Monday, September 10, 2012

Bailey Fest 2012

I've been attending Bailey Fest since it started 3 years ago.  Every year once it's over I leave thinking that it couldn't be any better, and every time I come back it's even rowdier.  Bailey is a class 4+ 5- run. Bailey Fest is a class 5+ party.  It gets wild.  This year there were 4 kegs of Oscar Blues beer at the put in party and camp area and 40 cases of Oscar Blues beer at the take-out extravaganza.

If you go to Bailey Fest you can enter a number of competitions for prizes.  This year I entered the world famous foamie race and won an awesome IR fleece. The grand prize was a Jackson Zen.  BBQ from the local restaurant Hog Heaven for the party at the put-in as well as a hang over breakfast in the morning. At the party Saturday night, they premiered my movie Unlimiting Factor which was really cool to see projected on the big screen.  I made a short edit from Bailey Fest. Juice Sauce.

Enjoy

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Upper Upper Cispus

Late August in the Pacific Northwest really means one thing for local paddlers... It's time to make the yearly trek to the Upper Upper Cispus. Most everything around has long since dried up and summer is coming to a close. Just as you find yourself looking ahead to the rains of November. Wham-o, the UUC drops in and we're all treated to a few weeks of summer time steep creeking.

The run itself mostly consists of class IV - V boulder gardens intermixed with some smaller slide and falls. This all changes and the bed rock begins to creep in as you approach the lower gorge. Approx 3 miles into the 5 mile run.

The crux section of the run consists of a steep and powerful boulder garden in the bottom of a vertical walled gorge that is directly above the lip of a 30 foot waterfall called Behemoth. The boulder garden itself isn't too difficult, but it certainly has a class V feel to it with the big drop just down stream. Adding to the suspense is the fact that the entire series is must run and it's fairly difficult to get out of your boat after running the gorge. Go with someone you trust and be prepared to run a 30 foot drop without a scout.

Directly below Behemoth is a sticky 6 foot ledge with a nasty hole on river right. If you run the big one correctly, 90% of the time you're going to end up gutting the worst part of the 6 foot ledge. Paddle hard!

After the sticky hole there is a big pool and everyone has a moment to catch their breath before dropping into the last series. This quarter mile long boulder garden is as good as it gets. Stay right the whole way and keep boofing.

Then entire series combined has to be one of the better 1/2 miles of white water around and something that shouldn't be missed if you're in the Portland/Hood River area at the end of the summer.

I snapped the following shots a few weeks back and have been back in the past two weekends as well. Enjoy.

Cruise Control scouts the Put-In Falls - This drop is a mere 200 yards below the launch.


Headed down


Melting the Put-In Falls


John Edwards on the same drop.


Typical boulder gardens on the upper 1/3


The right line at Island - Boof Early


Dan Rubado finishing off the right line.


Island from below


And again. The bottom hole can be munchy.


That's me running the lead-in to Behemoth


And.. Clawing my way out of the hole right above the lip.


Looking back up the gorge - Standing at the lip of the falls.


It's hard to get out of your boat at the lip, but manageable with the right ninja moves. - Scouting


Looking down into the final boulder garden


Brooks Foster gutting the ledge hole below Behemoth


Cruise Control on the big one.