{"id":17174,"date":"2014-11-10T21:21:43","date_gmt":"2014-11-10T21:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/?p=17174"},"modified":"2014-11-11T13:45:19","modified_gmt":"2014-11-11T13:45:19","slug":"western-wanderings-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/western-wanderings-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Wanderings 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Below: Jenny relaxing in one of the hot springs early in the trip.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Hot-Spring-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17175\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Hot-Spring-1-854x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Hot Spring 1\" width=\"590\" height=\"707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Hot-Spring-1-854x1024.jpg 854w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Hot-Spring-1-250x300.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Below: A compilation of footage from paddling in ID and CO during June and July of 2014.\u00a0 Video by Adam Goshorn<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube_sc  fluid widescreen\"><div class=\"inner block\"><noscript><style type=\"text\/css\">.youtube_sc iframe.yp{display:none;}<\/style><object width=\"560\" height=\"340\" class=\"yp\" title=\"YouTube video player\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/SjXo7QEdGCM?version=3&amp;hl=en_US\"><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\"><embed src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/SjXo7QEdGCM?version=3&amp;hl=en_US\" width=\"560\" height=\"340\" class=\"yp\" type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" wmode=\"transparent\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\"><span style=\"display:block;margin-top:15px;\">The Adobe Flash Player is required for video playback.<br><a href=\"http:\/\/get.adobe.com\/flashplayer\/\" title=\"Install from Adobe\">Get the latest Flash Player<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SjXo7QEdGCM\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Watch on YouTube\">Watch this video on YouTube<\/a>.<\/span><\/object><\/noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SjXo7QEdGCM?version=3&amp;wmode=transparent\" width=\"560\" height=\"340\" class=\"yp\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n<p>After years of unsuccessful lottery applications for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River (MFS) in Idaho, this year I was lucky enough to be invited along by friends who won a permit.\u00a0 Jenny Leaderer and her husband, John Kern, invited Shawn Malone, David Dehart, and I to join them for an eight-day, self-supported run down the MFS in June of 2014.\u00a0 Dave and Shawn normally prefer to run difficult whitewater in their open boats, but as the trip approached, they decided that having to stop and dump open boats loaded with eight days worth of gear sounded like more work than fun.\u00a0 So, they decided to pack Shawn\u2019s small raft with their gear and R2 the run instead.\u00a0 This set-up worked well for them and they allowed Jenny, John, and I to add our camp chairs and a few beers to their raft, making our trip a little more spoiled than self-support typically allows!<\/p>\n<p>Below: John and Adam enjoying typical MFS scenery. Photo by Jenny Leaderer.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-by-JL-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17176\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-by-JL-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"JK and AG by JL 1\" width=\"590\" height=\"786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-by-JL-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-by-JL-1-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Below: Jenny and John scouting the best route between some big holes somewhere on the MFS.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/J-and-J-Scouting.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17177\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/J-and-J-Scouting-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"J and J Scouting\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/J-and-J-Scouting-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/J-and-J-Scouting-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There are many things about the MFS that make it such a coveted and special run.\u00a0 It is a free flowing river through the heart of the largest roadless area in the lower 48 states.\u00a0 Also, there is almost no flat water and the entire 100+ mile run consist of quality class III-IV rapids that build in volume as the river gains multiple tributaries every day of the trip.\u00a0 As if all that weren\u2019t enough\u2026 for the first two-thirds of the trip, there are hot springs to stop and enjoy every day.\u00a0 What\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n<p>Below: Unpacking boat to camp at Sunflower Flats hot spring that provided a hot shower at river level, in addition to several cliff-top pools for soaking.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Camp-4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17178\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Camp-4-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Camp 4\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Camp-4-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Camp-4-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Below: The upper pools at Sunflower Flats. Photo by Dave Dehart.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-at-Sunflower-Flats-HS-by-DD.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17179\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-at-Sunflower-Flats-HS-by-DD-1024x662.jpg\" alt=\"JK and AG at Sunflower Flats HS by DD\" width=\"590\" height=\"381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-at-Sunflower-Flats-HS-by-DD-1024x662.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/JK-and-AG-at-Sunflower-Flats-HS-by-DD-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our small group of five first-timers enjoyed eight wonderful days together on the MFS.\u00a0 Every bend in the river brought new things to check out and as the end approached, we wanted nothing more than for the experience to continue.\u00a0 However, all good things must come to and end and after the take-out our crew parted ways.\u00a0 Shawn and Dave had to head out to make their way back home to Chattanooga, while Jenny, John, and I made our way south in pursuit of more paddling in Colorado before we had to head back east.<\/p>\n<p>Below: Testing the waters at the top of the eddy at Fly Camp. Photo by John Kern.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/DSC00955.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/DSC00955-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00955\" width=\"590\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/DSC00955-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/DSC00955-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Below: Shawn and Dave cruising R2 through Velvet Falls.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rafting-Velvet-Falls.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17181\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rafting-Velvet-Falls-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Rafting Velvet Falls\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rafting-Velvet-Falls-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rafting-Velvet-Falls-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over the years I have been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time paddling in Colorado.\u00a0 While our time there this year only included one run that was new to me, it was great to revisit several rivers and creeks that I had grown to love on previous trips.\u00a0 We started out in the northern part of the state, in the Cache La Poudre River drainage.\u00a0 With the water levels too low for Big South or Joe Wright Creek, but still higher than we wanted for the Narrows, we settled for a couple quick laps on the Upper Mish section.\u00a0 None of us had previously run the section, but turned out to be quite fun at the water level we had that day and everything always seems more fun when no one knows the run and is boatscouting together!<\/p>\n<p>Below: Wildflowers with scars from an old burn in the background.\u00a0 Photo by Dave Dehart<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Wildflowers-by-JK.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17182\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Wildflowers-by-JK-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wildflowers by JK\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Wildflowers-by-JK-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Wildflowers-by-JK-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Below: One of numerous pictograph sites along the MFS.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rock-Art-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17183\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rock-Art-1-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Rock Art 1\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rock-Art-1-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Rock-Art-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>From the Cache La Poudre, we moved south to more familiar territory in the Arkansas River drainage, where we would spend the bulk of our remaining time in Colorado.\u00a0 We did slip over to the Roaring Fork drainage for two runs on the Slaughterhouse section.\u00a0 We also did a run on Castle Creek, which enters the Roaring Fork only a little ways upstream of the put in for the Slaughterhouse section.\u00a0 During our time around the Arkansas drainage we set up base camp at bottom of Five-And-A-Half rapid on the Numbers section and did multiple runs putting in at Pine Creek rapid and paddling back to our camp.\u00a0 We also got multiple runs on Clear Creek (a tributary of the Arkansas), one of my favorite runs in the area.\u00a0 Clear Creek\u2019s fast paced action and numerous small boofs \u00a0is enough to make any paddler smile.\u00a0 However, it also has a somewhat forgiving nature (at moderatge levels) which lends itself to mad bombing\u2026 only catching the occasional eddy in the entire three-mile run!<\/p>\n<p>Below: A thin sheet of falling water at Veil Falls.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Vail-Falls.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Vail-Falls-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Vail Falls\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Vail-Falls-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Vail-Falls-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Below: The last remnants of snow high atop Independence Pass which seperates the Arkansas River Drainage from the Roaring Fork Drainage.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/CO-Pass.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17185\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/CO-Pass-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"CO Pass\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/CO-Pass-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/CO-Pass-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As the end of our time in Colorado approached, we eventually packed up our Arkansas River camp at Five-And-A-Half and headed way downstream to run the classic Royal Gorge section.\u00a0 Meeting up with Adam Spillman, we had a great time enjoying the waves and holes between the towering cliff walls that are the trademark of this run.\u00a0 After departing the Royal Gorge, we drove as far east as we could the same day and treated ourselves to a hotel room in eastern CO, just a little ways before the Kansas border.\u00a0 After showers and a good night\u2019s sleep, the following day we drove straight through to Chattanooga in a single 19-hour push, stopping only for gas along the way.<\/p>\n<p>For more in-depth footage of our time on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, check out <a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\/user11129870\/wwwkernmiddleforksalmoncom\">John Kern&#8217;s video from the trip HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Until next time\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Adam Goshorn<\/p>\n<p>Below: Flowers of the MFS.\u00a0 Photos by Adam Goshorn.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17186\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-1-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Flower 1\" width=\"590\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-1-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17187\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-2-1024x767.jpg\" alt=\"Flower 2\" width=\"590\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-2-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-2-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-2.jpg 1946w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-17188\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-3-1024x757.jpg\" alt=\"Flower 3\" width=\"590\" height=\"436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-3-1024x757.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-3-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Flower-3.jpg 1579w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Below: Jenny relaxing in one of the hot springs early in the trip.\u00a0 Photo by Adam Goshorn. Below: A compilation of footage from paddling in ID and CO during June and July of 2014.\u00a0 Video by Adam Goshorn After years of unsuccessful lottery applications for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River (MFS) in Idaho, &hellip; <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link block-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/western-wanderings-2014\/\">Continue reading &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[550,48,445,642,641,640,444,643,257],"class_list":["post-17174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paddler-lifestyle-articles","tag-co","tag-creeking","tag-fusion","tag-id","tag-mfs","tag-middle-fork-of-the-salmon","tag-multi-day","tag-self-fupport","tag-whitewater"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9tk9G-4t0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17174"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17196,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17174\/revisions\/17196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}