Guest Blogger: Topher Smith on the Moose

This from loyal reader and old roommate, Topher Smith (a.k.a. "Captain Panic")

Moose Trip '07:
The Moose is an awesome example of an east coast fall release river that has something for everyone. There are easy sections (top and middle), and of course the Bottom Moose, which is what we have always come up for. This trip was my 3rd time visiting Old Forge, NY for the Bottom Moose. Every time I've been up there it's cold, and usually rains with a good possibility of some snow. This time we got the rain, but luckily no snow! It's one of the only road trips that I absolutely prefer to rent a cabin or hotel room, instead of the typical camping set up. The basic trip is drive up Fri night, run on sat, run on sun, and get packed up for the drive home.

[Editor's Note: And by "run," Topher is referring to kayaking, not jogging! I just didn't want some of our readers who have a tendency to prefer the latter to get confused by that play on words :)]

The run starts off with a great bang, Fowlersville Falls. A steep slide of about 50 ft, with a nice hard hit that you always plug no matter what your intentions. The river is also the best example out there of an east coast drop pool run. After almost ever drop is a little run-out then a flat lake. The run also has 3 dams, 2 of which are frequently run as a lead into a rapid. Shortly after a few more drops you get to a very nice and fun waterfall - Augers Falls. But first you slide right over the first low head dam of the run, then into the falls. Paddle some flat water, portage a dam, and you come into the slidey section of the run. Sure Form is a fun 100 yard long, but no so steep slide; although, being a little off your line at the top equals a lot off your line a the bottom! Fun either way goes, but certainly it is much smoother to be left at the bottom. Right = likely carnage. Our group was on fire, with clean lines ALMOST all day long. After a few more drops and your at the big-daddy you've been dreaming about since last year - Crystal Falls. Crystal is the most complex drop on the run, with a few different ways to enter the bottom drop of the rapid. The standard starts river right, with a boof. Boof, break left and hit the plugger 15' drop at the bottom. There is also the Alpine line which involves two more straight forward ledges right on top of each other, then culminating in the same last plugger, IF your on line. There is also one last drop at the end of the run - Magilla. The real Magilla line is to run on the river left, but is has a semi tricky ledge to boof, and lands in a shallow slide run out. We typically opt for the "slide over the dam, hit the slot, run the falls" line on river right. Did I mention you have to slide over a dam and your line is completely blind??

Anyway, it's a great run that is nice and steep, not very committing, and always provides a bit of carnage from the groups that head up from out of town. It also has a spring time release season, but we typically are busy in our neck of the woods that time of year. So if your in the NY or east coast area in the fall or the spring, put it on your list of "TO-DOs." -T


The Team: Topher, Rodger, Geoff J, Stacey, Brian D, Jeff Urban













Thanks, Topher, for the update from the right side.