WAAAA...! stop the whining OK, the snowpack was light, it got hot early, then it got cold, it was raining in April....Waaa F'n Waaa!
We have had one of the best early seasons of all time and last Saturday was the peak: Saul rolled up from Newport Beach in big style accompanied by Irene as they "roughed" it by checking in to the North Fork cabin at Camp Lotus. Jonny '07 left his lesson plans and expectant wife for the day, Jason took a break from Marin, Andrew folded up the wetsuits and put one on himself while he enlisted Julie to do two shuttles, Country Mike nailed his second class IV debut in two weeks, Robbe took a break from steep creeks, Ryan Mac put down his video camera, Nate switched from Ski Patrol to Kayak Safety, Greg D. continued his education into all things W.E.T., Wolf emerged from the farthest reaches of the North Fork Canyon, Maggie left the dogs in Reno, Jeffe made it back with one good ankle from Big Sur, Bird made himself a legend amongst head-guides, Booty tapped Class IV, Dax padded his resume, and Cool J. finally got cool... Saturday, W.E.T. River Trips ran all three forks of the American River: North, Middle, and South: a rare feat even in a bountiful year of water. The stars aligned, the rivers ran and the best guides in California came out to play.
All told, we ran all three Forks with five trip configurations and fourteen guides. When the day wrapped up and the warehouse was buttoned up, a vicious game of nerf football ensued in the star thistles and on the blacktop of Bassi Road while we re-grouped and caravaned to the Sierra Nevada House for Margaritas, ice water, and steak sandwiches.
Jonny rocked the purple pouch, we laughed till we were sick, and we saw sights that made my eyes burn. It was a great way to celebrate the crown jewels of the Desolation Wilderness drainage... rafting the three Forks of the American River. It was also bitter sweet to say goodbye to the North Fork American for the season; however, it was a happy occasion to welcome back the Middle Fork American with consistent flows for the rest of the season to compliment the great flows on the South Fork American.
Sunday was Mother's Day and we had two forks to run the next day; but, the purple pouch will re-appear for Father's Day... or maybe that's just a rumor.
Why do I still hear that whining...oh never mind, it's just Bird.
A Big Poppa Post
