Lochsa, Day 3...Does it have to end?!

On Day #3, we awoke to nearly sunny skies! By now, the routine was pretty well ingrained...breakfast, drive to the put-in, wait around, then go!! My crew lost a paddler...Lisa decided she'd stay on dry land and be the videographer for the day. It worked out well, since we didn't have many action shots yet.

We put in at Fish Creek and got ready to run the lower 10 miles (yep, with Lochsa Falls). Everyone was tired and pretty sore from our double-dump and swim. Vitamin I for everyone!

Hanging around at Fish Creek


Cata-rafts floating the upper river


Our crew switched to another boat...would we flip in the Lochsa Falls again? Different guide (Doug), different boat...hmmm...

Yep, we're in that blue boat coming through Bloody Mary (I think?)


Our other two boats


Finishing up the rapid


Letting us catch up


The waves were big (again) and the highlight for me was a rapid called House Wave...you drop into the rapid and this enormous standing wave rises up to meet you!

Looking back up-river at House Wave


After that, it was not long before we had to set up for the Falls. We set up perfectly and dropped in, paddling hard. The front end of the boat got buried (we had two guys, one 190 lbs and the other 215 lbs up front). The boat stalled and started to flip over just like the day before. I resolved that I was not going to fall out as I watched Dan, Mat, and Joe all tumble into the water. Doug, our guide, managed to hold on (thank goodness, or else I would have had to try pulling them all in!)

I held on, amazingly, as the boat literally went up on it's side for a few seconds. I felt the balance tip and the boat went back down and stayed upright, with me still in it!

We fished the swimmers out pretty quickly and were on our way to the last rapids. The weather was glorious (70 and sunny) and we all enjoyed spectating again.

The road is about 10 feet to our left


Some of the other boats (from different outfitters such as ROW and Three Rivers) on the Falls:

Diggin' in






This boat sneaks around to the far left


The size of the kayaker gives you an idea of the scale


I'll give you one guess what happened to that guy


Creature craft designed to not flip over


Cata-raft getting tossed


They took on a lot of water!


Our last take-out of the trip


The trip was all-in-all, one to remember for a long, long time to come. If you like adrenaline and lots of excitement, rafting could be your next great vacation. Check out the Kern for close-to-SoCal stuff!

Our crew...would be nice to see one of these trips with a bunch of STR members