Dipper Creek photo dump.
Posted by Chris on December 10, 2008 at 1:26 pm | In Trip Reports, Rivers |So, basically the whole story about Dipper Creek has been told on TRL, but I still have some photos and probably even a couple more comments to add, so…
Starting out the morning recruiting our ground support. View from Jonavens home.
This creek provided us with ample technical difficulties, due to the whitewater in the creek being pinched between canyon walls that are tighter than a gnats ass. The task of scouting and sorting each and every rapid from the canyon rim necessitated putting to use most our climbing/billygoating skills. I for one love this kind of work, but, it takes up an ENORMOUS amout of time, hence the years it took to sort out the whole run.
¿Is that drop 8 ft tall or 18 ft? Hard to tell from up here?
The “Sidewalks” of the hellfuck!
Ratio of time spent climbing to kayaking: 5 to 1 at least.
The great looking drops and stellar scenery on and off the creek made all the monkeying around worthwhile, but damn, did we want to get in there and do some boating. It was absolute torment to walk away after so many 3 day weekends of scouting.
B.C. teacup. ¿Wonder what its like being in there?
Like this. Only your heart is pounding so hard you feel like you just drank 12 cups of coffee.
It was extremely satisfying to finally be putting on the creek after many weekends of hard-work…we really felt like we were going to complete our exploration of this creek.
Shane running a 30ish footer just below the put-in.
And after that, there´s this memorable falls.
Another aspect you don´t often think of is how one´s mind starts to create fear of a rapid you have not yet run nor will necessarily have to run. I was getting butterflys in my stomach in the middle of winter while thinking about the rapid “Rowdy Flatwater,” The fear definately did not help foster a decision to run the rapid.
Catching gear while portaging “Rowdy Flatwater,” and wondering if I should have run it.
Todd in some boogie below the “Flatwater.”
Shane styling this great rapid.
Smitty looking good through it as well.
Todd admiring the scenic run-out to the same rapid as above.
When dropping in to Dipper Creek a person should always realize that one, just one, misplaced log, could really put add a huge problem to the day, or his/her life. This is what happend to us. Thankfully, we radioed our wonderful ground crew and recieved their assistance witht the 8 or 9 pitch rope-assisted climb out.
Looking back at the rapid just above the un-portageable falls with the log in it.
After another day of necessary scouting in the lower gorge, and a whole lot of decisions as to whether we would commit to it, we decided to hike back in on sunday and go for it. This was definately one of the tougher decisions I´ve made in my life recently.
A little unsure that night at camp.
A new day and a time for optimism.
The final attempt.
Immediately the gorge was breathtaking. Aaahhh.
And the rapids were interesting.Todd cleaning it.
Bryan in some stout boogie water.
Bryan probing some deep S!%$T. Vertigo gorge!
Todd in the teacup above the pinch rapid. This rapid made me very uncomfortable before and during my run of it.
Shane below the exit falls of Vertigo gorge.
Shane in this great slidey rapid just above a big falls we ended up portaging.
Shane probing the last falls.
Bryan cleaning the last falls as well.
Heading to the take-out.
In a nutshell, Dipper creek is one amazing piece of whitewater, and will likely always be an exploratory style, difficult, commiting day -or two- for anybody who looks to dip their paddles in its water. Good luck to you!