10ft Falls @ Flood

I remember that day!!!

I went up with Rob Hildreth and Matt Nurkin hoping for around +6"/+8". It was +2-1/2 FEET

When we got there, the place was packed. There were a few folks that had gotten on earlier and made a run. But they said that they had to take off on their second run. Since then they had been watching the gauge. According to them the river was rising at around 3" every 30 minutes.

It was still dumping buckets so no one was putting on. The other guy in the photo was the only other person that was game. A surgeon named Brian from West Virginia who had come down after Gauley Fest. I had never met him before that day, and haven't seen him since. We put on with Rob and Matt running shore based safety, along with another paddler bud also named Matt. They used two vehicles and drove down ahead of us in leap frog fashion. running down to the creek at the crucial sections to give hand signals for direction and to hold rope.

This was the second time I had run Wilson Creek that big.

The first time a bud of mine got munched in the biggest hole you've ever seen at "Triple Drop". He didn't get hung up. It just ripped his paddle out of his hands when he burst through it, and tried to suck his helmet off moving it to the back of his head.

This run went great all the way to the very next to the last drops of "Huntleys Retreat". I got hung up in this meaty, turbulent hole. I rode this thing but couldn't seem to get out right side up. I braced in and flipped, then hung upside down with my hands over my head to grab green water. This worked, but I was never able to recover before dropping into the last drop called "Goal Post". (This drop isnt the same anymore) I never had a chance. Wound up taking one of the worst swims of my paddling life. Crawled out on the wrong damn side of the creek. Still had to ferry back across the river bare handed. (Lost my hands paddles)

It was a fantastic afternoon that wouldn't have been possible without our friends help with safety and support. Still one of my all time favorite creeking experiences.

I remember that day!!!


Peace, JAH WILL