Down Hill Kayaking

CA 2011 Part III: Downieville

2012-02-01T11:37:00.017-06:00

We knew we needed knock out the drive north as early as possible if we hoped to get on the water the same day. We woke up early at our campsite in Three Rivers CA, packed up quickly, and hit the road. It took us almost six hours to reach the small town of Downieville and when we did, we found ourselves in the middle of the Downieville Classic. The Downieville Classic is huge mountain biking festival that completely takes over the small town for five days. With many streets in town closed for the festival, it took us several failed attempts and eventually going the wrong way on a one-way street to finally set shuttle and find our way up to the put-in for Lavezzola Creek.

We put-in on Lavezzola Creek in the late afternoon confident in the fact that we had heard this was the easier of the creeks in the area and the whole run was only about four miles. The creek seems to be at a great level, not super high, but fast and very padded out. When we reached the first bigger rapid, Terran probed a meaty line down the right and came through unscathed, but I was unable to see the line so I hopped out for a scout. My strained left shoulder had been getting progressively worse for the last five days, so I was seeking the most conservative lines I could find. I climbed out on the right to attempt a scout (mistake) and John and Leigh climbed out on the left. I couldn’t see much from my vantage point on the steep right bank, but John motioned to me that there was a line down the left that looked good. I returned to my boat and ran the left line John had recommended eddying out at the bottom.

From the eddy below the rapid I saw Leigh get stopped instantly by the hole above the main drop. She took a short beating, swam, and was roped to shore by a picture perfect rope toss from John. While John was helping Leigh out of the water, her boat was taking off down stream in a hurry. I peeled out and gave chase, catching up to the fleeing boat, but unable to stop it before the next rapid. I followed the boat over a double drop on the left side of the river. The rapid was bigger than I expected and had I known how big it was I probably wouldn’t have run it blind, with a strained shoulder, and no one else around. When I resurfaced from the bottom hole I found myself in a little pocket against the river left cliff. Tangled up with Leigh’s boat, I flipped against the wall, but luckily the current washed me out of the pocket so I was able to roll up, but not without a lot of pain in my shoulder. Another stroke of luck was that Leigh’s boat stayed trapped in the pocket at the bottom of the rapid until John and Terran arrived. With a little rope work, the three of us were able to rescue the boat and get it to shore a little ways below the rapid. Leigh made a steep scramble back to river level and the group proceeded downstream, none the worse for wear, but with significantly less time left before sundown.

Unfortunately another flip downstream caused Leigh’s paddle to be knocked out of her hands and it never resurfaced. We knew it was pinned underwater somewhere in the rapid, but after searching for it for a while, we realized that if we were going to make it out of the gorge before dark, we needed to start making downstream progress. Leigh began her hike out of the gorge on an old mining road while Terran, John, and I made our way downstream. Running most rapids without scouting, we continued downstream as quickly as possible, the result was a lot more bracing and a lot more pain in my shoulder. When we finally made it to the take-out I was relieved to have made it without another flip, especially because another delay might have cost us the remaining daylight.

When I awoke the next morning my shoulder felt worse than ever. I hadn’t actually dislocated it, but it was strained to the point that I couldn’t try to ignore it any longer. I realized that the only way to keep it from getting worse and not put myself in a bad situation on the side of a creek somewhere was to stop boating and let it rest. Reluctantly I accepted my situation and told the rest of the group that they had a shuttle bunny for the rest of the trip. Over the next few days I ran shuttle for the group as they paddled Lavezzola Creek, Pauley Creek, and sections of the Yuba with various other groups of boaters who showed up in the area. I spent my days relaxing at cafes in Downieville and at take-outs by the side of the river. We spent out nights enjoying beers around the campfire at our campsite at the put-in for Lavezzola Creek.

On our last day in Downieville we decided that we would make one more attempt to find Leigh’s lost paddle. She had hiked into Lavezzola Creek looking for it and thought she knew where it was pinned, but it wasn’t something she could recover safely by herself. We all hiked into the rapid where it had been originally lost, skeptical at best that it would still be there. However, the water had also dropped significantly and true to Leigh’s hunch, we could see a small sliver of the blade of her paddle visible where it was pinned against a boulder. We set up an anchor on a tree upstream and belayed John down into the rapid to retrieve the paddle. The recovery was almost flawless and we were all quite amazed that the paddle had been there the whole time. Other than a few small rub marks, the paddle was in perfect condition and we were in high spirits as we hiked out back out of the gorge.

Lavezzola and Pauley Creeks share some of the easiest logistics of any two runs anywhere. They share the same take-out on the Downie River, the same shuttle road, and the put-ins are a mere 200 yards apart. In addition, there is great free camping right at the Lavezzola put-in and good food at the many small restaurants and cafes in the town of Downieville. I had been told about how these creeks (combined with a number of other runs in the area) made logistics very easy for paddlers, but until I saw it I didn’t fully appreciate how great Downieville really is! I would have much rather been kayaking the whole time, but in retrospect it was a relaxing way to spend the last few days of my trip before John and I made the brutal drive back across the country. Downieville will certainly remain on my list for future trips to California and I look forward to returning with healthy shoulder.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

California 2011 Part III: Clover Creek

2011-10-06T18:46:00.018-06:00

After spending five days in the Kern drainage (see previous post), on our sixth day in California we broke camp early and began driving north. It took a bit longer than we expected, but by mid afternoon we met up with another truckload of southeasters in the town of Three Rivers to discuss our next move. Almost everything in the Kaweah drainage was still too high, but Greg Garrard and Chas Lemley suggested that we join them for a run on the Shatner Ranch section of the South Fork of the Kaweah. They had made the run the previous day and assured us would still be at a good level. The S.F. of the Kaweah wasn’t really on our radar, but with the opportunity to join up with a solid crew who had done the run the day before, we quickly agreed and followed Greg to the put-in. A look downstream from the bridge at the put-in gave us a preview of the continuous boogie water that would characterize the entire run. [To get an idea of just how continuous, check out some helmet cam footage shot by Austin Nickell HERE]

If any short stretch of the Shatner Ranch run ended in a pool, the run would be considered easy class IV. However, due to the continuous nature and non stop gradient, any mistakes would be quickly complicated and with no pools throughout the run, recovery could be difficult. This was demonstrated about a third of the way into the run when Leigh and John got tangled up and ended up taking a tandem swim. Thanks to quick moves by Greg, both swimmers got to shore pretty quickly, but the gear recovery took a bit more time. Luckily all was recovered and we proceeded downstream with a more cautious approach. Under different circumstances this might have been one of my favorite rivers of the trip. However, my strained shoulder was becoming more painful with every left brace and when the take-out bridge came into view, rather than wishing for another run, I was relieved to be done. Our combined crews then proceeded into Sequoia National Park to camp for the night and position ourselves for our next objective, Clover Creek.

The next morning we packed up camp and started gaining elevation as we drove up further into Sequoia National Park towards Clover Creek. As we moved to higher elevation, the parks namesake giant sequoias began to tower overhead. We parked and made the short walk to the General Sherman tree. While not the oldest or tallest tree, the General Sherman tree is the largest tree on earth (based on the volume of its trunk). One of the limbs on the massive tree is seven feet in diameter. As we made our way back to our vehicles I couldn’t help, but to think that walking through a grove of giant sequoias, some of which are thousands of years old, is a nice reminder of what our place should be in the natural world.

Clover Creek is high in the Kaweah Drainage in Sequoia National Park and is actually a tributary of the Marble Fork of the Kaweah. I wouldn’t call it a legitimate creek run, it is more of a hike and huck adventure in a beautiful setting. The runnable section of Clover Creek is really a long series of cascades that make up a single impressive granite slide. A short hike down the trail from the parking lot led us to the creek. We continued to hike upstream on river right, first reaching the bottom of the slides and then continuing upstream to what seemed like the logical place to put-in. We dropped our boats and then hiked the length of the slide a couple times, scouting and planning our runs.

Greg was the first to make a go of it and then the rest of us made our runs one at a time while the others would position themselves at different points along the slide. Some in the group hiked back to the top for multiple runs on this impressive series of slides. I couldn’t resist running it once, but considering the state of my shoulder I didn’t want to press my luck. Between the smooth granite, beautiful cascades, and wildflowers lining the banks I just focused on shooting more and more photos of this special place. Despite the fact that we did relatively little boating that day, in retrospect it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Seeing giant sequoias for the first time, running an awesome slide in an idyllic setting… what more could anyone ask for.

After leaving Clover Creek we made our way out of Sequoia National Park and back to the town of Three Rivers. Our combined crews spent one final night camping together, sharing a few beers, and reviewing the pictures and video from the day. The following morning our two groups we parted ways, each with different objectives in mind. They were still holding out hope that the forks of the Kaweah or South Silver might come down into the runnable range, while we had our sights set on Downieville, California and the easy logistics provided by Pauley and Lavezzola creeks.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Decision Time On Dry Meadow Creek - a.k.a. Dry Meadow Creek The Hard Way

2011-09-16T13:22:00.028-06:00

After four days of running laps on Brush Creek, the plan for our fifth day in California was to check out the Teacups of Dry Meadow Creek. We had decided that we would simplify logistics by only using one car and hiking to and from the Teacups (rather than portaging our way to the Kern River and paddling out). The hike was supposedly only around one and a half miles each way, which just didn’t seem like that much. We were planning to run the Upper N.F. of the Kaweah a few days later (which would require a four mile hike) so a three mile hike seemed like it would be a good warm-up.

I’d like to blame someone else for this plan, but it was my idea... and let me assure you that it did nothing to “simplify logistics”. What we didn’t know about the hike was that a lot of it was off-trail and it ended up requiring some unanticipated reconnaissance hiking in addition to the mileage to and from the Teacups. The hike was also mostly through an area that had previously burned in a forest fire, which resulted in crossing over many downed trees along the way. Needless to say, it was harder and took longer than any of us had anticipated.

We parked John’s trusty Subie at what we guesstimated to be the correct pull-off on the side of the road. The hike started up a steep four-wheel-drive trail which quickly turned into a faint walking trail and then no trail at all. We found ourselves following a dry wash downhill and out into a dry meadow, which seemed promising, given the name of our destination. It also seemed very likely that the dry wash we were in would lead us to Dry Meadow Creek, but we really didn’t know. We kept moving, taking breaks periodically and sometimes taking turns going ahead (sans boats) to scout out the best route. We were pretty sure we were going towards the creek, but just hoping we would come out at the Teacups or at least upstream of them on Dry Meadow Creek and not at the Kern River.

Eventually we could see that our route was going to intersect a larger drainage ahead. Our hopes were raised and as we got closer and could see that the drainage was not large enough to be the Kern River itself. First we heard the running water and shortly thereafter Dry Meadow Creek came into view. Relieved to have found the creek, we cooled off in the refreshing water and then began to work our way downstream. We paddled a few small slides and rapids and completed a couple of short portages. Before too long, we found ourselves looking at one of the most impressive geologic features I have ever seen.

The first Teacup of Dry Meadow Creek ends in a dead end pool where almost all the water goes under a bedrock land bridge a mere two feet wide. The next six drops range in height between eight and twenty five feet and land in impressive round potholes, some of which were twenty or more feet deep and had slightly overhang walls. After the runnable Teacups, the next drop is somewhere around 50-60 feet tall and lands onto rocks and the drop following that looks even larger and disappears into a crack. Certainly not a place to miss the take-out and as we looked at it I couldn’t help, but think of the infamous accident and impressive rescue that took place here when someone accidently missed the takeout.

For a while we all scampered about, just in awe of the amazing sight before us. At first we were just taking it all in, but soon the scouting began in earnest. The six Teacups are run as a set and accessing them individually isn’t really possible (at least not without some rope work). None of the six drops were especially hard or dangerous, but the third one immediately became the focus of our attention. The aptly named Superfreak, had an angled, pinch in the entrance and then about a twenty-foot freefall. It also had a reputation for making boaters land on their heads. I couldn’t help, but think to myself that I would almost rather land upside down than land in a big left brace on my already strained left shoulder.

On either side of the river, the smooth, bowl-shaped granite severely limited our mobility while scouting and would also limit options for setting safety. Any trouble that required extracting a person or boat from any of the first four teacups would be very difficult. Adding to our thought process was the fact that we only had two 65 foot throw ropes. We had assumed that we would paddle in pairs with the other two members of the group on the bank with ropes. It seemed logical at the car, but looking at the Teacups in person made me wish we had a long length of static rope, or at least a couple longer throw ropes.

Standing there, I couldn’t believe I was even considering not running the Teacups. I had dreamt of running them for well over a decade and had paid the price of admission by completing the hike. However, the more I scouted the more I worried that the third drop was going to make me land in a big left brace and destroy my shoulder and the rest of our trip. Even if it didn’t do further damage, I imagined being upside down against one of those overhanging walls and trying to roll up with my strained shoulder. A swim at the base of the third drop would require some serious assistance from the rest of the group and an injury would require a rescue that would be extremely difficult considering our lack of adequate gear.

Ultimately it wasn’t something I was willing to risk in such a remote setting or something I wanted to risk burdening the rest of the group with if something went wrong. I announced to everyone that I was not going to run it, but assured them I would do whatever was needed to support them if they choose to run it. It turned out Leigh and John also had second thoughts and in the end it was only Terran who made the run. He had great lines on all six drops and overall made it look quite easy. He also managed to keep it upright on Superfreak, but did land in a big brace, making me feel at least partially validated in my assessment while scouting.

Despite Terrans great lines I didn’t find myself second guessing my decision. After his run, Leigh conducted some reconnaissance hiking to scout out a possible quicker route back to the car, but eventually returned and explained that the trail we thought we had seen just disappeared after a short distance. We decided we would just have to go out the same way we came in and we began the hike with about as much enthusiasm as could be expected. When we finally got to the car we were all extremely dehydrated and beaten down by a long day of carrying boats and very little boating.

Dry Meadow Creek is not as high on my California wish list as it once was. However, I do think that I will go back there at some point in the future. The Teacups are simply too unique and beautiful to not go back and seeing them in person only solidifies the mystique that surrounds them in my imagination. After all, now that I know about the logistical challenges, next time will be much easier. In retrospect, we should have set shuttle on the Kern River and accessed the Teacups by boating and portaging our way from higher in the watershed. However, you live and you learn and I’ve got no regrets. Everyone needs a humbling day of wondering around in the wilderness now and then… and I was overdue.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

California Softcore

2011-09-02T07:46:00.015-06:00

In early June I realized that I was going to have time for a little western adventure this summer. Having paddled a good bit in Colorado in the past, California was at the forefront of my mind. California in summer is on every creekboaters wish list and after years of missing out, I finally got my first taste this year. With all the hardcore trip reports from California lately, it kinda has me feeling like a slacker. Our quickie trip to California this summer was not hardcore. It was, however, fun and picturesque and certainly wetted my appetite for future California adventures.

The whole trip came together at the last minute. When I mentioned to John Kern that I had a window of time to make a trip happen, he was immediately as ready and excited for California as I was. A short time later Leigh Knudsen and Terran Viehe also decided to join the trip. The plan began to come together. John and I would drive across the country with everyone’s gear while Leigh and Terran would fly into Reno, rent a car to come meet us, and all of us would have eight days together to paddle in a region of the country that would be new to us all.

John and I wanted to give ourselves a time-cushion to make our cross country drive. We wanted to allow ourselves enough time that that if we had any car trouble etc., we would have time to deal with it and still be in California in time to meet Leigh and Terran. If everything went perfectly on our cross country drive, we would arrive a few days ahead of everyone else and get a few extra days of bonus boating.

There are only about two turns between Chattanooga, Tennessee and the state of California… and only a few more to get us to Kernville. Our entire drive went extremely smoothly and we arrived three days before we would be joined by Terran and Leigh. After a brief stop in Kernville we headed immediately headed up to Brush Creek to shake off the drive with some California rock sledding.

All told, John and I spent four days doing laps on Brush Creek with Terran and Leigh joining us for the final day. The water levels were fairly low (mostly in the 1.5-2 range) throughout our stay, but the smooth bedrock and constant slides kept smiles on our faces during every run. We caught a lucky break in the declining water levels when afternoon thunderstorms on our last two days there brought the level up to around 2.5 for a few hours late each afternoon.

It’s hard to beat Brush Creek’s easy logistics: free camping at the takeout, a short shuttle, and good food/beer a short drive away at the Kern River Brewing Company. Unfortunately I also strained my left shoulder on the third day. It was an injury that I kept trying to ignore, but for the rest of the trip it would hang in the back of my mind at every put-in, every scout, and every left stroke/brace. Eventually I had to just admit that nothing would help my shoulder until it got some rest, so I sat out the final three days of our trip, but I’ll save that story for another time.

Until Next Time...

-adam goshorn

kayak session

Grand Canyon Round III: Winter Self-Support

2011-08-18T14:28:00.021-06:00

One of the greatest things about the current Grand Canyon permitting system is the “follow-up lotteries that happen throughout the year to fill unclaimed and canceled launch dates. The closer the launch date gets, the less people apply for it and the odds of winning are much higher. The toughest thing about these follow-up lotteries is that when you win a permit for a launch, you have one day to pay a deposit to claim your date. That means you have to figure out if you can throw together the trip almost immediately or lose your chance.

Another rule of the permit system is that you can only go once per year. However, I had been lucky enough to organize two previous trips on the Grand Canyon a mere six months apart (within the rules because they were in different calendar years). My first trip was in December of 2009 and then again in June of 2010; kayaking both times and having oar rafts haul our gear. After completing two raft-supported trips in such quick succession, I decided if I got another permit I wanted to put together a kayak only trip. Little did I know, but the opportunity would come sooner than I thought.

In the middle of the morning on October 29, 2010, I checked my e-mail to find that I had won another launch permit, this time for Jan 5, 2011. Unfortunately the e-mail notification had actually been sent the previous day, so I had until that afternoon to make a deposit to claim my permit or lose it. After a couple of hours and a lot of phone calls, I got commitments from three friends; Mike Tavares, Leigh Knudsen, and Ben Karp. With little time to spare, I paid the deposit and claimed our launch permit. Within a few days Brandon Hughett would also join the trip, bringing our group to a grand total of five. With the permit secured and the group established, we all turned our attention to the many logistical challenges we would have to overcome to carry everything we needed, for 226 miles, and comply with the many National Park Service (NPS) regulations. With just over two months until our launch, preparations shifted immediately into high gear.

The length of the trip combined with having to carry the gear required by the NPS made creekboats seem incapable of the task before us. In the past I had paddled my Everest for self-support (for up to three days), but this trip was going to be seven days. Perhaps on a summer self-support it could be done, but in the heart of winter, I knew I was going to need a different boat. At 10’ 2” long, with a gear hatch on the back, and a drop-down skeg to help power through the flats, the Pyranha Fusion seemed like it was designed for this type of trip. Even so, my first attempt at packing everything into the boat was an utter failure. I trimmed down and reorganized my gear and tried again with better results, but still didn’t fit everything. I had already considered that I might have to secure one dry bag on top of the hatch, but that was a last resort. To my relief, on the third try I finally managed to fit everything inside the boat.

I had every intention of paddling the loaded Fusion prior to the trip, but just never found the time. When we slid into the Colorado River at Lees Ferry, it was my first time to paddle the boat and the first time my Fusion boat has seen water. As we left the put-in behind and made our way downstream, everyone’s boats were riding low and we were all trying to adjust to paddling the most heavily loaded boats any of us had ever experienced. We covered a little over twenty miles the first day and set up camp under the kind of amazingly clear skies that can only be found in the desert.

On the second day, we woke up, ate breakfast, and worked to pack our boats as quickly as possible, but it was a process that would take us until the end of the trip to perfect. We finally got underway and started downstream, enjoying the rapids of the “roaring twenties”. A few miles into the day, I was finishing a medium sized rapid and starting to eddy out to watch the rest of the group come through. As I entered the eddy and started to turn around I was swallowed by the swirling eddyline. From what I remember (and what the others relayed to me later) the freestyle show went like this: a full mystery move, resurfacing in a back ender, rolling up as my bow was sucked down, upside down again, carped another couple of roll attempts… and swam like a fish!

The swim itself actually wasn’t bad at all. My IR drysuit kept me dry and the eddy current took me and my gear right to a small beach. I emptied my boat and did my best to laugh off the swim with the rest of the group. However, as I got back in my boat I realized I was missing one thing, our map. Having paddled the Grand Canyon twice before with no problems, swimming was far from my mind and didn’t seem likely. On this trip I was continuing a bad habit I had started on other trips… paddling with the map in my lap, just under my sprayskirt. When I swam, I grabbed the drybag that was in my lap, but never saw the map.

On some rivers, loosing the only map, 30 minutes into the second day of a seven day trip would have been a major concern. However, my only real worry was making sure we were keeping an appropriate pace to meet our shuttle at the take-out on the correct day, but we did have several things in our favor. This was my third trip and Leigh’s second and we remembered the approximate mileage of some of the major rapids and landmarks. We also knew that because of our fast pace, we would be passing other groups who we could talk with to gauge our progress.

After finishing up the rapids of the roaring twenties, the rest of day two mostly consisted of paddling hard through a lot of flat water. By the end of the day, we had only covered around thirty miles, short of our needed average of thirty-three mile per day. Since we had only covered around twenty miles on the first day, our deficit over the first two days was now around fifteen miles. That night around the fire, there was some discussion that perhaps our planned seven-day descent was overly ambitious. Perhaps we would have to use our satellite phone to delay our shuttle. Perhaps Ben and Leigh would have to change their flights. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. The plan was ambitious, but I was still fairly confidant that the faster sections of the canyon, which were still ahead of us, would allow us to make up the mileage and finish on schedule.

Over the next four days, we paddled from around 9:00 AM until sometime around 4:30 PM each day and usually stopped for a lunch break sometime around noon. We were now moving much more quickly and efficiently, on and off the water. Some days we covered up to 45 miles, more than making up for our slow pace the first two days. By the time we set up camp on the sixth day, we estimated that we were only around fifteen miles from the take-out at Diamond Creek.

The following morning we quickly knocked out the remaining mileage and were busy unpacking and sorting our gear when the shuttle driver arrived with Brandon’s truck. We loaded everything and began the rough drive up Diamond Creek road, back towards civilization. As we started back towards Flagstaff, I couldn’t help, but reflect on the three distinctive trips I had made down the Colorado River in the previous fourteen months. Cumulatively between the trips I had spent three nights camping at Lees Ferry (the nights before the launches), thirty-two nights camping in the canyon itself, and thirty-five days paddling the Colorado River. It was a fun scorecard to add up considering that I had once thought of the Grand Canyon as a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing. Each of the trips was very different and each was fulfilling in different ways.

Our self-support trip turned out to be everything we had wanted it to be. It was challenging logistically to carry everything we needed for a week on the water. It was challenging physically to cover so many miles each day (especially in the limited daylight of winter). It also felt much more like a normal river trip because we got to run big rapids every day. The lazy pace of a raft-supported, booze cruise is also nice. However, I couldn’t help, but feel that the nature of our trip could be considered the most pure way to descend any river. Just five friends, hauling everything we needed in five kayaks. In retrospect, even the loss of the map added to my enjoyment of the trip. Instead to having specific campsites in mind and looking at the map all day to follow our progress, we just paddled downstream. Each bend in the canyon contained surprises for us and each day we had to find a random campsite and guess at our mileage.

At the end of my previous trip, I had wondered if I would ever paddle the Grand Canyon again. However, this time around, I knew that I would be back. As we left the canyon behind, I promised myself I would be even more diligent in monitoring and applying for future permits. The Grand Canyon is a place that is simply too grand not to go back again and again.

Until Next Time...

-adam goshorn

kayak session

Alabama Winter Update

2011-08-12T08:54:00.003-06:00

As a longtime fan and occasional contributor of LVM, I was sad to hear it was going to draw to a close. However, all things must end at some point and now that LVM is no longer a business, I see no reason not to put the segments that I have contributed online for all to see. The following segment was originally filmed for and featured in LVM #35: Love Thy Self.

If you'd like to see more winter footage from these two runs, click HERE to check out the video Winter B-Roll, which is all the extra footage I didn’t use in the LVM segment.

Last winter Charlie Mix and I also filmed a cold snowy day on Little River Canyon and I put it together into a video Winter Weather Advisory, which can be seen HERE.

Until Next Time...

-adam goshorn

kayak session

Gand Canyon Journal: Round II - Summer

2011-08-05T07:39:00.070-06:00

Photos by everyone on the trip, but mostly Joey Jarrell

Six friends and I awoke before dawn to float the last few miles to the take-out of the Colorado River at Diamond Creek. It was December 18, 2009 and it was the completion of my first trip through the Grand Canyon (see trip report HERE). Chris Gallaway produced a mini-movie about our winter 2009 trip and it is one of the segments featured in the new DVD “Coming Home” from Rapid Transit (see trailer and ordering info HERE). Less than six months later I found myself back at Lee’s Ferry about to spend another two weeks this incredible place. The following is my day-by-day record of our June 2010 descent.

June 12 - Departure
Joey and Emily departed from Atlanta in Joey’s car, while Vitaly, Shannon and I left my house in Alabama in my truck. We rendezvoused at a gas station outside of Memphis, Tennessee and continued to drive west all day, through the night, and onward in the morning.

June 13 – Flagstaff
We arrived in Flagstaff in the middle of the day and shortly thereafter were united with John, Amber and Leigh. Our eight person crew was finally together and we spent the rest of the day methodically completing the many preparations for the trip. We picked up the food containers and coolers from rental outfitter. We bought all the perishable food items and block ice for the coolers. We then took over a section of the grocery store parking lot and packed all of our food for the next two weeks. When the food packing was compete, we hit the town to celebrate the adventure to come and for a gluttonous “last supper” (Thai food!) before two weeks on river rations.

June 14 – Rig Day
After the inevitable last minute errands around Flagstaff, we were finally on the way to the river late in the morning. We arrived at the put-in at Lee’s Ferry in the middle of the afternoon and spent the next several hours rigging and packing the three, 18’ oar rafts that would carry our belongings for the next 14 days. That night we camped at the put in (river mile 0.0) excited for the trip ahead and ready to leave the logistical hassles behind.

June 15 – Launch Day - River Day #1
Time rarely seems to move slower than the last hour before the start of a big trip. Sitting through the orientation with the NPS Ranger is certainly one of those times. As soon as it was over, we hurriedly shoved off from shore with ear-to-ear smiles on everyone’s faces. Joey, John and I were kayaking and the other five members of our group we split among the 3 rafts. As we drifted downstream, passing under Navajo Bridge, I felt an immediate sense of relief at having jumped the logistical hurtles to make the trip happen and knowing that for the next 14 days we could all focus on the river and the canyon that surrounds it.

Our first river day we covered an easy 12.1 miles, including the first named rapids (Badger and Soap Creek). For everyone rowing the rafts, it was their first-time rowing and below Soap Creek Rapid it was clear they were impressed and a little intimidated by the size of the water. That night we camped at Brown’s Inscription (mile 12.1) and celebratory drinks and passing around John’s guitar kept us up late, just happy to be exactly where we were; in a beautiful spot with two weeks of adventure ahead of us.

June 16 – River Day #2
Day two was Emily's birthday and it also turned out to be the hardest day of the trip. We covered only 8.6 miles and encountered extremely hard headwinds and one of the most challenging raft lines of the trip. On my winter 2009 descent, high water had allowed our rafts to skirt House Rock Rapid and avoid the big holes on the left. However, at the low summer flow, avoiding the holes in the rafts was impossible and they were forced to run the meat. All three raft lines looked capable of producing a flip, but it was the third and final raft that got tossed.

Shannon was at the oars and Amber was riding in the bow when they entered the hole slightly sideways and immediately flipped. Luckily everyone, except me (I was videoing from above), was at the bottom of the rapid and could quickly jump into action. By the time I got in my boat, ran the rapid, and eddied out at the bottom, Shannon and Amber were safely on shore and the overturned raft was being positioned in the shallows. In less than 15 minutes we had the raft righted and decided to stay put and eat a leisurely lunch.

By the time we ate and got moving again, the headwind we had experienced in the morning had developed into the hardest wind I have ever experienced on a river. It was clear the rowing was going to be extremely difficult and we loaded all the kayaks onto the rafts so we could all help row. The rest of the afternoon I rowed constantly into the wind as hard as I could and made extremely slow progress. By the time we reached North Canyon Camp (mile 20.7) my hands were badly blistered and the groups spirits were at an all time low.

June 17 – River Day #3
Waking up on day three, we were relieved to find that the previous day’s torturous wind has subsided. We covered 23.3 miles through my favorite section of the canyon. Highlights from the day included Stanton’s Cave, Vasey’s Paradise, Redwall Cavern and the proposed site of the Marble Canyon Dam. The great scenery, fun rapids, and relatively ease of the rowing rejuvenated the group from the previous days perils and there were smiles all around that night camping next to President Harding rapid (mile 44.0).

June 18 – River Day #4
Day four we got started earlier than usual and quickly made our way to Nankoweap by mid day. After a quick lunch, the rest of the group hiked the steep trail up to the Nankoweap Gainaries while I dozed in the shade of some small trees. After their return we continued on the camp at Sixty Mile Camp (mile 60.2) bringing our total mileage for the day to 16.2.

June 19 – River Day #5
From Sixty Mile Camp it was a short float in the morning down to the confluence of the Little Colorado River (LCR). We were hoping that by arriving early in the day we might avoid the crowds while we explored the LRC, but even with our early arrival there were already two commercial trips at the LCR and another would arrive while we were there. The crowds were a far cry from the solitude I felt during my winter 2009 trip, but floating down the LRC in swim trunks and t-shirts highlighted the benefits of a summer trip as well. By the end of the day we had covered 16.3 miles and camped at a beautiful spot named Papago (mile 76.5) just upstream of Hance Rapid.

June 20 – River Day #6
Day six began with a short float and a long scout at Hance Rapid, one of the most technical rapids of the trip. Unlike most rapids in the Grand Canyon, Hance actually has a lot of rocks to avoid, but everyone made it through unscathed and we pressed on arriving at Phantom Ranch early in the afternoon. We all hurried up to the lodge and scribbled out a few postcards, then returned to the boats to top off every water jug we had, since it would be our last easy access to potable water. That night we camped at Trinity Creek (mile 92.1) bringing our total distance for the day to 15.6 miles.

June 21 – River Day #7
Day seven was the single day containing the highest number of large rapids. We covered 22.8 miles containing lots of classic Grand Canyon rapids, including: Granite, Hermit, Crystal, Tuna Creek, Sapphire, Serpentine, etc. We made camp at Upper Garnet (mile 114.9) which I had also camped at during my December 2009 trip.

June 22 – River Day #8
Day eight we packed the boats and made our way down to the beach just upstream of Elves Chasm by mid morning. Just like at the LCR, we were hoping by going early in the day we might avoid the crowds at this popular hike, but again, two commercial trips were already there. The result was that rather than enjoying the beauty of the place, I found myself standing in line with 50 other people all waiting to get up to the main falls and pool at Elves Chasm. Unfortunately, the crowd spoiled the place for me and made me wish we hadn’t stopped at all. By the end of the day we had covered 18.8 miles and camped at Talking Heads (mile 133.7).

June 23 – River Day #9
On day nine, John, Joey, and Vitaly awoke predawn and paddled kayaks downstream and across the river to the mouth of Tapeats Creek. They stashed the boats and began the long hike up the Tapeats drainage, then crossed over to come down Deer Creek, where we would meet them later in the morning. The ladies and I all slept in and then fixed a huge breakfast burrito bar and ate our hearts out. We took our time packing the boats and then began making our way downstream, stopping to retrieve the kayaks from the mouth of Tapeats Creek. Shortly thereafter, we passed through the narrowed point on the river (a mere 75 feet wide!) and proceed to Deer Creek Falls.

The timing couldn’t have been better. The hiking crew reached the top of Deer Creek Falls in time to see us rowing towards the beach at the base of the falls. They came down to join us just after we tied up the boats. Prior to leaving, we talked with some of the commercial guides who were with the other trips at the falls. They all told us they were planning to go to Havasu Canyon the next morning, which had been our plan too. However, we quickly decided that we should try to get to Havasu today to perhaps have it to ourselves. It was a good decision and when we reached Havasu about 6:45 pm, we were the only group there. We explored and enjoyed the canyon for about an hour before continuing a short ways downstream to camp at First Chance (mile 158.3), bringing our total mileage for the day to 24.6.

June 24 – River Day #10
Day ten started off a little slower than most days. We were pleased with our mileage the previous day and even with a late start we managed to easily cover 19.7 miles. We stopped for lunch at National Canyon and hiked up it about a mile to where it emerges from a tighter slot canyon. A commercial trip arrived at National Canyon for lunch as well and told us that they had planned to have lunch at Havasu, but it was so crowed that they couldn’t even get into the eddy and had to bypass it all together. It was disappointing for them, but we felt even more validated in our decision to go to Havasu late the previous day. After feeling crowded the whole trip, we had finally managed to miss the crowds and have Havasu to ourselves. The rest of the day we saw a lot of big horned sheep (more than the rest of the trip combined!) and camped at Above Anvil Camp (mile 178.0).

June 25 – River Day #11
Day eleven was a big one for our group. All of our rowers had been getting better and stronger throughout the trip and it was time for them to meet the Grand Canyons largest rapid. We took a long time to scout at Lava, but everyone finally worked out there planned lines and who would row each raft. Joey and John paddled through first (in kayaks) so they could be at the bottom in case we had a raft flip. The potential was certainly there for a flip, but one by one our three rafts came through with good lines and no problems. The previous ten days had taught them what they needed to know to pass this final exam!

From Lava we continued downstream to Whitmore Wash where we stopped for lunch and a short hike up to view some pictographs on the canyon wall. After lunch we continued to Fat City (mile 192.2) where we camped, bringing our total mileage for the day to 14.2.

June 26 – River Day #12
Day twelve brought a bit of a strange mood over our group. Everyone’s spirits seemed to have been dampened by the fact that we were past Lava and there were no more major milestones left between us and our take-out. We covered 13.5 miles so quickly, that we set up camp at 205 Mile Camp (mile 205.7) in the early afternoon, leaving us to cook in the heat for hours before the sun finally dropped over the canyon rim. However, it was also Joey's birthday, so we had to do a little celebrating as well.

June 27 – River Day #13
On day thirteen, another surprisingly fast 18 miles brought us within few miles of the take-out by early afternoon. With only a couple camps between us and Diamond Creek, we didn’t want to risk going to far and having to crash an already occupied camp. We set up camp at 224 Mile Camp (mile 223.7) early in the afternoon and for a second day in a row spent the rest of the day trying to move with the shade and struggling to stay cool. Our only solace was that we knew that we could easily make it to the take-out the following morning with plenty of time to sort and de-rig before our scheduled pick-up.

June 28 – River Day #14
We awoke fairly early on day fourteen, packed up, and proceed downstream 3 miles to the take-out at Diamond Creek (Mile 226). Our shuttle drivers arrived as we were working on the tedious task of de-rigging and sorting all our gear. With-in about an hour we were bouncing our way up Diamond Creek Road and back towards pavement, traffic, and everyday life. Our group spent on final evening together, beginning with a big dinner at Flagstaff Brewing Company and followed by a slideshow of photos from the trip.

June 29 – Departure
The next morning I awoke around 5:30 to drive John and Amber to meet the shuttle that would take them back to Phoenix to catch their flight home. Later that morning Joey, Emily, and Leigh would pile into Joey’s car and Vitaly, Shannon and I would load into my truck, for the long journey home. Rotating drivers we made good time and were back in Alabama by the following evening.

June 30 - Home
Our arrival home brought mixed emotions for me. I was glad to have safely completed another great trip and I was certainly looking forward relaxing for a few days. However, knowing trip was over and not knowing when my next adventure would be, brought on an all too familiar feeling. I momentarily felt it at Diamond Creek and managed to push it out of my mind, but it was a feeling that would return. Shannon and I jokingly call it P.E.D., Post Expedition Depression. Depression is probably too strong a word, but I can’t think of a better one to describe the downcast feeling that occurs after a big trip is over and I’ve returned to day-to-day life. I’ve talked to many friends and acquaintances that have experienced it as well. Maybe we just have a shared urge for travel, but it is something that seems to happen to many of us after a big trip and the only cure seems to be planning the next trip. So, I try to do at least two big trips a year, usually one in the summer and one in the winter. So the cycle continues.

Here's the video of our trip...

Epilogue
I had know idea at the time, but seven months later (January of 2011) I would be back at Lee’s Ferry putting back on the Colorado for a 6-night, kayak only, winter descent. Stay tuned for a report and photos from that trip in the near future!

Until Next Time…

-adam goshorn

kayak session

From the Archive: Volume I

2011-05-29T12:30:00.021-06:00

A couple years ago, on the Team Pyranha blog, Ryan Scott posed a retrospective of pictures of himself paddling various Pyranha boats through the years (see his post here). At the time I remember thinking that it would be a fun project to look back through some of my older padding photos and try to find pictures from the many Pyranha boats that influenced my paddling life. As with all too many ideas, I promptly forgot about it... until recently.

This year, Pyranha celebrates its 40th anaversiry. As I thought about the long history of Pyranha as a company, it reminded me of Ryan's post and prompted me to finally dig around in my own photos to find a few pictures to share. Pyranha was founded before I was born, but I can't think of another company that has had more of an impact on my life. After owning a number of used boats, the first boat I ever purchaced brand new was a Pyranha Micro 250 (thank you student loans!). It served me well in my early days of learning to creek and was the start of long line of Pyranha models that remain my boats of choice to this day.

The trusty H2 forced me to learn edge control and taught me the many benefits of paddling a creekboat with a bit of an edge.

Along with looking through old photos, I dug out some old video footage as well from the days when Micro's ruled the creeks. Years ago several friends and I were driving from TN to WV when a bunch of heavy thunderstorms came through the area. I had some knowledge of the area I remembered a neat park-n-huck that wasn't far off the interstate... so we went. It was by far the biggest thing Dustin and I had run up to that point and we didn't really have much waterfall technique either, but we went for it and scraped off the lip to the cheers of some locals who were watching. Good times!

Stay tuned for more from the archive!

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

The Klingon!

2011-02-24T10:36:00.009-06:00

The new Klingon sprayskirt from Immersion Research replaced the popular SBD (Simple, But Dry) series and has clearly evolved from the earlier design. For those unfamiliar with this style of sprayskirt, it is a bungee skirt that sandwiches a flap of neoprene between the bungee and the cockpit rim. What was unique about the SBD (and continues to be so great with the Klingon) is the rubberized coating on the underside of the neoprene where it contacts the cockpit rim, which creates an impressively dry seal.

My first exposure to this design came a few years ago while gearing up at the put-in for the Gauley when a friend showed me the SBD design he was using on his playboat. As soon as he showed me the rubberized coating on the neoprene, the light bulb went off in my head. It was so obvious! The give of the neoprene, combined with the sealing ability of the rubber coating, would mate much better with the cockpit rim than skirts with a hard rubber rand or regular bungee skirts. I was sold… I ordered one for my playboat the following week.

(Little River Canyon, AL - photo by Cliff Knight)

As a Pyranha paddler, every boat in my fleet has the one screw on each thighbrace that sits right where the rubber rand of a skirt would seat against the cockpit rim. Once I started using the SBD on my playboat, difference in how dry my boat would be was remarkable. The harder rubber rand of the skirts that I had been using were not as malleable and therefore couldn’t seal against the screw the way the soft neoprene of the SBD/Klingon does. I was so impressed with how dry my new skirt was keeping my playboat, after a few months I ordered one to fit my creekboat and immediately started using it as my primary creeking skirt.

(Johnnies Creek, AL - photo by Drew Armstrong)

Last year I tore a sizable hole in my creeking skirt right around the time the SBD was upgraded to become the Klingon. Naturally, I upgraded as well and couldn’t be happier. The Klingon is easier to put on (especially when dry) and so far seems to be more durable (better reinforcement on the topside and a more durable rubber coating on the underside). The rubberized coating of these designs also makes them more implosion resistant than other bungee skirts because of the way it seals/sticks to the cockpit rim. Before the SBD, I had always used rubber rand skirts due to fears of implosion, but now use the Klingon with the same degree of confidence.

(Short Creek, AL)

Since switching to the Klingon, I’ve paddled lots of creeks, waterfalls, and a speedy (7-day) self support trip down the Grand Canyon. The Klingon has served me well under all of these conditions and it provides the driest fit of any skirt I’ve tried (especially for that tricky Pyranha thighbrace screw). In the spirit of fully testing this skirt, I’ve even tested the grab loop (twice!) and can fully testify to its functionality (but those are stories for another day). As with all IR skirts, it’s available in a full line of tunnel and deck sizes or it can be mated onto their drytops to create a custom drydeck (which I hope will be my next purchase!). Weather you’re playboating or creeking, anyone who prizes a dry boat should consider the Klingon as their next skirt.

Until Next Time…

Adam Goshorn

(Little River Canyon, AL - photo by Cliff Knight)

kayak session

Winter Weather Advisory

2010-12-20T14:05:00.003-06:00

Typically December is great month to be a kayaker in Alabama. Frequent rainfall and mild temperatures usually result in lots of river days without much discomfort. However, December 2010 started out with a deep freeze that swept mercilessly across the southeastern United States. Alabama is typically around five to ten degrees warmer than the rest of the southeast paddling scene, but even here nighttime temperatures dipped into the single digits and daytime temperatures stayed below freezing for days on end.

What’s a paddler to do when the water is low and the weather is unkind? The same thing we do the rest of the year, of course! Go kayaking! The lack of rainfall has left many rivers too low, but Little River Canyon in the northeastern corner of Alabama remains runnable at quite low flows. A trip down Little River Canyon at higher flows is usually characterized by pushy water and big holes (lots of fun in its own right). However, at low flows it channelizes between the huge boulders and creates a run that is more the style of a low volume creek and is a local favorite when most other rivers in the region are too low.

The follow video features Little River Canyon at around 250 CFS. This is about the minimum flow that all the rapids can still be paddled, portage free. Although Terminal Eddy is often walked at such low flows (risk to reward ratio is a little off on that one). The video also features all the mandatory elements to EVERY paddling video you’ve EVER seen… sped up footage of the sky/shuttle/hiking, shameless gear plugs, slow-mo boofing, post credits bonus footage, and even a little carnage. Formulaic, I know, but there is a reason paddling videos follow such a predictable path, because paddlers like them that way.

Additional footage of winter paddling in Alabama is featured in latest issue of LVM, which is available now. See a preview and order LVM 35 “Love Thyself “ here.

Until Next Time…

-Adam Goshorn

Mexico Nostalgia

2010-12-07T11:02:00.011-06:00

(Photo below by Leigh Knudsen)

For the last five years I have been lucky enough to spend the late fall/early winter in the magical paradise of eastern Mexico. The rivers that drain the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains boast beautiful turquoise water and a seemingly endless number of waterfalls. Abundant water, lots of drops, and sometimes challenging logistics are all part of what made the annual pilgrimage to Mexico such an adventure every year.

(Photo below by Kim Rudge)

However, early in the fall of 2010 as friends and I discussed a possible Mexico adventure for this year, the combination of security concerns and lack of funds led me to the decision not to go. Now that it is the time of year that I would normally spend south of the border and the great memories from all of the great trips in previous years are at the forefront of my mind. After five consecutive years, I thought

(Photo below by Kim Rudge)

I hope to restart my annual migration south at some point in the future, but for now I thought I would share my nostalgia through a few pictures from various years and a video from our 2007 journey. Our trip in 2007 was especially memorable because it included my first time running several rivers that quickly became some of my favorite in the region, including the Rio Verde, Rio Minas Viejas, and Rio Tamasopo.

Until next time…

-adam goshorn

(Photo below by Leigh Knudsen)

Alabama Awakening: Fall 2010

2010-12-02T15:08:00.011-06:00

The fall of 2010 has been especially dry in the southeastern United States, leaving boaters to rely on dam release runs we waiting for the rains to return. For north Alabama, the fall of 2010 has been the exact opposite of the fall of 2009. In 2009 the rains came back in force in mid September and provided consistent natural flow into early June 2010. However, at the end of the first week of June, things dried up and there have been very few natural flow events since… until this week!

Early this week, northern Alabama received around four inches of rain over the course of two days. By Tuesday morning the ground was thoroughly saturated and the rain was still coming down in copious sheets. Despite the formerly low water table, rivers and creeks everywhere sprang to life. Flows in Little River Canyon went from 50 CFS to 8,000 CFS in less than a day. As the rivers emerged from there long hibernation, so did the network of boaters across the southeast. I think I received more calls, e-mails, and text about boating in two days than I did in the previous two months combined; everyone was beyond amped!

Leaving work a little after noon I met Cliff Knight at the put-in for Chinquapin Creek, AL. The classic section of Chinquapin drops a whopping 350 feet over only 0.75 miles as it falls into Little River Canyon. The last time I had paddled Chinquapin, I wondered about what the creek may contain in the couple of miles upstream of the traditional put-in. The gradient was milder, but the upper sections other local creeks all had favorable bedrock features so I had to wonder why no one had ever checked it out. Cliff and I debated for a few minutes before concluding that anything was worth doing once and the only way to really know what was there was to go paddle it!

My expectations were pretty low as we put on, but I couldn’t help but feel that excitement that always comes from paddling into the unknown. I love exploration and finding out what is around the next bend, especially when you really have no idea what you will find (in this situation, I was fully expecting to find a tree choked portage fest). As it turned out, we were presently surprised to find that Upper Chinquapin was a fun class III-IV run with no portages for wood. A mix of bedrock slides and small boulder style rapids reminded us both of the characteristics of Johnnies Creek AL (only a couple miles away), but significantly easier.

We made our way down in less than two hours, mostly boat scouting with a couple of bank scouts at blind rapids. After our successful run of Upper Chinquapin Creek we followed it up with a quick sprint down Upper Teddy Bear Creek (just a couple of miles north), finishing shortly before dark.

The following day my friend Kim shot a little video of me taking my lunch break from work…

Until Next Time...

-adam goshorn

Review: 2010 Pyranha Burn

2010-09-08T15:02:00.013-06:00

Review by Adam Goshorn
Action Photos by John Kern

Boat Stats:
Length: 8’3”
Width: 27”
Volume: 80.3 gal
Weight: 44.1 lbs

My Stats:
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 265 lbs.
Inseam: 30”
Feet: size 12

Having entered the sport after the introduction of edges and flatter hulls, the majority of the boats that I have owned have had simi-planing hulls, including most of the creekers. Perhaps it is because of my introduction to planing hulls early in my paddling progression or perhaps it is just my paddling style, but I have almost always preferred boats with an edge I can use for ferrying, staying on line, and snapping into and out of eddies. The original Burn series was the natural progression from its predecessors (the H2 and H3) and certainly fulfilled my desires for snappy handling. As to be expected, the new 2010 Burn furthers the progression towards perfection with noticeable design changes, but none that are radically different from the original series.

I never like to review a boat until I have really spent a lot of time in it and gotten to use it in a variety of situations. I paddled the 2010 Large Burn a TON in the last 6 months (80+ river days) and I have had it in almost every type of whitewater. I spent lots of time on low volume creeks like North Carolina’s Green River and Johnnies Creek here in Alabama. I have also been able to paddle it quite a bit on the pushy, higher-volume creek style that characterizes Little River Canyon (AL) at a healthy flow. In June I was able to get a great feel for the Burn in a high volume river running environment when I spent 14 days paddling it down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. I feel that I have thoroughly gotten to know the new Burn design over the past 6 months and can now provide an informed opinion of its features and the differences from the previous design (which I also paddled extensively).

The only thing I think the 2010 Burn does less well than the original Burn series is a slight loss in play ability. It still surfs and spins etc (still much better than other creekboats), but it seems more difficult to break loose for spins with the new design. It also seems to want to carve off of waves more readily than the original Burn series. That being said, I still surfed the biggest waves I have ever surfed while paddling the new Burn in the Grand Canyon. I also brought my Molan down the Colorado and would switch-out sometimes to playboat. However, I only caught rides in the biggest of the ‘catch-on-the-fly’ waves with the extra speed of the Burn.

The new edge design is probably the most noticeable change, but Pyranha has maintained enough edge to still give it that classic Burn handling that made the original such a great boat! The slightly raised edge on the 2010 Burn doesn't require quite as much edge control as the original, making it more forgiving all around. The stern edge seems especially less grabby, making everything easier. From encounters with rocks on low volume creeks, to dealing with harsh cross currents in higher volume rivers, the raised edge makes the new Burn less likely to trip you up in every situation.

The 2010 Burn also rolls up a little easier than its predecessor, due at least in part to the lower sidewall around the hip area. This will be especially appreciated by shorter paddlers or those with limited reach as it really does allow you to reach further around the boat when rolling. The other noticeable difference in the paddling performance of the 2010 Burn is that it has slightly more bow rocker, making it easier to boof. The trade off for that easy boof (after all, every design choice is a trade off) is that the new Burn seems a hair slower than the original. Considering the original Burn was plenty quick, I think it was a trade worth making.

With all the positive design changes mentioned above, the recessed drain plug and reprofiled anchor points are just a nice afterthought. The changes in design from the original Burn series to the 2010 Burn are much less dramatic than the changes from the H3 to the original Burn. The designers at Pyranha aren’t reinventing the wheel here, just tweaking several key areas to improve specific performance desires. A worthy goal and one they have achieved with flying colors!

Until Next Time...

-adam

Extra... Extra...

2010-07-26T16:49:00.003-06:00

I've got a couple new videos in the works, but in the course of making them there was some pretty good footage left over that I didn't use. I hated to not use some of it, so I put together this little video with all the extra stuff. Its just compiled from some filming this past winter/spring on the Tellico, Johnnies and Little River Canyon. Enjoy!

Winter B-Roll from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Staying warm and dry in the cold and wet with IR's Double D

2010-06-07T16:37:00.012-06:00

Spring sprung and now summer is here in the southeast, which means that the drysuits have been put away until next December. It has been a great winter/spring of paddling and throughout it all my Double D drysuit kept me warm and dry. For me, drysuit season started out in early December when I switched from paddling in my IR Comp drytop here in the Southeast to living in my Double D for two weeks in the Grand Canyon (see report here). After a few weeks in the Grand Canyon, I headed south of the border for warmer waters (see report here), when I returned to southeast in January to found the entire region in a deep freeze.

The following two months the core groups of local paddlers kept paddling straight through one of the coldest Januarys and February s on record. Highlights included endless ice chandeliers on every run, beautiful snowy river banks, breaking through (and sometimes portaging) frozen pools on Little River Canyon and a few days dodging ice undercuts on the normally tame Tellico River. Throughout it all I have been extremely pleased with the IR Double D and wanted to share my thoughts on the suit itself and the new improvements in the current model.

From the beginning IR’s Double D drysuit featured built in booties, a relief zipper, and an entry zipper across the shoulder blades. These are all great features that anyone should look for when looking for a drysuit, but several improvements to the newest version of the Double D have made it even better. The new four-layer Entrant fabric is more durable, very waterproof, and still quite breathable.

However, the best upgrade by far is the entry zipper. I have always preferred drysuits that utilized a rear zipper entry because of ease of entry and how much drier my boat stays when compared to front entry suits. IR’s new entry zipper is now longer which is great for big guys (like me) and the new zipper slides open and closed more freely than the old style zipper. There also seems to be a little extra fabric around the entry area which makes it less tight around the shoulders and therefore easier for me to operate myself (not that I do a lot of solo paddling when its drysuit weather, but its nice to know I can do myself).

Conclusions? Like most Immersion Research products, the Double “D” Drysuit is an extremely well thought out design. A great example is the flap covering the rear entry zipper. This simple addition protects the zipper and just as importantly, it allows me to pull my PFD down over my head easily (unlike designs where the zipper is exposed and the PFD snags). This kind of attention to detail (and numerous other details on the DD and other IR products) continues to prove what we all know already… that IR was founded by real paddlers, with products designed by real paddler, for use by real paddlers. The IR Double D Drysuit has all the top features anyone could want in a Drysuit. With a price more than $100 less than other top-of-the-line drysuits, the Doulble D should be at the top of anyone’s shopping list who is looking to be warm and dry next winter.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

A December to Remember. Part 2: From the Grand to Mexico

2010-04-15T09:26:00.015-06:00

Below: Owen Lucas by Jon Miller

We awoke before dawn, packed up camp in the dark, and put on the river in the first few minutes of daylight. It was our final day on the Grand Canyon and the short float to the take-out went smoothly, but the rest of the day was a harsh baptism back into the outside world. As we began the arduous process of de-rigging everything, the shuttle service arrived with our vehicles. As they pulled up we could immediately hear the air escaping from one of the rear tires on my truck. Apparently sharp rocks in the final creek crossing had cut my tire just as they arrived at the take-out. Welcome back to civilization.

Below: Christine Boush by Adam Goshorn

Eventually we managed to pack everything into our two trucks and we made long drive up Diamond Creek Road reaching the pavement an hour later. Not wanting to be driving around without a spare, I stopped by the Hualapai maintenance department to have my tire repaired. Somehow our second vehicle missed our stop and with no cell service in the area they started back towards Flagstaff planning to meet us there. With my tire repaired we were about 30 minutes into the drive to Flagstaff when one of my trailer tires shredded. Not only was the tire destroyed, but since it happened at about 70 miles per hour, it also badly mangled the wheel well. We finally got back on the road after an hour of beating, banging, and bending the wheel well back into place and then putting on the spare trailer tire. Welcome back to civilization, part two.

Below: Adam, Chris, Owen and Jon by Kim Rudge

We met up with the rest of the crew in Flagstaff, unloaded gear, and took our first showers in two weeks. We hit the town for a celebratory dinner and by the second beer of the evening we were laughing off the troubles of the day. The following morning we said our goodbyes and the various factions of our group went our separate ways. Two headed back to Utah for the winter, two heading back to Virginia for family holiday celebrations, and three of us drove all day and into the night to reach Austin Texas the first stop on the next leg of our journey, Mexico.

Below: Adam Goshorn by Christine Boush

Below: Owen Lucas by Adam Goshorn

In the earliest hours of the morning we dropped Chris at his brother’s house in Austin where he would catch a ride back to Birmingham for the holidays. From there we drove directly to the airport to pick up another friend Jon, who flew into Austin to join us for our trip south of the border. Kim, Jon and I drove through the rest of the night to meet two more friends in Brownsville Texas. We crossed the border together and reached our campsite along the Rio Valles just after dark that night after around 35 hours of continuous travel after leaving Flagstaff the previous day. Welcome back to civilization, part three.

Below: Owen Lucas by Jon Miller

Below: Christine Boush by Jon Miller

We knew that water levels would be low over the holidays in the SLP region. The best water is almost always October through November and even in a good rain year it is quite low by late December. However, during the fall, the deeper we got into planning our December trip down the Grand Canyon the more we started kicking around the idea of heading south afterwards for some warm weather creeking. What could be better after two weeks in a chilly Grand Canyon than sunshine, blue water, and travertine?

Below: Jon Miller by Adam Goshorn

Below: Christine Boush by Adam Goshorn

Low water or not, Mexico was just what the doctor ordered! We spent nine days in the region, ate a lot of great food, and ran a lot of the classic runs in the area (albeit lower than I had ever seen them in my five years of visiting the region). Despite the water levels, every day was filled with laughter and good vibes from the whole crew. What we lacked in water levels we made up for with multiple laps, good times, and silly antics. We made endless failed attempts at rock spins on the grippy travertine ledges and developed new freestyle-creek moves like our patented “rock stall”. This impressive maneuver involves a kayaker paddling downstream and who drives up on a midstream travertine formation and comes to a complete stop. The boaters who are best at this move can stall totally motionless, sometimes for days!

Below: Owen Lucas by Adam Goshorn

Below: Crew on the Rio Valles by Jon Miller

Until Next Time...

-adam goshorn

Below: Adam Goshorn by Christine Boush

kayak session

A December to Remember. Part 1: The Grand Canyon

2010-03-18T18:47:00.013-06:00

The final month of 2009 certainly turned out to be one worth remembering. Departing Mentone Alabama December 1st the thirty-three days that followed were full of good friends and good times on and off the river. The first leg of the journey began with three of us making the long drive to Flagstaff Arizona to meet up with the rest of our seven-person crew for an amazing float down the Colorado River.

The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is a special place and it is the setting that ultimately draws us to run the river. The logistics, the permit system, the stress and toil all fade away as you lose sight of the put-in and the walls begin to rise. By day two the endless red walls and strong current have refocused our life on the basics. Eat, drink, travel, laugh, sleep… what else is there?

For all seven people on our trip it was our first time to run the Grand Canyon and I can say that without a doubt that that was one of the things that made are trip feel so special. With no one with previous experience there was no one to defer to for the endless number of decisions made daily. We all experienced every bend in the river for the first time together, with no preconceived notions about what we would see or encounter next. Having completed the journey I must admit I am a little saddened by the fact that none of us will have that same feeling of discovery on our next trip.

The crew consisted of a mix of friends with various degrees of river-running experience, but this was the longest any of us had spent floating down any single river, but such a statement is likely true of almost every boater I know. It is a rare and special thing in this modern day to paddle for weeks without seeing a car or road. Such opportunities are growing even rarer as the world continues our perpetual expansion of population and our endless network of roads. However, places for escape still exist and the Grand Canyon in winter might be one of the better ones that I have experienced.

Prior to our departure many friends and family, paddlers and non-paddlers alike, seemed convinced that the Grand Canyon in winter couldn’t be anything except miserable. However, their fears couldn’t have been further from the truth. In fact, there are a lot of great reasons to go in the winter and over the course of our trip we developed quite a list of the best things about a winter Grand Canyon trip, here are 10 of them…

10. Only having one launch a day makes the put-in ramp and rangers relaxed and chill.

9. The cold water is less of a safety concern when you’re already wearing a drysuit.

8. The food won’t spoil, but you may have to put produce in the coolers to KEEP them from freezing.

7. The groover doesn’t stink very much when it’s contents are frozen.

6. The cool weather is ideal for hiking.

5. No helicopter shuttles whizzing overhead.

4. Collecting driftwood for fires is allowed.

3. The booze is always cold.

2. No motorized boat traffic.

1. Solitude, plain and simple. Traveling down the length of the canyon from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek we saw three other groups, got every campsite we wanted, and felt wonderfully alone for most of the time.

Until Next Time...

Adam

kayak session

The South Platte

2009-11-11T09:44:00.003-06:00

In August I did a write-up and posted some pics from out time on the South Platte in July (see orginal post here). I finally got around to editing some of the video...

Colorado 2009 Part 1: The South Platte from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Colorado 2009 Part 3

2009-10-29T15:31:00.008-06:00

After spending two days in the headwaters of the Crystal River we made our way back to a local cafe in Carbondale to contemplate our next move. While enjoying some breakfast burritos and wireless internet access we called Charlie Mix who was living in Durango for the summer. Charlie explained that water levels were dropping fast and that if we wanted to catch Vallecito, we should come quickly. Vallecito had been high our hit list in 2008 and was again for 2009 too, but so far we had yet to catch it on either trip. Vallecito has been described by many as “the best mile of creeking in Colorado”. With that in mind, we loaded up and hit the road arriving with enough daylight to meet Cruise Quenelle for a run.

In my opinion Vallecito is one of those rare rivers that lives up to the hype that surrounds it. It is truly beautiful creek in a tight gorge with smooth boulders and a seemingly endless number of fun rapids and boofs. We followed Cruise’s lead, rarely slowing down enough to document the run, but emerged from the depths of the gorge with ear to ear smiles that nothing could dampen. We spent that evening at Cruise’s house catching up with the rest of the Alabama boys who were living there for the summer. Late into the night we watched each other’s video footage, sharing all the stories from a summer of running rivers.

Although it was very tempting to stay another day for more laps on Vallecito, the next morning we decided to turn our attention to a different run on our list, the Big South. We left Durango mid morning and made it back to Aspen in time for another run on Castle Creek and the Roaring Fork before finding a beautiful crash and dash spot to sleep for the night. The following day we drove towards Denver and spend that afternoon and the following morning running the Upper and Blackrock sections of Clear Creek before continuing our drive north to the Big South.

The evening we arrived at the Big South take-out, the last group was still hanging around after their run and invited us camp with them that evening for the first of two nights we would spend camping in mosquito hell. The following morning as we drove to the put-in we found another crew of southeasterners camping along the road. We pulled over to greet these friends and ended up catching a ride with them to set shuttle. The put-in for Big South is actually on Weird Creek. We had been told that Weird Creek is actually fun at high water, but what we found was a bang fest that continued to abuse our already heavily used boats. Luckily the flow doubled at the confluence and soon the fun rapids and drops began.

Lot of rapids and a few flat stretches spread throughout the run make Big South a long day by most people’s standards. Including the mileage on Weird Creek it is a twelve-mile run, but very rewarding, especially for groups like ours scouting their way down for the first time. We rotated boat and bank scouting as necessary throughout the day, occasionally getting cues from other groups we caught up to then while they were scouting or portaging. The larger named rapids were certainly fun, but one of the unexpected highlights was how many really fun read and run sections we encountered. A perfect example was what is known as the Prime Time Gorge, a section where the river narrowed between tight cliff walls and containing several rapids in quick succession. Boat scouting our way though this section felt more like Vallecito than the rest of the run on Big South. After reaching the take-out we found another great free campsite along another tributary of Cache la Poudre, Joe Wright Creek.

Joe Wright Creek enters Cache la Poudre above the Spencer Heights section and we decided to spend our last day in the area checking out both runs. We had planned to run Spencer Heights ahead of time, but I have to admit that I had never heard of Joe Wright Creek. I guess that it will always overshadowed by its close proximity to Big South, but it turned out to be a great run in it’s own right. The run is mostly non-stop with very few eddies. It’s the kind of run where it really isn’t practical or necessary to scout and know the lines because all you can really do is follow the water and charge. We knew from talking to other groups that the run was free of wood, but it sill made me nervous charging around blind corners and into the tight gorge known as Carnito Canyon. However, our beta on the wood was correct and we emerged unscathed from what turned out to be our final river day of the trip.

The following day we made our way back to Buena Vista to take care of a few details before departing for Chattanooga. A good meal followed by hot showers at the laundry mat prepared us for the long drive that was ahead of us. The non-stop marathon drive was as brutal as can be expected, but a necessary evil to maximize trips such as this one. That that end, we arrived back in Chattanooga TN after twenty two hours on the road just in time for Matt to start a twelve-hour night shift at his job. I’m sure during that night he might have felt otherwise, but in retrospect… it’s always worth it!

CO 09 Part 3: Clear Creek and Big South from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Colorado 2009 Part 2

2009-10-21T15:38:00.016-06:00

After a long day on Cheesman Canyon we had collapsed into our sleeping bags at the Corral Creek Trailhead. The next morning, day three of our trip, we packed our gear back into the truck and headed to our next stop a short drive away. Eleven Mile Canyon of the South Platte is mostly a class III run, but just below the normal take-out is long, continuous, class V rapid. After about twenty minutes of scouting and discussing lines I was feeling hesitant and Jordan was feeling fired up and ready to go.

Below Jordan heading into the last drop on 11 Mile Canyon...

He geared up and the rest of us assumed positions at different points of the rapid with ropes and cameras at the ready. Jordan charged the entrance and cleared the first tier of the rapid and then a bounce sent him upside down into the next tier. He rolled up only to be knocked over again and repeated the process a couple more times, but stuck it out and emerged from the bottom of the rapid upright and unhurt.

Below Matt running the last drop of 11 Mile Canyon...

Despite the results of Jordan’s run, Matt had his own line sorted out in his head and was ready to go. Again we set up with ropes and cameras and watched as Matt began his descent. Entering more slowly and slightly further left, Matt proceeded to smoothly descend the entire section without a flip or mis-stroke throughout. After a little more discussion, Joey and I both decided not to attempt a run. We loaded the truck again, got back on the road, and drove over Independence Pass and down into the town of Aspen.

Below we successfully cross the creek that shut us down trying to drive to the North Fork of the Crystal in 2008...

After a quick run of Castle Creek we met up with Anson Fogle for a late afternoon run on the Slaughterhouse section of the Roaring Fork. We spent the evening of relaxing at Anson’s house and he joined us for the next two days of exploring and filming in the upper drainage of the Crystal River. We had attempted to drive into the forks of the Crystal in 2008, but the road to the North Fork was flooded at the time and the road to the South Fork was still snowed in. This failed attempt is one of the reasons we had decided to plan our 2009 trip for July and the plan was working out nicely.

Below Matt and I scout the first drop on the North Fork of the Crystal...

We spent two days we spent rock crawling through the beautiful and remote landscape of the upper crystal river drainage. While our driving to boating ratio was skewed in what I would normally consider the wrong direction, the scenery and quality of the drops made it more than worth it. Despite the slow travel, looking back the two days in the headwaters of the Crystal River were some my favorite on the trip.

Below is a great pic Matt took of me on #2 on the North Fork of the Crystal...

Below Anson films Matt running #3 on the North Fork of the Crystal...

Below are a couple pics I took of Matt on the South Fork of the Crystal...

Below are a couple pics Jordan took of me on the South Fork of the Crystal...

Below is a great pic Joey took of Jordan on Crystal Mill Falls...

Here's a little slow motion action from the Headwaters of the Crystal River...

Crystal Headwaters 2009 from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

The Secret Stash

2009-09-09T16:16:00.014-06:00

The Secret Stash was first run in the mid to late 1990’s, but then was off-limits for over a decade until recent changes opened it back up to paddlers. The Secret Stash isn't much of a secret anymore. The word is out on this one, but I'm still not going to mention it by name. The Secret Stash cannot be run without crossing private land to portage the 90 foot waterfall you see in the video. Access is currently being allowed, but could be hurt by overcrowding or by careless boaters who are unaware of the expectations of acceptable behavior. One of those expectations is to NOT run the first waterfall you see run in this video. This video was shot and edited prior to the new rule asking boaters to portage this waterfall. After much internal debate I decided not to re-edit the video and to leave the shots of the first falls in, so that those who see the video will know what it looks like and know to portage that drop.

The Secret Stash from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Putting back in after portaging the 90 footer. Photo by Mark Travis

Ted midway through one of the portages. Photo by Mark Travis

Ted dropping into the steeps, Photo by Adam Goshorn

Until Next Time...

-Adam Goshorn

kayak session

Mexico 2008 - Part 3: Better Late Than Never!

2009-08-31T16:24:00.003-06:00

I finally got around to editing up a 3 Part of our footage from our Fall 2008 trip to Mexico. Enjoy...

Mexico 2008: Part 3 from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

For those of you who didn't see the first two videos from the Rio Verde, here they are as well. First the Upper (1st Canyon) Rio Verde...

Upper Rio Verde from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Below is the video from the Middle (2nd Canyon) Rio Verde...

Middle Verde from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Colorado 09 Part 1: Cheesman Canyon

2009-08-10T18:07:00.013-06:00

Photos by Joey Jarrell and Matt Wallace

It was only our second day in Colorado, but it was shaping up to be a long one. It was almost ten o’clock and we were already supposed to be at the put-in, but instead we were stashing a bike behind some bushes at the Corral Creek trailhead. The shuttle plan was to hike our boats and gear 3.5 miles up Corral Creek trail from the river to the bike. Then someone would ride the single speed mountain bike the 17 miles back to the truck to retrieve it for the rest of the group. Without a doubt it was going to be a long day, but for our crew it was our chosen celebration of Independence Day.

Joey Jarrell, Jordan Sherman, Matt Wallace, and I (Adam Goshorn) had departed Chattanooga, Tennessee in the afternoon two days earlier. We drove 22 hours straight through and immediately put on Clear Creek of the Arkansas outside Buena Vista, Colorado. After a couple laps we began setting up camp at the take-out and putting the plan in place for the following day. Calls to friends confirmed that Cheesman Canyon had well above the minimum recommended water level and the call was made to schedule access through the private land at the put-in. Moments later we were joined by longtime friend Mike Tavares, who had driven up to meet us after getting off work in Salida. Mike and I went up for another quick lap on Clear Creek before joining the rest of the group for the first of many campfires, beers, and good times our visit to Colorado would include.

Paddling the South Platte through Cheesman Canyon was high on our “hit list” for our time in Colorado this summer. This section of river didn’t see boatable flows often and didn’t seem to get paddled that often when it did. However, several things we had heard about this section sounded particularly inviting to us. First, that the access issues of past with Sportsman’s Paradise, a private community at the put-in, had been resolved through an agreement set up by American Whitewater. Secondly, that the granite landscape was reminiscent of California, but with a much shorter drive.

We arrived outside the gate at Sportsman’s Paradise more than a half hour late, but the caretaker who met us was incredibly friendly and didn’t seem the least bit annoyed at our tardiness. He chatted and joked with us as we dressed out and loaded boats into his waiting truck. As we piled in and began the ride I couldn’t help but ponder this seemingly strange arrangement that allows access through the community of vacation homes and cabins lining the first couple miles of river. What at one point had been described as “the worst access situation in Colorado” was now the only place I’ve ever been where kayakers were treated to a personal shuttle courtesy of the formally hostile land owners (thanks American Whitewater!). This convenient arrangement cuts out a couple calm miles of river and allows access at the back gate of the Sportsman’s Paradise community. This is where the caretaker dropped us off and left us to slide into the river and point our boats downstream towards the canyon.

The river started off lazily between green grassy banks which soon gave way to rocks and boulders as the gradient began to pick up. The group quickly fell into that familiar pattern of scouting and problem solving that wilderness river running requires. After a few stout rapids and a the first portage we were making our way deeper into the canyon and realizing the water was significantly higher than pictures and video we had seen. Higher water sometimes has a way of “cleaning up” chunky rapids, but this wasn’t the case here. The water level wasn’t “cleaning up” anything, it was just making them run together with less places to stop or recover. Slow, but steady downstream progress continued with lots of scouting and a mixture of running rapids and portaging. Collectively only two of the named rapids went unrun, with Matt charging more rapids than anyone else.

We utilized the fisherman’s trail high on river left throughout the day for scouting and portaging, but had to keep reminding ourselves that our vantage point made everything look much smaller than it actually was. Once such example was when what looked like a stretch of boogie water from the trail turned out to contain one of the signature drops of the run. Slide for Life is perhaps the easiest of the named rapids, but drops at least fifteen feet, not generic “boogie water” by most people’s standards.

We worked our way through the remaining rapids after Slide for Life and the difficulty began to ease. Before long we found ourselves back on a meandering valley stream, looking much like it did at the put-in. The next challenge was to recognize the take out and Corral Creek trail that would lead us out of the valley. After a couple false stops we found what we were sure had to be it and we climbed up to the trail for a short break. Matt had volunteered to do the bike shuttle so we decided to completely empty the lightest boat for him to hike out. Carrying Joey’s Medium Burn, Matt took off, charging uphill while the rest of us divided up all of his gear. After a snack and some water we began our hike at a much slower pace with the assurance that there was no need to rush since the only thing at the top of the trail was a patch of dirt to sit and wait for the truck.

As we began to hike a thunderstorm moved in, then it moved out only to be replaced by heavy fog. The uphill trudge continued with each individual moving at their own pace and focused on their own progress. Matt was long gone before we began and after deciding to stash their gear and make two trips, Jordan and Joey were soon far ahead of me carrying empty boats. I continued making slow progress and resting when need be. As the fog began to clear, I finally reached a short downhill section of trail. At this point Joey, followed shortly by Jordan returned down the trial and informed me I was about a mile from the top. They headed back down to retrieve their gear and I continued pressing forward, reaching the top about the same time my legs started to cramp up.

I was glad to have stashed water at the trailhead that morning and as I rested and rehydrated I wondered how Matt was fairing on the bike ride. I wondered if he had to deal with the brunt of the thunderstorm while hiking or biking. It would be dark in less than an hour and it occurred to me that it was going to get quite cold, quite quickly for three wet boaters sitting around after dark. After resting a bit I began gathering twigs for a fire as the light began to dwindle. Just as darkness closed in Jordan and Joey arrived back with their gear and headlights toped a hill in the distance almost simultaneously. Matt had stomped out the hike and the ride and returned with the truck about an hour after I finished the hike, a stellar performance.

The truck arrived almost ten hours after we put on the river that morning. Ten hours of kayaking, scouting, portaging, hiking, biking and pushing forward to complete one of the major goals of the trip. It didn’t take long for our exhausted group to decide to camp right where we were and within an hour we were asleep, our Independence Day celebration complete. Day number two, Cheesman Canyon, check.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

June 2009 Update

2009-08-07T08:03:00.011-06:00

June of this year actually saw some quality rainfall across the southeast, a big change from the past few. After years of drought, this year seemed like quite a bit of rain and quite a few rivers running. Then again, at this point average would seem like a lot after what we’ve been through. I spent the month criss-crossing the southeast catching up with friends and paddling whatever presented itself, which turned out to be quite a bit.

My June consisted of a dozen days running doubles on the Green, 4 days on the Ocoee, 2 days on the Russell Fork, as well as one day trips to the Little River(TN), Watauga, Wilson Creek, Cheoah, Triple Falls(Dupont), Tellico, and Section IV of the Chattooga. It was a great time and I can't thank everyone enough for making it so. Also special thanks to Joey Jarrell for letting me crash at his place during all my time at the Green in June and July. Although I didn't spend much time shooting pictures or video in June, we did film a little North Carolina rock sledding one morning and spent a little more time filming on one of my favorite runs, the Russell Fork.

The Russell Fork is one of the most consistently runnable creeks in the Southeast, probably in the top 2 , perhaps even number 1. Although it seems many boaters only go to the Russell Fork during the October lake drawdown, the river is well above the minimum for most of the year. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the Russell Fork is only below 250 (what I consider the out-of-towner's minimum) for around 50-75 days a year. I'm sure locals would have a more accurate estimate, but the point is it runs a ton and sees little traffic.

Below is a PSA about lower (non release) levels on the Russell Fork, followed by some footage from Matt Wallace and I paddling there in June at a level of about 300 to 350 cfs... and then a little footage of some North Carolina rock sledding just for fun. Enjoy.

Russell Fork PSA and Rock Sledding from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

A Few Words On Life Decisions

2009-08-07T07:19:00.002-06:00

In the spring of 2008 I was faced with one of my life’s most interesting decisions. I had to choose between accepting an attractive job offer at a new organization or staying at the job I had known and loved for more than five years. Numerous predecessors before me had lasted between six months and two years in my position, but none longer. At over five years I could feel myself burning out. Long hours without enough time to recuperate led me to question the sustainability of such a schedule. However, I did like my job most of the time and found it to be fulfilling work.

The job I was being offered would have been an advancement professionally and a significant increase in annual salary and benefits, but it would likely mean just as long hours and perhaps even less time off. Ultimately a third option would be the path I eventually followed. A new agreement with my employer would restructure my contract into a ten month position. Similar to a school teacher’s contract I would get eight weeks off in the summer, but would retain my benefits all year. All and all it was the best possible outcome, a rare “win win” situation in a world that seems to lack them. My employer retained an employee they valued (me), the company saved money by not paying me for two months a year, and I kept a job I loved, but found a way to build in the downtime I needed.

I wonder if someday I will look back on my decision and regret not choosing the path of increased wealth and professional advancement. I turn thirty soon. How long can I continue to choose kayaking over planning for life outside kayaking? Will I ever retire with such an approach to decision making or will I be working until I fall into the grave. Will I always consider this decision to be the right one?

Having just returned from my eight weeks off work for the summer I feel reaffirmed once again in my decision to choose time and quality of life over money and professional advancement. I am relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to work hard at my job once again. A job that once felt was an unsustainable workload and schedule has become manageable and fun again. I am a happier person and better employee with my current contract and that is a “win win”.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Allen Creek Mission

2009-05-14T14:39:00.014-06:00

Below: Dave running a boof somewhere in the good stuff...

Winter and Spring in the southeast are an absolute joy for anyone who loves creeking. This year especially we have been blessed with repeated rains that have brought up the water levels in our creeks time and time again. There is something special about the urgent nature of rain-fed creeking that adds an extra component to these seasons that is somehow different than Summer and Fall when our paddling trips are more easily planned. Our trips to take advantage of western snowmelt are easy to plan, as are the dam released runs that carry us through the late summer and fall. However, when the rains come, especially the unexpected ones, information must be evaluated and decisions must be made quickly to maximize each rain event and catch the goods.

Below: Two shot sequence of Dave running some boulder gnar. Photo by Matt Wallace...

On a recent week in May, the “chance of thundershowers”, predicted to bring us up to an inch of rain, hammered down with three inches of rain just in time for the weekend. While the rest of the southeast was up early driving to Bear Creek in Georgia, Matt Wallace, Dave Levitt and I were on the opposite side of Lookout Mountain trying to find the elusive put-in for Allen Creek. Despite being so close to so many other popular runs, this rarely run creek still remains mostly obscure in the southeast paddling community.

Below: Matt walking and Dave scraping through the brush in the uppper watershed...

Unable to find the preferred trail that would have allowed us to put on just above the best section of the creek, we parked near the top of the watershed and began hiking downstream, bushwhacking through mountain laurel and greenbrier at every step. The creek was slowing getting larger as tributaries came in and eventually we began to paddle some sections as water levels and the numerous trees across the river would allow. After a couple hours of making our way downstream I had almost convinced myself we had been following a tributary of Allen Creek, but not Allen Creek itself. However, the creek was becoming more and more runnable, with slide sequences that were actually fun when we weren’t getting poked in the eye with overhanging branches.

Below: Dave runs one of many scrapy slide series in the upper watershed...

Below: Dave on one of the few bedrock rapids in the boulder garden section...

The slides got steeper and faster and suddenly Matt and Dave disappeared off the face of the earth and into the unknown ahead of me. I managed to catch a micro eddy on the slides leading into the blind drop and climbed out to make sure all was well. Upon reaching an outcropping of rock where I could see the whole drop, I saw Dave and Matt standing on the rocks at the bottom laughing and waving for me to join them.

Below: Dave finishing the last of the boulder garden rapids...

I’m not sure if their laughter and joy was because of how much fun the drop, “Asleep at the Wheel”, was or because they were glad to know we were on Allen Creek, but a turning point had been reached in the day. From then on the creek was fun and our smiles were permanent as we made our way downstream, past the confluence with Dougherty Creek and into the boulder garden section. Lots of boofs and surprisingly few strainers took us though the boulder gardens and on to the take-out where the miserable slog through the upper watershed was almost forgotten as we talked about how impressed we were with the quality of such an unpopular run.

Below: Matt in the boulder gardens...

You can see video from the few rapids we filmed on Allen Creek and a quick teaser from Fallingwater Creek which we ran the following day here.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Below: Matt testing his FNA Helmet...

kayak session

The Rio Verde

2009-04-20T09:37:00.003-06:00

Nearing the end of our third week in Mexico, our crew that once surged as strong as seven, was down to a mere three. Our second shuttle vehicle had also departed to head back north of the border so the three of us that remained were relegated to shuttling on Jordan’s single speed mountain bike.

By the end of our trip, our crew would ended up having completed 12 out of the 15 known runs on the 8 rivers in the watershed of the Rio Santa Maria. However, at the moment our shuttle situation seemed like it was going to destine us to spend the rest of our trip doing laps on the Cascadas Micos and El Salto sections of the Rio Valles. Perhaps we would muster up the will to abuse ourselves by biking the longer more challenging shuttles on the Rio Frio or Rio Minas Viejas, but their water levels were low, making those options even less likely. While the sections of the Rio Valles are very fun and a great consolation prize, all the highest quality runs in the area really require a second vehicle.

Just in time, two opportunities arose for us to get on two sections of the Rio Verde, one of the best rivers in the area. First, we were able to talk our friend Polo into taking a day of work to join us to run the First Canyon of the Rio Verde. We had an awesome run and were even able to find the alternate takeout at La Chaca which eliminates most of the flat water at the end of the run (a big thanks to Grant for the tip on the take-out!).

Upper Rio Verde from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

The previous day we had run into my friend George Marquez and his son Jaistemay on the Rio Valles. George is a doctor in Cuidad Valles and I first met him and his son Jaistemay in 2005 when they were just learning to kayak. I have seen them on each of my trips since and both have fallen in love with kayaking and progressed every year. Jaistemay especially has become a very solid creeker and he was hoping to get on something new. Jaistemay had been hoping to get to run the Second Canyon of the Rio Verde for quite some time. Two of their friends from Canada and one from Texas were with them and they all wanted to go three days later. They knew that we were familiar with the run and invited us to join them and George offered to come along and run shuttle (icing on the cake)!

The day arrived and they met us at our campsite early in the morning to begin the drive to the Rio Verde. Along the way and throughout the day as we got to know each other it occurred to me just how kayaking brings so many people together. Our backgrounds were as varied as possible, yet here we were enjoying each other’s company on a beautiful river in a remote section of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Our now combined crew now consisted of Jordan Sherman from Alabama, Leigh Knudsen from the D.C. area, George & Jaistemay from Valles Mexico, the two French Canadians Simon & Simon, Ralph from Texas, and myself (Adam Goshorn) from Virginia. What a crew!

As we geared up at the put-in Ralph began to tell us how he had recently been laid off from his job. With that development he had just decided to head to Mexico for the winter to do some raft guiding and live on the cheap. Today he would be paddling with a creekboat and gear he borrowed from George, which initially made me a little nervous (who doesn’t bring their creekboat with them to Mexico?), but once we were on the river it was clear that Ralph was an experienced paddler and would have no problems with the Rio Verde.

Simon and Simon were fire fighters in Canada and apparently very experienced, big water playboaters. They had a couple months off of work for the winter, so they bought creekboats and drove to Mexico to learn to creek (highly motivated!). Both skilled paddlers, this would be the second or third creek they had ever paddled and they were excited, to say the least.

Our crew had done this run previously on our trip and I had run it the previous year as well so the lines were fresh in our mind. Knowing what was ahead allowed us to move the group quickly through most of the run, only stopping to scout a couple of rapids and of course the main event, Puerta Del Salto.

Puerta Del Salto is a big drop of somewhere around 35-40 feet with an entrance rapid that involves punching a hole right at the lip of the drop. After scouting, Jordan, Ralph, Jone of the Simons, Jaistemay, and I all ran it. Simon and Jaistemay both broke their paddles, which persuaded the other Simon to join Leigh on the ‘throw and go’ portage.

After the big one we continued downstream with Simon using my breakdown paddle and Jaistemay making due with a stick inserted into the shaft of his paddle and some tape holding it together. Luckily the hardest part of the canyon was behind us and we finished out the run in about an hour to find George waiting for us at the take-out, where he invited all of us to his house for dessert that evening. Everyone accepted his invitation and later that evening met the rest of the Marquez family as we enjoyed dessert and reviewed the pictures and video from the day.

Middle Verde from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Chasing the Gray Fox

2009-03-23T19:18:00.011-06:00

Deep in the gorges of northern Alabama, one might catch a glimpse of a rarity that is unknown to most of the general public. Some residents of cities and towns throughout this region may occasionally see a flash out of the corner of their eye, but never know what it is that they saw. However, among the lucky and diligent few who choose to venture into the remote river canyons in the area, sightings are common and the Gray Fox is well known.

Recently I joined a group of young researches attempting to follow the elusive Alabama Gray Fox into the depths of the Jones Creek gorge. Jones creek flows west off of Sand Mountain in northern Alabama and cuts a deep and rugged canyon. We knew the journey wouldn’t be easy, but getting to observe the Gray Fox in its natural environment would be a special treat and surely help us to further our research.

The other researchers and I made every attempt to keep up with the Gray Fox as we were led us deeper and deeper into the gorge. By following the Gray Fox and watching it’s every move we hoped to gain a better understanding of its migration patterns through this and other river canyons. As we observed, we attempted to mimic its motions and follow its routes through the gorge. We hope that our research will help us (and the world) more fully understand why the Gray Fox makes such frequent journeys through such difficult terrain and how its passage is achieved so effortlessly.

After completing this most recent episode in our ongoing research of the Alabama Gray Fox, the research team has put forward the following hypothesis’ about the Gray Fox.

1.The Gray Fox undoubtedly prefers to inhabit steep river gorges and seems to find flat land unfavorable to it’s lifestyle.

2.The Gray Fox is physically well suited to it’s environment, nimble through rough terrain and able to move smoothly and deliberately regardless of the challenges ahead. It’s specially adapted reflexes and quick burst of speed enable it to proceed wherever it desires.

3.The Gray Fox has an abundant knowledge about the best route through each of the rugged river canyons in which we have been able to conduct observations*.

*We were unable to ascertain if this route finding knowledge is instinctual, passed on through generations, or if the Gray Fox simply remembers the routes from previous journeys.

Photos By Charlie Mix...

Below: One of only 2 existing photos of the Gray Fox in it's natural environment...

Below: Research team Photographer, Charlie Mix, tackles some of the steepest terrian in search of the Gray Fox...

Below: Research team Videographer (myself) hot on the trail of the Gray Fox...

Below: Research team Tracking Specialist, Ray Morton, deep in the gorge looking for signs of the Gray Fox...

Below: Reseach team Head Boofolgist, Andy Hobson, test his latest theory while seeking the wisdom of the Gray Fox...

Below is another rare photo of the Gray Fox, taken as it flees from the researchers...

Below: Compiled video from our latest attempt to study the Gray Fox...

Chasing the Gray Fox from Adam Goshorn on Vimeo.

Until Next Time…

-adam

kayak session

Large Karnali Review

2009-03-12T14:55:00.014-06:00

Boat Stats: Large Karnali
Length: 8’5”
Width: 26.2”
Volume: 80 gal
Weight: 48 lbs
Suggested Load Range: 176-287 lbs

My Stats:
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 260 lbs.
Inseam: 30”
Feet: size 12
Photos by Matt Wallace

When reading a review of a boat or other gear, I think it is as important to know some background on the reviewer as it is to know their physical stats or anything else. Though knowing a little of their background you can read their review in context, and take their opinion for what it is.

I started kayaking in 2001 and creeking in 2003. Having entered the sport after the introduction of edges and flatter hulls, the majority of the boats that I have owned have had simi-planing hulls, including most of the creekers. The boats that have spent the most time as my primary creeker since 2003 are… H2 255, H3 255, L-Burn, Everest (in that order). I have owned lots of other boats and tried out many more, but those are the ones that I liked enough to stick with them for longer periods of time. Perhaps it is because of my introduction to planing hulls early in my paddling progression or perhaps it is just my paddling style, but I have almost always preferred boats with an edge I can use for ferrying, staying on line, and snapping into and out of eddies.

Having a well developed bias towards boats with a harder edge and against softer edge designs, I was fairly skeptical of how the Karnali would jive with my preferences. After all, it has the softest chines of any boat Pyranha has designed in years. However, I do love to try out different boats and try to understand their design and performance differences. Also, a lot of folks had been asking my opinion of the Karnali so when I got one just after the New Year, I was committed to spending some quality time in it to be able to evaluate it accurately and develop an informed opinion.

At the time of this writing I have spent 16 days in the Large Karnali on a variety of runs ranging from steep, low volume creeks to higher volume rivers. The majority of my testing has been on Alabama’s Little River Canyon at levels from 200 CFS to 1200 CFS. For those of you not familiar with Little River Canyon, it is the premier class IV-V run in Alabama and its character varies greatly depending on the water level. At lower levels it is a super technical creek run while at higher levels the rapids become pushy and can develop stomping-big holes. Over the past two months a wide range of water levels have provided a great opportunity to test the Karnali out in a variety of situations.

One of the first things I noticed about the Karnali was it’s quick acceleration and great hull speed. Even though I am on the higher end of it’s weight range, with a few quick strokes I can be up to charging speed, and a fast charge it is. Despite being shorter and lower volume, I dare to say the Large Karnali is faster than my Everest. This is probably due to the fact that it seems to have less bow rocker than the Everest.

The Karnali also offers good primary stability and impressive secondary stability. Since the edge isn’t totally rounded out, the edge that remains is raised, with a transitional hull area below the edge and then it transitions again to the very bottom of the hull. On the bottom of the hull the designers maintained the simi-planing characteristics that were such a great success in the Burn and Everest. However, the simi-planing area on the bottom of the hull is narrower in relationship to the rest of the hull than it was on the Burn or Everest. The narrower planing surface and the way the chine transitions to the bottom create more of a “V” shape to the bow half of the hull. The result is a creeker/river runner that mows down small waves and holes alike a raceboat. The Karnali is surprisingly quick and nimble; zipping around and dipping in and out of river features with ease.

Pyranha has also made the Karnali very forgiving in a number of specific ways. The most obvious, of course, being the soft chines. For those who haven’t mastered edge control or for those who just prefer less of an edge, this soft chine design removes any sense of trippyness those paddlers may have felt in a Burn or Everest. Secondly, while the Burn and Everest are easy to roll, rolling the Karnali can only be described as effortless. I’m not sure how they made it even easier because it’s width is only a hair narrower, but however they did it, it is even easier. In addition, it doesn’t require as much aggressive driving as the Burn or Everest. You can be aggressive and drive it if you want, but it’s design also allows you to relax and be more of a floater when you wan to. In other words, it is much more forgiving when you let your guard down.

For paddlers who really like a hard edge on their boats, they may find this softened edge ‘too soft’ for their preferences. Luckily Pyranha already has great boats, the Burn and Everest, designed for those paddler’s preferences. Secondly, at my weight (260 lbs), this wouldn’t be an ideal boat for me to do multi-day, self-supported kayaking. There is plenty of space in the boat, but my weight, plus days worth of gear, food etc... I feel like I would probably be overloading it and by doing so, I would be sacrificing performance. I would love to see an XL Karnali sometime in the future.

Conclusions:
The Karnali really complements and helps complete the rest of the Pyranha line-up. Maybe Pyranha should consider changing their tag line from “By Enthusiast, For Enthusiast” to “Something For Everyone”, because they continue to listen to and design boats for every person and preference imaginable.

In the latest of their ever evolving designs, Pyranha has managed to maintain many of the best features of the successful Burn/Everest lineage, but redesigned for paddlers who want a soft, forgiving edge. The Karnali is stable, fast, and nimble; resurfaces predictably and rolls incredibly easily. It’s softer chine makes for a boat that will suit everyone from beginners to Class V junkies. Anyone who is looking for the forgivingness of a displacement hull and appreciates the advantages of a simi-planing hull will undoubtedly find the Karnali a joy to paddle.

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Low Water and High Spirits in Little River Canyon

2009-02-16T13:25:00.013-06:00

Still Photos by Anne Connelly

Low water levels have continued to prevail in north Alabama and much of the rest of the southeastern United States for over a month. Luckily we have received some rain, just as it seems like the rivers are going to drop too low to run, we managed to get just enough rain each week to get in our boats for the weekend. The levels haven’t been high by any means, but for those determined to go boating and those who enjoy tight, technical, creeking; we’ve been making the best of low water fun with boofs, spins, and splats all the way down the river.

As of this writing (2/12/09) the Little River through Little River Canyon in northeastern Alabama has been runnable every day since early December. Various levels on various days, but at least the middle section (Upper Two to Powell Trail) has remained at runable levels none-the-less. The great thing about the canyon is that it is very different and different levels… some rapids are better at low or high water, but every level brings out something different. The rapid “Terminal Eddy” get especially harder and more dangerous at lower levels.

The low levels have thinned out the crowd and for some reason really fostered a great vibe on the river every weekend lately. The slower pace and technical nature of the paddling leaves plenty of time for talking and enjoying each others company and the scenery in additon to the river itself as we make our way downstream. Good friends and good times keep us coming back, even when the rain isn’t all that we wish it would be.

Helmet Cam footage shot and edited by Adam Goshorn

Until Next Time…

-adam

kayak session

Video Update!

2008-09-04T12:40:00.004-06:00

Below is one of Ryan Moore's videos featureing Charlie Mix, Sam England, Andy Hobson, and myself on the Raven Fork in NC during the spirng of 2008...

The Raven Fork from r.moore on Vimeo.

Below is on of Ryan Moore's Videos of myself and lots of friends... all filmed in one day within 25 minutes of my house in Jan of 2008!

Alabama Huckfest from r.moore on Vimeo.

You can see Ryan Moore's newest video project "The Final Final" here: http://www.vimeo.com/thefinalfinal

Until Next Time...

-adam

Westward Bound!

2008-08-21T16:38:00.016-06:00

Departing Chattanooga, Tennessee at 6:30 PM, Matt Wallace, Ben Davis, and I drove through the night, arriving in Salida, Colorado the following afternoon. Our arrival landed us right in the middle of FIBArk, arguably one of the best river festivals in the west. After about less than an hour of greeting friends and watching some of freestyle’s best throwing down in the play hole, we realized that after driving all the way to Colorado we were sitting around watching other people kayak. This realization was unsatisfactory to all of us so we hightailed it back to the truck as quickly as we could. After a short drive north we arrived at Clear Creek of the Arkansas with just enough daylight to get in a couple of runs before dark. There is nothing more perfect to shake off twenty two hours of driving than freezing cold water and three miles of fast nonstop action. We spent our first night in Colorado camped at the take-out for Clear Creek, under a perfectly clear sky, with highest of expectations for the trip to come.

Months prior to our departure, the main objectives for our June trip were mainly focused on doing as many overnighters as we could in a few weeks of bouncing between Colorado classics. After all, we were hoping this trip would be good training for many more overnighters we would hopefully be undertaking in California in 2009. High on our list were the Upper Animas/Needle Creek combo, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and hopefully Los Pinos as our finale. However, as our departure date neared the record snowpack was delivering high flows around the state; knocking the Gunnison off the list before we even got started and the status of our other plans were immediately up in the air as well.

After departing Clear Creek, we were enjoying ourselves as we camped and boated our way into the Crested Butte area, when things took an unexpectedly negative turn for one member of our group. We had been enjoying the classic runs of Oh Be Joyful, Daisy Creek, and the Slate River for a few days when Ben dislocated his shoulder during a high water run down Oh Be Joyful. Somehow he managed to roll up with one functioning arm and catch an eddy, but found himself walled in on the wrong side of the river. After a couple of minutes I was able to reduce his dislocation, but his arm was still useless and we were still on the wrong side of the river. Eventually, Matt and I were able to rope him and his gear back across the river safely, although not without a few tense moments as he crossed in swift current between class IV rapids.

With Ben indefinitely on the injured list we retreated to Salida for a couple days of playboating in the hole, high water on the Numbers, and trying to figure out what would be next for our group. Luckily for Ben, he was able to find a cheap flight back to Tennessee and a ride to the airport with a friend as well. Unluckily for Matt and me, our solid group of three was down to two and our plan to convince some of our friends in the area to join us for some self supported adventures were also unsuccessful. We needed a new plan and after a few beers that night decided to try to focus on short steep sections that were either “park and huck” or were short enough for us to walk the shuttle. Either way we would get a solid dose of verticality, even though it was clear we would not get to fulfill our goal of doing some self-support trips.

We headed out the following morning, meeting up with Boyd Ruppelt and Samantha Brunner we spent the rest of our trip getting shut down on a roughly equal amount of rivers as we actually got to paddle. The road to the South Fork of the Crystal was still snowed in; the road to the North Fork of the Crystal was washed out by high water; the main Crystal was just plain HUGE; the “Tunnel of Love” on Wolf Creek was blocked by wood; the road to East Fork of the San Juan was closed 12 miles away from the river; and the Cascade Creek Slot was flooded and full of wood. However, we did manage to get on North Fork of the South Arkansas, Oh Be Joyful, Slate, Daisy, Ice Lake Creek, South Mineral, La Plata, South Fork of the Rio Grande, and finished up back at Clear Creek of the Arkansas on the “high side of good”, about 100 CFS above the recommended maximum level.

Our trip was anything but what we expected as we crossed the country in an attempt to escape the drought in the southeast. We did not meet out goals of doing Colorado’s major overnighters; in fact we didn’t do a single self-support trip. However, we did run some classic and not so classic whitewater that was as high quality as anyone could ask for. Along the way we dealt with the biggest challenge with any trip like this… the unknown. As we drove back towards the east and into another dry southeastern summer, it was with no regrets.

You can check out video from our trip here...

Until Next Time...

-adam

kayak session

Mexico 2007 Revisited

2008-04-09T17:35:00.005-06:00

Photo by Boyd Ruppelt

In November of 2007 Joey Jarrell, Kim Rudge and myself (Adam Goshorn) joined up in Birmingham Alabama to depart for the 24 hour drive south to Valles Mexico. We arrived 27 hours later and spent the next couple of weeks paddling several classic and several not-so-classic rivers in the the region.

During the middle of our stay we were joined by Drew Armstrong and Boyd Ruppelt who flew into the coastal city of Tampico, rented the lowest clearence vehicle possiblly available and joined us for 5 days of bottoming out thier car on the roads of SLP, and paddling along the way.

It was my third winter visiting the region to paddle, but 2007 brought the most paddling days, several lesser known runs, and the best water levels yet. During our stay we paddled various sections of the Rio Valles (Micos and Salto Sections), Rio Tamasopo (Cascada de Puente de Dios), Rio Minas Viejas, Rio Frio, Rio Verde (second canyon), and the Rio Santa Maria(3rd, 4th, and 5th canyons). Below is some of the footage from our travels, enjoy...

Until Next Time...

-adam

The bama boys roll north to the ultra classic "Crow Creek"... no, no... lets call it "Black Bird Branch"...

2008-03-24T14:31:00.022-06:00

It's been way too long since I've taken time to update my blog, but all the great water we've had in Alabama has had me spending my time boating rather than sitting in front of a computer writing about boating. However, I'm feeling inspired after a great weekend of boating and am feeling the urge to share once again.

Saturday I paddled a run defines all the reasons I started creeking in the first place. It is in a bueatiful, rugged, and committing gorge and the creek itself is steep, challenging, and ultimatly rewarding for those who are lucky enough to have the oppertunity to experience it.

Charlie Mix, Joey Jarrell and I rolled out of Alabama Thrusday night, paddled Big Creek on Friday, and met up with a few other bama boys to camp out Friday night. Sam England, Jorday Sherman and Andy Hobson, were finishing a weeklong huckfest in western North Carolina and around the campfire Friday night it didn't take too much convincing to get them to return with us on Saturday to our main objective for the weekend, the Raven Fork.

Saturday morning started early with us packing up our campsite in the national forest just after sunrise. After grabbing a quick bite to eat we were off to Cherokee North Carolina to meet up with Ryan Moore and check the gauge on the Raven Fork. We had heard through the grapevine that the perfect first time level was betwen 6" and 9" and upon reaching the river Saturday morning we found the perfect 7" we were hoping for.

While Sam and Andy had paddled this creek once before, Charlie, Jordan, Joey and Myself would all be first timers. Upon reaching the river, Jordan, Joey, and Ryan made the decision to save the boating for another day and hike to provide camera support. With our paddling group down to four, we geared up and began the hike in...

We hiked into the gorge, putting on the river at the top of a fun warm-up rapid known as Lord of the Rings. Below that we made our first portage of the day as all four of us passed on Anaconda, seal launching in below it to run the first bigger rapid of the day... Headless Horseman...

Here are shots of Andy and I running another rapid known as Right Right...

The next bigger drop was Razorback which features a fun railslide into a long bouncy slide...

Downstream came another easier rapid known as Jedi Training...

Mortal Combat is another big slide sequence with a big kicker boof near the top...

The biggest rapid of the day and perhaps one of the biggest rapids any of us have ever run is Mike Tyson's Punch Out. This HUGE multi-tiered cascade is impossible to capture in pictures and video because its simply massive...

The last of the big ones we ran was Caveman. This features a series of ledge drops finishing with a SWEET boof off the left wall...

Until Saturday I have never had a standout run that I could point to as my "favorite". There are lots of runs that I love for various reasons. The Raven Fork is truely a special and amazing place... and at least for now, its my favorite place on earth!

Until Next Time...

-adam

Thank you Charlie Mix!

2008-01-04T09:29:00.000-06:00

This post must begin with a big thanks to Charlie Mix for flying to Europe for the Holidays. His absence, conbined with the great distance he was from Alabama surely helped bring much needed rain to our beloved Little River Canyon. For those of you who haven't figured out this great indacator, the general rule seems to be if Charlie or I are out of town... Alabama goes off. Now that I have made this fact public... if we ever go out of town at the same time you will know to load the boats and start acting sick at work because its about to start raining in Alabama.

Last weekend I was actually out of town too, but not too far away to drive back for what would be a great weekend on LRC. Joey and I had done a low water Russell Fork run on Wednesday and then the Green on Thursday when an "Operational Schedule was Determined Daily" against us and said 60% for Friday through Sunday, effectively ending our plans. We both headed back to our family homes in VA only to hear that AL was getting hammered on top of a good rain they received earlier in the week. My love of LRC and Johnnies pulled hard on my mind and I quickly reloaded the truck and drove late in the night. After 5 hours of sleep at Brandon's place in Knoxville (thank's man) I finished the drive arriving at the Johnnies at 9:30 eastern.

Although Johnnies had run Friday in the late afternoon, it was already too low so it was off to meet Spence and set shuttle for the main canyon. I was expecting 4-5", but we rolled up to the bridge to find a good crew of boaters dressing out and the Rt 35 Bridge Gauge just over 10". It was on! I quickly dressed out and offered to go first so I could get some pictures from the bottom of the falls. I felt good about my line and kept a dry head as I hurried into position at the bottom of the falls.

Below are some of the better shots from the falls....

Next up, Mark Travis...

Charlie Simmons...

Andy boofed the hell out of the first drop and cleaned it with a nice vert line at the bottom....

Mark checking out the bottom of the falls...

After all the big smiles of the falls we headed downstream with a big crew of 7. Here is Mark at Mammoth Rock...

Andy catching a breath at the top holes entering mammoth...

After a great run on Suicide and Upper Two I drove back to the top to find the water had dropped to 8" and Chuck was getting ready for his first run on the falls. I jogged down to the falls with my boat and passed my camera off to Andy as I joined Chuck in the water. While many folks run the falls down to 6"... Saturday evening's 8" was actually the lowest I had ever run the falls... and for the first time I scraped some off the first lip causing me to get more verticle than planned and bang the front of my Everest on the shelf upon landing. It just goes to show what I ahve always known... this drop is much safer at 10" and up.

Chuck went right after me and had a great line...

Until Next Time...
-adam

Pyranha Everest Review

2007-12-06T09:06:00.000-06:00

A week prior to my departure for this year's Mexico trip Alabama Small Boats got Pyranha to rush me an Everest just in time to do a little work on the Outfitting prior to my departure. After spending a couple of weeks enjoying it on the rivers of Mexico and am very happy with it my new primary creeker. I thought I'd put together a little video with footage from our Mexico trip and talk a little bit about the differences between the Everest and the Large Burn.

Note: In the video I say the L-Burn is 8'4" and the Everest is 8'7", but Pyranha's specs actually list the L-Burn at 8'3" and the Everest at 8'6"... oops. The point is that the difference is 3".

Until Next Time...

-adam

Russell Fork Photo Dump

2007-12-05T10:19:00.000-06:00

I have been planning to run the Russell Fork for quite a while, but year after year it just didn't happen. The main reason is that October is the time of year when water has returned to rivers of Alabama and we can finally stop driving hours every weekend to boat. At least that was the case until this year. With the drought continuing to slam the southeast I finally got up to the VA/KY border to enjoy the fall release on the Russell Fork. I spent most of the weekend behind the lens, but above is the one picture of me taken that weekend by Brandon Hughett at Climax.

Below is probally my favortie picture of the weekend. This shot of Tera at the put-in on Sunday turned out way better than I was expecting...

Here's brandon at the same...

Brandon dropping into the second drop at Triple Drop...

Joey showing off with a sweet back loop at Triple Drop...

Tera running the far left boof slot on Triple Drop...

Boaters enjoying the scenery in the gorge below Triple Drop...

Geoff hitting a sweet boof stroke at El Ho...

Joey at the same...

Here's a 3 shot sequence of Todd running El Ho, shot from above...

The myth, the legend; "Headband Man" sheaking El Ho...

Todd at El Ho after hiking up for several runs...

Joey boofing at Climax...

Here's Tera at the same...

I can't beleive that I waited so long to get on this great river. Now that I have I know I'll be back in the future. Hopefully I can time my future runs to allow for better lighting in the gorge and therefore better pics. Great river, scheduled releases, camping at the take-out, welcoming town, friendly rangers... who could ask for more.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Choeah Race 2007!

2007-09-13T13:44:00.000-06:00

Words By Adam Goshorn; Photos By Shannon MacMichael

The Cheoah river remained dewatered for 77 as a victim of a hydroelectric project, but in September of 2005 first every recreational releases were restored. Through the efforts of American Whitewater and countless volunteers, future releases for recreation and eco-restoration were secured during the relicensing process that is required of all privately owned dams. Since the first recreation release the river has been an instant hit within the paddling community with hundreds showing up for most of the weekend releases.

September 2006 saw another first for the Cheoah river... 20 plus boaters racing down the final 1.5 miles of river to Calderwood Reservoir. This final and most difficult section of river sports contineuous Class IV rapids presenting a great opportunity for paddlers with the competitive urge.

Throughout the afternoon of September 1st competitors greeted each other with nods and smiles as they saw each other on their practice runs.

Here are a few shots from a couple of my practice runs on Bear Creek Falls...

At 4:00 PM competitors gathered at the forest service bridge which would serve as the starting point for the 1.5 mile race. This unofficial, loosely organized event was the product of discussions just days earlier on boatertalk.com, a popular online forum. Despite its last minute and unofficial nature, the first ever Cheoah Race had a great field of races in a wide spectrum of boats. Fighting through the overgrown vines, paddlers lined up from shortest to longest boat to prepare for the start of the race...

Once everyone was in position Shannon gave the paddle drop to get us started and it was on...

I found the race to be extremely fun and exactly the style of race I was hoping for. I felt like a got off to a good start, but a few bad choices really slowed me down. I picked a few alternate lines that I thought would get me out of the pack and allow me to pass, but in reality slowed me down. Honestly, I wasn't too fresh either. I was going on about 5 hours sleep the night before and I paddled the Ocoee and two practice laps on Cheoah before the race. After a strong start I kinda ran out of steam as I approached Tapaco Lodge was passed by several competitors between there and the finish line.

I finished a good 3/4 of the way back in the pack, but here are the Top 5 finishers as they were recounted after the race...

1. Chris Gragtmans (Dagger Tank)
2. Chris Hipgrave (Perception Wavehopper)
3. Chan Jones (Prijon Tornado)
4. Adam Herzog (Prijon T-Canyon)
5. Shane Benedict (Liquid Logic Pisgah)

Another notable finish was Joe Barkley (LL Jefe) who finished 8th overall, but was by far the fastest of the short boats, finishing well ahead of may long boats as well.

All in all the first Cheoah race was a success and lots of fun, I hope to see more races like that one (there and elsewhere) in the future. Thanks to everyone who came out to race. Also a big thanks to Shannon MacMichael for starting the show and snapping pics and to Joey Jarrell for being the finish line.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Hollywood Outdoorsman....

2007-09-10T09:44:00.000-06:00

Star of the big and small screen, Luke Wilson, learns to kayak....

Until Next Time,

-adam

Athlete Profiles Presents....

2007-08-29T09:45:00.000-06:00

Until Next Time...

-adam

The Truth About Carnage

2007-08-24T08:08:00.000-06:00

I compiled various video clips from the last 4 years to create a video of everyone's favorite thing to watch... CARNAGE!

Until Next Time...

-adam

Bama Boys roll to North Carolina

2007-08-13T13:18:00.000-06:00

It had been a whole 5 days of not boating after my last 4 day roadtrip to the Upper Yough and the Green... so I decided it was time to hit the road again. It took about 3 seconds to convince Charlie Mix to join me for a trip the NC to catch the Green. We departed Friday night and drove about halfway in the dark before crashing for the night. Saturday morning arrived and we met Ryan at Fishtop to set shuttle and hit the river. Although I spent my weekend behind the lens, above is a nice shot Charlie took of me taking the boof route at Groove Tube on Sunday.

The weekend turned out unique for me because I did my lowest run on the green ever (~5.5") on Saturday followed by my highest run to date on Sunday at ~15".

Enough talk, time for some pictures. Enjoy...

The next two shots are of the top secret new creeker prototype that Liquid Logic is trying to keep under wraps.... The Session.

Camping over 30 minutes away near Looking Glass Falls we had hardly any rain, but to our suprize we arrived at Fishtop Sunday to a parking lot of giddy boaters and lots of brown water coming down the Green. After a little talk we loaded up to head up to Big Hungry to put-on and then continue down for some 200% Green action.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Mexico 2006: SLP Tour

2007-07-21T10:07:00.000-06:00

After our low water trip in December of 2005 (see previous video) John Eskew and I were eager to return to Mexico at a time when we would have better water levels. In November 2006 we were joined by Shannon MacMichael and Dustin Bunch for a trip around the Thanksgiving holiday. Blessed with favorable water levels and our previous knowledge of the area's logistics we enjoyed a great (and relaxed) week of paddling in the region.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Mexico Flashback from 2005

2007-07-19T08:39:00.000-06:00

As I am begin to prepare for a third winter venture to Mexico, I dug up some footage from my first trip when I headed down with John back in 2005. We didn't know much about where to go or what to do (and sure as hell didn't speak spanish), but had a lot of fun despite the low water. Here's some video from that trip I threw together (late last night) with a highly strange combo of music and some carnage for your enjoyment...

Despite the low water John and I spend a fun couple of weeks exploring the region and were able to utlitize everything we learned about the area for our return trip with better water in 2006 (stay tuned for video of that trip).

Until Next Time...

-adam

East Fork Micro Creeking

2007-07-14T07:25:00.000-06:00

Back in the fall of 2006 Brandon and I did what was likely the first descent of a fun little micro creek in VA, East Fork of Elk Creek. We did it the morning of the day of our first attempt on Saint Mary's River (an attempt that resulted in being flooded out of the Saint Mary's gorge). With plenty of dry weather lately I finally got around to putting together a little video from this tiny creek.

East Fork of Elk Creek rarely has water, but when it does it is fast and fun despite its lack of more challenging drops. Really it would be a great creek for lower intermediate paddlers to get a taste of non-stop boogie water for 2 miles. The main danger on the East Fork is wood, a badly placed tree could be very bad on this small stream with few eddys.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Burn Outfitting 101

2007-07-14T07:10:00.000-06:00

I've been getting alot of complements on my outfitting over the years and that usually leads to request for advice on getting the right fit. I finally decided to try to put together a little vid of me outfitting my Burn.

There are a couple of things I do that are not included in the video. The first is to use stronger cord to attach the ratchet peice to the rest of the backband (the stock one is kinda weak). I always do this, but failed to video it. The other is that I usually add an aditional screw in the thigh braces through the top of the cockpit rim. I do this because I'm a big guy I feel the need to reinforce them, but I didn't include it in the vid because I think most folks have no need for such reinforcement.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Chasing water and searching for First D's in VA

2007-03-05T06:51:00.000-06:00

Saint Mary's Wilderness Area is almost the entire watershed of the Saint Mary's River which drains the western slope of the Blue Ridge Parkway north of is junction with Rt 56 in central VA. This watershed is just over the ridge and slightly north of the VA ultra-classic forks of the Tye. As a native of VA I have had the Saint Mary's drainage marked on my topo map for years as a possible First Descent, but it wasn't until more recently I really started pursuing it. In winter of 2004 Shannon and I hiked up the river to Saint Mary's Falls from the parking area at the bottom of the valley. What we saw was a some of low angle slides, a few boulder gardens, and the falls itself which looked sketchy at best.

After our first scouting mission it was clear to me that hiking up from the bottom was not an option. The gorge is extremely rugged and the rough trail crosses the river multiple times which would not be possible at the water levels required for a run. If Saint Mary's River was going to be run it would have to be a hike-in to the upper watershed, likely from the Blue Ridge Parkway. After getting some rough directions to a unmarked turn off the parkway from Mike, Shannon and I returned in August of 2006 for another scouting mission. We found the parking spot on the parkway and hiked about 2 miles down Mine Bank Trail into Saint Mary's River arriving about 2 miles above the falls. Then we hiked downstream to the falls scouting and taking photos along the way. After this scout we not only knew that we could access the river by hiking off the parkway, but also that the gorge above the falls contained some good looking ledges and boulder gardens that would make the run worthwhile. Here is Saint Mary's Falls from our August 2006 scouting trip. Its hard to see the scale in this pic, but it's about 16 feet tall and the landing is not so friendly.

The next chapter in the saga of my pursuit of Saint Mary's takes place in September 2006. As VA was pounded by heavy rains Brandon and I drove late into the night arriving at my parents house after 2:00 AM. After a few hours sleep we began what would turn out to be an epic day. We made a quick First D of East Fork of Elk Creek in the morning and then headed to Saint Mary's. We began the hike in about 1:00 PM as the Tye River gauge was spiking towards biblical levels. Upon arriving at the river found it to be a swift torrent with continuous rapids and only a few eddys in the trees. This level was much higher than we expected and we hadn't even reached the gorge where the river narrows as it squeezes between the sandstone walls. After avoiding several dangerous trees we made are way towards the gorge as the gradient and difficulty continued to pick up. Upon reaching entrance to the gorge we found a walled in log flume with river wide holes sporting 10 foot wide backwashes. The epic portaging began and we ran very few rapids until we passed Saint Mary's Falls where we put back on and began paddling downstream again. However, we were soon in trouble as Brandon missed a eddy and began getting worked in the riverwide hole that followed. As he exited his boat I franticly peeled out to give chase as he washed out of sight around the bend down continuous, pushy, and walled in rapids. As paddled hard trying to catch up I knew that a riverwide log could end things for both of us, but to do anything else would be to leave Brandon to fend for himself which was not an option. As Brandon disappeared into a steep riverwide hole in front of me I launched a huge boof off the river left wall and as I landed he resurfaced 20 feet downstream. Luckily a recirculating eddy allowed us to be stop and get out. We hike 1/4 mile downstream to recover Brandon's boat and decided with nightfall approaching to hike downstream as fast as we could using our boats to cross the river as needed. Just as it was getting too dark to see my own feet we emerged from the trail into the parking lot.

Since we were flooded out of the gorge in September Brandon and I have often talked about returning to complete the descent and this weekend we finally got our chance. Dustin Bunch and I drove all morning Friday hoping to attempt another first in the Saint Mary's Drainage, Mine Bank Creek. During our September attempt Brandon and I have hiked past a raging Mine Bank Creek on our way to into Saint Mary's River. With gauges in the region just peaking Friday morning I was hoping Dustin and I could make our way down Mine Bank, run what we could, and leave our boats at the confluence with Saint Mary's. This would allow us to hike back in Saturday morning and be nice and fresh for a descent of Saint Mary's River. Unfortunately by the time we reached the creek it was already too low. We ran a few slides, but decided to hike our boats in and leave them for the next day anyway.

Saturday morning we met up with Brandon Hughett and John Howard, set shuttle and proceeded to begin the hike.

We reached the confluence of Mine Bank Creek and Saint Mary's River just after noon and found the water had dropped dramatically. The flow was going to be minimal, but we were there, committed, and just happy to be putting back on this beautiful river.

We worked our way downstream through countless low angle slides and boulder gardens. Soon the walls tightened up a bit and we reached the 4 foot ledge that signals the beginning of the gorge. A tree in the pool on the left necessitated a boof off the shallower right side.

Just downstream of Entrance Ledge is a sweet 10 foot drop I couldn't resist naming "Finder's Keepers"

As we continued downstream we found a few boulder drops and a few slides. Here's one we're calling "You First" since at our limited flow it involved sliding down under a boulder and landing beside an undercut wall. At higher water easier lines on the left should open up, but I probed it anyway.

Here is Brandon on a slide somewhere in the gorge.

Here's Brandon testing his new video camera.

Here's Dustin in one of the many boulder rapids. These were really fun on our first attempt, but many were kinda scrapy on this time around.

John finishing the slide that is 20 yards upstream of Saint Mary's Falls.

Soon we arrived at the main event... Saint Mary's Falls. After some scouting I decided it would go on the left side even though it involved taking a hit on the shelf.

The bounce sent me over the handlebars and onto a shallow shelf floundering around and ultimately coming out of my boat.

I couldn't stand to let the first and only descent of Saint Mary's Falls end with me out of my boat so I hiked my back up for another attempt.

This time I angled a few degrees further right, I pitched onto my side, but stayed in my boat and paddled away.

Other highlights from this tale include: Brandon leaving Knoxville at 4:00 AM for the run and then returning that night... The Blue Ridge Parkway being closed for non existant snow requiring finding alternate parkway access... and John admitting part way into the hike that he had not been to sleep or eaten since the night before.

All and all this was a very special run in a very remote and rugged place. Having seen it at extremely high water and now at low water we can hopefully dial in the required levels so others can experience it as well. All told we hiked 2+ miles, paddled 4+ miles, portaged at least 5 trees, and all the drops were run.

Until Next Time...

-adam

New Camera + 0.7" of Rain = New LRC Pics!

2007-02-28T08:20:00.000-06:00

Well I finally bit the bullet and invested in a digital camera. When it began to rain Saturday night after a month of dry weather I was almost as exceited to get to use my camera as I was about the rising water. Since it was just the two of us, Joey got to be my subjet all day as we paddled Little River Canyon from the Suicide section down to Powell Trail. He was very understanding as I continued to ask him to let me hop out and get a picture of various things all day... starting as we put on at -2".

In addition to the classics I also wanted to get some pictures of the lesser known rapids in the canyon. This series of ledges is just after the put-in.

After the ledge series comes the first more constricted drop, commonly called "Are You Ready?"

After another small ledge series comes a riverwide 6 footer, Blue Hole. Here Joey boofs off the river left side which is the only route at lower levels.

Around the bend from Blue Hole is Mammoth Rock which is the bigest rapid on the canyon that you never hear about or see pictures of... at least I hadn't heard of it until my first trip down Suicide.

Just past the pool after Mammoth comes Terminal Eddy, a tight line near some real hazards at lower levels. Its amazing how easier and less dangerous this rapid becomes at higher water.

Between Avalanche and Cable Falls are some fun rapids including this one commonly called "The Mushroom Boof".

The (low water) line at Cable Falls is one of the coolest and most unique lines in LRC. Here is Joey on the first drop as seen from above.

Here is a sequence of Joey on the main drop of Pinball, the classic LRC rapid.

After Pinball we stopped less, but I did hop out to take this pic of Humpty Dumpty from downstream.

From Humpty to Powell Trail we just enjoyed the river only stoping once for this pic of an unnamed boof part way down Upper Two.

And that concludes my first day with the new camera. I'm looking forward to learning to use it, trying out new angles, and to getting a good zoom lens soon. Looks like more rain on the way for this weekend so hopefully I'll get the chance.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Desperate times call for desperate measures...

2007-02-19T16:03:00.000-06:00

Low water continues to prevail in north AL as well as the rest of the Southeast, but again this weekend we managed to find a little and get in our boats. My family was visiting, but it was my birthday weekend and I was determined to get some boating in. Friday my parents, Shannon and I drove over to Sand Mountian mid morning as the temp hovered at 31 degrees to run the Mill Slide on Town Creek and then to make a detailed scout of High Falls for a future huck. Town Creek was running a wopping 103 CFS, but the slide was still fun and we ran it over; enjoying speeding down its 150' length and off the 3' kicker at the end. I was enjoying being in a short playboat and often found myself able to over boof it and land stern first. It really made me look forward to the release of the Large Ammo so I can have a super short and playful creeker.

We were all smiles, despite the cold, at getting out and enjoying some boating no mater how breif.

After departing the Mill Slide we drove down to the regular Town Creek put-in to scout the massive 35' tall High Falls. In this picture you can see all three of the lines on this drop... the more verticle line is on the left, the middle line is barely wet at this level, and the cascade line is on the right.

For anyone who has never been to High Falls the most unique feature is the huge stone arch in front of the river right side of the falls. Here are some pics from the river right lip.

Saturday Joey and I headed down the middle section of LRC at the lowest level we have ever done it and I won't do it again. The bridge gauge was reading about -9.5" and we put on at Upper Two and paddled down to Powell Trail in playboats. Having found it fairly fun and runnable the previous week at -8.5" we couldn't beleive the difference and how much lower the water actually felt. The previous weekend we had found runnable channels, fun boofs, splats, and even some holes for spins and cartwheels, but not this weekend. Anyway, at least we know and I've finally established my personal minimum level for every section of LRC: Powell to Canyon Mouth down to 3", Suicide down to -5", and Upper Two to Powell down to -8.5". Good to go.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Johnnies Creek "Pick Up and Throw Down" a success!

2007-02-01T16:33:00.000-06:00

Anyone who has paddled Johnnies Creek(or any AL creek) knows how trashed the put-in has been in the past. This has always been a real shame because Johnnies is a fun and beautiful run that has been tainted by the thoughtless acts of a few locals. In fact, the situation was so bad that last winter one boater slipped near the put in and was badly cut by a broken beer bottle. However, the run itself is certainly the inspiration for the clean up, so here is a picture of Dustin Bunch enjoying the falls at the put in. After an extremely dry summer the falls looked quite different on this day.
On a warm Friday evening in mid September a boaters and non boaters alike met at the put-in. Unfortunately I didn't realize that I had picked one of the worst possible days for the event. It was the same evening as a HCC cookout, during Gauley release season, and the same weekend as a big freestyle event at Rock Island. These combination of factors ruled out many would be participants, but we decided to go ahead none-the-less.

The small, but cheerful group meet at 5:00 pm Friday afternoon and spent the next couple of hours bagging trash from the parking area and both sides of the falls at the put-in. The turn out was light, but so was the mood and a good time was had by all.

Once we finished combing the area for trash we headed back to Mentone to grill some burgers, relax around the campfire, and tip back a few (too many) beers. A big thanks to Alabama Small Boats (http://www.alabamasmallboats.com) and everyone involved! I promise to pick a better weekend next year so more folks can attend.

Until Next Time...

-adam

Playing vs Creeking and the State of Flow.

2007-01-26T08:52:00.000-06:00

When Creeking or Riverruning the purpose of mastering the moves required for any given rapid or drop is to further downstream progress, a means of travel. The drive to progress at creeking and riverrunning comes mostly from the desire to run new rivers. In general the steeper and more challenging the river the more beautiful and rewarding going there becomes. As skills expand so does the number of places that can be accessed and experienced though kayaking. This means of travel and the experiences it allows become the justification and motivation for training.

When playboating a trick is it’s own justification. The mastery of a specific Freestyle trick has little other specific purpose except to perform the trick itself. However, the mastery of the body and boat control needed to perform advanced Freestyle tricks is certainly beneficial to other realms of whitewater paddling. That is why dedicated Creekers and Riverrunners view freestyle as a way in which to train, when challenging downstream paddling opportunities are not available. Mastering Freestyle tricks just to do the trick itself is not their only motive.

Another large part of paddling, downriver and freestyle, is the celebration of the mastery of a skill with fellow paddlers. The props paddlers give each other upon landing a new trick or nailing a hard line come from a shared knowledge of the difficulty of whatever accomplishment has just been made. It is not for mere self-glorification that paddlers look to each other after a challenging situation has been completed. Weather at the bottom of a drop or after landing a huge trick, paddlers want to make sure our friends saw what just happened (and hopefully caught it on film) so they can share the experience with others who also hold it at a high a value.

The similarities between motives that drive creekers and playboaters are centered in the challenges involved. Not the unique and differing challenges of an individual trick or hard rapid, but the meeting of our skills with a comparable challenge. Challenging ourselves at a level in proportion to our skill level creates the rewarding experiences that drive us. Feelings of euphoria and accomplishment follow moments of absolute focus and clarity. In the midst of a challenge, at the height of testing our skills against the challenge, a whitewater paddler’s addiction is fed. While this experience of altered consciousness has undoubtedly been around for all of human history, it wasn’t until a few decades ago that it began to be studied by psychologist.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi conducted thousands of interviews in the early 1970’s where people described a common experience derived from activities that matched their skill levels with similar levels of demanded performance in a verity of activities. Athletes, musicians, chess players, and surgeons all reported a similar state of altered consciousness while excelling in their field of expertise Subsequently, subjects reported a greater interest in these activities because of the resulting pleasure and focus experienced during the state of altered consciousness.

Csikszentmihalyi deemed this altered state "flow" and defined it as an "optimal state of experience is one in which there is order in consciousness. This happens when psychic energy, or attention, is invested in realistic goals, and when skills match the opportunity for action." Flow "provides a sense of discovery, a creative feeling of transporting a person into a new reality. It pushes a person to higher levels of performance, and leads to previously undreamed of states of consciousness. In this growth of self lies the key flow activities." "Potentially negative experiences can be transformed into flow by 1) setting clear goals to strive toward, 2) becoming immersed in the activity chosen, 3) paying attention to what is happening, and 4) learning to enjoy immediate experiences."

My non-scientific observations find the experience of Flow seems more elusive outside the outdoor community and most common among whitewater paddlers. These observations are linked to a factor that has not yet been studied (as far as I know) by psychologist, the connection between an activity’s interaction with the natural world and the ease at which participants achieve the state of Flow.

We go out in search of this perfect state of Flow. These moments of bliss light a fire within us to seek them again and again, whatever the cost. We abandon obligations to friends, family, and careers in favor of promising water levels. We try in vain to explain to others the amazing joy we have found, but outside the paddling community our explanations fall mostly on deaf ears. Like explaining colors to someone who has been blind since birth, they have no frame of reference or starting point at which we can begin to explain or elaborate.

Eventually most peoples bodies rebel against the abusive nature of the sport and abilities begin to decline. As moments of Flow become fewer and further apart the rest of life begins to creep back in. Finally paying attention to the jobs, family, and non-paddling friends that have been ignored during the quest. The ebbing of the drive to paddle allows joy to be found in other things again, pleasures more easily obtainable, but never quite as sweet. Lives fill in with the “others” that take the place of challenging paddling until the gorges experienced in youth are nothing more then memories.

The lucky ones stay in this driven state of madness for years, many years, but few do. The demanding nature of the sport is little competition for the demanding nature of society.

-adam

"Tight and Right" -low water LRC

2007-01-15T16:43:00.000-06:00

As of this writing (1-16-07) Little River Canyon has been running every day this of this new year. Various levels on various days, but at runable levels none-the-less. The great thing about the canyon is that it is very different and different levels... not really better or worse, just different. This past weekend saw a Saturday level of around 0" and I was joined by Brandon and Ricky (aka Headband Man) Martin for a run down Suicide and Upper Two. Ricky and Brandon were first timers to the Suicide section and I was happy to get a chance to share this special run with them. It was a fun day and we were taking our time as we headed downstream, but not bothering with the camera until Pinball where Ricky took my camera down to the bottom. I hit the boof and ferry in the entrance as always, but for some reason as I neared the main drop I decided to catch the eddy. At low water almost no one catches the eddy, but for some reason I made the spit second decision to do so. I entered it low and for another split second it apeared I would make it, but instead I flipped as I floated out of it and into the main drop. Upsidedown and backwards I flushed down the drop, through the hole, and rolled up and pulled into the eddy.

I had never had any trouble at Pinball before, never even a flip in the hole, but I can say that even upsidedown and backwards the run was suprisingly soft. After my line no one was eager to run it so we headed on down river. Shannon met us at the Upper Two put in and the 4 of us headed on down river enjoying the 65 degree weather and clear water of the canyon.

Here are a few of the lines at Screaming Right...

Here is the Roadblock boof...

And the always fun Humpty Dumpty...

Sunday brought even warmer weather. 70 degress and sun while Joey and I made a run of Suicide and Upper Two at -2". We didn't stop at all and were home by 2pm. We had good lines all day and I redeamed myself with a flawless line at Pinball. I guess they can't all go well or it just wouldn't be paddling.

Until next time...

-adam

What every weekend should be...

2007-01-15T15:34:00.000-06:00

During late summer when Alabama is a dry dustbowl and all my time and money is spent driving long distances to paddle I often question this area I now call home. However, when the rains come, the northeast Alabama region is alive with wonderful whitewater and a thriving whitewater community. The weekend of January 6-8, 2007 was just such a time.

Saturay Little River Canyon was running +4". Dustin, Spence, John, and I decided to make a full length run from just below the falls to Canyon Mouth Park about 11 miles downstream. The weater was warm, the water was a fun medium level and our spirits were high.

Sunday morning brought rain and when John and I arrived at the canyon we decided to drive to Johnnies creek on the off chance it had enough water. Arriving we found the level -5" and obviously rising. We drove up to Chairlift looking for JC and other boaters, but finding none we set our shuttle and returned to put on at -4.5". The water continued to rise on our second lap and during our third lap we were paddling through extremely heavy rain. Returning for our forth lap we found the water just under 0" on the gauge, a nice medium level. It was getting close to dark and we were flying down the creek with no problems until we reached "The Ditch". John ran first and I gave him a few seconds and followed. When I reached the bottom John was climbing out on the rocks, he had blown his shoulder. With about 5 minutes of usable light left he decided to try to paddle out in hopes of getting to the river before it got completly dark. In an ironman preformance and in quite a lot of pain John ran the remaing rapids to the river without issue. We arrived at Canyon Mouth Park in complete darkness and parted ways heading for home.

With the great rain sunday, Joey and I made plans to take off work Monday to head back to Johnnies. It was a little over 0" when we arrived and held well all day (only -1" by dark) while we did 4 laps.

For the last 2 laps we hooked up with Sam, Gavin, and Charlie and on our final lap it was decided that the perfect ending to the day would be some park and huck action at LRC falls. LRC was running at about 14" and Gavin, Charlie, myself, Sam, then Roy all flew off the left line and into the pool below. While my camera refused to work all weekend because of condensation, it some how worked for the few seconds during my run of the falls. When I returned home I had to let it dry out for 24 hours before I could even turn it on to retreive these images.

When I last ran the falls I had boofed super flat onto the shelf and taken a pretty good hit, so this time around I decided to try for closer to a 45 degree angle. It went well and both the shelf and the bottom were softer than expected.

LRC is a special place, I don't think I could ever grow tired of its amazing secenery and whitewater. Ever water level brings out a different character of the rapids and ever season shows a different bueaty of the canyon. So when you see the rains gathering over AL, come on down!

Until next time...

-adam