Two things I think I learned yesterday

[heliodorus04]

So I ran Gore, which is a big step up for me. I walked Gore and Tunnel.

The first thing I think I learned is about boofing. Boofing is a new skill I'm practicing this year, and on Gore, all my boofs were passable, a couple were good, and I nailed Pyrite. I am pretty surprised how good they all were, because practicing on rocks on Numbers or Browns or wherever, I flubbed about half of them. Yet no flubs on Gore...

Tell me if I'm correct here: It's easier to boof on a real ledge drop, and also easier to boof when the water is pushier. I think one of the reasons my boof worked better was there wasn't a rock to go up and over like when I practice. Add to that pushy water, and it seemed much easier to get a good stroke, land flat, and get some distance. I'm not sure where my boof stroke stands overall, though.

The second thing I think I learned is that, from a strict energy conservation point of view, you're better off running Tunnel and swimming out of the hole than you are walking your boat around it. Oh my god, that was tedious, difficult, and a bit dangerous. I can't imagine that totally screwing up in Tunnel would cost me more energy or risk worse injury than that damn portage.

Word to the wise: There's a rattlesnake somewhere on river left at the top of Kirschbaum's right off the beach.

Thanks to the guys who took one for the team, probing yesterday. I'd never have been as decent without your direction.

Thanks to the group who found our paddle and left it at tunnel.

Praise be to Allah for the hot chicks in the raft at Gore (I really didn't want to get out of your way).

And some of you who ran the meat on Gore itself yesterday were the sexiest paddlers I've ever seen. Watching you boof the left and landing was really inspirational. All of you who ran it, or the sneak, were braver than I, but that gives me something to work up to.

That's the most fun I've ever had on a river.

[CUkayakGirl]

Hey Congrats!
This weekend was my virgin runs down Gore as well.
I learned a few things too!

Portaging sucks!
I portaged Gore rapid both days and hated it...I ran tunnel, mostly because I figured i could make the line, it looked really fun, and maybe a bit of it was that I didn't want to portage again.

The most important thing I learned, which no one seemed to tell me a head of time, is that the green tongue on class IV+ and above, usually leads into the meat of the hole. oooops! I don't think that would have ever crossed my mind.

Ya Gore!

Thanks guys for helping me out this weekend!

[gh]

There is a fairly recent video in the boaters forum of someone taking it in Tunnel. You make the call.

[Ture]

Originally Posted by heliodorus04

The second thing I think I learned is that, from a strict energy conservation point of view, you're better off running Tunnel and swimming out of the hole than you are walking your boat around it. Oh my god, that was tedious, difficult, and a bit dangerous. I can't imagine that totally screwing up in Tunnel would cost me more energy or risk worse injury than that damn portage.

Maybe. I think the video of someone getting their ass kicked in Tunnel this year made a portage seem like a comfortable option. I've never walked around that thing but if I wasn't feeling it then I wouldn't hesitate to walk. I think it is kind of a scary drop. It looks to me like that hole could drown you if you made a mistake or two mixed in with some bad luck.

[dq]

The worst thing I've seen at tunnel isn't getting worked in the hole, but instead coming in too far left and running straight into the undercut rock on the left. That was ugly.

There used to be an easy sneak around the left side but that big rock moved and that is no longer there.

That same guy for some reason paddled down the middle of Applesauce which also isn't a nice place to end up being upside down.

dq

[Dave Frank]

That rock has moved a few times over the last decade. For a while it did eliminate the option of sneaking.

The left sneak is fully in effect, at least at 1200 cfs. It looked very smooth and pretty much assured you're not ending up in the hole.


While the meatier boof is a fun line, it certainly offers the possibility of a bigger beating. Apparently it is much stickier with less water.

Congrats on your vigin runs!

[rockinRio]

Here's the beat down video.

Tunnel Falls Beatdown

I haven't been down Gore, but that vid would make me consider my options a little longer.

[mjpowhound]

So what was that guy's mistake in the video? Bad boof? Bad line? Both?

[KSC]

Both I think. Looks like he/she got turned and angled to the right just above the lip and dropped straight into the worst part of the hole with lots of right angle so no chance of hitting the spout on the left flushing away from the hole or boofing over the hole. Experience also tells me that getting too close to the rock river left just above the lip is no good. I think he/she should be a little farther to right coming in.

I'm starting to wonder if that's a better line than getting too close to the rock jutting out on the left though. Has anyone seen anything bad result from people hitting that rock?

Originally Posted by mjpowhound

So what was that guy's mistake in the video? Bad boof? Bad line? Both?

[Livingston]

Actually I think it was a woman. I believe my buddy works with her.
I think she was a bit too far left, hit a diagonal wave that pushed her nose river-right (timed with an unfortunate left stroke), and at that point there is no time for correction.

Tunnel is one of my favorite swimming holes.

-d