With Big Purple packed, I hit the road for Colorado. For those of you who have never driven from Seattle to Colorado, I don't recommend it. I wasn't looking forward to this, but planned to stop at either the N. Payette or The Bliss wave to break up the drive. However, I got word that Tim Smith and company (turns out he always attracts a crowd) would be at the Big South on Saturday. So I opted to rally straight to Colo and get on one of the best runs in the rockies. While the drive sucked ass as much as I remember, it was worth it. The Big South is 12 miles of whitewater through pure wilderness....unless it is a hot weekend in the middle of the summer, then there are plenty of hikers, fisher-people and rednecks along the trail enjoying the show provided by half of the Class V boating population in Colorado. There were easily 30-40 boaters on Saturday, and another several groups on Sunday. This might sound like chaos, but it was actually quite fun to see so many people out firing it up. The levels were great for the big drops and several people were saying how they had never seen so many people running Cool World and Double Trouble.
The first good drop on the Big South is Starter Fluid, and its just pure fun!
Nate Mack getting this party Started
photo by tg
Working your way down through Bouncing Betty, Bar Room Brawl and Fantasy Flight you will eventually come to Cool World--probably the most complex drop on the run. Everyone had great lines through here both days.
Tim Smith--Bar Room Brawl
photo by tg
Ryan Casey making the move through Fantasy Flight
photo by tg
Meltdown Madness is the next big drop followed by some flatwater, and then PrimeTime Gorge. Unfortunately a log requires a portage in at the top of PT, but your back in the water quickly and eventually down to Double Trouble.
Oliver about to style Double Trouble
photo by tg
Pin Cushion, Slideways (my personal favorite), Tubular Balls and many great boulder rapids finish out the day. A short hike around some wood and sieves and you are back at the car. Next you rock/paper/scissors for shuttle, crack a pbr and start the story telling. We camped and did the run again on Sunday with Todd Gillman joining us and providing photo documentation (and coming away with some jems). This is the first time I had done it two days in a row....I highly recommend this. So if you are near the rockies, go get this one before the season is over, and if you can't get it this year, put it high on your list.
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