Idaho Steep Creeking

Multiple Rivers For Multiple Sclerosis Blog

2005-07-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

www.Multiplerivers.blogspot.com
This blog will cover the adventures of Dave Thompson, Daz Clarkson, Erik Boomer and Andy round as they embark to paddle the Triple Crown of expedition Kayaking including the Susitna, Alsek, Stikine and Homathko rivers. Through this trip we would like to raise awareness and some money for the research and eventual cure of Multiple Sclerosis.

A new toy on Lick Creek Summit

2005-06-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Picking up my new kayak, the Liquidlogic Jefe, I went straight into a two week paddling binge. I paddled hard every day because I had a two week break before my next river trip, I know its, tough. It went something like this North fork payette, Goose Creek, Little salmon Falls and lower hazard, upper johnson creek, Lick creek, Back to little salmon falls,North Fork again, Bear creek in bitteroots and culminated with an epic two day trip on Hazard Creek from the top of the mountain all the way down to the little Salmon(expect a full trip report in two weeks on Hazard Creek). Unfortunately, I did not get pictures of all of these runs. But I did take some pictures of the low water run down Lick Creek near the Summit.

In this photo you can really see the bow of the Jefe doing its job, I know my Embudo would have pitoned and hurt my knees here.

Eastern Idaho Waterfall Tour

2005-06-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I met Sean Glaccum and his girlfriend Ginger White in Island Park for a weekend of waterfalls. These photos are courtesy of Sean and Ginger.
enjoy.
Upper Mesa Falls
The right line on lower mesa
an unnamed waterfall near mesa
The regular line on Lower Mesa Falls

Little Salmon Falls

2005-05-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite runs around McCall. Nate Sparks took photos and video. Click Here (in a day or two) For a Video!

First Fall

Fun rapid below first fall

2nd falls

3rd falls, The Intimidator

Getting Stuffed on the 3rd falls

2nd Try on the Third fall

Final drop. With a very retentive hole.

Bedrock Creeking in Idaho?

2005-04-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

In 1989 Grant Amaral and Tony Brennan completed the first descent of this creek. Clad with neon splashtops and twelve foot kayaks, they slid down this bedrock canyon. This section has only been paddled by a handfull of kayakers since. Storys of manky basalt, hiking and beaver dams has kept the boaters at bay. However, be it shorter boats, more water or just plain desperation I have had excellent experiances on this creek.
After paddling this creek for the 8th time this year I have decided to post some pictures of this litttle treasure.

Typical Slide.

FNA "Bomber" Helmet Review

2005-04-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

Fitting- Every helmet includes foam strips of different thicknesses. These foam strips have an adhesive side. So when you decide where you want them, just peel and stick. I sat down with a knife and began cutting up the strips and testing the fit. Within twenty minutes outfitting I achieved a tight helmet.

Weight/strength- This helmet is extremely light. The weight to strength ratio is excellent. Grabbing the sides of it and squeezing and pulling, I was hard pressed to feel any give in the structure. I am totally amazed at how stiff and rigid it was without compromising on weight. The materials are Kevlar and Fiberglass, I believe more Kevlar than glass.

Overall impression- This particular design, the Bomber, is a good full protection lid. I picked this helmet for big rivers and big water. I would not hesitate to wear this down any drop. It has good ear and frontal lobe protection. A helmet should not be skimpy on protection, I have seen too many kayakers wearing tiny helmets go over and come up bleeding from an earshot. I built up some foam in the brow and this makes me happy for two reasons. First, more foam equals more protection. Secondly, it helps keep the sun out of my eyes if I tilt my head down a bit. After wearing it on the water I really don’t have any more comments other than I didn’t even notice I was wearing it.

Layout- The aesthetics are outstanding. The colors are sharp and crisp. Each design is unique; FNA can do special orders with almost any layout you can think of. The glassy gloss finish makes this helmet worthy of an art piece you could hang on the wall.

These helmets are hand-made by Faron Alstad. Purchasing his helmets are like buying local and going to the co-op. Each helmet is hand made, it is not just some factory spitting out helmets.

American Falls

2005-03-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Growing up in a the small farming community of American Falls, I had always had my eye on this drop, American falls of the Snake River. The only problem is the falls always seemed to be hell or high-water. For months it would sit dry with no water flowing. Then, as if the dam had exploded, it would flow Huge and Unrunnable! Usually, when this bad boy is flowing, you can feel the ground shake from a distance. High water here is truly a sight to behold.
In the fall of 2003 the powers that be decided to let the falls run a low flow of 500 CFS. Driving by I spotted the falls a runnable level. Immediatly went home grabbed my boat to huck. Here are the pictures...

The first drop, a man made must boof.

Just to the left is the final rapid, "the Pinch".

Dropping the second fall.

"The Pinch"

Blasting through the final drop

Bull Run Creek First Descent

2005-02-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

Bull Run Creek is about one hour drive east of Moscow Idaho. The Creek plummets through a basalt canyon with similar geology to Big Timber creek in Montana. Though it is definately not a classic like Big T it should give any boater in the area a good quick fix. It flows into Elk Creek a few miles below Elk Creek Falls. Make sure you take out after running the falls, because the final canyon into Elk Creek is full of sharp rock and wood, I will not do it again. I found this creek just last week and fortunately it was flowing. The run is a glorified park and huck. Pictures on this Blog are from an upper canyon and Bull Run Creek Falls. This trip was the first descent but I am sure it won't be the last.

Video is posted here.

Hiking in one mile, we brought plenty of ropes for safety.

This is a pic from the warm up section leading into the short upper canyon just above Bull Run Creek Falls

The crux of the upper canyon.

Upper Bull run Creek Falls. just out of view is a ten foot falls, followed by lower Bull run creek falls posted just below.

The Lower Falls, this is about a fifty foot slide/falls with some definite airtime.

Fisher Creek expedition

2004-12-08T17:56:00.000-08:00

Fisher Creek lies just north of McCall, Idaho. Despite never being paddled, Fisher Creek is fairly well known among Idaho paddlers. Previous attempts have failed due to the creek's small window of opportunity and snow covered roads. Fortunately, we were able to catch the creek in its prime and had access to a snowmobile.
On May 4th, Keith Howard, Travis Bailor and Erik Boomer embarked on the first descent of Fisher Creek. Here are the photos and descriptions

Unloading the sled at the end of the road

Before we knew it, we were off

Seal launch . . . arf, arf, arf

After one scenic mile, the creek began to drop into a granite canyon.

Scouting the next few drops, it was good to go.

Approaching the fourth drop

Keith dialing the fourth drop

This is a steep canyon we portaged because of the high flow.

Keith, posing on the portage

A 40 ft slide/falls we portaged on this trip