if you ever head up to the bighorns check out some creeks around casper wy. 

you have to drive through casper on your way to big horns so 
why not hit up deer creek like 15 miles outside casper 

long cayon can be done in a day class 5 with some 4 inbetween and alot more 5. 
some manky shit for sure and a un run 30 ftr needing some people to help with safety.

or boxelder creek 
that all im saying cause im saving that for me( unrun)


plus it all runs in late april before anything else gets doable.

both are only 15 miles from eachother


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## Gary E (Oct 27, 2003)

The best Rigo story was when Forrest and I show up to Black rock at 1900. We were all excited cause we knew it was gonna be big and we haven't seen levels like that for while. Of course Forrest is the only person I could find.

We put on at kermits and decide to race to tunnel one. We get through the upper and start in on the black rock section. The holes were huge and surfing was going on. As we come into Narrows we know theres a mandatory thrashing in the river wide hole two waves below unkle bill.  You just hit it with your head and pin wheel a few times and get spit and roll. It's so fun! We then start paddling into rigo, the lead in was huge as expected. The tourist and rock climbers see us on the left coming in, and start running, waving their arms, screaming to STOP! 

It was awesome, they were everywhere and the faces looked like they were gonna watch us die. As I enter, Forrest is already in it somewhere. I come through in a perfect line and keep going. I see forrest just after the normal start boof rock on the lower and he was like "i got stomped and started laughing". It was an awesome day.2 hrs 10m kermits to tunnel 1 no eddies and no walks. Pretty sure that is the highest descent of rigo. 

The latteral just above the hole coming off the river right bank is like 7ft and is brutal trying to move right. No chance going left.


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## routter (Mar 10, 2004)

1. Sunny camping at Super Slide on SF Merced, walk-less and guide-less.

2. First time Embudo ~3.7, no scouts, no walks, no swims, no breath left

3. Good friends, good lines Gore 4000

4. Any multi-lap juicy top-to-bottom Fish Creek day w/ all the locals


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## arkriverrat (Apr 11, 2005)

*Best Surf of the season*

There have been to many incredible days (50+) this year to call this the all time best day, but definately the most incredible surf of the year. 
So one evening recently I found myself in the middle of a downpour on the way to the river. I was a little wet, a little tired, and not all that sure that I wanted to get in, but the tunes in my car kept me smiling as I continued on my way. Finally I arrived at my destination, and the sun had just come out. I thought I might see a few other boaters on the river, but to my dismay the only other soul around was an old fisherman. I checked out the hole I intended to enter, and it looked OK, definately worth the drive, but not to retentive, and low as rivers get these days. I put on my gear, and checked to make sure the fisherman was still around before putting in. The water felt good as I started to warm up, and the wave and I learned how to be friends. It wasn't to sticky, and I was a little rusty, but after a few failed attempts I started to get a groove on, and the front surfing was started to feel like skiing. Getting on the wave was like droping in at the top of a bowl, and I just kept turning back and fourth on the face of the pile, occasionally droping into the trough and throwing the bow around. Before long, flat spins started to come like they were meant to be and get thrown in with my seemingly endless turns down the pile. Occasionally the bow would burry in the glass, and and I would lay out in a big extended carve, to bring it back up and around. The sky was beginning to turn oranges and reds, and the surf was endless! Just when I didn't think it could get any better, a grand daddy bull Elk trots down the bank not fifty yards upstream of where I was surfing, and swims his impressive being accross the river, and stands in the shallows on the opposite bank. I was just surfing back and fourth in awe as he turned his incredible rack to face me, and we just stayed there looking at each other, me surfing an incredible hole, and him standing not 50 yards away, directly up stream in the river watching me. We just stayed like that for what seemed like forever. The colors from the sky shone off of his rack and his back, as the sun started to set over the mountains behind his silouette. I was paying so much attention to him, that I kept falling off of the wave after a good surf, and then reentering it again, not paying attention to the surf. He had a drink, turned and then looked back at me again for a while. Then after loitering a little longer, crossed the river again and meandered up the river bank. It was amazing! Water and wildlife! The only thing that would have made it better was to have shared it with others. I surfed that night untill the sun went down, and then walked upstream a little to find the fisherman and see if he too had seen the incredible spectacle. I located him and we gestured wildly across the river, trying to show each other the size and stature of the beast we had just seen. As the colors left the sky completely, I drove off with peace in my heart. It was a GREAT day!!!


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## thecraw (Oct 12, 2003)

Thanks to such a great snowpack, and a not so warm spring all of us have had opportunities that just don't exist very often. What a fantastic year.

Top highlights for me:

Boating with JoeK, ToddG, and a bunch of his buddies up in Northern Washington. Clearwater Creek is by far one of the best creeks I have ever done. From what Todd says, we are super fortunate to have even caught it when it was running and it was awesome. 470 fpm, and not a drop over 7 feet! That is vert my friend!

As Livingston mentioned, getting a first D in the big horns. Lower Tensleep was a hoot a fairly high water, but damn I am pissed we didn't get on upper tensleep. 3 feet on that gauge is nothing short of a nightmare, but next year I will drive straight up there the second that Aaron from Core Mt Sports says it's g2g. Also a 3rd known decent of one of the best creeks in the rockies... upper Clear Creek (near Buffalo)

10+ runs on Bear Creek. nuff said. That run is a kayakers wet dream. Close to town, steep, holes (yes I swam!), and even a couple good drops... LOVE THAT RUN.

Paddling with the old crew is priceless. I have also had some great days with Frenchy (high water in the Lower... hell yeah!), JoeK, Dave Frank and many others. Kayaking is such a great sport. And man do we have some great paddlers to watch around here. 

Gore season it is... but Gauley will yet again ring as the best party/paddle of the year.


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## Force (Apr 27, 2004)

hmmnnn... this is difficult but here goes in no particular order.

had more than a few great BS days and a few at respectable water levels with the crew. that run has to be my favorite. i remember one day when the beaver showed up and i was like holy shit gordon is going to paddle with us. 

cheeseman was a highlight. i've been wanting to get in there for years and yes its as good and as dangerous as they say. also another day with the beav. favorite part of the day was rolling through sportmans 10+ stong and i somehow was in the lead. the sheriff was waiting for and gave us the signal to pull over and as i started to slow and look for an eddy gordon and forest proceed to blow by me with there heads down and throwing a flurry of strokes (mental note, if you ever see gordon taking battle strokes grab your paddle tight cause your about to get into the shiat) and i think to myself shit i'm not the only one getting a ticket today and get back into formation with the group.

day five BLC. what a trip. if you get in there and make it to day five you'll understand easily the hardest thing i have done while kayaking. when i entered the res. and realized i was going to survive the run a huge wave of relief fell over me. little did i realize we were about to paddle 9mi across a reservoir with a head wind, bruttle. 

any day paddling with the crew (even though lotsawater has a thing for my mom, all i can say is ewww gross). sitting above a big drop with your friends filming, setting safety, waiting to see the throtaling, and cheering you on is tops in my book.

but who's to say the season is over come on CO its not over until the snow starts falling. durango is poised to have another fall season, the north fork is prime, and BC is a couple days drive away. i'm reserving the right to add/withdraw a few entry cause i ain't done yet.


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## Jahve (Oct 31, 2003)

My best day..... Well it was at night!!

Lake creek at 700 cfs with the usual 3 suspects and my old buddy Nate was visitin from patagoina. We put in at the source at 8:15 pm and took out after the paralyzer at about 10:30 pm. No portages, no scouts. The moon came out soon after the sun went down. 

Nothin better than creekin your backyard run, at night, and with your best buddies.....


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

Its been a very good year for me, hard to narrow down but I think it all boils down for me to one hard move on an easy run on the cal salmon in April. The worm kinda turned for me at that particular moment. Glad I sat back and enjoyed the moment. Running Pine with my buddies. And running the Ark at midnight with the same goofs. Just a good year all round.


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## dq (Apr 25, 2005)

*yeehaw....*

times change, my best boating day this year was leading 5 year old, Cisco down the Yampa at 135 cfs. Second best day was taking him and his sister down together the next day. She swam, he cleaned the run! Many great days on Casey's pond with those two and little brother Peppi are a close third. 

Next year, Yampa at higher flows, Ruby Horsethief, Upper C, CO below Shoshone? The future looks bright after several years of little paddling!

Thanks Pete @ Backdoor for the use of the Jackson Kayaks!!  

tdq


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

My best day this season was in Idaho on the Lochsa. It isn't the hardest paddling, but it is a truly beautiful canyon. 80 foot tall Cedars line the banks with wispy moss growing off the branches. Considering that you are in the Central Rockies it is amazing just how lush it is there. We put in late in the day and the setting sun would provide a beautiful backdrop for the run. We were lucky to hit the river at near peak in late May. I had several new friends in my raft from our trip down the MF Salmon. The Upper Lochsa was great read and run class 4 to maybe 4+. By the time we got down to Lochsa Falls and that final big hit I had fell in love with the river. When we got done some of our friends had started a fire and had food cooking and cold beer. After that we hit a beautiful hot spring before calling it a day. Hard for me to imagine a much better day.

Rafting the NF Payette a coupe of days later was great, but the scenery on the Lochsa combined with the great whitewater there is really amazing. 

Now I want to get the SF Salmon, is anyone else trying to checkoff all 50 of the runs in Whitewater Classics? I am not sure that I can get a raft down all 50, but it sounds like a good goal, 11 down, 39 to go.


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