Upper Bear Creek Mission
After a great weeked on the Lochsa, and a couple of days on the wave in Missoula, I met up with Ben again for Bear Cr. I had tried to get on this one last year but it was already too low. That day is the subject of a long story involving getting skunked three times in one day, in two states, wrecking a tire and driving back to Missola from Coeur d'Alene on a donut spare at midnight. Good times!
Well this trip was quite a bit better. The level was just lapping at the top of the guage rock, almost, so as Ben said, "This is a non-nervous level." A couple of days before Ben had mentioned to me that Jessie, a local paddler had scouted a waterfall about 1/2 mile upstream from the normal put in so we all decided to hike on up and have a look.
Waterfall on Upper Bear Cr. Taken from the log jam.
Jessie getting in trying the Tijuana Crack Whore backwards.
Jesse on the pillow of Brave Bear
After looking at this steep multi-tierd slide with a scary logjam in the runout we all back down. Ben didn't like the logjam, I didn't like the spinal compression or ankle break potential. All agreed a bit more water and the move around the logjam would be do-able and the injury potential would drop. "AJ would do it," was repeated a few times.
After portaging the as-yet unrun, un-named slide falls we came to another log jam, and another and another till we realized why this stretch was little known and unrun.
Ben, showing me what Montana Creeking is all about.
After getting to the normal put it, the rest of the run was a blur of slides, boofs and holes. Hotel California, Tijuana Crack Whore, and Brave Bear falls were all really fun drops at this level. Just enough to get the dander up, not too scary. I'm not used to boating on slides so it was especially interesting for me but all's well that ends well and after a knocking out the rest of the run we dragged our boats back down to the parking lot for some elk sausage and cheese. Montana Creeking Tailgate!
After portaging the as-yet unrun, un-named slide falls we came to another log jam, and another and another till we realized why this stretch was little known and unrun.
Ben, showing me what Montana Creeking is all about.After getting to the normal put it, the rest of the run was a blur of slides, boofs and holes. Hotel California, Tijuana Crack Whore, and Brave Bear falls were all really fun drops at this level. Just enough to get the dander up, not too scary. I'm not used to boating on slides so it was especially interesting for me but all's well that ends well and after a knocking out the rest of the run we dragged our boats back down to the parking lot for some elk sausage and cheese. Montana Creeking Tailgate!
Jessie getting in trying the Tijuana Crack Whore backwards.
Jesse on the pillow of Brave Bear
Me, boofing the top ledge at Brave Bear
For more Photos check here
It also seems that somewhere in there I lost my helmet. If anyone sees or hears about a Sweet Strutter out at Bear Cr, gimme a yell! I went up there a few days later looking for it but didn't find it. I did find the Cr much higher than the other day, at least 5 inches over the guage rock so I think that means Jesse owes Ben some beer. Better luck next time.
-Blue Haired Freak
It also seems that somewhere in there I lost my helmet. If anyone sees or hears about a Sweet Strutter out at Bear Cr, gimme a yell! I went up there a few days later looking for it but didn't find it. I did find the Cr much higher than the other day, at least 5 inches over the guage rock so I think that means Jesse owes Ben some beer. Better luck next time.
-Blue Haired Freak
1 comment:
Awesome shots EJ! ;) That creek looks sweeeet ....I believe another road trip is in order....
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