This summer had started looking as if I wasnt gonna make it out to Cali, having just finished up with school and being finacially broke plans didn't work out as planned. But, thanks to the massive amount of snow pack this year westward bound went late into the season. I had gotten about 3 weeks of work in, enough to save up and head to colorado for almost two weeks. So we met up in Hartwell, Ga and left out about 8 pm After 10 or so hours of driving on interstate we arrived at St. Loie in time for the sunrise.
The View was breathe taking
Tho the drive wasnt too bad I would have to say Kansas was probably the most boring state ever and felt as if it would never end. Finally we arrived in Fort Collins about 9:30, 26 or so hours later at a pizza shop. From there we set our goals to Poudre Drainage and drove straight up the mountains in the dark, when we woke that mornin we were amazed how gorged up it was and all we could see was white caps!
We ate some breakfast, got packed up, and decided going upstream and takin a look at Joe Wright. We tried to scout but could only see one rapid, but go figure every river in Colorado is "One Rapid".
This one is called Carnito, it is the 1st rapid and probably one of the more commiting drops. After this drop it doesnt really let up until the confluence with Big South. Joe Wright is a must hit if your in the area for a short 3 mile run. We finished the run in just under a hour of eddy hoppin down. The only pics we got of the river was from the pull off at Carnito.
Andy droppin in first getting pushed right.
Me droppin in behind andy (top right)
The river constricts to about 4 feet wide after this drop
The last big one is called rocket launcher. We all decided to give it a go and resulted in one good beat down and a boat runnin Poudre Falls ; ).
After a day of mishaps (stolen boat and a knife pulled on us) we were down a boat. Thanks to the bupport on Mountainbuzz, JJ hooked us up with one of his welded jefe and saved our week!
The next day we heard the gate was open so we proceeded to the put in for Big South. Needless to say the road to the put in was breathe taking with snow still on the ground in some places, moose feeding in the valleys, and crystal clear creeks were in out of the road.
This is the meadow where a trib. to Big South Put in
After putting on we ran into Mike Pagel who was kind enough to show us down. After running a few shallow junk rapids we arrived at the confluence. The first rapid is called Starter Fluid with a fun S-turn Entrance with a perfect 10 footer exit.
Here is Pagel running the next rapid in line taco bobs. This one was a little more technical with a reverse sunshine line.
Fantasy Flight ....piton ....flip ....roll ....procceed down the river. After watchin several line I decided to walk. The Next rapid was called Bar Room Brawl which was a fun one beside I petoned on the wall on the right(no pics). Still stunned by the scenery Cool world snuck up on us, but managed to grap the last eddy. Heres a pic of Pagel making Cool World look easy.
After Cool comes a really fun one (kinda like a linville rapid) called Bonk. A fun drop that requires a very finess late boof. The next is meltdown a very serious rapid wich is a slide into a drop with a big hole that pushes into a huge sieve on river (left just out of the pic below)
After meltdown comes one of the most beautiful and fun gorge Ive been in called Primetime. This is a very long and intense gorge that is walled in. After this comes the Gorilla of the Midwest Double Trouble.
Me sayin F#@k it
Andy Firin it up
Heres Evan boofing over the beast
Probably the most intertaining thing I saw all day was the 1st decent of BigS in a raft and style it. The next mornin we were woke by loud music and people screamin. Turns out it was JJ and Kevin (the people who saved our trip) wantin a quick round on Big South. Still just as beautiful as the day before we slid back into that tributairy. We ended up flyin through the run in about 4 hours and finishing the day up fishing on Spencer Heights.
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