Eagle Falls 

Something about big brow water that makes my heart twitter-pate with joy.

  To started off this day of winning I hiked down to Boulder Drop to watch Sam Grafton & Rob Mcibbin come through with style.
Click pictures to enlarge
















                                                                                                                                    Sam Grafton


Words cannot describe the composure that
Sam had as he was drifting into these massive
holes.  Usually these holes are snuck on the right.  But not when your Rob status.

Rob loves his kingpin 

Sam Chesley, Dave Morales,  and I met up  with rob and Sam split rock.  after some planning we were on our way to the Foss for some laps.  Sam Grafton had prior engagements and couldn't join us.  When we reached the take out we were denied by the snow on the road.to put in.  "Well let's go to the Tye,"  the level was great, but yet again the snow killed us.  I figured since we were up there and it was right on the side of the road, why not go check out Eagle Falls.  

This drop was definitely a good one to take the time to scout.  After fifteen minutes or so I had decided to nut up, and Rob for probably no other reason other than he was already dressed up.  Decided to charge this  highway attraction with me.

We discussed our lines one last time on our way to launch.  As I waited in the eddy at the top right I saw Rob come blazing by.  Disappearing into the abyss,  as I waited a few anxious seconds I planned my entry, and pulled out for a wild twenty second ride.

After this thirty second thrill ride we all went for a pleasure cruise down the Main Sky.

February 22 1200-100pm

wasn't gonna church this one up on ya! just gonna give it as Dave saw it

Robe

               Click pictures to enlarge

Too much winning for me to fathom.  I had my first no portage decent of Robe Canyon.  Normally I choose to follow everyone else up the trail at take out.  For the past couple weeks I knew it was only a matter of time before I would probe this burly drop below take out.  After  looking at it on Friday at lower flows, I  was able to see into the room behind the veil.  My biggest concern was getting off line in the lead in and ending up center which lands on rock, and it looked like a leg or back breaker for sure.    The lead in  is pretty steep and quick, and what lies below is nothing short of class V with a huge piton that would be disastrous to swim through  After a great run down with Dan Patrinellis, Pictured below trying out the new Sheva.  I passed the take out and shortly scrambled

down the right bank to give it another look.

                       

                                                   Landslide

Winning my way over Granite Falls

  All Photos courtesy of Dan Patrinellis

after landing... More pic and video check out Dan's blog.
fluidasalifestyle.blogspot.com 

Jackman creek 

Skagit  drainage

class IV-V

The adventure starts when the "plan" ends

So finally after three attempts at reaching Jackman we were determained to get some boating in.  So when the snow got too deep to it was time to start dragging boats.  Lets just say we had only just begun to experience the challanging adventure.  Enjoy the few pictures that were shot, since we spent most of our day    hiking to put in, and the epic hike out was a whole new experience.

Begining the long journey to put in.

stop to take in the sights... and more oxegen

Still hiking

Finaly able to see the river below.  Which at this point doesn't have near the water we were hoping for.  

The never ending snow field, it keeps getting deeper!

Brett decides hiking isn't good enough running is better!

The rapid at put in is choked with logs so we put in just below

after two hours of hiking in deep slushy snow we finaly were at river level 

today is a good day to have a rock boat.

One of the many tributaries cascading off the walls 

Scott takes his time making his boof stroke count

Just  below one of the multiple log portages.  Though we only portaged about five times in five miles there were plenty of situations where the normal thing to do would be portage, but since we were running low on light we were forced to run them if we wanted to get out of there in the daytime.

This is the nature of the entire run.  contineous class four with a couple of bigger drops

Eddy hopping our way down tight boulder gardens checking for tree's around every corner.   

The next three pictures is of the biggest drop on the section.  at first glance we were thinking portage,  but with a closer look it was good.  The line was right next to the old growth  stuck it the middle of the river  boofing underneath of it

Paddling off into the sunset the last place of beauty before the grueling hike out. 

It took us two hours to hike up this hill.  It was the steepest and hardest hike out any one of us had experienced making it a full day of adventure.

Looking down the canyon were about to boat through

I would not reccomend attempting this section until floods come through and clean it out.  we were lucky that the water was so low. Otherwise we would have not been able to eddy out above most of the tree hazards around EVERY corner.  Although when this section cleans up it will be five miles of epic class four-five boulder gardens.  The hike out mixed with the possibility of wood around every corner will probably keep most from attempting Jackman creek.  But if hiking for four hours and boating for three sounds like your type of adventure then this is the perfect place.  Once the wood is gone.

FOR MORE ON THIS MISSION CHECK OUT"Creeksides"