After passing undaunted through an early morning thunderstorm and bear tracks the size of a skillet, we put in on the North Fork of the Buffalo in the Absarokas. One pissed mama moose and her young calf lay in wait for us around the first bend. Then, into a canyon of Class III rapids that focused our attention. A confluence brought us up to 2600 CFS and yielded wave train after glorious wave train. Evan dumped as we were taking out in order to boost my confidence. What a gentleman.
On the way home, we stopped on a whim (read: without any beta) to attempt a first packraft descent of Blackrock Creek. Putting in by Togwotee Pass, we bumped along down a shallow, rocky section before chillaxing in the oxbows of a meadow. Evan rounded a bend, taking a shortcut, and encountered a beaver dam. I rounded the same bend, taking the long way around, and encountered a Class V waterfall choked with nasty conglomerate boulders. Needless to say, I prayed and swam. Sum total damages: a jammed pointer finger.
Seriously.
How lucky is that? Evan preformed a straight-up miracle and fished Scott's gorgeous (read: expensive) paddle (that I had dropped like a chump) straight out of the river. What?! How does that even happen?? The Mysterious Powers of the Universe-- that's how. Here's some views of the rapid:
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