Sanity in the South: An Ecuadorian Winter Vacation

sunday, january 27, 2008

Sanity in the South: An Ecuadorian Winter Vacation

Anyone familiar with Mountainbuzz can attest that when the snow starts falling in Colorado, we local boaters start to lose our grip on sanity.  In late October due to mysterious dam maintenance, Lower South Boulder Creek began running at the desperately low flow of 300 cfs.  Arkansas river rat Melrose and I were jonsin' so bad that we put up with the epic shuttle, snowfall and low flows to get wet.  Unfortunately, a second dam in the run removed all of the flow, necessitating a 2 mile hike-out through private property.  After we made it out Evan, who was also in serious need of liquid stimulation, called to ask if the trek was worth the effort.  I told him it was probably only a Mank Crew special and he should look elsewhere for goods.  Thankfully, he'd already been planning a trip to Ecuador with the Fort Collins posse and Dr. Brad, MD. I quickly re-arranged my work schedule, got a couple shots in my arse and hopped a plane south.

(Evan Stafford photo)

This is an Ecuadorian rural taxi - a four door pick-up truck that is pretty much designed as a creek assault vehicle.  And they come cheap.

(Photo: Brad Higinbotham by Evan Stafford)

Definitely check out the Papallacta if you're in the neighborhood.  We compared it to running the Lower Narrows on the Poudre for an entire day in the jungle.  Here's a couple more shots from the stretch:

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

Dr. Brad, MD - jungle stylin

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

Joe K finding his way...

(Photo: Joe Keck with Evan's camera)

Sensi Stafford from Fists of Boof Dojo demonstrates that it works the same south of the equator.  Here's but a few of the lovely creatures we encountered on our journeys:

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

Believe it or not, these are some of the smaller spiders in my memories of the trip.  We also saw CD sized spiders that could run across water - terrifying for a kayaker.

I'm not afraid 

(Photo: Joe Keck)

This is not the monkey that bit Brad, but he did steal that bun out of my hand while I was looking the other way.  Now back to the boating for you tweaking Colorado folk:

(Photo:  Joe Keck)

Here's Evan Stafford waking up on the first drop of the Jondachi.  Several days before this shot our group was shut down on this run as we watched the water rise 3 feet in 25 seconds or so.  This run provided an amazing pool-drop jungle adventure once we got in.

(Photo of Pete Stromberg by Evan Stafford)

Yea, I know, I'm stuck at work too, but you know where my head is at....

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

These shots are of Randy Ramirez who hails from Laramie, WY.  I know what you're thinking and all I can say is that I didn't know rednecks could make great kayakers either.

(Photo: Evan Stafford)

Here's the posse gettin' ready for the business at hand.

(Photo:  Evan Stafford)

I didn't realize it until I got there, but Ecuador is full-on in the Andes mountains.  We traveled over 14,000 foot passes and cruised by huge volcanos.  Speaking of huge:

(Photo: Joe Keck)

Evan Stafford gets intimate with Hollin Falls.

(Photo of Joe Keck by Evan Stafford)

Oh, hello perfect jungle waterfall!

Brad sez, "Nice helmet"

Parting shot:

("It doesn't get much better than that" by Evan Stafford)

Gnarrows Race - 08

sunday, september 07, 2008

Gnarrows Race - 08

If you have to live and work a normal job in Colorado, Fort Collins is a pretty great place to be. While we don’t have a playpark or even a play feature worth talking about the Cache la Poudre has some of the best river running play and creeking in Colorado. One of my favorite runs in the drainage is the Narrows or lately as we locals call it the Gnarrows. If you live in Fort Collins the Narrows is your backyard creeking run, you can get to it in about 45min from town, it this first section to come in, the last to go out, and might the best roadside run in Colorado. The Gnarrows has it all sweet boofs, a little gnar gnar at most levels, lots of eddies, difficult eddy linkages thru the rapids to build your skills and stroke repertoire, and as of the last three years the Gnarrows race.

I’m not sure when the idea for a race was conceived but three years ago is when it first officially took place. The concept for the “non-race” has always been pretty simple and has entailed a preliminary boater cross heat through the entire run, gentlemen rules applying in the meat, with the top two advancing into the next round and a finals heat in the lowers, again boater cross style. There are no stop watches, only the safety your friends are willing to provide, and typically lots of pre and post smack talk. The winner mainly gets the pride of knowing he beat all his buddy’s, a Gnarrows belt buckle with the past winners engraved on the back, and also gets to call the specifics of next years race.

Here’s some pics from this years event courtesy of Jeff Burley (JF) and Alfie Umbhau (AU)

The Gnarrows Posse 08. It doesn't get much better than this. AU

Cutch and this years winner in fine form in Heat 1 of the Prelims. JB

Mr. Stafford, last years winner, in Heat 2 of the Prelims. JB

Who is that guy? Heat4 of Prelims. JB

Mr. Huck'n Duckie himself coming thru lowers. JB

I'm not sure if thats the loof of determination or exhaustion but here's Heat1 of the Semi's. JB

Adrock showing us how its done - JB

The Finals - While I'd like to say I the placing remained the same through the finish, Cutch pulled it out in the end and came away with the Buckle. JB

This year’s the “non-event” went off spectacularly. We had the most participants yet, a few surprising results and post race activities, and had to add a semifinal heat to whittle the competition down to four in the final heat. Wile I was bummed I didn’t come away with the buckle and even more bummed it left the Fort and now resides in Denver I couldn’t have lost to a better guy.

A Treatise on Solo

thursday, may 28, 2009

A Treatise on Solo

Go solo boating......

In this day of kayaking where it seems that bigger, higher and scarier is necessarily better to produce the most insane photos, it seems to me that it is important to run things solo.  Hence, in this post, there will be no sick photos or gnarly descriptions as neither one of those are part of soloing.  Don't get me wrong - I love kayak porn in all of its shapes and forms and extravagances.  I can tell a beat-down or high water story with the best of them (ok maybe a mank story), but I think it's also important to bring it back to the soul from time to time.  

My favorite part of the solo is finding my own unique rhythm with the water.  It's the reason we all started kayaking in the first place - the feeling of floating and of reading a line to be one with the flow.  When you solo, there's no distractions from that experience, just you and your breathing, the icy water splashing on your cheeks, and the view downstream.  There's no need to look back for anyone or keep up with anyone, which allows focus to remain on just the canyon walls.  It becomes all about the kayak and about me desperately wanting to be on the river.  Go Solo....

It is definitely important to consider safety.  Soloing brings added risk to kayaking.  I don't recommend running a river at or near your ability level - start easier and make sure the risk is worth it to you personally.  If you're a class IV boater, solo Pumphouse on a sunny afternoon.  If you're a class V boater, fire down Browns during the inky pre-dawn splendor.  Life is nothing if not a bold adventure.  

Go solo and don't tell a soul, but the next day lay treats off a brown stouter with your boyz and the paddlarazzi.  Then in addition to all the stories, media and attention, you'll have a kayaking memory completely unique and individual.    

Go Solo.....

Fist of Boof Dojo Says "Bring on the Spring!"

unday, april 26, 2009

Fist of Boof Dojo Says "Bring on the Spring!"

Presents

Bring on the Spring

Photography by Leif Embertson

Water is one of the symbols for Aikido, a martial art form which originated in Japan. One of the main principles of Aikido is to never oppose an opponent’s strength head on. When a punch is thrown at you, your goal is to redirect their force to your advantage. "The skilled Aikidoist is like a koan, a puzzle which slips away the more one tries to solve it." - Zen in the Martial Arts

Joe Keck Starter Fluid

An expert paddler, much like the Aikidoist, will be like the water he has dedicated himself to. He will fall through the fingers of that which tries to clutch him. Water does not hesitate before it yields, for the moment the fingers begin to close, it moves away, not of its own strength, but by using the pressure applied to it. The expert paddler yields to the force of the river and will guide its force to his advantage, never disrupting the rivers own intention. In this way the high water paddler and the Aikidoist operate under the same principle for success. They yield to an oncoming force in such a way that it is unable to harm them, and at the same time, change its direction by pushing it from behind instead of trying to resist it from the front.

ES Bar Room Brawl 

Oliver Deschler End of a Fantasy

Every year in the Southern Rockies there is a week of fear. It weaves through the community like a storm of buzzing bees and hissing like the ghost of a rattler. At times it is distant, like the fuzz of a television left on in another room. Then suddenly it is right up in your face, like a clock radio in the morning. Rise and shine, the waters fine, and charging high! These are the days we dream of, when our favorite runs turn brown and we know it’s about to get rowdy. No matter what class you run, you know when the sun shines strong in the high country and the spring nights become comfortably warm, you had better get your game face on.

Lotsa in a lotsawater Fantasy Flight

Tina Swan Fantasy Flight

The feeling in your gut, driving up the canyon is overwhelming, but you’ve got to concentrate. For some it can be painful. They try to exercise their demons. They puke or dry heave at the put-in. This can be disconcerting for those without this affliction. No matter who you are the butterflies are circling.

Leif stompaging Cool World - photo ES

Ben Stookesberry Double Trouble

Nothing cools the nerves like those first couple of strokes, as you dip in with your blades and let the river power you forward. In your mind you’re already letting the river propel you through the thickest and the whitest of the flooding brown water. You will not fight it. You will not win. You will point it, jam your blade in and hold on.

Leif Embertson Slideways - as high as I've seen it run

Snow still lines the banks at elevation and the once slow eddies are swirling with the pulse of the river. The flooded run will require you to focus and turn the intensity up a notch. A heavy curler takes you down and you can’t see as you resurface from complete submersion, but you can see because the pounding of the river is communicating telepathically with you, to help you visualize the next must make ferry, so you can ride the rivers tongue into the depths of its soul again. The joy is infectious. The consequences are weighed but the joy tips the scale. Bring on the high water days.

High Water Poudre Video Action Below - Bring on the Spring!

- Sensei Stafford

The Big Ditch

The Big Ditch

It's been a long time since I rapped at ya, but the Mank Crew remains busy, busy gettin' life done day after day.  Most recently, we made life conform to an entirely too short 15 day trip down the Grand Canyon.  The trip got mighty Western in water, scenery and campfire tales of lore.  Here Diane and I roll in style down to the get-in:

So the first days, I thought to myself, "Damn, this place is enormous."  Yet, I had no idea exactly how enormous it would get as things floated by early in the trip.  
I must say that rafting is a sport near and dear to my heart.  Believe it or not, I guided in infamy near Buena Vista for years.  I still know how to keep the black side down:
But never fear, the Mank Crew remains on the attack and we even found a 1st Known Descent right on the shores of the Grand Canyon*.  Chris stuck'er first and I liked his line enough to giv'er myself.
*If you'd like to claim running this drop first, feel free to complain to the editors.  We named the drop "Crikin' in the AZ."
Like I was saying earlier, this place is enormous.  Oppressively, devastatingly enormous.
A trip through the Grand features the most amazing conversation pieces around the living room.
There's something so nostalgic about rafts tied up in a beautiful eddy.  Just thinking about it and I can't get the smile off my face.
The canyon plays so many tricks on your senses with the subtle smells and unfathomable distances, but I liked the way it messed with the light reaching your eyes.  I've visited Vegas, but I never seen lighting like this.
It's hard to imagine a better place to spend the night - stars, good friends, a warm fire on the beach and a touch of whiskey sloshing in the brain (drink responsibly please).  After all it was New Years - 2009!
Ever heard of a Grease Bomb?  I first learned of these while standing under the stars on an Arkansas River beach.  Of note, that fire pan is almost 2 feet off the ground.  Licensed professionals only please.  
I definitely had time on this trip to sit back, enjoy, and realize that the major stresses in my life are a bit trivial in the scheme of things.  "Stressin' the stress free."
You know, it's really unnerving how big we're talking here.  Take the biggest points in Cataract or triple the biggest ones in Westwater.  Now extend those cliffs for every bit of 226 miles - you've probably still not fathomed how big this place is.  
Note the full size cottonwood trees in the foreground.  This shot also brings up a point.  The only thing people seem to want to know about a Grand trip in January is "Was it cold?"  Does that have any bearing on whether you'd go or not?  It's one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Anyway, my answer is no to both questions.  But I will admit that I was wearing a drysuit or down jacket at all points in time and Diane never changed out of all 5 of her layers.  However, there was generally snow on the horizon at the relatively few points where we could see above the first 1,000 feet of vert.  I will also mention that for months up until the put-in date, I discussed with my journal the exact extent of the pain and suffering I was expecting.  But at least I managed to convince our fabulous cook, Jace, to bring 20lbs of bacon.  Then, I never doubted our survival even once.  
The water in the Grand also had it's own magic.
And enormity.
Chris worked a little magic on the water, too.  I will say the rapids were interesting.  We hardly took any pictures of them, which I think is pretty telling of the Grand.  The rapids will flip rafts, but you come for the superb hiking and scenery.   However, take caution by making sure that someone rides the bull on your raft through Lava to "giv'er the horns."  Otherwise, you may risk disaster.  I think the eddies, whirlpools and oceans on the river were the most interesting features.  Our only kayak swim came on an eddy line...
This shot is looking out of Red Wall Cavern.  I can't imagine a more beautiful, breathtaking, undercut, eddy wall of doom.  Like everything in life, it all depends on flow...
To get an idea of the grand, imagine this scene for the entire 15 days.  A quote from my Grand Canyon Journal reads, "The peace of this place - just the sluggish ebb and flow of life down here - is overwhelming, crushing, maybe even suffocating."  
Like my boys Gov't Mule would say, "On the banks of the deep end.....you gotta hold on to a piece of dry land."

After a few days on the river, the group gets a bit goofy.  By the time you're drying boats at the git-out beach, the group has just lost it.  I wanted to give a shout out to Christian for TLing one hellva trip.  At this point, I should also take credit for winning the World Cup Grand Canyon Dirtoff Championships.  Tom was tragically disqualified from the competition on day 8 after accidentally getting soap on his skin.  
Most of these shots (the good ones) were taken by Tom Janey, seen here in self portrait.  Ladies, can you believe that this guy is currently single?  Holla at your boy!

And my parting shot for those fans (especially lotsawater) of my very favorite kayak company:  Jackson Kayak.