Nate Mack running the “Breakfast Slide”
After 2 days of rest following our Upper Cherry run, our crew prepared for the hike in to the next multi-day. Despite sore muscles for all, illness and blistered heels (from the upper cherry hike, in old tennis shoes) , and being on a strict time restraint, we all made it through the 32 miles of the everlasting class V rapids on the Middle Fork of the Kings river.
Mules for 5 miles was worth the 80 bucks.
Graham hiking across the snow field at the top of Bishop Pass( 11,972 feet; 3650 meters).
The view hiking 3700′ down begins now.
Fusilli finishing the hike.
The Middle Fork of the Kings trip is the hardest kayaking trip I have ever done. Countless marginal class five drops stacked up for miles litter the run. Its a place you go to have fun with the attitude that you’re not going to let the undercuts, siphons, wood, holes, ill placed rocks, stout slides, portaging unrunnable waterfalls, or hiking with an 80+ lb kayak for 15 miles scare you. All you care about is being out in the woods running the shit everyday.
Humble beginnings.
This is the drop that is on the cover of the “7 Rivers Expedition” movie. photo: Jed Selby
Dave on the Money Drop
Graham below the money drop
demshitz
Camp at the slide.
Graham in the Waterfall Gorge.
This is what you do all day in day 2.
Its such a beautiful river, just being in there is worth the hike. The rapids towards the bottom 9 miles become the most stacked and difficult. Endless boulder gardens, where getting out to scout a rapid and seeing the river trail off and duck around the next bend and still not able to see the bottom is the norm. After a while of getting out and scouting and sometimes portaging just to save time, you could stare at lines out there forever, and they don’t start looking any better! Bombing rapids boat-scouting hard class 5 because you’re pretty sure it goes but you know you’re probably not going to like what you see if you get out and scout, so you just go and read and react!
Tahipidy Dome. Camp after Day 2, start of the Bottom 9.photo:Jed Selby
This is what the Bottom 9 is all about!
Boofing
Fusilli getting busy in the bottom 9. photo: Jed Selby
Graham in the bottom 9.
Fusilli lofting a boof in the bottom 9.
After 10 hours in the bottom 9 miles on day 4, day 1 was all hiking, we strapped the boats back on and hiked up 2 miles to the van at the top of Yucca Point finishing the hike in the dark at around 10:30. The bottom 9 with the hike out was the most full day. In 3 days we ran 32 miles of whitewater. Bringing our week total, including upper cherry, 26 miles of hiking with a loaded boat( -5 miles thanks to some donkeys!), and 45 miles of California whitewater.
The Crew
So thats it for our Demshitz tour 2008. Hitting the road again here this week, going our separate ways…back to work. Its been a good summer, good water, crazy times, time to go back to reality. Thanks to everybody out there supporting Demshitz. Immersion Research , Keen , Werner Paddles, Snap Dragon Designs , Vitalyte, Buffalo Joes , Jug Liquors and of course Moms and Dads and Pyranha
Hope to see ya on the water soon.