Main Salmon!....Biznackowiches!....

So I think I previously mentioned that we tried the Main again. This much lower and with much more beer. In fact so much more that there was extras at the end. And no one wanted any. Too much....

So last time, the water peaked with us there at about 84,000 cfs, and all was crazy. This time the water peaked at about 4,000 cfs, and all was ridiculous. Saw a bear, and brought the dogs, and pushed them out, and cracked a fresh cold one at 9 am, everyday.

By the time we got down to Yellow Pine Bar, their neighbor and friend Steve was already there. This is the same guy who gave us his truck and trailer to drive out of the Whitewater ranch. Rad dude. Well, he informed us that the day we left the rive came up some more and was probably about in the range of 100,000+ cfs with 100 footer trees coming downstream. Ugh. So yeah we ran into those guys and hooked em up with some beer stuff and liqour for their amazing kindness and helpfulness. Insert "rad" anywhere in this paragraph.


Theres a lot more stories, but considering I have close to no pics of the events, I dont like to tell em. The Pano above had great fishing. Nate was catching 4 for 4, and then nothing. He must have caught em all or something. There was also the day when we were all leapfrogging in the boats and just gabbing our way down the river. Oblivious. Our boat fell behind a bit to the point we couldnt even see the other guys. And then a couple hours later, and lucky we didnt miss her, there was Amanda passed out on a giant rock in the middle of the river. She would have had a nice swim if we missed her....

One of the main scary rapids that decided out fates last time was barely even present this time. Whiplash is called a IV-V S-turn rapid with monster eddie fences and undercuts and currents to deal with. The first trip our neighboring guides informed us that their 18 foot boats were too small and that they recommended tying the boats together for that rapid....are you fucking crazy? No way..... This time it was a flat pool next to a wall. Hmmpff....

The good rapids this time around were Salmon Falls, which was flat big water last time, and Elkhorn, which was fairly long and maneuverable and moist. Gonna have to do this stretch again....and again....

Updateables....

So with all the adventure coming to a close, I figured this would be a great time to spread the wealth of it, via pictures and stories. But theres a problem. That problem starts with my camera and its card. And my early lack of caffeine....

First off I planned on taking all kinds of pics on the Main Salmon to compare to the high water pics from last time. Unfortunately and fortunately, with Nate on the trip, I was was blasted everyday and never actually pulled my camera out. I imagine being in the state of mind my folks would be in at my age when they went to the lake for extended weekends before I was around. Anyways the camera has this card extender so it fits in the computer for download, and that piece is now gone. I MacGruber'd it with some tape and that worked for a while but now the card has a chip in the plastic and wont read on my computer....only other ones. So til then its no photo time.

About the other explorations that I havent covered lately: In the spring Garrett and I did some post snow biking over by Riggins that actually had tons of snow. We stayed at Camp Confluence where Hard creek and Hazard creek meet up. Pretty sweet. Look for that story soon.
Then Most recently we had the Motobeerdog Weekend Second Annual up in the Warren area and it kicked so much ass that my body is just starting to recover from dehydration and muscle fatigue. Half of the team took off back to CA and G and I still hada day to putt around so we headed back to the Hazard area and found ourselves on this black diamond motobike trail getting served. For the first time in the history of owning my 450 I blew the radiator 3 times, and had to jog my bike past the crux while kicking the peg and laughing with blood everywhere.

Other progressions include a new to me camper that is completely worthless and a potential job in the McCall area surveying. Hope it works. I havent lived in snow for a long long time, so I guess I better get some skis for some sick backcountry madness.

So stay in touch(e) as the updates come pouring in like maple syrup in -30 degrees....

Salmon Story Might be Coming Soon....

....as I sit here and wait for Hannah's email, I goof off and try and refuse everything from Garrett. Even the snickery. Especially the frogs. So I present a probable repost:

Touring my Favorites....

While I was up in Moscow for the job interview, I remembered that NRS, my favorite gear outfitter was based outta there. I MUST examine more closely.

I poked into this small shed looking thing and began browsing. Not much. I then began talking with an associate Ted, I think, and started prying. Of course I would like a tour....let me grab my camera.


Lets just say when I entered the back, I almost pooped my pants. This building has to be a mile long, full of gear, and operated by boaters. Who'd guess?

It just kept going and going and going. The farther back you go the wider the building became. I was pretty happy in here to say the least.

We walked past a piece of paper on the wall with the accuracy stats for the organizing of the gear and its shipping. It said they had a 98.9% accuracy. This meant of the 80,000 something individual items ordered in May, they only had 31 errors. All done by hand, and working well, very well.

We then enter the call center, all the way in back, not in India, not that I have anything against Indian call centers....

A posh big room, full of all the happy people I talk with on a regular basis. I have to say Im super stoked with the way NRS has turned out. They say Bill Parks, who was wandering in the lobby, started the business in his garage, with $2000, a long time ago. If you get a chance, order a ton of awesome straps, at the least, and be stoked at how applicable this whitewater gear is to everyday life in the flow....

Lochsa or Bust!!!!

Lochsa Falls at about 6000 something cfs. Were in the ARA boat, and I got the red suit and green helmet.

Munched

El Returno

Life Above Lava....

A great place it is. And youre almost always there.

The night before we had to run Lava Falls on the Grand Canyon, we had to make some ritualistic homages or sacrifices, offerings you might call them. One of which was the "painting of the nails". That was early December. Now its almost May and the anthropological evidence is still there:


But just a scotsh....

More Gooder....

Please examine:

Weekend 1

Weekend 2

Exploratative....

So this last weekend turned out to be a total win. Brian, Sean(SOB) and I headed up into a river valley that I have always want to go to, since I heard about it in Costa Rica. Its in the Sierras.

Im just gonna have to the leave the name out for the safety and security of my recreating future, as this place kicks all ass and theres no one around. Theres a sick river (class III,IV,V,VI) thats super fun and super serious. Theres a bazillion trails for dirtbiking and the grassy rolling california granite hills look so beautiful to the hungover human eye.

We had a bit of a multi-challenge going on here. I suited up for some kayaking fun on a nice class IV stretch while B and SOB suited up for a sweet dirt exploration ride.

Some dork pretending he knows
how to do nose manuals

The kayaking was choice. The water was an expected lower flow that turned out to be tons of fun. Lots of blind horizon lines and mystery mini waterfalls amidst the plethora of bouldery choose-your-own-adventure routes. I smiled. Lots of scouting and Moose was nearly impaled by was moistened scimitar log poking out of the current. Scary.

I loaned my camera to SOB for their ride and from what I heard and saw, it was amazing and gnarly. Gotta love dirt.

Apparently there was a lot of trees down from the winter. They made it to the snow line too.

Unsynchronized flash blinding the masses as we drove in the canyon. I was fairly certain the Apostle (camper's name) was gonna get torn off by all the overhanging ledges we drove by.

Overall: a sick weekend in the sticks!

Anatomy of a Raft Guide....

Digging in the Dirt....

You might think that was a literal title. Its not. But considering how the dust accumulates here, it seemed fitting as I dusted off the gear I found. Heres a taste of the coffee induced weirdness from this mornings dig-around. The weird part is why I took the photos. The really weird part will be in the next post. Unfortunately I had to be the main model, as Kona cant wear a lifejacket efficiently.