Hood River Trip Report

[liveonearth]

Hood River (III-IV) 5/30/2010, 1 run, 6 miles. Iowa Drive to Tucker, 40?fpm, 4.25 feet, ~1000 CFS. This level is considered low but it was enough water for a paddle raft no problem. Paddled kayaks with K in her Huck, me in my Embudo. Lovely day, enjoyed the river. It is smallish, fairly continuous. Bouldery in places, no horizons that you can't see over, channels that look like they go, do. Rapids substantially changed in 2006 flood, since the Soggy Sneakers writeup. Not anther soul on the water! Saw one couple fishing, a few fancy houses with no people in evidence. The road is beside the river at the end, but it's a twolane and the whitewater keeps you busy enough that you forget about it. The last mile has the best whitewater, semi-continuous class III with some IVish options, a few channels with push, lots of eddies, quite a few lovely small surf waves and holes.

The putin is traditionally up at a place known as Dee, but it is privately owned now and because it is a lovely riverside spot the owner has had to crack down on partiers. So it is posted posted posted posted no trespassing. If we'd been able to put in at Dee there would have been another mile of smaller water. But we opted to do the legal putin, which involves lowering your boat down a steep slope into the woods, then traversing a goat path to the last final dropoff of 12 feet or so, a climb over the roots of a tree. I was glad I had my rope, but our shuttle driver tried to make off with it, and I had to run all the way back up the bank to get it from him just before he drove away. People here don't recognize my rope. They don't know that I want to carry it in my boat, and that if they get stuck under a rock I'm coming after them with that rope.

K swam the biggest rapid, a rocky class IV-, from the top, after missing two rolls at the foot of the previous rapid. She was a little beat up but basically fine. She held onto her boat and paddle the whole time.

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

That sounds like something I might be able to handle and enjoy. Lovely! Any pics?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

No pix, sorry. Have you tried a ducky on whitewater yet? I'd take you down it in a ducky or raft, for sure. Maybe a bit much for kayaking if you haven' t been in a boat much lately. I was noticing all the tiny little 2-3 person camp spots.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I'd want to do it in a ducky. I'm a lot more comfortable in them than a hard-shell boat... I haven't been in a kayak since... well, I think since we did the San Juan. That river cured me!! haha

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I'll never forget that day. The most amazing first time combat roll I have ever seen. It changed me, too. Cured me of going on rivers at flood with people I don't know well.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

It was certainly a day of self-discoveries for both of us. I will never forget it.

[geordie.livejournal.com]

Slightly sort of off the subject, but I saw the film "Where Eagles Dare" at the weekend and it reminded me that that was where I learned that you should always have a good length of rope with you. You never know when it might come in handy.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Ain't that the truth! I love my rope. Don't nobody try to take it away! (See, it even brings out the southerner in me.)

oh, let me guess...

[beauregard45.livejournal.com]

the rope is yellow, made up into a coil, and has about the comfort of my grandma's whiskers. Yep, I know that rope...
fine little run. I love the sections of the Hood. Should have run them more when I was out there...
and...just got some new thigh straps for my duck, and the new seat (cross thwart...) should be here any day. Nothing wrong with a little inflatable in your life...

Re: oh, let me guess...

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yeah you know my rope. I actually have one that is still just approaching that perfect stage of broken in, no whiskers yet. Should serve me well for years to come provided none of the Oregoners turns it into a clothesline while I'm not supervising.

I'm hoping to get on the Hood again soon, that same section again or the forks above or the section down to the Columbia below....all look lovely. Though the pie shop at the Tucker takeout is a definite stop if my day takes me anywhere near there.

So I'm not going to bring any gear with me this summer, but I think I'll be able to round up the basics from my dad's shed. I think I even have a spare wooden left kayak paddle in there.