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Hucker's Guide.. Chapter One - WA

2009-10-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

NWVS #8 - DVD's available now!!!

2009-07-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

The eighth addition to the archives of whitewater kayaking based in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. In the land of BIG waterfalls and steep rivers it’s easy to find another epic playground in the next drainage over. #8 takes a unique look at the whitewater paddling in and around the Columbia River Gorge.

Get your copy now at The Kayak Shed- CLICK HERE

Check out the trailer below

Contents Include:
*CRG Winter Update 2009
*Stebbins Creek, WA
*First Weekend of 2009
Featuring: Bridal Veil Falls, Hoffstadt Creek, Butte Creek Falls
*2nd weekend..
Featuring: BV Falls, Rock Creek, Outlet Falls
*L-Dub In Depth 'Spirit & Chaos!' *90's Classics: Silver Creek, Tumwater Canyon, and Canyon Creek
and much more..

Featuring Music by: Braille, Painted Grey, Brace the Fall, Stupid In Stereo, The Crafty Bastards, I-MC , & Richard Tillinghast

Northwest Video Scrapbook #8 is currently available at these locations:
Liquid Kayak .com
The Heliconia Press
Outdoorplay .com
Kayak Shed

California 2009 - No Down Time

2009-07-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

After an awesome event at the Northwest Creekin Competitions on the E.F. of the Lewis sponsored by Next Adventure and the Olsens, a small crew from the PNW went full speed down to California and found some early season goods. 7 days of classic paddling.

MORE VIDEOS, TRIP REPORTS, and LOCAL UPDATES at www.GORGEHITS.com

The Nuke Flume - EA Washington

2009-07-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

When in the search for the weirdest, unusual, and most unique waterfalls/rapids out there, one can stumble across some interesting features that are still fit for taking a kayak down. This was the case in the 'Nuclear Flume'. Nothing was normal about this thing except that is had water rushing down it and into a deep, not so much, pool at the bottom. And there was an obvious put-in and you land in the Columbia River, 100 feet from it. The landing zone depth check turned out to be around 7 feet and the ghost boat passed the test. After much scouting and deliberation Ryan Scott headed up the hill in the Huckin Huge rig to drop in, .3 miles up the hill. The sequence.... first big roller, second big roller, triple roller, under the road, out into space...

Thanks to Chris Bolken for the Tri-Cities Tour and you can see exclusive footage from this descent in the next DVD release from Huckin Huge Films expected in 2010.

Northwest Video Scrapbook

2007-08-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Check out the new video site here...
www.gorgehits.com

AK update and video project....

2007-08-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

July 29 - August 5, 2007
GREAT Whitewater in this state!
I was lucky enough to borrow a boat from Corry Ryan and get some local info from James Bagley and A.J. Johnson. Huge thanks to these guys, they made the trip happen for me!

After a day (monday) of hanging out with the family we got everything togerther and headed down to the Kenai for camping and fishing.

Here are a few random shots from the Kenai River

On Wen. we got lucky enough to go run Ingram Creek. It was low, but i was asured that we could still make it down, portage what you need to and move downstream. We hiked in at the 30fter. not much of a trail and nervous about the bear situation we made alot of noise on the way in. After a 1/2 mile hike we saw a pretty amazing gorge with a few big drops stacked on one another. After dropping in the gorge walls would open and close as we made our way downstream. There were quite a few mini gorges with some great whitewater. We did portage quite a few drops due to low water and borrowed boats.

Lana at Gilligans Island on Ingram Creek

After a while I was getting impressed by the number of horizon lines and quality gradient in the canyon.
Lana at Green Room, last drop on Ingram

another day on the Kanai and we were off to 6 mile on Friday. We met up with Nova guides Corry, Luke, Dan, Jeff, Brad, and Alan. Half of my family went rafting while Lana and I followed in kayaks.

Rafting 6 mile creek with Nova

We were able to boat scout most of the run with one scout at Rock Drop in the 3rd canyon. This is a great comercial rafting run, plenty of action with a nice float between the 1st and 2nd canyons.

First drop, Rock Drop, in the 3rd canyon on 6 mile creek at low water

Rafters at the take out for 6 mile

After being delayed in Anchorage and getting stuck in Seattle for hours on reconecting flights, lost bags, and getting a rental car, it was a long trip back to the gorge in the early morning.

On a local note....Northwest Video Scarpbook is up and rolling.

Random Photo # 10

2007-07-23T19:15:00.001-07:00

Keel Brightman Photography

Helicopter Seal Launch from March 2004

2007-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

This heli seal launch took place on March 19, 2004 on the Spokane River near Corban Park. The owner and pilot of the helicopter is Jack Scanlon of River City Helicopters. James Black and a couple friends took this day to do something they wanted to do for a long time! Here's the shot of James Black, dropping about 30feet out of the helicopter.

James Black, dropping in....

Stranger things have happened!?

2007-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Friday the 13th. Jay and I rolled up on Gettin Busy, as we have many times this year, and went for the standard portage on river left around the entry to Gettin Busy, however when we got out it looked as if there was a new line! The small cedar tree the used to block off the entire right side is now mostly gone. One piece is still blocking the far right side, but there is a line to the left of it and into the main right channel! Now there is a line with out getting out of your boat! Here are a couple shots of it.

Looking in to the entry.

Jay Gifford running the entry to Gettin Busy.

The entry to Gettin Busy. The far river left side is the old sneak line, closed out now.

Green Truss 7/8/07

2007-07-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Green Truss, White Salmon River, Washington.

Andy Maser on Little Brother.

Heather Herbeck, Little Brother.

Aaron Goodwin, freestyle action on Little Brother

Keel Brightman on the top drop of Double Drop.

Heather Herbeck on Double Drop.

Aaron going for it.

Scott Baker on Double Drop.

Andy Maser boofing BZ Falls.

Aaron Goodwin melting BZ.

Keel Brightman, BZ.

Scott Baker going right at BZ.

Little White....

2007-07-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

Little White Salmon River, Washington 6/30/07
It's down to 2.4....

Jay Gifford dropping in the gorge.

Myself above the gorge.

Matt Gaudette charging over Stovepipe.

John Boone looking into Stovepipe

Katie Hilleke running Spirit Falls.

Jay below Spirit.

Back home....
Keel Brightman Photography

Check out this video from the past few days on the Little White. As always, It's still fun in there...

Little N.F. Clearwater, Day 1

2007-06-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

30 mile section of the Little North Fork of the Clearwater River, Idaho over 3 days with Brian Vogt, Steve Pugh, James Black, and Andy Bright. This is Day 1, 6/22/07

Driving East.

Spokane Washington, Riverfront Park.

Spokane Falls.

On the way to the put-in.

Last town before the river. Avery, Idaho.

Almost there.

At the put-in bridge.
*Thanks to Jim for running the top shuttle for us!

A lot of the top stuff looked like this....

Steve Pugh, James Black, and Andy Bright on the upper section.

Steve Pugh and Brian Vogt working through one of many portages on the upper section.

Northern Idaho wilderness.

Andy Bright and Brian Vogt @ 12 miles in at the first camp.

Camp one, just above Canyon Creek.

Most of day one was low water, open class II with a lot of portages over/around big logs. Toward the end of the day we had more tributaries pour in, adding flow for day two.
For more on this trip check out Brian Vogt's site, riverlog.blogspot.com.

Little N.F. Clearwater, Day 2

2007-06-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Little North Fork of the Clearwater, Idaho. Day 2, 6/23/07

Steve Pugh, Andy Bright, and James Black leaving camp one on day two.

The river changed up a little on day two. We had a little more flow and more class III rapids with nice, deep pools below them, perfect for fishing.

Steve Pugh taking a break from boating.

James Black in a great spot.

James with a nice trout.

After another log portage we got out and saw this.

Brian Vogt at the bottom of another fun class III rapid on day two.

Andy Bright and Brian Vogt relaxing a few miles upstream of camp two.

Brian and I kept paddling downstream to Slide Lake while the others took their time to hang out and fish. We got to the lake faster than we thought it would take so we paddled down to get a look at Body Bag Rapid, the long series of whitewater that pours out of Slide Lake. I thought it looked really good so we went back up to camp to un-load the boats and rest. After a few hours I went back down and ran the rapid, twice, before getting a great nights sleep on the island.

Camp two on the island at Slide Lake.

Day two was very relaxing with a lot of great wildlife sightings.

Little N.F. Clearwater, Day 3

2007-06-27T12:11:00.001-07:00

Little North Fork of the Clearwater, Idaho. Day 3, 6/24/07
Day three started out at a good pace and we paddled 300 feet across the lake to the top of Body Bag Rapid. At one point James said, "From what I saw from the air it's all white from here to the take out".

Looking down on Slide Lake (our camp on night 2) and Body Bag Rapid.
Photo by James Black

BB, top section...

bottom section...

In the middle of Body Bag Rapid.
Photo by Brian Vogt

Brian Vogt and Andy Bright about a mile below BB.

Brian on the lower section.

James Black taking a break from the action on day three.

I didn't take many on the river shots this day. We had a lot of fun read and run whitewater all the way to the take out.

The take-out @ 11am on day three.

Looking back up the Little N.F. canyon on the drive out.

After an hour of driving out of the canyon we made it to Clarkia.

None of this could have been possible without the hard work by James Black for scouting and setting up the put-in shuttle, and Steve Pugh & Andy Bright for running the take-out shuttle the day before we put on. HUGE Thanks to these guys! I couldn't imagine trying this in the time frame we had without their help.
*And thanks to Jim for taking the truck back from the put-in.

For a full Trip Report on this check out riverlog.blogspot.com.

Random Photo # 9

2007-06-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Myself and Jay Gifford on a 'blue angel run' through Shipherds Falls, Lower Wind River, Washington.

Photo Copyright Bryce Jenkinson/Coho Photography.

Little White flow update/new wood...6/19/07

2007-06-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

The flow is holding @ 2.6 feet at the put in stick.

Todd Anderson ducking under the big log in Gettin Busy while Jason Schoeder looks on from above.

Todd running the log jam rapid below Island.
There was a new piece of wood just above S-Turn in the right side of the Enchanted Forest. I ducked under the river wide piece and saw a new log just downstream before I dropped in, luckily I stopped, but one member of our group ran up and over it. It can be run, but it is very sketchy! The left side of this island is the safe line. If your not sure where I'm talking about be very careful as you approach S-Turn Rapid.

Todd, reverse freewheel on S-Turn.

Keel Brightman on Wishbone Falls.

Justin Wiley on Wishbone.

Todd stomping Stovepipe.

Keel Brightman, Spirit Falls.

Jay Gifford on Spirit.

Todd was having a lot of fun in the Pyranha Ammo. If you have a small creeker this is a great level for it.

Next multi-day trip...

2007-06-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

Just the boat, no gear.

Full for 3 days, not bad!

Check back for day 1 of the Little N.F. of the Clearwater, Idaho.

Money Drop...Again and Again...

2007-06-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of the most active changing waterfalls this year. Over the past 8-10 months the last waterfall on Rock Creek has been constantly changing. Less than a year ago this waterfall stood @ 75 feet tall, then a scout of the canyon back in May revealed what looked to be a clean 30 foot waterfall with tons of debri from the recent landslide just downstream. Todd Anderson and Nate Herbeck ran it the next day after a long scout. Luckily that was the perfect window to drop this one, one last time before it changed into this.....@ 15 foot un-runable mess....

The landslide keeps pushing its way into the canyon making the pool and the canyon below the waterfall smaller and smaller.

These pictures don't really do it justice. It looks similar, but if you compare to my previous post its a little different. The waterfalls lost about 10 more feet and the pool is very shallow now!

The house on the left is gone since my last visit (you can see the foundation falling off the top) and the house on the right is getting closer.

Looking downstream from the waterfall.

Check out the ONLY descent of the 30 foot version on Money Drop in Nate Herbeck's next video Toxic Waters due out in early 2008.

*Also click here to check out the previous post on this waterfall, the 30 foot version and the 75 foot version.

Lower Wind River, 6/16/07

2007-06-16T19:12:00.001-07:00

Wind River, Washington.

Jason Schoeder at the put-in for the Lower Wind.

Bryan Youngs in the Flume.

Bryce Jenkinson on the Wind.

Jay Gifford on the first drop in Shipherds Falls.

Bryan, right side of the first drop.

Jason on the second drop in Shipherds Falls.

Bryan, second drop.

Jason in the manky third drop.

Jay in the mank.

Bryan Youngs exits Shipherds Falls on the low head dam.

Random Photo #8

2007-06-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

Bryan Youngs on Little Brother Falls, White Salmon River, Washington. Big Brother Falls in the background.

Keel Brightman Photography

Little White flow update 6/12/07

2007-06-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

The Little White is holding @ 2.7 at the put-in stick.

Keel and Jay below Wishbone Falls.

Keel Brightman on Stovepipe.

Jay Gifford on Stovepipe.

Green Truss Update...

2007-06-09T08:49:00.001-07:00

...please remember this put in is a privilege. Alomst all of the White Salmon runs through Private Property.

The put-in.

Jason Schroeder on Big Brother Falls.

Keel Brightman on Big Brother.

Nate Herbeck on Little Brother.

Bryan Youngs in Double Drop.

Nate Herbeck out of Double Drop.

Nate checking out the new log in Lower Zig Zag Canyon.
*from here it looks like there might be a way through.....

*looking worse...

Vertical log in mid-current and a river wide piece on the upstream side of that.....
*not an option....

This pile of wood is directly behind the big fan rock in the middle of Lower Zig Zag Canyon. I took a new rope in today and replaced the old one so that the portage is doable, however the rope hangs off a 15 foot slope into a verticle 30 feet down to the water, if you have any kind of rappel device you might want to bring it with you. Please stay in the canyon as much as possible, everything else is Private Land. We are lucky enough to be able to scout upper and lower Zig Zag because we are confined in the gorge. Upper was good to go today and the portage on river left at Lower Zig Zag is the way around. Lower flows are going to expose the horizontal log more and more...

Jason heading up to the portage rope.

Bryan Youngs setting the new rope.

Keel Brightman going down.
*just down from this boat is the vertical hang.

The back side of the infamous cave in the river left wall of Lower Zig Zag.
*the front side of this cave is just downstream of the new logs.

The crew at the bottom.

Thanks to Alex Pinchot and Dan Anderson for
spotting the log and Brandon Backman for passing the word quickly!

NEW LOG IN TRUSS!

2007-06-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

This just in from River Ranger, Brandon Backman.
As of 6/5/07 there is a new, huge old growth log in the middle of Lower Zig-Zag Rapid on the Green Truss section of the White Salmon River. It sounds like a pretty sketchy line to make it through and a portage around this is near impossible. Approach zig-zag and the Truss, for now, with extreme caution! This is a popular run for the locals, but Do Not drop into Lower Zig Zag blind right now!

Billy Jones in Lower Zig Zag, pre-log.

2 times in 1 season...Salmon River Canyon 6/07

2007-06-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

Salmon River Canyon, Oregon 6/3/07

All Photos on this post by Keel Brightman

One more run before it goes away for another year. We decided to camp at the put-in and get up and charge it the next day. So we arived sat. afternoon and proceeded to hike our boats down the trail so we didn't have to deal with it the next day. The next morning we ran shuttle really fast...and made it on the water by 1pm.

Mt. Hood on the drive in on FR240.

Brian Eustis, Mike Northrop, Luke Spencer, and Jason Aytes on the hike in.

Brian Eustis running Split Falls.

Jason Schroeder on Split Falls.

Lana Young on Split Falls.

Andy Lichtenheld trying out a new line on Little Niagra Falls.

Mike Northrop running Little Niagra.

Keel Brightman on Vanishing Falls
Photo by Andy Lichtenheld

Jason Schroeder in Vanishing gorge.

Jason Aytes in Vanishing gorge.

Andy Lichtenheld getting out away from the bottom drop in Frustration Falls.

Part of the crew below Frustration Falls.

In between, Frustration and Final.

Lana Young on the drop below Frustration.

Luke Spencer on the drop just above Final Falls.

Jason Aytes same drop.

The crew above Final Falls.

Luke jumped the cliff first and hit bottom on the landing. Mike went and same thing so everyone else went for the rappel. Keel went over to river left and launched off the cliff into the base of the drop. Definitely deep there!

Mike Northrop on the jump on river right at Final Falls.

Brian Eustis on the rappel at Final Falls.

Luke Spencer jumping Final Falls.

My boat on its way over Final.

Another awesome day in the Canyon!
Thanks to everyone that went, good times!

Salmon River Canyon, Oregon 5/27/07

2007-05-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

*Known as the Mt. Everest of Oregon Kayaking.
*Also called the Most Technical and Committing Box Canyon in Oregon.

Trying to stay on the right road to the put in.

Getting there is always a challenge.

At the end of the trail, getting ready to drop into the canyon.

Split Falls, put in drop.
Photo Keel Brightman

Chris Korbulic on Split Falls.
Photo Keel Brightman

This one always turns out to be an epic day! A couple things changed this year. The foot bridge that crossed the Salmon on the hike in from Linney Creek is gone and there is some new wood in the canyon. There are a couple vertical logs in the gorge below Vanishing Falls, not really a problem uless you decide to run the falls, but Keel and Chris make it look good. Also one log above Frustration the required some tricky boat work to make it over to the right to scout. Tricky meaning, If you miss the move you're running Frustration blind!
*all photos from here down by Keel Brightman

Chris Korbulic in the gorge below Vanishing Falls.

same drop from the side.

Chris Gabrielli in Vanishing gorge.

Jay Gifford in Vanishing gorge.

Jay paddling out of the room at Frustration Falls.

On the outside looking in.

E.J. Etherington, mid-jump. Chris and Jeff below Frustration.
*this jump is not recommended, it's shallow!

Jay Gifford on the 20 footer above Final Falls, Frustration Falls in the background.

Chris Gabrielli on the falls above Final.

E.J. Etherington same drop.

Jeff Hazboun same drop.

The crew above Final Falls.

We had a rope for the rappel at Final Falls, but there were other options that the crew explored. Keel and Jeff jumped off the top and into the pool and Chris Korbulic decided to fire up the main line, just left of the flake in the center of the falls. He over rotated just a little, tossed the paddle and tucked up tight. That was right up there with the sickest lines I've seen. Final Falls is really big and hard to line up. We paddled out and made it before dark.

E.J. and Jay on the edge of Final Falls.

Check out this short video from the trip

Some runs don't live up to their hype, this one exceeds everything you've heard about it!
Keep checking samedeepwater.blogspot.com for more on Final Falls and check Team Swain and This River Life for more photos.