B.C.

It has been a while since I did this one, but the story is definately worth telling. My friend Jeff and I decided to go on a trip to BC and do some kayaking. So I drove up from salt lake city and met him at the Lochsa. We then drove north (after a day on the river of course_) past flathead lake, and onward toward whitefish. We stopped for kayaking on the Bull river. I remember that I had just purchased a brand new Necky Gliss on my credit card last month, and this was one of my first trips. We had a book for the area and decided to do some creeking. One of the stops along the way was Findlay creek. The guide book said that the guage was a pilar in the river. We both looked and couldnt find it. So we decided that we probably werent looking in the right place. (Unfortunately we would come to find out that we were, it was just underwater.)

So without delay, we put on the river. The current was strong, pushy, and glacial blueish white in color. The weather was warm, and we were stoked. The first few rapids we ran without problem, and things were going well. We soon found ourselves in a canyon with vertical walls about 100 feet high. I remember the feeling when we got to the first horizon line, got on the small rock, (the only thing we could get out on) and tried to see how big this thing was. We had the page from the book and it said that this was double drop. The author was purposly vague due to a belief that you shouldnt be there if you dont know what you are doing. So with all we could see is a horizon line, and only a guess at the size, we decided to play paper, scissors, rock to decide who goes first. My buddy Jeff lost, and I decided that he would go first.

The drop had a big recirculation that you had to punch before the falls, and we were both scared to run the falls due to the combination of not knowing if the falls was 40 feet, or just ten. Either way it wasnt my turn, so I urged jeff to go. I remember him going into the hole, turning upside down, and going off the falls upside down and backwards. I also remember the few seconds before he started screaming "YEAH!" feeling like an eternity. Because there was no other way out. So I got in my boat, determined to punch this bad boy and go over the falls right side up. I hit the hole, it flipped me, and I rolled up just in time to go over the falls. I skipped across the pool, couldnt make the eddy between the falls, and as I was turning around I went off the second one. Luckily the base of the falls didnt have a hole, I just landed the 15 foot drop onto shallow water, hitting rocks. This was only the beginning.

The next rapid was huge,long, and ended up in a riverwide hole. I remember scouting and scouting, and we both decided that it was unwise to run. This started the portage up the steep scree slope to portage the rapid. After the scree slope got up about 100 feet the route was to hike downstream, past the cliff, and back down another scree slope and start the river again. Jeff and I had to go from tree to tree on the uphill side in order to keep from sliding down the hill. I remember getting to this one part where there had obviously been a landslide. There was no trees to keep us up, so we had to run across a 30-40 foot area. Jeff went first, but when I went the land below gave way, and I was quickly sliding down the steep slope towards the cliff. I had to act quick, I dropped my boat and paddle and grabbed a small sapling as the scree slid past me on both sides. I looked behind me as my boat slid down the slope, and then silence. I waited forever until I heard a big splash. Jeff an I looked at each other like what (now what?) and without hesitation I said, "well at least I dont have to carry that stinking boat anymore." and I quickly got up, and started hiking again.

I remember seeing my boat down lower flush into an eddy right at the take out, and thinking "thank you god" and then as I was about half way down watching it flush out and out of site. I waited for Jeff to arrive at the bottom of the portage, and said I am going to just float down and try to find it. I jumped in the icy water and did just that. The current was fast, and I promptly started hitting my shins on submerged rocks. After not long, I was started to feel cold, bruised, and like it was a bad idea. Although the only other way out was to free climb the cliff wall, I felt that it was the only way. I started climbing above water, so in case I fell, it wouldnt be onto rocks. I couldnt be sure though because the water wasnt completely clear. The cliff face was not granite, or even stone, it was a compilation of rocks. Some were solid, some not. I would take a hand hold, put pressure on it, and pray that it would hold. I remember getting about 1/4 the way up, and seeing jeff come into site. I started whisteling and screaming his name to tell him I was going back, and he never even looked my way. The water was too loud. I kept climbing, hoping that things would be okay, but knowing things were not well. I was half way up, and exhausted. My arms were trembeling, and the hand hold that I had just taken had just come loose, almost taking me with it. I felt that only god could save me now. I started praying. I dont remember the rest... I just remember standing on the road above it all, thinking now what?

I started running towards the put in, and saw a teenage couple sitting in their car. They were probably hoping for a romantic evening alone, and then I came along. I asked politely for a ride into town, and he replied "No." I explained my situation, and again "No." I finally said "You will give me a ride into town, this is an emergency!" He finally said that he would give me a ride to the freeway. I agreed, and was dropped off. At one point I remember thinking what is 911 in canada? I started running down the freeway, I thought "I am going to stop the first car that comes my way from any direction." No cars came. I ran until I saw a man picking berrys by the road. I asked him for a ride, and he smiled. "Sure I will give you a ride" he said. I remember his smile more than his face. I had never seen teeth so crooked. "Hope you dont mind sitting with bucky." he cackled. I sat next to his hound dog as he drove me to the sherriff/search and rescue/fire chief/mayor of the small town.

He put together a team, in no time, and we were off. I pretty much figured that Jeff was looking for me. I would have just gone to the take out, but he had done a bike shuttle on his own, so I had no idea where it was. The one smart thing that I had done is left a note on his bike at the put in. I was hoping that he would just be sitting there when I returned. But he wasnt. I had a horrible feeling in my stomache that something was wrong. It was sunset when we arrived back at the put in, and it was now dark. All we could do is wait. There were 6 people looking for jeff. I knew that there was one portage on the river that the book told about. This must portage was a 30 foot waterfall. I cringed to think where Jeff might be. Darkness was the word. It was a cold starfilled night, and it was about 1 AM before one of the search guys said over the radio, "I found him, we're coming back." It was kind of wierd. It was as if jeff just drove up in his truck like nothing had happened. We both thanked the fire chief, and everyone went home. I was grateful that Canada's search and rescue team was volunteer, as neither of us had the money to pay.

Jeff, as it turned out had been scouring the canyon rim, screaming my name, and blowing an emergency whistle. He had figured that I was dead, and he too had wondered what is 911 in canada. Jeff said that he had saw my boat in the portage, and that we would have to try to go pick it up in the morning. But as for that night, we were both exhausted, and ready for bed. I remember falling asleep to the northern lights, the glow of the stars and the crisp mountain air.

The next morning we both were ready to go find the boat. We bought a come-a-long, some rope, and a big hook. Aparently the only way to get to my boat was to go fishing. The first thing that we had to do was to get down to the river. After carefull debate, (3 hours worth of it) we decided a route down. This involved a self belay from tree to tree, leaving the ropes in order to get back up. Then it was rock climbing upstream only a few feet above the river until we could touch the ground again. Once we got to the area that the extraction was to take place, we were dealing with falling scree. We were both worried even with helmets on. Sometimes softball size rocks would fly past our heads like they were being thrown at us. The area behind us was a huge landslide danger. We must have tried to get that thing out all day. The problem was it was under about 3 feet of vertical water, and you could just see a glimmer of it at any moment. The class 6 rapid below it was instant death if you happened to fall in, and there was nothing that you could tie on to. After careful consideration, we decided that the only way to get the thing out was to hire a helicopter, and then hang upside down as you were dipped into the water. Then all you would have to do is clip on to the grab loop, and lift away... Yeah right! It was gone.

We decided to head home through Glacier National Park. The US boarder searched us for an hour, and tore our car apart looking for anything that they could find that was green. I guess we looked like we had been through hell, or had been on drugs? Glacier National park, is an amazing place to visit. The mountains epitify what you might dream of if someone had told you about the rocky mountains. The drive home is something that I will always remember. After we got back home we decided that we would have to go back. I thought that if we never found it, I would love to see that country again. Jeff and I waited a month, after we found out that the water levels had dropped, and headed back up. When we arrived the river was much easier to access, as there was no rock climbing needed. Dry rocks along the river banks made access easy, and it also made it easy to scour the river for the boat. As we walked, I remember it was amazing. I would find a float bag, then another, then my waterbottle, and my backup neoprene top. I recovered everything except my boat. My paddle had been hanging in a tree 80 feet above the river, where I had origionally dropped my boat. All I had to do was to belay down to it and climb back up. With all of my gear back it was time to run another river. I rented a boat, and headed north to Toby Creek. Toby Creek is a class v run with a portage. I would like to say that this time we were more careful, but... that is another story.