South Fork of the Sun River Float Trip

After 2 days of recoup and reorganization after the Smith. My good friend Kirby, his Aussie friend Nick, and I made last min plans to do an exploratory wilderness float on the South Fork of the Sun River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Although the fishing was not very good the water was still too high (~1500cfs), we had an excellent trip and were able to locate the unmarked class 4/5?? small waterfall drops into a log jam that is a mandatory portage.

Beautiful views near Benchmark TH

 [For those looking to do this float in the future: It is an excellent 2 day wilderness float, with a few fun (class 3- ish?) pool drops at the beginning from benchmark. Then from Pretty Prairie down it is calmer rocky waters until right before the wilderness boundary. Do not miss the big outside eddy where Furman Creek (hard to see from the river) comes in on river left. On this very sharp right handed turn toward the wilderness border line, you will want to eddy out left here and begin the short but strenuous 1/4 mile portage. Right after the log jam after the last big rapid drop, there is a good natural rocky boat ramp to re-launch your boat(s) and row into Gibson were the Sun Canyon Lodge (and maybe other outfitters as well) will pick you up by appointment and drag you, your boat and equipment to their lodge. Don't forget to grab a good burger from the lodge on your way out.]

Kirby trying to catch a cuthroat trout

One of the handful of 3- ish? rapids toward the start of the float.

Camp at the far end of Pretty Prarrie

Log Jam Rapids we portaged

Getting towed out by the Sun Canyon Lodge

 

Lochsa and Smith River Floats!

Aside from living my day to day climbing and mountain biking life in Helena (I know... it's a rough life I live), I have been busy getting out on the beautiful rivers of Montana and Idaho while they are still full of water and floatable!

Over Memorial Day weekend my good friend Brad Grammens put together a wild weekend of whitewater on the Lochsa river in Idaho! We floated the river at the peak flow (so far this season) 21,000 CFS and successfully navigated the wild class 3 and 4+ rapids with waves 20+ feet tall towering down river below us!!! Somehow we managed to get off the river and remain right side up the entire way! After this successful run, my boat gained the name "The Red Dragon". Here are three pictures of us going thru Lochsa Falls. People set out lawn chairs, tents, and bring BBQ's just to watch people go thru this rapid all weekend long. Needless to say, there is often lots of carnage at this rapid in particular!

After Memorial Day Weekend, we had a mere few days to prepare for a week long float on the spectacularly scenic Smith River in Montana. We had a fun crew of 10 people and I even convinced my old childhood friend to come fly to Montana to join us on the float. The flows were high when we set out for the week, and we didn't expect to catch any fish, to our surprise, the fishing wasn't half bad, and the clarity increased with the river dropping every day of our float. We played many lawn games drank lots of beer, and had a great time. On our last night, we even cooked up a steak feast!

Gibbers with a winner!

Green River Labrinth Canyon Float and Climbing Trip!

Kyle, McKenzie, Sarah, and I embarked on a journey through the Labrinth Canyon stretch of the green river in south eastern Utah. We had a blast floating, climbing, and exploring the many surrounding canyons and washes!

The Start!

Native Pictographs

Sarah and I

Quicksand!

Cliff top slumber!

Putting up the FA of White Rain 5.8+

White Rain 5.8+ ish

Green River Towers!

The End! @ Mineral Bottom

1 raft, 1 IK, all gear for a week and room for 4 people and a dog inside!

Levenworth, Smith, and The City of Rocks!!

After my trip to Southern Utah, I came back to Helena for a quick meet up with friends and a swapping of gear. I spent all of 2 days total in town and was off with Sarah to climb around Oregon and Washington. Our first stop was Corvallis, Oregon and we met with a few of Sarah's friends for a day of whitewater rafting on the Bull Run and Sandy River in Oregon. It was a fun filled day with Dan Ott as river captain extraordinaire! The morning after, we headed to Washington, but took the scenic route up the coast! I was certainly a kid in a candy shop as we went searching for tide pools and I was able to touch and see many cool sea creatures!

 Did you know if you stick your finger in a sea anemone it will start to suck your finger in in!?!

Back in Washington Sarah and I were around for 2 days in Seattle while she worked and I mountain biked. Then we packed our bags and headed to Leavenworth, Washington (The Blodgett Canyon of Washington) as I would call it. We climbed for 3 days and on our last climbing day got on an exceptional moderate route called Outer Space on the Snow Creek Wall with a ~200 foot splitter hand crack surrounded by chicken heads (knobs that often form on granite rock)! It was all smiles the entire way up the climb and we didn't see another climber around which added to the exceptional day! I will surely be back to do this climb again someday! On the way down we ran into a friendly group of mountain goats that still had their beautiful winter coats on.

Tromping thru snow on the way to the wall!

snow creek wall

We climbed #22

Sarah jammin the splitter hand crack!

victory pic on top of the wall!

A few more days in Seattle after and we were soon back to Oregon and to off to Smith Rock outside of Bend where we climbed and mountain biked for the next week! Although we didn't get perfect weather, we did manage to get on quite a few classics and multi-pitch routes. The history at Smith is rich and it was fun to climb some of the first sport climbs ever bolted. My good friends from Montana Tyler and Caitlin Shanley were even able to meet us for a day of mountain biking! On Easter Sunday Sarah's friend Dan planned a float trip on the Deschutes River and we had a blast sending down the fun rapids on a nice sunny day!

Smith!

Gearing up for the day!

Caitlin excited on the single track!

Sarah climbing high above the crooked river

The last pitch of "Wherever I May Roam"

High above Smith

Unfortunately, Sarah had to go back to work, but since I am unemployed I headed to the City or Rocks in Idaho for more climbing with my friends Mary Lane and The unofficial "guide" to the city Josh Holcomb. The rock at the city blew me away with its high quality face climbs on amazing red patina varnish that provided amazing holds from jugs to amazingly positive crimps and side pulls. The face climbing was so good in fact that I drove there to crack climb and only climbed one crack route my entire time there!

Getting a great belay from Josh while I place a nut

Climbing on of the many cool featured red patina faces!

Josh climbing high!

Mary Lane workin the pockets to the top!

Puzzle Wall

Sunset in the City

Building Blocks Wall

 Now I am back in Helena for my sister's graduation and excited to start planning for a float and climbing trip down Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River in Utah around the 16th of May!