# Bad Start to a Good Season



## Id725 (Nov 22, 2003)

Right on, bro.

I find myself in that gray area all the time, wanting to push and get better but at the same time not wanting to put my life on the line foolishly when there's so much to live for.

I recently went on a trip, and when I got to the put-in and scouted the first mile, I decided not to run. I felt bad for letting my fellow boaters down, but hey -- I had a fiance to go home to.
And like you said, I can run it another day. Maybe next year.

It helps me to read your post.

As far as testosterone and machismo go, it's like this:
It takes big balls to chicken out.

If you know a run is not for you, it can be hard and embarrassing to say so to the people who came to the river expecting to boat with you.
But you gotta have the stones to admit when you're in over your head.

Dano, would you mind if I forward your post to the forum for the whitewater club I belong to?

Thanks.

Have fun, push yourselves but be smart.

-Mike G.


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## mrekid (May 13, 2004)

Mike, 
Feel free to post anywhere you like.
Thanks for the support. 
Dano


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## ToddG (Nov 29, 2003)

Thanks for posting that. 

What I have learned over the yrs ((a lot of times the "hard way" & other times from more experienced mentors)) is that the river will most often serve as a patient & forgiving instructor, very rarely revealing her ugly side to those who respect her.


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## Cheyenne (Oct 14, 2003)

Dano, thanks for the post. 

Your thoughts are the same as mine and the reports of the two recent events on the river, as well as some reports of likewise tradegy (or near tradegy) in other sports that I'm involved with have once again made me reflect on the activities that I enjoy.

I think that Schizzle's post over in the thread about the accident on SBC also drives home a good point, being that you have to be brutely honest with yourself when evaluating a risky situation. You should not rely on the presense of others when making a decision that involves your own safety. You should assume that they are not present, and treat running something as though you were going solo.

The other issue I believe is one of knowlege (or lack thereof). How many times have you seen some kids on inner tubes getting trashed in some hole. No life vests, no helmets, etc. What is your gut feeling? Why do you have that gut feeling? You know that what they are doing is stupid -- why -- because you know the risks and the consequences. You warn the tuber, and their response is that they are on the championship school swim team. 

Igorance is not bliss, it can and does kill (the school of experience is difficult to graduate from, some times the only passing grade is a 4.0 and anything less you will not get a chance to repeat the class).

Anyway -- please be safe out there. Keep yourself informed of the possible consequences. Make sure that you are the one making the decisions that effect you, don't be swayed by peer pressure. If you feel bad, or unsure about something, take that as a signal from your lizard brain saying "Hey idiot that's stupid and you are going to get us killed".

Don't rush the learning process, the rapid/rock cliff/ski slope will still be there. Have the patience to spend the time preparing yourself so that ole lizard brain doesn't wake up with that warning.


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## Ken C (Oct 21, 2003)

If this is the drop I'm thinking of, first after the top bridge, I don't understand the dynamics of what took place. It's a III+ drop with one big rock to miss. If it is the drop I have in my mind, I've never set safety on it. It just shows that bad stuff can happen anywhere. I'm sure explanation will be forthcoming as people share the experience. I agree with your post whole heartedly. Consequences of error on water are very dramatic. I really liked the comment about it taking more guts to say no, then to dive in and get worked. I held my tongue the other day when someone called out a paddling partner for being nervous about high water. I recognize that's what he does, and often find his posts pretty damn funny. That being said, I will never call out someone for having the responsibility to say "I'm not stepping into this today". Those situations I've been in where I've saved someones ass, I've all had to put myself out there to do so. Understanding that I will be doing the same to someone else when I blow it is just being responsible. Most of my boating partners have become very close friends. I would dread the day when I have to tell their wives or kids what happened if we all blew it.


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## teletumbler (Jun 2, 2005)

This is my first year boating and I can say that I am thoroughly addicted. I just wanted to say thank you for your post and for all the boats that I've met that are willing to help me improve without pressuring me to run lines over my head. Its boaters like you all that make this sport amazing.

Thanks
Lucas


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## Pogge (Apr 4, 2005)

Great posts everyone. One thing that I want to add is that less experienced boaters have been cursed with lower flows over the past several and the runs that they have been able to get through are this year much much more technical and dangerous. As stated above, everyone please accept your limitations and acknowledge your abilities. Any paddling partner who does not respect you for doing this and portaging or even passing on a run is, in my opinon, not a true friend. Paddle Safe!


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## Gary E (Oct 27, 2003)

GREAT POST Dano!Thanks for the read and the concern..Nice post!

Ken this drop has always been one of the most dangerous rapids on lsb...It has a sticky hole at higher flows and a sieve on the downstream rightside of the exit...It usaully flushes a person very violently towards the left and then it's a shitty swim...I have always known about the sieve just thought it would be very hard to get over there...

Heart goes out to the friends and family of this brother we lost last night...To the folks on the scene,keep your heads up and know you did all you could and it's never easy living with the end result yet you were there for your friend,working for him til the end...Peace


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## bigboater (Dec 10, 2003)

We all must remember that even with all of the balls and talent in the world there is not substitute for experience. Years of reading water and scratching swamp ass is the best learning experience of all. We need to not be subtle when we see a shaky boater pushing it a little too far. I don't think the boating community can handle much more of this. I know I can't.
Matt


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## Ken C (Oct 21, 2003)

Do I have the right spot in mind here? Shortly after river makes a turn to the left. Rock bluff on right hand side. Kind of a long narrow pour with a rock in the middle, a hole and then another little pour/hole into a large eddy on river left?. It's been two years, and my memory is poor.

Regardless, my prayers to all of you who went through this, and to Schizzle who has had to do this twice in as many weeks. 

I've been through this twice in my life. The circumstances still play out in my mind and keep me awake at times. They also have made me have a more realistic sense of consequences.


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## De la Boot (Apr 21, 2004)

From what I've heard of the rapid description, it sounds like the first named rapid (I just dont know the name) But, it also sounded like it was something that happened further downstream???

Another question that must be burning in others' minds is what is the boater's name?


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## cstork (Oct 13, 2003)

Ken, 

Yes, that's the drop. It's called Moist Slot. It shows how a change of water level can make a big difference.


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## cstork (Oct 13, 2003)

Good thread. 

This reminds me of a thread 3 years back where I asked "How dangerous is this sport?". There were lots of good responses. Most said that if you follow the rules, kayaking is pretty safe. Most accidents happen if you don't follow common sense. The Poudre accident and this SBC accident are bothersome since it seems they followed the rules, althought perhaps not the one on boating within your limit. 

The following post seemed to sum up kayaking safety. It's cute and funny, but it shows that you can dial in your own safety. The quote is a little troublesome since the carefree bravado that gets you killed can cause much pain for others. 



> Your level of safety while kayaking varies tremendously based on your personality. If you are a mellow person with good judgement, into scenic cruising and mild play boating and if you combine that with good instruction and safety training, kayaking will be very safe for you. Of course accidents can still happen but it will probably be much safer than driving to the put-in.
> 
> However, if you are like me (and most of my kayaking buddies,) and you are always pushing yourself, going for the gnarliest rapids you can find, and totally addicted to the adrenaline rush, things are going to be much different. Close calls and Injuries will be common. You will see friends die. And there is a good chance you will be killed yourself.
> 
> ...


My wife wasn't amused.


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## Kris M (Oct 22, 2003)

I spoke one of his family members this morning. The boater's name was James McFarland.


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## Livingston (Jan 8, 2004)

I believe this is the drop, Moist Slot.

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=1344

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I didn't know the name of the drop until today, and only been in there in the 200's. I can imagine it to be a very different drop at yesterday's 475 cfs. Careful out there.

-d


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## Ken C (Oct 21, 2003)

Is he from Los Alamos NM, Age 36?


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

I have done several beginner trips this spring and I make it a point to teach walking as well as running. I never influence someone to run something. Frankly I couldnt live with the guilt if something went wrong.

great post


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## Kris M (Oct 22, 2003)

No, born and raised in BV. Had been paddling since 1999.


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## chrispy (Apr 6, 2004)

*lsbc*

i ran one of my favorite rivers today (SSV) but because of recent news we all decided to take out well before the wall rapid or narrows.
i gotta say i was gripped a bit even though we wern't going to run the meat. i was aquainted with james, paddled much with him down in golden, he will be greatly missed. this really sucks but i have to ask. 
how hard is it to surf out of this hole? did he have to swim? was it a decision or was he ripped from his boat? i recently surfed rigo in my creeker, it sucked, it took what seemed like forever to exit. only after many tries to surf out river right did i make it out but all i could think as i flipped end over end and three sixtied was "i can't swim here there's more shit down below and no way do i want to be out of my boat to deal with it." sometimes kayaking sucks. one of the members of our crew, who is an excellent boater, flipped in the put in rapid. he took a major beating. he broke his paddle and ran at least four drops upside down visually lifting out of the water as he bonked off rocks w/his head. he must of snuck a few breaths in the many attempts to roll because he was upsidedown forever. we were worried and expected to see a bad swim with needed rescue. but because he kept a cool head (I don't know how with all the bumpin goin on) he was able to finally roll up. who knows what would have happened if he would have swam (foot entrapment? body pin?) the point is STAY IN YOUR BOAT your chances of survival are better. but what do i know i wasn't on LSBC and I don't know the circumstances. chrispy


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## kayakingkate (Mar 16, 2004)

I have run this rapid from probably 250 to 650 (ok, I walked it at 650.) It is a rapid that gets much harder with more water. I have talked to people who walked this one at high water and then ran the brain. At 650 I watched a friend get surfed in the hole for a good 3 minutes. He told us the only way he got out was to just push his paddle down as deep as he could and eventually it grabbed some of the flushing water. That paddler said he thought he was going to have to swim. So, in my opinion I've seen it super sticky. I think one of the other issues may be the lack of awareness that it was a bad place to swim. I've dropped through the slot to see three people in boats and 2 swimmers swirling around in the room and nobody seemed super concerned, it's just a strong uphill paddle to get over the lip of the second drop at higher water. It's a really funky hydrolic and you really have to paddle uphill to get over the second drop. 

I for one was never aware that there was the potential for this type of disaster in that rapid (I mean, there is always that potential, but I was unaware that there was anything specifically funky about this rapid...) 

I guess I just want to repeat the topic of this post that it has been a really bad start to the season. Please be careful everyone! My heart goes out to family, friends and those boating with the vicitim! Having just got back in my creek boat after a long break I'm living proof that the runs will still be there when you're ready for them.


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## dq (Apr 25, 2005)

*tragedy*

Last night I went to dinner with some old kayaking friends who were passing through town headed to Grand Junction for some dirtbike riding. We got to talking about why they no longer really kayak anymore. These weren't just casual kayakers, but guys who 8 or 9 years ago used to live in their vans and well, kayak, 150 + days a year plus weeks spent in other countries in the winter. This was the case with me too.

We got to talking about all the friends and aquaintances who had died boating in the past 10 years and the number is staggering. Many of these weren't your newbie boaters, as Dano states "Some who are truly on the top of their game, a very select few who I do not consider myself a part of, will not need to heed this warning. These individuals are at the forefront of paddling today and are aware of the risks they are exposed to and they have the skills to run things that normal humans can not." I'm thinking of course of guys like Chuck Kern, Brennan Guth, Paul Zirkelbach, Henry Filip, etc. 

The most sobering thing is that many of the people we knew who died kayaking did so on runs we'd paddled and many of them were as good as us or much, much better!

I was thus saddened, but not surprised to get home after this dinner, check in to Mountainbuzz and see this thread.

Basically I think that if you get really heavily involved in this sport, make it a lifestyle then it is probably certain that someone you know is going to get killed. So Dano is right on, be aware and be as safe as possible.

Remember, this isn't even a high water year here in CO, just average after many years of low water. 

peace, tdq


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## Tiggy (May 17, 2004)

If you want the rivers and creeks to be harder, do what I do 
C-1 Babeee!!!

Responsible River Running is no Laughing matter.
99.99% of the time you will be fine, until that moment comes.
Like Dr.Laura says, "Do the right thing"


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## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

*Class V and +*

I've been in emergency services since '79. One observation has been: If God wants you... you can't hide. If not you almost can't be stupid enough.

A couple of analogies: I think steep creekin is like free climbing. Tho shall not fall and tho shall not wet exit. (Under certain circumstances)

Statistically every time you climb above 4000 meters your chance of death 
increases something like 20%.

Life is short weigh the consequences.

There is nothing like the heartache of a friend or family member who has been ripped from your life.


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## Ture (Apr 12, 2004)

Chrispy,
I agree that your goal should be to stay in your boat when you are getting worked in a hole but I think you also need to think about pulling the ripcord before you desperately need air. In my opinion, you need to exit with enough reserves to take a few laps in the hole without your boat unless you think the swim itself is probably fatal. 
I saw someone get worked in the hole in Rigor Mortis the other day. He held on for a good long time and eventually wet exited. After he got out of the boat he was recirculated at least 4 or 5 times in the hole without getting a breath. If he had held on too long before getting out of the boat he could have passed out in the hole and then he would have been in bad shape.
I got worked in the Pine Creek hole last week. I held on for several laps, getting the occasional breath without taking on water, but I didn't feel like I was getting out of the hole anytime soon. It was huge that day. I did not hold on until my lungs were bursting. I knew the swim was going to be very dangerous, and I was aware of the flush drowing there a few weeks earlier, but I got out with some reserve air in my lungs and then took the worst swim of my life.
Whether or not to swim is a judgement call made in an instant. Maybe I could have held on longer in the Pine Creek hole, but then again maybe I would not have had another chance for a breath and the longer I waited the more I would have fucked myself for that huge swim I took afterwards.


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

*james mcfarland*

Hi, 

My name is Quynh Nguyen, a reporter for 9NEWS. I'm interested in talking to some people who knew James McFarland. I'm sure he was a great person and it looks like by all accounts, he was an experienced kayaker. Please contact me as soon as you can. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

303-871-1491
[email protected]

Quyny


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## medman (Mar 10, 2004)

Two things that were said in this thread that I thought were really insightful. I'v eonly been boating 3 years and so this is the highest water I've seen. I went out last week to do a run that I had cleaned twice in the past at lower water and literally got my ass handed to me and ended up walking a good chunk of the rapids. Bad day? maybe, but I think that learning lower water years may have given me a false sense of security and it's time to reevaluate.
Second, everything has risks (as I have to tell my wife or she wouldn't let me kayak). For the most part it's probably more likely to be killed in a car crash driving to boat than it is ont he river but....as has been mentioned multiple times, there is no replacement for that gut feeling; and all too often we think its just the chicken in us talking but often it's our brain trying to save us while our balls try and kill us. Listen to your brain and be safe.


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## Caspian (Oct 14, 2003)

This is a sad, tragic start to the summer. Sometimes it's foolishness, but sometimes shit just happens on hard water, and occasionally on not-so-hard water. The goal should be to realize the cost, minimize the foolishness and bad judgment, then make YOUR call.

I see two big contributors to a rise in whitewater incidents - not deaths, necessarily, but incidents - and the more incidents, the greater chance for tragedy. In the last 6-8 years, I have seen a rise in the number of boaters with two dangerous qualities: First, they can't read water very well. Second, their egos are too big. It's not hard to see why this is a problem. 

Reading water is a skill learned over a moderate amount of time, but perfected over many years. If you haven't been boating for but a few years, you probably still have a lot to learn about reading water if you are pushing your limits. Be aware of that and act accordingly. Use your friends - if they are more experienced you can gain knowledge which might save your life or someone else's. Or more likely, prevent a bad line or nasty swim. As for egos, use your head. If your friends push you beyond your limits, get new boating partners. Are you constantly taking bad lines in Class [pick-a-number] drops? Maybe you need to ratchet it back a notch.

I recall clearly being on LSB a few years ago, taking out to scout/walk the Slot with a crew that had some newbie creekers. There was a tree in the water guarding the takeout eddy, and it required a fairly straightforward move to get behind it and into the eddy. One guy in the group ("Yeah, man, I won a rodeo last year.") tried to get into the mirco-eddy just above the tree. Well, maybe it could be done and maybe not, but he just ferried right into the strainer right in front of us all. He flipped and swam, but managed to get his head and shoulders out of the water on the upstream side of the strainer. We had ropes to him almost immediately, but he was much more interested in trying to save his paddle - a $150 Aquabound, which I only later learned he had borrowed after losing a brand-new Double Diamond after getting annihlilated on Bear Creek a few days earlier. We yelled at him to take the rope and forget the paddle, but he kept going for the paddle. When he finally gave up and used the ropes to climb out, the tree was bouncing and shifting - it could have broken off into the current while he was in the water, and him with it, right above the Slot. When it was all over, I loaned him a take-apart and chewed him out good for being such an moron. Bottom line - he couldn't read water, which led to a bad line; couldn't swallow his pride, which could have very well killed him.

All that said, everybody gets worked in the course of things, and that is not what I'm talking about. Good-natured ribbing about that weak line I took in the last drop isn't bad either, as long as I belonged in that rapid.


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## rasdoggy (Jan 31, 2005)

It doesn't take much water to be in over your head.

I am new to Whitewater boating. 
I spent this winter watching all the"cool" videos made it look real eazy (just point and paddle off that water fall). Made me want to get that Nomad/Huck and go for it.
I go to the Playpark and see the players and want that 88.

Common sence, growing up on/in the water and being involved with several near drownings made me think different.
So in my used boat I go and paddle Deckers till the day I feel I can move up to Browns then move on to...

It's all about the learning curve but sometimes you spinout on a curve you've been around many times.

Be safe and paddle smart.
Look at the Earth the water always wins.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

rasdoggy, 

how I knew I was ready to progress to the next level was I had to be able to make any move I wanted in Class III before progressing to Class IV and Class IV before progressing to Class V. I had to eddy hop Zume Flume before I did Numbers. I had to eddy hop Number Five before attempting Gore. Class V is easy when your on line. It's when you're not on line that you need the skills to pull it off. Not everyone has the same philosophy but this has worked for me. I haven't taken a severe beating in 9 years of boating. (I'm sure it will come though)


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## Randolph (May 6, 2005)

*Something good coming from this?*

Hey guys,

Just from reading everyone's posts, I must say that it sounds as though everyone is learing from the recent events out there and are being more conscious of what they are running. 

Awareness is important. It sounds so horrible to say that something good might come from this tragedy, but hopefully the increase in awareness and judgement which everyone is talking about can prevent future accidents from happening. 

Be safe & have fun out there. 

-Randolph


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## ActionJackson (Apr 6, 2005)

All of the comments on this thread have been sobering, informative, educational, and more. Hopefully not piling on here, but a couple of thoughts and recommendations:
1) Take a swiftwater rescue course (I'm overdue on a refresher). There's no substitute. Like helmets, seatbelts, and insurance, you'll hopefully never need it, but...
2) Boating has changed a lot since there was consistently good water in CO. Sawed-off boats, planing hulls, improved techniques and skills, etc. make stuff easier than it used to be in longer displacement hulls - maybe deceptively easy, especially for newer paddlers. 
3) If your boating buddies push you to run something, or ridicule you for not running it, find new boating buddies.
4) Commendations to the people that were there. Sounds like they did everything right. Gotta' admit it would be hard for me to think as quickly, clearly, and objectively when it's my best buddy in trouble - something I will reflect on.
5) Deepest sympathies to the family. 

Randy
Tulsa


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