Exploration

First descents are seen by some in the whitewater world as the holy grail (or grails) and they travel to the furthest reaches of the earth to find them. The searchers will be rewarded with an experience that is truyly new and unique. But every paddler has the opportunity for their own first descent on each new river they come to - no less a new and unique experience for them. Over the past five days I've gotten on five new runs, taking advantage of the rainy weather here in the sierras.

My buddy Matt Parker came down from Truckee and we explored some new areas with other friends and occasionally on our own. Aside from the previously mentioned South Yuba we headed up to run Pauley Creek before the rain turned to snow (and just made it off as it spiked up rather high on us). We got on the Slab Creek run on the South Fork American just as it started spilling - another one that turned into high water adventure as we proceeded down. And we finished it off with a mellow run on the Middle Yuba getting on the hard to time Our House Dam run.

Here's a link to some pictures from the trip and a little video compilation.