Subaru’s and Waterfalls

Six days, 5 river, 3,000+ miles and plenty of goods to go around the table. Eleanor Perry, Kevin Driscol and myself had just gotten out of school for summer brake and where eager to get our first road trip under our belt for the summer. Eleanor needed to get to Eugene Organ where she was to pick up her new 06 Dagger Subaru.

It was Sunday afternoon when we set out to paddle new rivers every day, until I had to be back at work Saturday night at 5pm. We didn't have much time but felt we could make the best of it.

We alternated behind the weal every two hours squealing around turns at our top speed of 55-60mph. We drove all night until we arrived in the land where big water class 5 is just another pebble in your shoe.

We broke our first rule of paddling a new river every day right off the bat by spending 2 days on the North Fork Payette in Idaho. This river is to amazing to describe and I wish I could spend every day of my life here.

Ryan Casey sticks the line in Jacobs Later at 3000cfs

After growing gray hairs from fear and stress on the North Fork we drove through the night for the 2nd time. Arriving in Eugene Organ, we picked up Eleanor’s shiny new car which made me consider giving up everything I had in life to be her driver. This car was an automatic but had a spots mode that would allow you to shift gears manually via panels on the steering weal. All wile not having to use a clutch. Once the turbo kicks in around 3000rpms, all life’s troubles are left in your wake.

Unloading the huge wing of boats from one car to the next, looking for a little better gas mileage.

After picking up the new car we continued driveling for another 3 hours to the Little White River in Washington. I was so exhausted by this point I didn’t even take me camera. In short the day went kind of like this. One waterfall two waterfall yeeee. Three waterfall getting tired. Four waterfall I'm going backwards and am to tired to turn around. 4 5 and 6 all went painfully down hill from the last.

Day 4 we found ourselves with big juicy waterfalls and high water one the White River WA.

Kev dog flying into the white room. Kevin was stuffed into a cave for awhile after landing this waterfall leaving me to my limited vocabulary off oooo, eeee, ouch, ooo that sucks, as I was to far away to really help. I had fun watching at least and I think that’s what matters, right?

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Day 5: We didn’t have much time so we decided to rally for a few more driving hours to Canyon Creek WA. We had low water but had a grate time and some supper fun class 4.

Eleanor at the bottom of the first of many waterfalls for the day.

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After Canyon Creek Kevin and I drove non-stop from Washington to southern Colorado so I could be to work on time. We had lots of drive time on this trip but I still had one hell of a time and cant wait to get back to the North West

A huge thanks to E-nor for letting us drive her car from Durango to Washington and back so we could safe on gas by not taking any of our gas guzzling trucks.

Eleanor basking in the sun, thanks again.

Playing With Pandora’s Box

In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman, fashioned by Zeus. Zeus forced all the gods to give Pandora a gift in a plot to punish mankind. She was given blond hair and beauty, to curiosity and the power of healing. Which leads to the definition of her name (all gifted). Pandora was also given a box that she was told to never open.

One day, Pandora’s curiosity got the best of her and she peeked inside the lid of her box. Immediately all the misfortunes of mankind (plague, sorrow, poverty, crime, etc) come rushing out. Until now mankind had lived a life in a paradise without worry.

However there was one good thing that came out of Pandora’s box “Hope,” so now in times of evil mankind will still have hope.

My curiosity also got the best of me when it came to the granite wonderlands of the Animas River outside of Durango, CO. This curiosity began one year ago and here are the gifts, not evils that I’ve found in my little box.


Staring down the gauntlet at the put in for Pandora’s Box

Finding a little peace over uneasiness, through the art of photography at the put in.

Shawn Fullmer getting a little off kilter in the 5th drop, Swollen Member.

Contemplating the consequences of a swim in one of the few carved out eddies. (Photo by Keven Driskal)

Eleanor Parry seems to be a little to getty, not realizing what lays downstream. (photo by Kevin Driscol)

Overwhelmed to finally find light at the end of the tunnel. The crew emerges from gorge #1.

Luke stomping Long Rapid. (photo by Kevin Driscol)

Warren making the final moves in Long Rapid

Luke entering the turbulence of good old Rectiling.

Pandora throws one last lock at you before reaching salation. The key is finding the line that doesn’t land you in the sive on the right and the death hole and the left.