So, it's that time again to talk about ropes in the river. Seems like this discussion comes up every year, but it's a good one to have. Here we go:

The Tale of Rope #1.

Rope #1 has one serious problem. It's too short. The new ropes that everyone is carrying in their PFDs are awesome......AS BACK-UP ROPES! They are generally around 40 feet and simply too short for many uses. Always carry a full size - minimum 80 feet - throw bag in your boat! When you get out of your boat for any reason, but especially scouting, always take your full size rope. This is as simple as river safety gets. Don't boat with people who can't figure it out. You never know who will run the rapid first or maybe someone from another group will drop in, get pounded and need a rope.

To illustrate my point about rope #1, here is a picture of me running 57 Chevy on Escalante Creek. In the shot you can see Kyle Hagadorn digging out of the pothole on river right.

(Photo: Lori Merritt)

Later that day we watched in horror as a paddler dropped into the pothole and swam. We were gorged out below and couldn't get back upstream to help from the bank. The paddler's buddy threw rope #1 at his recirculating friend and guess what? The rope didn't reach. You can tell from this photo that it is not a long distance throw across Escalante creek. But it's longer than a chest throw bag. Thankfully, the swimmer was not being recirculated too bad, was able to stabilize himself in the pocket and then swim on his own back to shore above a class V killer rapid. No thanks to his paddling buddy.

In short, definitely carry a PFD throw bag. I've swam and then needed to rope my buddy out of the same hole with my PFD throw bag. I've swam and then needed my chest bag to pull my boat off a rock. However, you also always need a full length rope in your boat and in your hand on scouts. I've personally witnessed a long rope save a life, where the swimmer definitely couldn't be reached with a short rope.

The Tale of Rope #2.

Rope #2 is plenty long enough and was on hand while scouting/setting safety. The problem with rope #2 is that it was thrown at the wrong time. In this case, three kayakers had come cleanly through Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek and were immediately below the hole. The fourth boater came through and swam. All three remaining kayakers peeled out and were within reach of the swimmer from the instant he swam. At this point, rope #2 was thrown at the swimmer without any eye contact between the swimmer and thrower. Rope #2 landed well within reach of the swimmer, but right behind his head - he never saw it. Now rope #2 was draped across the river, nearly ensnaring the three kayakers. Have you ever tried paddling with a rope draped across your paddle? It's nearly impossible as the snare becomes worse and worse. Rope #2 definitely could have caused another swim and possibly an entrapment in this scenario.

A Shot of Rigor on a better day with higher flow

There are a bunch of lessons from rope #2. First, always make sure to get eye contact with the swimmer before throwing a rope. I will never throw a rope to a person who is not looking directly at me. They will miss the rope and you will have missed your shot at a save. Second, if rope #2 had entangled someone, it is essential that everyone has a knife accessible while underwater. Not in a pocket, not binered to something, but removable underwater. I know these accessible knives fall out and occasionally you loose them - call it the price of boating and just buy a new one every few years. Third, never throw a rope into other paddlers. Kayakers in the water are frequently the best option for swimmer safety - let them do their job. In short, be very conservative about throwing ropes. Just because you have one in hand does not make it the best option and frequently it is not.

The Tale of Rope #3.

The Mank Crew rallied up to the Poudre and set safety at Whiteline. It was running a solid medium 2.5 feet. We scouted Whiteline extensively and noticed a little spray coming out of one of the entrance holes. As my homie dropped in, he pitoned the hell out of that little spray. I also didn't realize how solid the rock was right behind the spray and thought we'd go right over it. Wrong. Homie surfed the first hole, which fed out river right. Then he dropped over the next hole with no speed. This hole is bad at that level. He cartwheeled for awhile, but lost energy and swam. Thankfully, Ben was setting safety at that hole with rope #3 because just downstream 20 some odd feet is a powerful 8 foot waterfall. After homie body recirculated for two rounds in the hole, he popped up on the river right wall headed for the waterfall. The entire time homie was swimming in the hole, Ben could see his helmet and kept yelling to get his attention. Ben didn't just throw rope #3 into the hole with the swimmer. Ben kept cool, waited and threw the rope after the swimmer came out of the hole and looked up at him. Rope #3 was long enough, timed right and a perfect throw. The strength of the current almost pulled Ben into the river and almost ripped the swimmer off the rope and into the falls, but both barely held on as the swimmer pendulum into the eddy.

Look closely and you can see rope #3 coming for the swimmer in the pic below.

(Photo: Joel Bakken)

I had the huge advantage of a second scout after the swim and got to boof the living daylights out of it. Thanks to Kevin - I do think Lefty is the way to stroke it!

Photo: Joel Bakken)

So, carry a long rope, throw it judiciously when in contact with the swimmer, have a knife handy and be prepared to take a big pull into the river when you catch someone on line. Safe lines out there and have a great season everyone!

Escalaneplooza!

sunday, may 23, 2010

Escalaneplooza!

Oh yea, it's on! I love Escalante. It's generally the first big run of the season and it's out in the desert where we can get away from the cold - at least for a bit. Plus there's this Disney Land style to it when the flows are right. Esca is not super intimidating and generally keeps to the IV+ region of creeking. A few weeks ago the Mank crew hit it up at perfect flows! We had a campfire, some whiskey and tons of drops to go around. An all around excellent weekend.

Here's C.Mo starting it off nicely on Escalante falls.

One of the funniest thing about this canyon is that you are always herding cows when driving in and out. They never want to leave the road.

This is one of my favorites from the weekend of M.Hagadorn routing into the Magnetic Wall.

This shot pretty well demonstrates my love of the new Villain - stylin.

The Hagadorn mobile all loaded up for a weekend huck fest!

So the Mank Crew has a long standing policy for good luck - kiss the ducky at the putin. He's been saving us ever since a fateful day on Gore, years back. Joel's givin'er the smooch.

One of my happy places.

Escalanteplooza!

(Photo: Lori Merritt)

So as the flow comes up on Escalante, it mostly just gets more fun. However, the hole at 57 Chevy can start to get interesting. It's not that sticky in the traditional sense, but it feeds into a river right pocket that can start to cause trouble.

(Photo: Lori Merritt)

I'd call this flow medium. The falls is runnable casually and the Magnetic Wall isn't too bad. The boof off the top at Waterslide was marginally in. Once that boof becomes mandatory the flow is high.

Alex Clayton slip/slidding through the Wall shot by Lori Merritt.

Laying the stomp down with the Villain. (Photo: Justin Merritt)

Lori got this great shot of her husband going airborne.

Alex getting awesome seperation!

The inner gorge.

CKS Squad's very own Chris Menges laying a sick fiddler grab!

Going vertical

And I saved the best for last. Menges laying it down for all the players world wide! As MC Hammer once said, "Can't touch this!"

(Photo: Joe Keck)

In the end, I'd say if you haven't been here - what are you waiting for? The upper gorge is class IV creeking and fairly pool drop. It's a fantastic place to step it up in preparation for the season. The inner gorge is a bit more committing and difficult, but still far from hair boating. Get out there!

Get out there!

So you just never know what curve balls life will throw at you... Make sure to get out every single day possible this summer - you never know, next summer you might be moving to Texass. Seriously. It's all good though, because after just one season sucking Texan heat, I'll be off to the best paddling destinations in the US - the southeast followed by a three year stint in Seattle! So anyway, I've been charging hard as usual, including a single day Denver to Denver two time Embudo mash. Get after it boys and girls!

Onto more interesting paddling news. The new Jackson Kayak Villian is the cat's pajamas, all that 'n a bucket of chicken, or da bomb in the parlance of our times. Here's a shot of me strokin' my Villian into MJ falls by Chris Roberts.

It's really that good. The boat is extremely fast and maintains a great rocker profile for boofing ability. It's not quite as quick side-to-side as the Rocker or Super Hero, but the speed more than makes up for it. So much fun to paddle! If you have the means, I highly recommend it - so choice.

Just another bluebird day on the 'buda!

Here's Chris. He had a really bumpy line up to this point, but Golden Stroked it right over the hole. Like butta on the 'buda.

Homie and fellow ICU nurse Oliver had a smooth line through the Slots and avoided the slot jacking.

I was so close to beating McCutchen at his own ice cream game, but he pulled this brace off with help from some of the Embudo's trout.

This here is Chris again showing that the East side gots the skills to pay the bills.

It was a bit chilly on the first runs this season. We got snowed on a couple times this weekend.

But we also got some fantastic sunsets!

Paul Siratovich lining out his first Slots run.

And Ben West showing how it gets done on the river right side....

Stout - first booty of the season! The Embudo is like that. Dave here had a great day even with the booty, but some other people this season have had serious issues. Take the Embudo seriously. I've routed it with a heavy hitting 8 person crew in under two hours. I've also lost my boat and had to hike out over the course of 7 hours. Respect the river, take a real rope, first aid, headlamp and serious creeking clothes.

And finally a huge shout out to the King and Queen of the Embudo and New Mexico zone in general. You are true ambassadors to the sport and make the Embudo experience 100% than it already was. This Bud's for you!

Costa Rica: The Goods Part I

Costa Rica: The Goods Part I

A mere two weeks of anticipation went into our last minute trip to Costa Rica for a week of jungle hucking. The decision to bail on all of our family obligations for the Thanksgiving Holiday was made like many great decisions… at a keg party. I managed to squeeze in 9 days to vacate, which included a day to travel on each end. Joe had 8 days, so it was clear from the beginning that this was to (hopefully) be a no-rest-day type of trip. Recruitment of a third or fourth member was unsuccessful, as was any significant planning. The day before departure I booked my first nights stay at Mi Tierra in Alajuela, begin to fight off a nasty sinus cold, and pack for my first international adventure.

Day 1

The day before consisted of two flights, from Denver to Houston, and then Houston to a late arrival in Alajuela (San Jose). After an amusing taxi ride from the airport, I arrived at Roberto Cacho’s place covered in sweat and in good spirits because all of my “wave ski” equipment made it intact. Even better is that my “wave ski” strongly resembles a large Pyranha Karnali, and with the paddle bag it only cost me $100 extra through Continental Airlines. Mi Tierra is inviting, with an open entryway in front, nice lobby and covered patio dining area, a pool, tons of plants and nice rooms. Andrey Coto Robles, the night watchman and kayaker, greets me and takes me to my room. Soon after I meet the owner, Roberto Cacho. I’ve exchanged a few emails with Cacho, and he has already come recommended as “the man” after proving himself as the driver of choice for a handful of trips that Gary Edgeworth and others have completed. He’s also friends with Ferdinand, and apparently I’m going to meet the Costa Rican paddling legend, and Olympian, in the morning. This is a very good thing.

Home base for CR hucking. Photo: Cutch

Cutch and the infamous Cacho outside the best breakfast in CR

Andrey starts it off on the Rio Macho. Photo: Cutch

The first few drops of the Rio Orosi start off with a bang. I haven’t paddled in months so it was a nice class V warm-up of a few boulder garden drops and one big hole to miss. Then a nice class IV paddle out leads to the takeout, where I promptly puke. We continue to the Rio Macho. Flows are too low for the 400fpm+ upper mile, so we hit the lower mile instead, which is still great low volume single-track creeking. Fun and I’m starting to get into the groove of kayaking once again. We stop in town for a delicious meal and head back through the traffic mayhem of San Jose to Mi Tierra, where Joe has now arrived.

Day 2

Ferdinand arrives at 5:30am. We’re barely awake and unorganized. The five of us pile into the van with Cacho at the helm, and head south of San Jose, to the top of a pass that overlooks the entire city. There’s a great restaurant at the top, and the fact that Joe and I are hanging out with three Ticos that speak English helps our Spanglish translate better. We scarf down a good breakfast and drive down a few thousand feet of twisting dirt road into the Rio Candelaria valley for what is supposed to be like an 8^th or 9^th descent, according to Ferdinand.

He should know. Our fearless leader has been at the forefront of local creeking exploration for the last 20 years. If he hasn’t been there, he’s talked to the sickbirds that have. His first-hand knowledge trumps that of the Chasing Jaguars guidebook, which I brought for the weekend because Ferdinand has plans to go to a wedding. Joe and I are hoping to persuade him to do the noble kayaking thing and bail. We’re both pretty sure that he’s testing us today, and as we charge into the first drops of the Rio Candelaria, I’m quite stoked to be the guinea pig.

Let's get ready to rumble

The CKS Squad and Ferd gonna get it. Photo: Audrey

The Rio Candelaria is a worthy find that the Ticos started running in May. We start on about 350-400cfs at the start, with some great class IV warm-up drops that get progressively steeper and longer as the canyon narrows to our first scout. As we creep around a cliff ledge we’re welcomed with the view of a mini-gorge containing a genuine slide-to-boof, followed by some burly looking ledges in sequence below. The bottom pool is probably 45 feet below us. Eddies break up the drop into three perfect steps. We scout from both sides, set safety and run in pairs with good lines by all.

Cutch says "Happy Thanksgiving!" while giving. Photo: Andrey

Andrey checks out the first of many "Best Drop of the Trip" Photo: Cutch

This rapid/mini gorge is called "Zoncho for Lunch" Photo: Cutch

Photo: Cutch

Immediately below is a drop that hasn’t been run yet, and probably will be. The scout from the top showed ugliness, so we hiked up and over the steep canyon wall, then roped the boats back down the other side for our first Costa Rican portage. At the bottom I’m overheating in my shorts, long sleeve rash guard and drytop. I brought the lightest gear I own and it’s too much, although this ends up being the warmest river corridor of the trip.

Joe contemplates high speed piton into undercut rock followed by big hole combo vs intense jungle gorge portage. Photo: Cutch

At least the portage was scenic. Photo Andrey

We meet up with Cacho at the first bridge, and regular takeout, and he’s already arranged for a ride out for us with a 4x4 jeep. We decline and continue downstream as the rain picks up. As I peel out of the first eddy and head downstream a lizard jumps into a small hole directly in front of me. I eddy out and he goes running across the river next to me. Two back-to-back class V drops serve as the crux of the next 3km, which is apparently a 1^st descent. The banks are farmland, portaging and scouting are easy, there are lizards everywhere, and life is very, very good.

Lower Candelaria first D team. Photo Andrey

We change at the takeout and Ferdinand and I walk to a nearby swimming pool and shelter, where we stock up on beers and water for the drive home. We passed the test. Ferdinand hatches a plan to head to the “Pacific” a day early, and will be picking us up at 5:30am… sharp. We don’t know where we are going, where we are staying or how scared we should be. "In Ferdinand we trust," which would become the theme of the trip.

Day 3

Ferd, Joe and I load up and hit the road early, charging through the streets of San Jose prior to the major rush hour traffic, and after a quick stop at Ferdinand’s house, we head southeast at a steady climb along the Pan American Highway. The pass tops out at just under 11,000ft. Shortly after cresting over the other side, we turn off onto a dirt road that according to Ferdinand, drops roughly 3000ft in 2.5 miles. It certainly feels like it.

This back road drops us into the Rio Buena Vista valley, where a busy creek cascades through a boulder garden riverbed with a few good vertical falls. Along the sides are pastures and farms, and we delicately tiptoe across a garden to get to our put-in. At a few points the river narrows down with some good bedrock rapids. The loose riverbed is continually shifting, partially due to a huge flood that scoured the river bottom and rolled the massive boulders into new positions. Combined with steep whitewater, we have good reason to scout a few extra times. We make good time and continue the rest of our drive to the Chirripo Pacifico for some roadside scouting of the classic boulder garden whitewater.

The first drop on the Buena Vista, which has changed since Ferd, Edgeworth, Forrest and Gordo first ran it a couple years back. Photo: Cutch

I feel really sorry for the guy who put the hole through the bridge between my Keens.

After completing the Rio Buena Vista we had officially made more class V moves than the previous two days combined, so Joe and I kind of figured the day was pretty well over. As we’re headed up the Rio Chucoyo, a tributary to the Pacifico, I start getting a sense from Ferd that we aren’t done yet. The force wasn’t as strong in the backseat of Ferd’s Suzuki, because I hear Joe crack open another Imperial at about the time I’m questioning my first. Another 4wd road later we are checking out four park-and-huck type drops and the first one is the definition of a jungle huck. A twisty, sliding entrance leads to a boof into a lateral hole that you have to punch, then turn with the current 90 degrees, and drop roughly 20 feet into a huge pool.

Or this this the "Best Drop of the Trip"? It gets my vote. Cutch floating like a little parakeet.

That night we check into a great place in San Gerardo owned by Maria. A suspended covered walkway leads to two upstairs rooms, with a shared bathroom and open hallway that connect balconies overlooking the confluence of the Rio General and the top Chirripo Pacifico. We hang our gear on the railing since there isn’t any wind. The town is quite and we sleep well. San Gerardo may not have any raging party scene, but for serious creeking aficionados San Gerardo is the Durango of Costa Rica.

Day 4

In the morning we are treated to these little tiny peppers, known as denti de perro. They bite with fire, and are a delicious addition to the pinto gallo, huevos, and fried plantains that we are enjoying at Maria’s place. It’s the kind of fire that I’m hoping will deliver me safely down the main Chirripo Pacifico.

Ferd points out the "Dogs Teeth" for breakfast.

A damn fine Tico breakfast in the jungle hideaway. Notice Cutch trying to keep the denti de perro from burning their way right out of his stomach.

Ferd says good morning on the Pacifico

The main Chirripo Pacifico is unreal. Huge boulders in a rural canyon make a maze out of the river, and the gradient keeps us on our toes. When it comes down to quality, this river ranks at the top of the list. The first moves of the day are a mere 50 yards downstream of the put-in, and class V. A few drops in and we come to a big drop that we are forced to run on verbals. Once in the rapid it’s a battle through a series of laterals and holes, complete with a 5’ drop at the end with a bad hole that I dig away from. Joe takes the first beating of the trip as he flushes over the second half of the drop upside down, and in the wrong channel after confusion on the beta. “Sorry” says Ferd. “You can’t really scout that one from anywhere.”

Photo: Cutch

We continue down to one of the crux drops of the run, Upper Beast. The line is a complex mess with a simple solution… drive right or get stuffed. We portage Lower Beast, a drop that has yet to be run in its current form, due to a huge ugly hole.

The Beast

At the lip of Ron Jeremy, we get out on an island where we beach our boats and wade a side channel to scout. Looking down from the top is a solid 200 yards of class V+ multiple-move whitewater, dropping close to 150 feet, with the tallest drop being about 8ft.

Above Cutch and Ferd fire up Ron Jeremy. Is this the "Best Drop of the Trip????"

In the lower stretch Ferd spooks a Basilisk Lizard by paddling under a branch, and Joe and I forget entirely about the whitewater to catch a look at the prehistoric beast. At the takeout Ferdinand runs shuttle while the local ticos give us a thumbs up and inquisitive looks. After we confirm that we aren’t about to do any more jungle hucking at the moment, we get on a mellower pace for the afternoon. We eat ice cream snacks and hang out in front of the gas station, checking out the action on the main dirt road before heading to the cloud forest for the rest of the available daylight. A good meal and another night at Maria’s, which is conveniently located next to a bar, makes for an enjoyable and relaxed evening.

To be continued......Stay tuned as we attempt to find an answer for the "Best Drop of the Trip."

All photos by Joe Keck unless otherwise stated. The narrative is by Kyle McCutchen except for my additions in italics.