The Perpetual Flow: 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Some Photos From Around Thailand and Bali

These are all taken with my Canon Powershot D10, no photoshop, and reduced to 50% JPEG quality for speedy uploads. Quite impressive for a compact, digital waterproof camera, I love it. I wish I had my D-90 every now and then, but this camera rocks! Here is a good combo of macro, night shots, landscapes, etc....

A flower and ant in Bali

Times Square, NYC

Street-side Pad Thai in Bangkok

Bike ride near the Thailand - Burma boarder

Train ride to Chiang Mai

Longtails at sunset in Tonsai, Thailand

DWS Tonsai, Thailand

Water falling off a stalagtite, Tonsai.

Flower in Bali

Snorkeling in the Gilis

A little blue fish

A coconut shell and coral

Loy Kratong Festival in Chiang Mai

Curt and Melissa on Gili Air

Christmas Lights - Bali style, Christmas Eve

Curt Melissa and Roy - Christmas eve mustache

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Upper Upper Cispus

Any section of river that is called the "Upper Upper" anything has got to be good. The Cispus is no exception. It has been described as a great "east meets west" style run. Steep and rocky pool-drop in places, continuous and pushy in others with a must-run, unscoutable 30-footer - Behemoth. Lots of wood, but only two mandatory portages. Its a great late season alternative to low-water runs on the Truss.

Drew scouting the first drop: A fun 15-er into a very tight squeeze under a log. Photo: Jimmer

Fastlane dropping the first drop. Photo: Jimmer

Drew A. making the squeeze. The higher the water the tighter the squeeze! Photo: Jimmer

Orion first drop, right side of Island Rapid. Photo: Curt Joyce

Copedawg, second drop of Island. Photo: Curt Joyce

Fastlane - Behemoth! Photo: Curt Joyce

Orion going stern first at Behemoth! Photo: Curt Joyce

Cope stompin' it down! Photo: Curt Joyce

There are many other good rapids, just no time to photo them all. But half-mile of whitewater that includes the landslide rapid above Behemoth to below Righty-Tighty is an absolute classic section of whitewater. So fun.

Sweet little side hike to a swim-in gorge with a waterfall at the end. So sweet! Photo: Curt Joyce

Copedawg gets a glacial facial! Photo: Curt Joyce

Fastlane. Photo: Curt Joyce

All photos from the Cispus here

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Exploring a New River: The Ohanepecosh

Me at the big drop towards the end. Photo: Adam Elliott

I love doing laps down the Little White or the Truss. Its great to try new lines and catch new eddies. But what I really love is paddling new rivers. Last week, the stars aligned so that Copenhagen, Fastlane and myself all had the day off and Adam was just hangin' so we all rallied a day trip up to the Ohanepecosh. The "Ohanny" as its called, is a beautiful river gorge originating off the SE side of Mt. Rainier in the National Park.

The Ohanny is known for its crystal clear waters and high-quality, but not super challenging rapids. It lived up to its expectation. It was a great day of exploration. Upon arriving we stretched our legs with a short hike up to check out Silver Falls.

Although its been run, I think it was a little more excitement than we were looking for, so we enjoyed the view, discussed the line (for next time), then headed back to the truck.

None of us had ever run the Ohanny before, so the day involved a fun mix of boat scouting, sending one person down to check for wood and then subsequent portages due to wood.

This was real boating. What its all about. Even running laps on a hard river you are dealing with the known. The four of us working our way down with very limited prior knowledge tapped into a different style of boatin': a whole different approach and attitude.

Adam Elliott boofin'

Seizing every minute and enjoying every stroke, not knowing when we might be able to make it back to this river, or paddle another unknown river together.

Copenhagen soakin' it in

The most noteable and unique rapid, Elbow Room, involves dropping an 8-ft ledge in the entrance and staying far left to squeeze between a boulder and the bedrock wall. It was a stellar rapid!

Adam Elliott strokin'

It was a great day. Water so clean and clear I drank right out of the river.

Fastlane in one of the many beautiful gorges

After the run I raced Fastlane on the shuttle, me biking, him thumbing, I won. Its an easy bike or jogging shuttle, which makes the run all the more appealing.

We had a great flow: between 1900cfs and 2100cfs on the Cowlitz at Packwood gauge. Could have been done with more and would have been fine with less.

Silver Falls, Ohanepecosh River

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

A Photo Tour of the Little White Salmon 2010

The Little White Salmon boasts clean, clear and cold water with many high quality drops. It runs for a good portion of the summer and happens to be only 15 minutes away. We have had a great start to the summer with lots of laps down one of the best class V runs in the world. Here are some pictures taken over the last few months to at least help give a small idea of how sweet this run is. Enjoy.

Step 1: Set shuttle, which is nice and easy for such a high quality run

Lots of fun boulder gardens in Gettin' Busy builds to an awesome climax at Boulder Sulice

Christie Glissmeyer airing it out at Boulder Sluice

Photo: Curt Joyce

Tyler Houck gettin some and Drew A headin downstream

Photo: Curt Joyce

Island is the next significant rapid. The move involves ducking a tree at the entrance and then handling whatever the river throws at you over 3 ledge drops. Drew A launching one of the ledges.

Photo: Curt Joyce