any whitewater fans out there?

[mtnbiker208]

Like the title says, any other adrenaline junkies out there?
Whitewater kayaking ran my life for about a decade, now mainly rafting.
Day runs or multi day don't matter.

 

[mtnbiker208]

couple more pics

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Oh yeah!!!!! I love it!!! The Gauley and New rivers used to be a stable part of my adrenaline seeking. Course, it didn’t hurt to have friends that were guides and River managers for a couple big companies.

 

[def90]

Used to be in to it years ago.. 18-20 to be exact. Did a lot of whitewater kayaking when I first moved to CO in 2000. Eventually it became a pain in the ass, getting a couple guys together on a specific run at a specific time became cumbersome, then you add in the whole shuttle thing up front and in the end and a 2 hour float turns in to an all day expedition.

Still love doing my yearly multiday beer and camping raft cruises on Ruby Horsethief on the Colorado though.

 

[Headwatermike]

I was pretty into it in the 90's and early 2000's. I was boating some pretty heavy stuff with a good crew. One summer I lost two friends, had a close call, and had my first child. I hung it up and haven't kayaked since. After helping extract the body of a boating partner I determined that dying doing what you love is over rated. My buddies died fighting for their lives. I couldn't live with the idea of my kids growing up without knowing them because of some silly hobby. A couple of my old paddling friends still do it and I miss the time out camping and adventuring with them but have rarely missed the act of kayaking. We sure like rafting but do it on a really casual level.

 

[Rich M]

Fun stuff. I've been on a couple trips - Snake in Idaho and Allagash (i think - long time ago) in Maine.

We used to canoe rivers a lot, just not any serious whitewater class rivers.

 

[dickey48]

Kayaked for 30+years(1976-2010). West Virginia to California and points in between. Had to give it up because of shoulder issues. All mountain biking these days.

 

[mtnbiker208]

def river logistics can be a nightmare, but oh so worth it.

headwater mike I fully understand and have lost the desire for class v rapids. To many close calls. We probably know some of the same missoula boaters. Where you wavesport or riot? lol

dickey48 you might try a kat, still get on some water and not as much shoulder issues with rolling.

What i do know is i just love rivers and the feel you get on them. Last fall i did a solo hells canyon float. Great expierence and i got almost the same feeling as when i shot a bull elk.

Now i will say mountain biking is alot easier to do, but it is fun to do both.

 

[damxam]

I was pretty into it in the 90's and early 2000's. I was boating some pretty heavy stuff with a good crew. One summer I lost two friends, had a close call, and had my first child. I hung it up and haven't kayaked since. After helping extract the body of a boating partner I determined that dying doing what you love is over rated. My buddies died fighting for their lives. I couldn't live with the idea of my kids growing up without knowing them because of some silly hobby. A couple of my old paddling friends still do it and I miss the time out camping and adventuring with them but have rarely missed the act of kayaking. We sure like rafting but do it on a really casual level.

Damn running down Big Timber Falls! That's truly some gnarly water. Sorry about your friends, knowing when to hang up the hat is never a bad thing.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

We did the American river up in gold country a few times. a real blast. Damn that water is cold.

 

[mtnbiker208]

was twitch the movie that had big timber in it in the 90's?
to many beers since then to remeber stuff like that.
Here is a pic of a guy running moyie falls. They showed up to my buds place in Bonners Ferry with a back board.
Going to run the moyie on saturday. We will take out before the falls. lol

 

[Agross]

I did the New and the Gauley years ago . Had a riot.

 

[Sam's dad]

Our family does river trips most years. It’s a great way to spend time together and we all love river time. Nothing better than the first cup of coffee on the bank of a wild river. Still waiting for my MFS permit tho…

 

[Headwatermike]

was twitch the movie that had big timber in it in the 90's?
to many beers since then to remeber stuff like that.
Here is a pic of a guy running moyie falls. They showed up to my buds place in Bonners Ferry with a back board.
Going to run the moyie on saturday. We will take out before the falls. lol

I can't recall those old films either. We also boated Sweetgrass Cr to the N of Big T and it was a similar character. It was a long hike up through the same private checkerboard that hunters are fighting to access. The rancher would allow us access back then. One of my buddies died in the Box on the CF of the Yellowstone near Cody--he was more of an acquaintance really. My crew missed the eddy to the portage of an unrunnable falls and all of them went down it. We found his body two weeks later and brought him out. I was supposed to be there but I had made plans far earlier to watch Willie Nelson with my wife and she wouldn't let me out of it. Willie may have saved my life that weekend. That crew were savages and they got hammered; I was probably the weakest one.

That falls in your picture does not look runnable. It's nuts. Good call on taking out, don't miss the eddy!

I went back to riding dirt bikes, now my whole family does. It's funny that dirtbikes are the safe sport as I've picked up some extra hardware and scars over the years but you never drown after a get-off. Whitewater can be so forgiving but once in awhile it will just it will just gobble you up. Walt Blackadar, the ww pioneer who paddled huge runs all over, often solo, died on a simple pin on a local run in Idaho, class 3 as I recall.

 

[actionshooter]

Not really whitewater but I do use the raft a lot.

 

[Ranger 692]

Looooong time ago…

 

[DawnPatrol]

Love a good float trip! I have a 12 foot Aire raft that's big enough to take a two ppl and gear for several days, but small enough to get into some tight spots and skinny water.

Not into anything extreme whitewater wise. I now draw the line at class 4--after a very long and nasty swim that me and my buddy were lucky to walk away from.

But there's nothing better than a multi-day float trip in some remote canyon. Especially if the fishing is good. I've even dumped a couple deer from the boat--makes the pack out a breeze

Someday I'll draw a certain sheep tag and get to do a combo sheep hunt and float trip. #lifegoals

 

[Cervid]

Does anyone have experience combining a hunt with a whitewater trip? I used to be a raft guide and whitewater kayak instructor and have been thinking it could be a good way to access areas most people can’t get to. Logistics could be challenging of course, especially because my hunting friends aren’t whitewater people and my whitewater friends aren’t hunters.

 

[mtnbiker208]

cervid
I was talking to a guy that was putting on marsh creek to get to the middle fork of the salmon for a bear hunt. so yes it does happen. I keep putting in for a california bighorn in oregon. I would use my raft.
Jet boats are used alot on the snake for all kinds of hunting.

headwatersmike
that is some stumpy water, sorry to hear about your buds. It is funny you say that about dirt biking. I have been in quite a few avalanches with my snowmobile. I do believe surfing the slide out on the sled saved my life a few times. The notion of moving with out going anywhere got my attention a few times in the winter. (you know the slide is starting).

 

[mtnbiker208]

Not really whitewater but I do use the raft a lot.