Raven Fork

From Clay Wright from Boatertalk, March 1, 2001:

WOW:

went back to the Raven Fork yesterday and it is even better with higher water. We had about 1' 3' on the 'Tony Robinson' guage - a good bit higher than the 'Freshwater' footage. Big group of 8, but great weather and we all had good lines. No broken boats, paddles, bones etc.

Highlights:

Daniel D's backward 'anaconda' run. So good he went back and came down backwards again.

The surfs at Headless Horseman

Running Leelans's new 'waterspout' line blind (3'wide exit)

Pat Keller surfing the 1/2 way hole in Mortal Kombat.

My piton of the log about 2.5' above the water just below.

Pat's near 'face shot' into 'elbow-basher' wall.

Mike Tyson's punch-out -

- this is now one of my favorite rapids ever.

10' ledge into a long curler-packed 30' slide and off about 20' vert. Like a creek-version of Oceana after an approach series. Big trip highlight.

The Negatives:

The hike-in. over one log, under the next for 2 1/2 miles.

Continuity: pool drop, but a blown skirt or broken paddle could spell disaster. At this level, set safety below every rapid.

Cold: about 20 degrees colder in the gorge than on the hike.

Walking Big Boy:

long and steep and loose - makes you feel like hucking and hoping . . only the next 2 rapids aren't friendly at all. We hiked the set.

The other portages:

some BAD undercuts/logs etc along the way.

Daniel's near first Descent:

only one drop still unrun, and Daniel D just about dropped in backwards. Good thing he's such a scrambler. All those 200% days on the Green really paid off.

Daniel, Jason Hale, and Al G hittin it again today.

Good luck, boys -

Clay