# Scary incident on Clear Creek



## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

Wow! Sorry that happened but thank God it continued rolling. Crazy! Glad you didn't have to break out the Leatherman. 

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## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

after my first and only time portaging that section I've always considered it a class V portage, and have judge it to be more severe than the rapids there.

btw.. i totally thought this was going the rattle snake way as i have seen them in those rocks while eddied out.


glad you made it out ok.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

Sounds like black canyon style portaging. Glad your ok. Thanks for sharing.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Holy shit. That could have been really bad.

For what its worth... I consider the portage down to just below Mr. Bill to be a poor spot to portage too. The scree slope is sketchiest there and the launch spots are bad. If you keep going a little futher down to where the final cliff wall opposes a little spot with tress and shrubs just before you drop in to the straighaway runout to the narrows... you will find a less sketchy scree slope and a better boat launch spot.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Glad you are ok. It just made me think of what we always told the peeps on our commercial trips. The shore is always more dangerous than the river.

Also made me think of the scene in Apocalypse Now. Skip to 1:50 for the action or 3:21 for the quote. It is a great scene from a great movie. I think of this more in terms of scouting and don't know Clear Creek at all. 
Not to make light of your situation.


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## Aroberts (Apr 20, 2009)

There is a paddler who lost his leg from mid shin down. Boulder shifted while he was scouting and crushed his leg. I believe it was close to the end of a wilderness run in Idaho. They could not move the boulder so he tried pulling his foot out and the foot stayed there. A buddy ran for help. It's in incredible story and should be on "I survived" or one of those shows. He still kayaks and even had 5.10 make him a custom sole for his prosthetic. 

Watch your foot placing and keep an eye out for boulders that can easily shift on you.


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

Thus far this year I've watched a large rock roll down into clear creek from a rather high elevation with enough force to be dangerous. I also eddied out in the pool drop section of Lawson during high water, did what we all do and put my hand on a rock (about the size of a normal microwave) and it rolled in the water, bumping the side of my boat. NOrmally I'd not be able to touch that rock given where the water usually is.Those rocks are not safe and I dread paddling down and having one come down on me while in my boat. 

Glad you weren't badly injured.


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## Joel_G (Jan 17, 2008)

Damn dude! I am so glad I took off chasing your boat and didn't see any of that shit go down; I'd be having nightmares. Glad you were able to go into yeti mode and toss that thing.


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