New Beginnings in Seattle

So as I mentioned in my last post, in the last 6 months I moved from my home in Colorado to Seattle, had my first kid then started a new job 2 days later.... oh yeah and I have a 90 lb 10 month old puppy.  So there have been a few minor changes in my life but its really no big deal.... I think...  The 2 things that have helped to keep me balanced are my super supportive super wife and kayaking.  My wife is from Washington and her family has always been here.

Kat and I floating the Colorado into Moab

As we learned we were having a baby the discussion of moving to Seattle became routine.  It wasn't an easy decision to say the least.  I love Boulder and I love Colorado.  I love the Buffs and I love the people of Colorado.  I love the Crystal drainage and I love OBJ.  Colorado is freaking AWESOME!

Tom Janney took this sweet shot of me in the Black Canyon

Having the support of family to help with the baby was a great reason to move to Washington.  As the summer of 2012 in Colorado burned on and I stared at my lonely kayak melting in the sun, a move to Washington seemed more and more attractive.  I stayed for one last CU vs CSU football game at mile high and took off for my new home the next day.

Baby Stella has not quite grown into the Shred Ready Shaggy

GAME ON BRA!!!!

I had been up here paddling a few times in the past with Colorado legends like Tom Janney and Nick Wigston.  Wigston and I made several trips up this way in the past and every time my list of rivers and creeks to run would grow and grow.  After 12 years in Colorado and a super dry year, I was more than ready to try my hand at a new game.  The Pac NW is pretty sweet!

A week or two after settling into my new home I kicked off my Washington kayaking career by linking up with the other Wigston and heading to the elusive Chelan Gorge.  The Chelan Gorge is a very special run.  After years of hard work and research the local crew here was able to negotiate a recreational release each year for a weekend in September.  The timing of the release couldn't be better as many of the other run are getting to low and the weather is nice and hot!  The town of Chelan welcomes the kayakers in and puts everyone up at the local baseball field, which happens to be right at the put in. Running water, a place to go number 1 and number 2, and a place to pitch a tent right in town....can't beat it!  At 10am a little man comes out of his house to turn the water, he pats his hand on his helmet telling us he is ok and then we get to walk right past the no trespassing signs.  What a cool event!

photo curtesy of Dan Patrinellis (sicko!)

The Chelan Gorge run starts at the dam the makes the beautiful Lake Chelan.  From there its a 2 mile paddle to the top of the gorge which starts your descent toward the Columbia River.  The gorge starts with a couple class IV+ rapids that jump right out at you.  You quickly make your way to the first class V and the true start of the Chelan Gorge.

The first class V has 4 very tough moves.  

Brian Burger making the 2nd move in the first big rapid.

Rob McKibbon cleaning up the 3rd move

Ellie Wheat on the same - took this with my iphone

The great thing about the Chelan Gorge is you run it with a huge crew.  And by huge I mean 27 people.  So when you get 27 people kayaking class V with tons of safety, there is bound to be carnage. These are not easy rapids.  Lots of features to throw you off line and the holes are very sticky!

a very familiar scene at the first set of drops

After a while you have seen your fair share of carnage and the crew has made it through the first set.  There were 2 rafts that day getting a first raft D which was pretty sick! 

rafters on super boof

The local crew made it very clear while boozing at camp the night before that this was my interview and I better not blow it!  So I laid down some lines that even Chunderboy would have been proud of. 

a shot of me on super boof

Throne Room

Rafter between Throne Room and Pinacle

There are a few other gems in here that I'll be sure to get photos of next time.  This is an short but epic run.  The rapids are all very solid class V.  There are only a handful of rapids but I can't even tell you how many swims we had in there.  

one of the raft crews in fat lady looking toward the mighty Columbia

Thanks to Dan Patrinellis for hooking up some of these sweet Chelan photos.  For more details on Chelan or to see more of his photos, check out   http://fluidasalifestyle.blogspot.com/