# #1 on your list.



## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

besides my annual goal of boating with the flying Vidakovich boys more often....I still have never run the Black Canyon. Been paddling in Colorado since '93 and never paddled the Black. Gotta do it.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

Los Pinos.


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

cross and encampment finally this year. who has done everything in crc 2? I am at 116 out of the 158 runs listed on pages 12-13.


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## cosurfgod (Oct 10, 2003)

Vallecito...it has been too long.


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

i have a stack of those "creek boaters like tight boxes" stickers that Russell made if you want a few...


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

I want to hit Deckers, those chutes are pretty damn intimidating.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*#1*

probably won't hit it this summer but the one canyon my list is "clarks fork of the yellowstone", popo agie, deer creek hell yeah


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

steven, we plan on getting to the ledges this year too. It's been on the list. 

Some others: Poudre Narrows, Big Cimmaron, a ton of stuff in NM, New Fork (Wind River Range), Bighorns.


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## vaultman14 (Feb 3, 2006)

my number one isn't really a number one but i want to get the quadruple crown up in CB :-D


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

Granite to Canon City as a long (car supported) weekend


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## peterB (Nov 21, 2003)

Ditto vaultman but leave out the slate. I did that and did not feel the magic there. 

Also the Big South.

Peter


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## Force (Apr 27, 2004)

clarks fork box


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

Force said:


> clarks fork box


anything with "box" in it has to be good....


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

kyle--skip the ledges, it sucks. big cim is good


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## &d (Apr 28, 2006)

bakers box, crystal gorge, poudre narrows(middle/lower), cheesman, lots of gore, a little more black canyon, upper A prolly once depending on how the flows are.. nevermind the original question, im gettin stoked just thinking about all the possibilities


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## thecraw (Oct 12, 2003)

I said it last year and failed... miserably, but I have yet to do one single run in the entire crystal/Roaring fork drainage! 

Blows my mind that I have been paddling for 8 years in Colorado and never once. NF of the Crystal is where I have my eyes set first, then the gorge. Probably going to avoid the inner though.

Also, the embudo is HIGH on the list and will be done early on here.

Great topic!!!

Stoked.

Craw


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## Ken Vanatta (May 29, 2004)

*Brazos and Crystal Gorge*

Life is overly busy for me, but if I were to get some saddle time in on the Embudo, Pueblo, and UTB soon, then I have the possible connection for getting on the Brazos this year. And if I could get a lap or two on OBJ then I'd like to maybe notch the Crystal Gorge. Ran Mill Falls at really high water once, but the Gorge was obviously not conceivable then. 

Harvey, I'm pretty certain you could count on a Black trip with us once or twice this summer if you'd like to join Horton, Shane Smith and I. July is a great time, hot and high, but I want to experience it low once too. I think it was 1500 when I've done it before, which was a great level. I definitely think a two or three day trip is the Dr's orders for my brain (though the body whines WFO). 

I'm beginning to think that introducing kids to team sports is a bad idea. Being soccer dad and having weekend interuptions is testing mey tolerance. Life is work all day and then the kid job all night and weekends. A thought for any parents to ponder: start your kids on skis, kayaks, and bikes at three and never let them pursue school sports. The family that plays together, stays together. My kids had the best time lapping the Headwall, North Face, and racing down International last Sunday. Best of all, I got my exercise too. Hoping the kids take to the river and trails that way eventually.


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## tango (Feb 1, 2006)

i need to do the upper animas


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

Upper Tenmile.


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## Warren (Dec 28, 2003)

Brazos, Baby!


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

West Fork of Clear Creek needs to go, just cuz it's ridiculous that I haven't hit that up yet. 

But for sheer magnitude, it's gotta be The Black!


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## RiverWrangler (Oct 14, 2003)

I want Crazy Woman bad. Not in Colorado but I would give my left testicle to run Middle Kings. I also long for some more time in the tight box - of the Clarks Fork, Bakers, Rockwood, Black, and/or Brazos. For those of you who want the Brazos my only advice is to plan a reconnaissance day (at least afternoon) for the shuttle -it is intense. Don't forget about the miles of pounding class V whitewater though either. So ready.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

Cheeseman, Bakers Box


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## boof512 (Oct 26, 2003)

*boatin*

Riverwriter 
I don't mean to point out the error in your statement but I thought I should due to the sensitive area it deals with.



RiverWrangler said:


> Not in Colorado but I would give my left testicle to run Middle Kings. I also long for some more time in the tight box - of the Clarks Fork, Bakers, Rockwood, Black, and/or Brazos. quote]
> 
> If one were to give ones left testicle it would limit ones time spent in tight boxes.
> Just a thought!
> ...


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

Valle es numero uno

but, I would also like: cross creek wood-free down to maloit park, upper SSV...
edit - how could I forget, but...NSV


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## Ken Vanatta (May 29, 2004)

*Steven, what's left? Who else has or is is near all 158?*

To Steven:

It is awesome that you've gotten 116 out of 158 runs. I'm curious which are left for you? Regrettably, even though I've been boating for 27 years, but got distracted with careers and family for most of it, I haven't gotten but a little more than a third of the 158. Mostly I have high quanities of the classic IVs and Vs in central and southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico, plus several long FD expeditions in Mexico (it's probably over 7000 river miles total, though). I think it is awesome that you seem to be able to attain all 158. Way Cool! Power to you! It seems a worthy goal. Tell us what you have left and if any runs may need run specific veterans to assist in helping get you there. I can imagine that some of your remaining goals may be down to the gnarliest of the gnar. Toltec comes to mind. Definitely not mainstream and questionable if worth it. Those I know that have conquered it don't offer any inspriration for rushing there. They don't plan to ever return to it as far as I've heard, but you never know who might step up for you there if needed or any others. If anyone can help you attain the goal of all 158 then I hope you get 'er done.

I'm also curious how many others are close to achieving or have already achieved all 158? Let's see some posts. Cheers! -- kv


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## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

> Also the Big South.


Pete, lets plan on doing a trip up there. I know Shipley (if his foot is better) and are I are planning on a trip in early July.



> Harvey, I'm pretty certain you could count on a Black trip with us once or twice this summer if you'd like to join Horton, Shane Smith and I. July is a great time, hot and high, but I want to experience it low once too. I think it was 1500 when I've done it before, which was a great level. I definitely think a two or three day trip is the Dr's orders for my brain (though the body whines WFO).
> 
> I'm beginning to think that introducing kids to team sports is a bad idea. Being soccer dad and having weekend interruptions is testing mey tolerance. Life is work all day and then the kid job all night and weekends. A thought for any parents to ponder: start your kids on skis, kayaks, and bikes at three and never let them pursue school sports. The family that plays together, stays together. My kids had the best time lapping the Headwall, North Face, and racing down International last Sunday. Best of all, I got my exercise too. Hoping the kids take to the river and trails that way eventually.


Ken, definitely. Lets do that. I want to do it in two days though and paddle out the Gorge. 

You know I don't want to derail this thread but the latter point you make is one that my wife and I have been debating heavily lately. I totally agree with your assessment. I am going to print this out and have her read it. My son is starting soccer this spring and some of the kids teams as young as 7 play in weekend tournaments. My feeling is I will not drive my son anywhere outside of Salida to play soccer. How many 30 year olds and over do you know that play soccer? How many over 18 year olds? Skiing, boating, riding are life long sports. I am not going to be hating it at soccer tournaments for the next 15 years. rant over...please continue...


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## steven (Apr 2, 2004)

Ken-I started boating in colorado in 1995. At the time, I was single with a flexible job and had years of just being on the road with friends in CO, CA, and ID boating. I was always interested in stuff I had never done, as the thrill of boating for me peaks when I go around an unknown corner. Occasionally, friends have given me $hit because I brought them along on short trips to do things I had never done, even the class 3 stuff. [fraser canyon comes to mind] but I have always loved the class 3, as well as the 5. In those early years, I was lucky enough to have a partner who pushed me relentlessly, [Russell kelly. RIP]and I did a lot of the class 5 stuff I probably would not have done on my own. I got married in 2003 and now have twin girls who are 2, so the boating has slowed down quite a bit. I started doing solo missions as time was scarce and I was particular in what I wanted to run. There are definately runs that I will probably never attempt [brazos, toltec, upper s. fk. white, n. fk. fish, upper south boulder, canyon crk., piney, rock creek,] as I have stepped back on the gnar a bit. I would still be open to those if the right weather, flow, crew, timing, etc. presented itself. I still have more than a few to get in the rio grande and yampa drainages, and plan to get up to some of the yampa stuff and encampment/northgate this june. hopefully next year I can get the upper box, red, lower box, pueblo, and santa cruz. other than that there are scattered runs in each drainage that I have yet to do. I still have never seen big sur! I am psyched for the new book to come out as there are lots of new runs that are not in CRC2, some I know about and have done, but I am most excited about the ones I have not heard of. If you are ever in the telluride area, look me up.


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

steven, that's awesome. It's definately been one of my dreams to think that I might one day be able to do that. I look through the book and see a ton of runs I can check off this season but I also see those super gnar-gnar runs I don't know if I'll ever even be considering. But then at the end of each season when I see how much I've been able to step it up and run stuff I thought was several years into the future for me, I think...just maybe.... I'm about a third through (and putting some effort into the few runs that are in CRC I but not II, also) and have been posting 30-40 new runs a year recently but most of them end up being ones not in the book, so I guess we'll just have to see. It's been the super flow dependent runs that have been holding me up lately (Leon, Buzzard, Sweetwater, Grape, Big Sur, etc.). Best of luck. You're close, I say go for it.

COUNT


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

ACC said:


> but, I would also like: cross creek wood-free down to maloit park,


ACC, What are the chances of that happening? I've never looked at the part below the standard run. Is it stuffed full or would it be possible to clean it out? I image that could be a sweet run if it went all the way down to the road and you didn't have to climb back out.


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

blutzski - well I think that it is possible but not probable. unfortunately I have not been around the holy cross area in the early fall when it would be a good time to clean it for the past three years because I am in school in VA at that time. some friends and members of the chunderposse informed me that it look very good, meybe better than the current 1/2 mile section, downstream, but there there is a substantial wood problem. we actually had to clean some wood on the short stretch last summer just to get a run in, so I don't know. one of the main problems is that the granite bedrock that makes the run tits also makes access to wood in the creek very difficult. with some ropes and harness, etc., maybe we can get in there this summer and pull some stuff out because it would be a super-classic if it was three miles of steeps with an easy shuttle rather than a 1/2 mile with a steep hike back out. also, this will be laborious because this is a wilderness area, so work must be done with hand tools. I am motivated to get it clean though.

on another note somewhat relevant to this thread, I finally checked off the creek that has long been at the top of my east coast list--the north fork of the blackwater--this last weekend and I can't wait to get back in there.


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Valle. Anyone who hasn't hit the embudo should put that up there too. I love the fact that one of the new guide book authors hasn't run the poudre gnarrows! Priceless - how can we trust any of your beta? 
Joe


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## Rando (Mar 24, 2004)

Yeah but the other author has run it so many times that he could do it in his sleep, and probably has.


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## Rando (Mar 24, 2004)

Oh and I want Clarks Fork, Black Canyon, Vallecito and lotsawater's mom!


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## Ken Vanatta (May 29, 2004)

*and so it is, for us aging family men*

Harvey and Steven:

It looks like April and May could see spells of storms and cold yet stall the run-off. That is good. I got myself in this soccer trap and will certainly be glad when the season ends. Glad you're wise early on Mike, and this lesson offers to you Steven. Sure it may seem selfish of us. Sure we could consider that kids develop their on interests and we shouldn't be forcing them to be something. However ... who is the parent? Who has age and wisdom? Who is knowledgable that society is pretty errant in it's values? Most kids will diddle with school sports only because their parents don't want to spend time with them and team sports are sort of an inherant baby-sitter mechanism. Most kids will become fat, lazy, coach potatoes soon after high school. Most adults achieve nothing more than an ambition to shop, idolizing materialistic possessions, and then hope medical science can treat their failing health as a measure of having enjoyed increasing longevity of life these days. What crap! Instead of possessions and expecting medical science to be the goal, why not expect a life long healthy lifestyle and experiencing life to be our pursuit? Like Mike said, there are no 80 year olds staying active with soccer. However, I see them skiing, rafting, and riding their bikes still! Okay, so what about succeeding in a career as a soccer, football, baseball, tennis, golf, etc. player? What about earning educations on free-ride athletic scholarships? Sure I don't see any doing it in kayaking, biking, or skiing. Hey this debate can go on and on. Bottom line: my daughters, as most will, are likely to grow up interested in some employment, as well as raising a family. Enjoying my children and teaching them family values is a greater desire for me than catering to any pursuit for their hopeful notarity in short-lived sports fame. Whew! Next.

Steven, congrats on being blessed with your daughters. I know they require you to contemplate your time and risk taking. Respectfully you may never attain the goal of all 158 now. You might never have anyway. No worries mate. I would root for you if you could, though. Instead, maybe I'll make that goal yet. Fortunately, I've lasted this long. I too have lost my old paddling buds: Todd Hebblewhite, Tom Nofzinger, and Paul Zerklebach. There was something truly unique about those guys and I was blessed with many incredible adventures with them that live strong in my desire for life today. I have had my share of fortunate survivals. Thankfully, I am more respectful as a result. Still, the will to explore and experience life drives on. Though beyond my physical prime because of age, I think and hope I can still achieve anything worthy in life. Though it sounds foolish, I have been one in the past, and will most likely continue, to show up for the adventure even if solo. My first "no portage" decent of Bailey was solo. I've lapped the UTB (where I have traditionally begun most seasons) for a weekend solo. I'm often solo on Pine Creek and the Numbers. I've started day one of the season running the last mile of the Pueblo (admittingly fortunate to live to tell of it) or the Embudo. All in all, I guess my point is "Don't stop reaching, bro." You and many others on the Buzz sound like great men. Harvey's a great example of a great man and father, too. I just know too many that gave up life as they aged. I just pray that everyone enjoys an awesomely great year. The winter was excellent and I'm looking forward to fun on the rivers. Cheers to all the fathers that are raising families, being loving to their wives, and sharing the adventures of experiencing HIS creation. Let's boat!


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## farp (Nov 4, 2003)

Granby Spillway.


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## floaty22 (Dec 3, 2003)

-Panonia Spillway (just kidding)
-Headwaters to res valle
-Treasure
-Brazos
-Black Boxes San Raph
-Maybe I will finally stop driving through and run the V section of the Uncompaghre or the south fork of the Rio Grande


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## ActionJackson (Apr 6, 2005)

Good thread - great collection of runs! Props to Rdnek for kicking it off.


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## yourrealdad (May 25, 2004)

Big South and hopefully a couple creeks up in Alberta, New Zealand


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## onebakedpotato (May 12, 2005)

Its not one of the hair runs, and you have to hike more than boat, but I really want to get into Dark Canyon.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

*wyoming creeks*

hell yeah clarks fork, popo agie, vellacito, cheesman looks fun.


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## lotsawater (Nov 18, 2003)

Randy's Mom 
Lief's Mom 
and some others that I will keep a secret.

I have yet to hit Lime creek's first gorge, i want adrenaline falls, looks good. 

Yule Looks gooooood.

and Randy's sister.

Thank you for your time and have a great day!


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## lotsawater (Nov 18, 2003)

Update: 

Leif's mom stopped by. . . Another one off the list, '07 is going to be great!


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Damn Pete - two minutes between those posts. You sure she left satisfied?


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## Force (Apr 27, 2004)

lotsaswims. uups i meant lotsawater you'll have to get out of the minor leagues and into the majors to have a chance with my mom.


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## lotsawater (Nov 18, 2003)

Force

What I heard is that your Mom already made it through the Majors and the Minors, and now she's moving on to the NBA. Gross! 

You should really talk to her. I think she's just lacking self esteem like most of the groupies on her tour. 

Anyway, if you want a shot at the title, you have to boat, not fly on airplanes all the time. 

JKeck- As far as I'm concerned it's a race, she had the same 2 minutes that I had. Like my second grade teacher said, "Use your time wisely class" 

Peace


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