Six Rivers Expedition-Eel River Dos Rios to Fortuna

Will Parham, Wes Schrecongost, Victoria Anweiler, Dan Menten and Paul Gamache
Photo: Toni Morzenti

This was an epic paddling trip thought up on a whim by the six rivers team.  Originally the plan was a 2-day trip from Alderpoint to Fortuna, which we thought would be a bit low, and a long two-day.  Somehow the go-getting attitude of the crew took over and we decided hell, while we’re add it why don’t we just add another day and 47 miles of whitewater and do the Dos Rios to Alderpoint section as well.  It certainly simplified our shuttle logistics and with enough water we thought it would be doable.  Fortuitously, a much-needed storm delivered a modest amount of precipitation that was followed by several days of beautiful forecasted sunshine and the plan seemed to be manifesting.  Joined by two friends, Arcata whitewater enthusiast Victoria Anweiler and Idaho/Humboldt wave shredder Will Parham we were also graced by Wes Schrek and the presence of the Six River’s Expeditions #1 sponsor Toni Morzenti who found time to drop off the adventuresome crew at Dos Rios. 

 Meeting at the crack of dawn 5:30 we did the normal stumble around loading gear in the dark routine before loading into Wes’ truck for the 2:30 hour drive through Eureka, down to Fortuna then along the Eel River all the way to Garberville, and finally Laytonville before we turned onto highway 162 towards Covelo and shortly thereafter we arrived to our put-in at Dos Rios.  While we gathered our gear a friendly local came down to chit-chat with his more than friendly dog.  The old-timer told us that it had been an amazingly dry year and that up until a couple of days ago “the water had been running crystal clear” he then continued “you shoulda been here last year there was tons of water “ I looked over to see the dog humping on Toni’s leg who disapproved.  The old man continued “them rafters who come here in May are gonna be pushing their boats across the riffles”.  I looked down and noticed the dog sitting inside of my kayak, that I happened to be trying to pack.  Eventually the old man and the dog left us to our devices.  Paul and I were both paddling old Wave Sport Lazer’s, which we quickly realized were not good boats for overnight trips as they were extremely difficult to pack.  After some struggling to fit our ‘essentials’ we still had gear strewn about.  Luckily Will and Victoria were rocking Sea Kayaks and we found some extra space in the cargo hatches for the overflowing food and gear.  We took a group pic and said goodbye to our #1 sponsor before heading towards the river.

We elected to put-in downstream of the confluence, which is not a good river access.  Well it’s alright for kayaks but rafts need to use a river access upstream of the middle fork confluence where a much better access exists.  We walked our way along the railroad tracks and then down the hillside to about 4,000 cfs on the Eel River.  The very first rapid had an amazing wave and the pace of the river continued swiftly as we found ourselves in the classic whitewater section with a healthy flow.  Will and Victoria both represented by paddling sea kayaks, which took a little bit of adjusting since they aren’t quite as maneuverable in the rapids.  Our estimated put-on time was 10 o clock, and we were happy to find beautiful sunny skies and a healthy current to carry us along.  We had no idea how long the 100 mile, 3-day trip would take us and were fearful of falling behind schedule so we approached the river with a touch of haste.  

We definitely took time to marvel at the wondrous railroad ruins that lay spread throughout the canyon.  The recently controversial and now-defunct Northwestern Pacific Railroad line runs through the Eel River Canyon.  It is mind boggling to stare at the many failures along these tracks where active earth flows have caused slumping, landslides have blocked tunnels and taken out the tracks, and culverts have been washed from their places.  It is equally mind boggling to consider some of the locations of train wreckage such as boxcars and flatcars that have managed to work their way far from the railroad tracks where they came.  The massive power that the river has to transport enormous chunks of steel such as these, and pile boulders upon them ten feet high, is a testament to the power of water and Mother Nature.  The railroad line was built during the early 1900’s and stopped running following the high water year of 1997 when most of the wreckage occurred.  Consider it recent history.  Here Victoria passes an old Boiler Car.

The railroad line has been described as looking like a "roller coaster in places.

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

Talk of trying to re-open this railroad line can be thought of as nothing more than a pipe-dream, however somehow the pipe-dream has stayed alive.  Considering the amount of wreckage and sustained damage to the tracks from 15 years of neglect coupled with the lack of Old-Growth redwood forests to clearcut (they've all been cut or protected) its time to let it go.  Rant: As much intrinsic historic value as these train tracks have (little to none) I think of them as nothing more than litter.  Only in America can wealthy corporations build a rail-line to exploit natural resources and then abandon them completely once the resources have been exploited, with no repercussions or responsibility like picking up their garbage.  

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

 We hastily continued downstream although the pace of the river had slackened somewhat.  On the right bank we encountered several families of wild boars with litters of baby boars running amok upon the hillsides.  Eventually Spyrock came into view and we decided to take a short break to admire its beauty.

 Unique Eel River Metamorphics

After our break, the best section of the run ensued.  From Spyrock down past the North Fork of the Eel confluence 10 miles further, the pace picks up with more gradient, boulders and of course, excellent play spots.

Just another unnamed wave-hole

  
 The crew was thoroughly enjoying themselves as the miles were coming easily and the weather and scenery was beautiful.  We eventually took another short break at the North Fork Confluence before continuing downstream.  At these higher flows the current really does carry you quickly and before we knew it we were arriving at the Island Mountain Falls section.  We routed our way into the rapid which has two parts, it starts with a tricky ledge drop, then you find a good slot where the river enters a boulder fence.  We all had good lines and were soon passing beneath the train bridge before the notorious railroad tunnel. 

The river then makes a gigantic oxbow bend before returning to the train tracks.  This section is very beautiful and has some excellent camping opportunities; a couple of fun rapids lie in the oxbow as well.  After 5 miles you return to the tracks at the opposite end of the train tunnel, which is your signal that Kekawaka falls is ahead.  This is another standout rapid that stuck in my memory and wasn’t quite as big as my previous trip but it still packed a whallop! 

We continued to charge downstream through more fun water and I suddenly realized how much excellent whitewater this section truly has.  Although it gradually lets up towards the end of the run there are still fun rapids with character and good playspots to keep you on your toes.  At this point we had covered almost 40 miles and decided we’d made enough progress to camp for the night.  A nice beach then presented itself to us with abundant dry wood, a small creek, and a guarantee of afternoon and morning light and we decided to call it a day. 

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

High fives for all, we’d kicked some serious ass.  Although we were concerned that the dropping water levels following the storm might make for some difficult flatwater ahead, we had already taken a big chunk out of our goal and felt good. 

We awoke the following morning to a hanging fog and all stayed in our bags for awhile since we were tired from the previous day’s early start.  The water level had definitely dropped overnight causing gravel bars to appear where water had flowed the previous night.  After stoking our fire the sun finally broke through the clouds bringing its motivating warmth.  Soon thereafter we were packed up and launching for another long day on the water. 

After a short while on the water we passed the second major train bridge indicating that we were nearing Alderpoint and once again I would be paddling on new water. 

The section between Alderpoint and Fort Seward proved to be mostly flat, however it is here that the Eel River makes a major transition.  Up to this point oak woodlands and enormous grassy hillsides have primarily dominated the scenery. Downstream of Alderpoint the Eel River works its way into a lusher coastal climate.  The forests get thicker as a result.  The river also cuts through a beautiful rock gorge in here with an amazing looking campsite that we all felt would have been ideal….for next time! 

The view from sik Camp

As mentioned there were really no rapids between A.P. and Fort Seward but the amazing quality of the river kept the crew’s spirits high and before we knew it we’d passed beneath another bridge and we were stoked to be covering ground.  Due to the dropping water levels we hoped to keep our progress and make our final day on the water an easy one, rather than a death-slog.  Downstream from Fort Seward the river enters another beautiful roadless section. 

After passing the confluence of Dobbyn Creek on river right, which looked inviting, we arrived at the confluence of a beautiful tributary on the right and decided to take a lunchbreak.  We completed the lunchbreak with an excellent side-hike up the creek that comes in here. 

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

Somewhere after lunch the flatwater started getting a little intense for the boys in the Lazer’s.  We couldn’t really feel our legs due to the awkward old school outfitting forcing our circulation to a halt.  Eventually we saw what looked like a mirage but was really another person..and a dog.  It was the first human encounter we’d had since put-in.  After eddying out the friendly local, who was eager to chitchat with us, had to restrain his gigantic German Shephard puppy as we tried to have a conversation.  The dog barked on and tugged at the leash as I asked him our location.  “You’re in Eel Rock” he said, and then the dog barked and tugged at the leash some more.  This was getting old and I’m sure his arm was tiring so continued downstream through more amazing roadless scenery. 

Eventually we paddled through an amazing canyon stretch that lies in here. 

Good crews come together

The canyon downstream of Eel Rock was high quality and we were lovin' it

The fading daylight and beautiful scenery urged us to camp here as we were quickly approaching highway 101 and the South Fork Eel Confluence downstream.  We had a hard time picking our ultimate campsite but eventually scored a nice gravelly bar with wood, creek, and promise of morning light.  Another beautiful day on the water was celebrated around the caveman T.V. like a happy Neanderthal family.

Foggy morning at camp 2 in the dampness of Humboldt County's coastal climate

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

We woke on day 3 to a dewey fog reminding us we were close to the coastal dampness.  The sun rose and quickly burned through the clouds again and before long we were packed up and on the water for the final leg of our journey.  The water level had dropped again, but only slightly and we were excited to see more Redwood scenery as we were looking forward to passing some old-growth groves downstream from Highway 101 and the South Fork Eel confluence.  In the midst of our morning haze we reached the small town of McCann and encountered an especially dangerous low water bridge situated at an angle to the current that required ducking.  Too much more water would make this a potential deathtrap.  This was our sign of civilization and we quickly arrived to the confluence of the South Fork downstream.  There was lots of flatwater paddling to be had and we each had our own way of dealing with it:  Victoria would sing to her favorite poppy 90’s tunes, I whistled to the chirping birds, Wes was taking pictures, Paul was paddling as hard as he could about ½ mile ahead of us or more, and Will was trying to keep up with the crew about ½ mile behind.  Anyways, we had done it!  We made it to the South Fork confluence where the towering redwoods of Founders Grove and the Avenue of the Giants greeted us like a welcoming party. 

The pace of the Eel continued along with a very steady current like it had all along since Alderpoint.  Despite the lack of rapids we were finding it surprisingly easy to cover miles and contribute it mainly to the flow.  Downstream from the S.F. confluence the Eel flows around the base of several gigantic sandstone rock outcrops along the right bank called High Rock. 

The scenery is incredible in here and we were all enjoying ourselves thoroughly.  Will inspects the spectacle.    

We still had miles to cover however, and put our heads down, skipping lunch in hopes of feasting at the Eel River Brewing Company where we had arranged to have our shuttle vehicle dropped off.  But it was too soon to start thinking about burgers and Beer, because we hadn’t even reached Rio Dell yet.  Several miles downstream we passed through Holmes with the confluence of Larabee Creek on river right, which was flowing nicely.  Just downstream is another low-water bridge that was barely submerged at our level and could pose a serious hazard at slightly lower water levels.  Its good to know this is here and be heads up about it and you’ll be safe. Eventually the grassy Bear River ridge came into view and then the next thing you know…we were passing the Scotia Mill and nearing the Scotia Bluffs.

The River flows around the base of the Scotia Bluffs which were known as one of the most treacherous spots along the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad line.  Apparently the track was so unstable through here that trains passing by had to slow down to 10-mph. maximum so as not to cause damage to the wooden track supports. 

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

The Eel continues downstream with its characteristic swift current towards the Van Duzen confluence, at this point the channel is so big that the river flows in a very straight line, reflecting its high water personality.  Downstream from Rio Dell the canyon walls quickly back off as you enter the grassy plains of the Eel River Delta.  Before we knew it we passed the Van Duzen confluence and could see the houses of Fortuna in the distance.  It is Duck-Hunting season however, and we were greeted back to civilization with the repetitive blast of shotgun-fire coming from the left bank.  Unable to see the gunman we were all feeling wary and happy when we arrived to the Fortuna River Lodge.  Celebration was had at the Brewery, and more plans were hatched for the oncoming storms.   The Eel River had an amazing character that exceeded all our expectations and surprised us with its undeniable quality.  I recommend this splendid river that has many roadless miles of scenic water to be enjoyed.
Caution: the Eel River is notorious for strong afternoon winds that blow upstream and hamper downstream progress.  For this reason I recommend slightly higher water levels or early starts to increase the pleasure of your experience.

Van Duzen River--The Bloody Run Day Two

Check it out, Explore Six Rivers Source to Sea
If you haven't read it here is the Day one description
 Here is Paul's Helmet Cam Footage of the Bloody Run

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

We slowly woke up on the second day to a cold heavy frost.  After staying in our sleeping bags to retain warmth the sunlight peeked up over the hillside and its strong rays coaxed us from our cozy confines to  get ourselves fed.  Knowing it would be another full day on the water we optimistically hoped that at some point the river character would change and open up into more runnable rapids.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

The river level had dropped only slightly overnight and after we packed our boats and pumped drinking water we were ready to go by nine o clock. 

Downstream from camp we were treated to an easy section of water with beautiful Van Duzen scenery before more congested boulder gardens reappeared and it was back to the portaging routine.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

The river seemed to be changing for the better, as we found good lines through more rapids than the previous day.  Our runnable rapid to portage ratio began to balance out closer to 50:50 and we enjoyed some of the best rapids of the run.

This still meant dealing with many large boulder gardens that made for exhaustive portaging, not to mention we were all shagged out from the previous day’s efforts.  Get back up to the hillside...yeehaaaawww!

Now go through that poison oak bush...you know you like it!

Photo: Paul Gamache

Finally we reached an extended calm period of water and began to get our hopes up that we had passed the meat of the run. 

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

We now refer to this as the Glimmer of Hope, because shortly downstream the river slid into yet another boulder gauntlet.  Checking our GPS we realized how many more miles lay ahead and started to push harder in hopes of keeping our trip to a 2-day.  

Photo: Paul Gamache

The canyon began to open up with beautiful scenery characterized by enormous chunks of rock.  At this point we also were starting to Bonk. 

Photo: Paul Gamache

Hmmmm...big seal launch into murky brown water of unknown depth or climb around on some giant boulders with a heavy loaded kayak for the hundredth time?

Photo: Paul Gamache

Fortunately for me and Wes, the murky brown water was deep and unobstructed.

Just downstream another fun rapid pinched before pushing into an undercut that couldn't be seen from above.  Wes probes it out.

After a couple more miles of better rapids, the gradient was gradually dropping and we started covering miles without making a portage.  There were some interesting rapids thrown into the mix too.

Wes attempting to spot his line through another boulder jumble

Photo: Paul Gamache

Finally, we passed the namesake drainage, Bloody Run.  This creek comes in from river left and marked the end of the high gradient sections.  It also appears to have remarkably high water quality considering the brown nature of many other smaller side-streams.

Photo: Paul Gamache

One more tricky portage remained downstream before the Van Duzen flattens out for the remaining miles to Bridgeville.

Photo: Paul Gamache


  We passed one massive landslide in here that looked like the entire hillside was basically flowing into the river and it turned out being the final portage of our trip!  We relaxed and paddled the flatwater through beautiful scenery the rest of the way.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Eventually we arrived at the confluence with Little Larabee Creek and Highway 36.  After some celebratory high-fives, Wes made his way up to the road where the very first vehicle driving by picked him up. 

The Bloody Run is an adventure that I hope to repeat someday.  I feel like our mission opened up a run that may become a “cult classic” along with the Grand Canyon of the Mad River, just over the hills.  Several times we found ourselves portaging on the wrong side or around sections we could have committed to had we known there were lines.  With slightly higher water levels many possible routes would open up although many of our portaging options would be limited too since they were at river-level.  I know the write-up description makes it sound like all we did was portage, however looking back at Paul’s helmet cam footage we were also able to run many quality rapids as well.  Best of all, by starting out our Six Rivers Source to Sea Mission with a banging first descent, we gathered the momentum and confidence we needed to keep the ball rolling!

Major points from the trip:

If we had more time we could’ve run more rapids

The Little Van Duzen is a better put-in than Highway 36 to avoid a massive portage near Dinsmore and include another great section of river.

Information about the previous trip got twisted by each successive storyteller, to the point where it was virtually useless.

Exhausting nature of portaging/scouting- The never-ending onslaught of mind-bending boulder gardens takes a toll on your mental awareness and ability to maintain focus.  

Miles were extremely hard for us to cover.  Every time it seemed that we were going into a more runnable stretch of river we found a difficult portage or scout instead.  At one point we were making 1/2 mile an hour.

Difficult decision-making: to portage over this boulder or around that one, to portage up to a grassy hillside or stay at river level.  The river disappears into a boulder garden where 4 of the 5 slots are sieved-out and it becomes difficult communicating lines back to the crew through this complex of rapids.

Importance of bringing overnight gear: although it made our portages much more difficult and extra effort, the gear became worth its weight in gold once it became clear that we wouldn’t be making it out in a single-day. 


Importance of having a map, or GPS to locate yourself and realize how much farther you have to go.

Importance of picking a good campsite, one with flat spots and wood to burn, at the right time of day before it gets too dark to set-up camp.

Sometimes you just have to put your head down and start charging through the poison oak, otherwise it would be impossible to accomplish this river.  However I am happy to report that three weeks later I have no signs of the P.O.!  


The importance of a good crew cannot be stressed enough, we all proceeded safely and patiently which contributed to our safe return.


Going on adventures, even those which require lots of portaging, are still always worthwhile for the sense of accomplishment and change of perception they can provide.

Van Duzen River--The Bloody Run Day One

Van Duzen River—The Bloody Run

Paul's Helmet Cam Video

http://www.exploresixrivers.com/

First descents have a range of shapes and forms.  There are the hidden gems, the ones that never flow, streams on private property, some first descents are simply too remote and require creativity or miles of hiking to access.  Some first descents with access are simply avoided because of the known difficulty they present.  Then there are the first descents that have been attempted, unsuccessfully.  These streams fall into a different mindset among the paddling community, tried but not completed.  The river has already been tainted by the scraped off plastic of paddlers before you while lingering stories of pins, swims and hike-outs in the dark reinforce the brooding nature of the run.  The latter two describe the Bloody Run.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

 The Van Duzen River is one of the Six Rivers flowing across the Six Rivers National Forest of Northern California.  The Duzen’s legacy began early when explorers through the area found the going extremely difficult.  The river was named after a member of the Josiah Gregg party of 1850.  The namesake drainage, Bloody Run, flows into the Duzen near mile 15.  As with most other “Bloody” placenames, Bloody Run is tarnished with the legacy of Native American slaughter in the area.  With easy access to put-in and take-out, however, it is a wonder that the Bloody Run hasn’t been paddled.  It has, however, been attempted.  A previous mission involving the formative Ben Stookesberry and Adam “Chowdy” resulted in the aforementioned pins and hike out in the dark.

Kayakers in the area have known the Van Duzen to have unfavorably dynamic geology that produces many landslides.  A short drive upstream from the classic class III Grizzly Creek section reveals Goat Rock Falls, a notoriously rugged rapid decorated with house rocks, strange hydraulics, wood and sieves galore.  This rapid is a sight to behold at higher flows up to 20,000 cfs, when it becomes a hideous and awe-inspiring cataract of watery explosions.    My imagination painted a picture of the Bloody Run as 15 miles of Goat Rock, and I never felt a need to put myself through enduring the many hardships of portaging and scouting that this might entail.  Enter Paul Gamache and the Six Rivers Source to Sea Mission.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

With a need to paddle all Six Rivers now in play, we set our sights at the Bloody Run as the first mission to be done.  Partially it was a lack of water in the area, since 2012 has been among the driest California seasons in memory.  Fortunately the optimal level we wanted for the bloody run was relatively low, 1,000 cfs, at which the Duzen flows commonly.  The rain finally came and brought the rivers up allowing Paul and I to decide on a mission to keep us away from our Valentines; Grand Canyon of the Mad, or the Bloody Run.  In hopes we’d be able to accomplish the mission in one day we elected for the Bloody Run, knowing the Mad would be a mandatory two-day.  Our need for a third member of the party led to a call and soon Arcata up and comer Wes Shrecongost was onboard.  With the crew arranged, we planned for a long one day, but decided to pack for an overnighter, just in case.  After a pre-dawn start we headed up Highway 36 to a beautiful Valentines Day sunrise.  Climbing up the twisty road the scenery shifted to snowy hillsides as the previous storm had obviously been a cold one.  

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

Finally arriving to our put-in at Dinsmore, 2,600 feet elevation, we gathered our gear quickly and put-on the river with a reasonable 9:00 departure.  “I think I’m going to leave my stove”, said Wes, in an effort to pack light.  “I’ll carry it” I quickly replied.  With a nervous anticipation we carried our boats down to the river and put on.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

Less than a half-mile into the run, we arrived at our first portage “Here we go”.  This one wasn’t too bad, but shortly downstream we arrived at another massive boulder pile, portage #2.  This one was longer and we began to get a feel for the difficulty of portaging in a landscape totally absent of flat, even ground and stable footing.  Portaging through a backwater, Paul realized his relief zipper was undone when cold water spilled into his drysuit.  He cursed himself for the mistake but carried on unabashedly.

I had a little beta from my friend Chowdy soloed these first couple of miles in 2004 and told me about a major falls.  Before long we reached it.  The river dropped through a hideous gorge with major rock fall before continuing downstream.    

Photo: Paul Gamache

We decided the best portage route was the left side and began our longest carry of the entire trip.  After climbing to a mossy precipice, we spotted some Madrone trees along the edge of the canyon that appeared to be on the best route.  I quickly realized that avoiding Poison Oak to get there wouldn’t be an option.  We humbly put our heads down and started charging through the vile plants.  After returning to river level, we paddled a sweet drop before arriving at another portage.  This would be the theme of our trip: run a rapid, then portage the next.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Downstream a bridge crossed the river as it let up momentarily allowing us to soak in the scenery, the surrounding hills were laced with snow and sun was peeking out.  

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

We quickly entered another gorge where a sweet entrance boof brought us to a mandatory portage over a rock within a gorge-clogged-by-the-rock. 

Photo: Paul Gamache

Tricky Teamwork Portaging

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

Paddling away from here we arrived at the confluence with the South Fork, or Little Van Duzen, depending on which map you check.  This adds some much-needed flow and immediately the river takes on a larger and more open character, it is still stuffed with enormous boulders, however.  After a hopeful half-mile of nice paddling we arrived at another gradient section.  

Photo: Paul Gamache

This one was a maze, the river dropped away into a boggling boulder garden so tight you could hardly see the water flowing between the rocks.  We elected to portage the high line; around the cliff on the right and up to a grassy hillside that looked like easier going than the river level rocky route.  This unfortunately was not a good decision, as we found ourselves looking far down the hillside at a couple of sweet rapids that we were now portaging.  

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

And now we had to find a way back down to the river.  Being that it was after noon, we took a quick break in the sun and chewed on some energy bars.  Paul checked the GPS and informed us of our status, “It appears we’ve gone 5 miles”.  Knowing we were hoping to cover at least 15 miles, it began to set in that we were probably on a 2-day descent at this point and I elected to save my burrito for later.

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

After lowering our boats down a landslide we reached the river and immediately had to portage again.  I found a sneaky route between a crack in two boulders and put-on, heading down to scout the next drop.  Paul and Wes however were unable to find a way to the river here and nowhere to be seen.  After scouting the rapid and looking around for the boys I started to feel a little lonely and wound up running a couple of more drops downstream to where I assumed they were.  Eddying out above another portage rapid I was relieved to see my crew finishing their long portage down the right.  

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

We were able to charge downstream through some fun rapids and I got out to take a look where the river gorged up again.  Climbing up to the edge of the gorge I looked straight down into another sieved-out mess, this one with even bigger boulders!  

Photo: Paul Gamache

Signaling it was a portage to the boys, we began working our way downstream through massive boulders on the right.  

Photo: Wes Shrecongost

Eventually we reached an overhanging area where we seal-launched into the outflow of a sieve exiting via. a sweet boof through a sticky hole.  

 Here is Wes in the Armpit Drop

Paul charges through the armpit

 The river then flowed placidly to the next pile of rocks requiring a portage downstream.

Photo: Paul Gamache

We reached a terrific section of river and covered an easy mile before giant boulders reappeared forcing us out of our boats again.  It felt like the river was teasing us, trying to make us think we’d make it out in a day when we really had no chance.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Yes, the river flows beneath that boulder too.

Photo: Paul Gamache

It eventually became accident hour as the grueling portages and mental challenges were adding up causing the crew to begin making mistakes.  Sloppy lines, mini-pins and slipping while portaging combined with the falling darkness urging us to start looking for a camp spot.  After inspecting one substandard site, we paddled one final rapid before reaching a road on the right bank.

Photo: Paul Gamache

There was an enormous flat with some oak trees and we quickly began gathering driftwood to build a fire for warmth, our number one priority.  A chilling fog had rolled up the canyon and it began raining lightly, “the weather was supposed to be sunny”, but the Humboldt Fog had done it again.

Photo: Paul Gamache

 High fives all around as we were safely together, Paul sent out the “All Good” message on the SPOT device and we checked our location on the GPS…9 miles of progress, not bad, we’d made it well over halfway and looked forward to a mellower second day on the water with less gradient.  Our fire began to roll as we started drying off our fleece layers, cooking up some food and rehashing our days adventure.  The stars came out and a biting wind caused drops of water to fall from the trees, but the fire raged on and we turned in for the night.