Hospital Rock for Desperate Souls

After a long winter with no boating, some nice weather and a hunk of time on our hands convinced us that a trip to the Kaweah was warranted. Normally I am a high water junkie; my personal low run on this section before was over 600 cfs at Three Rivers, but reports of successful runs down in the 400's made us think that a flow of 380 cfs might be doable, if not enjoyable. After two low water runs (one at about 380 and another at about 400 - corresponding to about 120-140 cfs on the stretch), I can definately say that this run is a good time, with or without water.

Rebecca looking up at a scenic Angel Wing rock formation

The first day we ran from the Hospital Rock parking lot down to zero-to-sixty. At that point the 60 cfs diversion made the river extremely non-enticing, so we hiked up to the roadside and jogged the shuttle from there. The second day we decided to walk on up to Buckeye campground and put in there.

Rebecca on Buckeye rapid

Gino takes his turn

When we got down to the "normal" Hospital Rock put-in, we discoverd the scary reality that is the Hospital Rock rapid - Check out the massive, tree clogged sieve on river right. At this flow there is no water going around the sieve...

Rebeeca doesn't like the line on this one

From there it looked pretty chunky down to Baby Niagra, so we decided to shoulder back to Baby Niagra and put-in there. Most of the rapids from there down had the same lines as normal water with smaller holes and a lot less push.

Rebeeca on the roadside drop

The only exception really was 420 rapid where the water starts to go subterranian. The first day we carried around the entry sieve and ran the rest, the second day we just called it and walked around the whole thing.

Reba's 87th photo on 420 gorge

That funky drop with the pinball finish

Gino on Table Rock

Again, I was blown away by how much fun this run was at these low flows. Maybe it was not being in a boat for 4 or 5 months, but I would certainly go do this again on a nice February day!

The author getting his Februboof on

Dudes (and one Dudedette) Paddling Faster Than Normal

So you've done Cherry Creek, big deal. Have you done it in a non-stop fashion while paddling faster than normal from the confluence to the leap? Have you then gone on to run Lumsden with the peanut gallery in full effect? Have you then gone on to party for 12 hours straight? Have you then gone on to paddle the creek the next day in a state somewhere between extremely hungover and still intoxicated?

If so, you've officially earned your Cherry Creek Badge of honor. If not, you have something to aspire to... or is it perspire to...

RACERS, ON YOUR MARKS

If you have been to the Captain Kirk Cherry Creek Memorial Race, you know what it is all about. If you haven't... Well if you haven't it is kind of hard to describe, but I guess I'll try to explain what it means to me - it's about being with your paddling brothers and sisters and celebrating how lucky we are to be able to do what we do.

It is also about boating hard and playing hard.

Screw this Green Boat! The Captain (aka Charlie Center)

The Man, the legend - Noceti

A sober (I think) Joe Bosquin

Tim Hagan - the man behind the curtain
Eventual Runner-up Macy Burnham (check out the Dancer Pro...)

Keith and Rebecca (left) planning out their race strategy). It went something like this:

Keith: "If I get hammered, you have to keep going so that someone can time the race"
Rebecca: "If I get hammered you better save my ass!"

If you look closely you can see people talking smack

The intensity at the put-in. Feel the tension?

Safety boats getting a head start - they should get to Mushroom by the time I do...

The race itself is about 40 minutes long; from the confluence of the main down to Lewis' Leap. I have to say that you start to feel pretty exposed about 15 minutes into the race when you are already extremely tired, are headed into Mushroom, realize you are probably passing the last of the safety boaters and come to terms with the fact that you will be paddling the remainder of the class V run on your own.

To be honest, I'm guessing that there were folks past Mushroom to help out a racer in need - the problem was the lack of oxygen and tunnel vision prevented me from being able to see them. Keith and Rebecca, on the other hand were completely on their own; they raced as a team, ostensibly providing safety for one another as they made their way down to the finish line. This is certainly one of the more thankless jobs during the weekend and a big thumbs up to those two for sucessfully escorting the time clock down to the leap!

This year's race sure seemed to have all the makings of a good one. There were 5 Green Boats, yes 5 (I think that must be every single Green Boat on the west coast). Macy Burnham, Tim Hagan and Ben Wartburg were the only ones that "manned" up and paddled old school boats (the Dancer Pro, Animas and a sinking Dagger boat of some sort). I rounded out the class with my stubby Remix 69 - but like I told everyone, it's not the size that matters...

Sure enough, It was one of the more competitive races in recent memory (except for Charlie blowing away the field for the win). Here are the results


Long Boat
1. Charlie C., Green Boat, 36:40
2. Macy B., Dancer Pro, 37:44
3. Guido, Remix, 37:52
4. Taylor C., Green Boat, 37:53
5. Robbie H., Green Boat 38:07
6. Jared N., Green Boat, 38:38
7. Thomas M., Green Boat, 38:50
8. Tim H., Animas, 40:30
9. Ben W., Sinking Response, 1:01:34

Short Boat
1. Ben J., Mystic, 40:25
2. Aaron S., Nomad, 41:03
3. Kurt S., Nomad, 41:15
4. Joe B., Nomad, 42:11
5. Sean M., Nomad, 43:04
6. Chad D., Nomad, 46:43
7. Roman N., Fluid Solo, 55:10

Team
1. Rick S., Habitat, 44:46
Jim B., Jefe
2. Rebecca G., Remix, 45:37
Keith K., Nomad

Highlights of my run included a mostly-capsized run through Jawbone, a sweet boof off the center rock in Mushroom, a complete flub of Unknown Soldier, getting lost in some boulder garden, survival through Sky King and a nice boof at Christmas Tree Hole. Other highlights include, but were not limited to, Ben W mostly sinking his way down, Roman's heroic surf in Richard's Hole and Dave and Kevin's equally heroic rescue of Roman in Richard's Hole.

As racers finish their runs, they congregate on the rock overlooking Lewis' Leap and talk smack about how much faster they could have been as well as make fun of other folks as they make their way down. Comments like "Is Joe racing or is he safety - it doesn't look like he is racing..." or "Where is Ben, we are about to loose light on the sun-dail".

Charlie explaining exactly how he smoked everyone

So who's setting safety for the safty folks...

Rebecca looking bad-ass

Ducklings headed down the leap

One of the highlights of the weekend is when the race is done and everyone fires up Lumsden. The peanut gallery is always in good form and you get to see just about anything that can happen on Lumsden. We were a little late getting down this year and only got to catch the tail end of the action, but here is some of it (mixed in with a little pre-race day footy).

The scene...

The parking lot below Lummy

Is that Joe's boat?

Is that Joe?

After the fun at Lumsden, it's time for some serious lounging and swimming time before the late night party scene...

Lounging on the rocks

Who says pool toys are for kids

Taylor achieving terminal velocity

Something funny happened...

After this, things got a little hazy, something about a killer BBQ, the Big Creek Shot table, keg stands, men in dresses, not one but two bands, and a whole lot of dancing. Maybe we'll round up some pictures for a later post. Until then.

A little vidy of the Lumsden show




In memory of Kirk, Kenny Gould, Deb Martin, Larry Berg, Lars Holbek, Jon Burnham

More Kaweeeeeah Action

Yep, another day on the Kaweahs - East Fork one day, Hospital Rock the next; Doesn't get much better for back-to-back day trips. There's lots of info out there on the East Fork, so I won't bore you with the details; just wanted to put up some pics of a really fun couple of days with Rebecca, Jason, Trevor and Geno. There are a few shots that are definately worth looking through, including a nice sequence of Trevor's eventful run through triple drop. The rest are a hodgepodge of shots while we scrambled for cameras between drops. Enjoy!

For those who might be interested in getting on this run this year, or at a later date, the flow peaked at 850 cfs at Three Rivers the day these photos were taken. If you are doing this run earlier in the year you might want higher flows at Three Rivers (due to the fact that the North and Sout Forks are contributing more water in the Spring). On the downside of the spring melt, you are looking for peak flows in Three Rivers anywhere between 650 and 1000.

Disclaimer: This is my subjective opinion having never run the East Fork at low flows. I have, however, put on at 1100 on the downside of peak flows and I can attest that it gets pretty burly - especially if it might be your first time down. FYI, the double secret probation gauge above the put-in bridge apparently read a fairly constant flow (no big diurnal) of aroung 165 cfs. For those who know, this corresponded to the water level being solidly in the notch, lapping 2-4 inches higher. Note: Summer of 09 was not a typical high Sierra year with cold weather and copious thunderstorms in May/June. Hope that helps... All information garnered in this blog may or may not be appicable to said unavigable waterway.

Let the boofs begin - Trevor catches air

The dicey seal-launch


The drop right below the dicey seal launch - which looms in the crack just up and to the right



Then back to the fun stuff...

Rebecca enters the sweet double drop

from below


Eric in the sweet Double Drop

Tim easily gets right


Rebecca also gets right



Eric entering Triple Drop

Landing...


Fighting left through the boil


Finding the Slot on the Left

Lining up the third drop for...

One last face shot...

Happy Ending...

Trevor Enters Triple Drop

Landing?

not where you really want to be...

entering drop 2...

some action...

Then out of drop 2...


Not done yet...


The finale

All in all, a very stout run through T-drop. Not sure I would have pulled it off without a good bootie beer...

A quick stop for lunch where we had a scaley friend to keep us company

Now I always loose focus when people write stuff on their blogs; unless I really know them, all I really want to see are the rad pictures. You might think I'm shallow and unintersting (and I am), but mainly I just have a very short attention span. Anyway, I'm going to interupt the shiney, colorful kayak porn for a second here to interject how much I really really like this run. If you take a second to look past the whitewater in each of these pictures, you'll see a really, really beautiful canyon; not only that, but those of us who have had to hike out know it is "effectively" remote as well. That said, the East Fork has something for everyone; if you want to go big there is Triple Drop, Deadwood, Baby Hook and Skyhook - If you don't, there are lots of great class V drops and a few poison Oak infested portages. Serious Sierra Goodness if you ask my opinion - which you didn't, but your at my blog...

And back to the action:


Jason lays it down old-school

Trevor sliding out the first slide in the slide gorge

Jason on the second slide - go between the Moose Knuckles

and sliding...

and sliding...

Tim lining up the overhang
not the smoothest slide on the East Fork


Garreth from the East Coast digging the East Fork


Tim rounding the corner


Happy People

Part II - Hospital Rock 4.9 ft on the Hospital Rock Gauge (more like 4.7 above the diversion, which was not pulling out the max cfs)

Tim not getting beat down in Baby Niagra

Trevor exiting 420 rapid
Garreth, Laura and Rebecca chillin in 420 gorge
Tim on Table Rock Falls

Tim exits the bird bath

Geno on the superstar boof

Eric at about 20 on zero to sixty

Trevor exceeds 55

Bootie Beers all around - for Geno

and a well deserved one for Trevor - not for T-drop (which for the record was not a swim), but for baby Niagra - a nice welcome to Hospital Rock...