Lyon Creek

June 24, 2012

Bank to bank water in Lyon Creek!

Second time this year starting on Lyon Creek and continuing through the confluence with Bertha Creek and Granite Creek. Just a day trip this time with Chad C. and Randy K.

VERY different today compared to last month! This was a high water run, there were actually real rapids in a couple of sections. The high water washed one or two of the downed trees out of the way but there were still plenty. There were a couple of trees that we easily went under last time that we had to get out and drag around this time, just not quite enough room to go under anymore.

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We spent almost an hour at the big multiple log jam that Pat and I spent about that same amount of time at last time. More water, moving faster, much more push. Pat and I used our 16 foot tandem as a sort of bridge to put us on the log jam then Chad and Randy paddled right over the lowest log and we caught their boats before they plowed into the next log jam. Then we all pushed our boats over that last jam, got back in the boats and headed downstream.

It was a fun day.

Canoe Guru info

Eli Helbert, the Canoe Guru is the instructor that taught the class I took this last weekend. He was great! Here are some places to find info on/about the Canoe Guru and some videos from YouTube of Eli.

Canoe Guru home page.

Video from YouTube: Training at night

Video from YouTube: Eli at Garberator

Canoe Guru at Willow Creek

June 8 - 10 2012
Canoe class with Eli Helbert, the Canoe Guru

Pat and I signed on to get instruction from Eli Helbert, five time World Champion Canoe Rodeo. Eli flew up here from North Carolina and is spending about three weeks teaching advanced, intermediate, and beginner white water canoe skills.

Eli surfing

We had a great time and I came away with a LOT of things to work on. I need to rotate more, lead with my head, do cross strokes, and I need lots of practice on a cross bow pry which is still really awkward.

We had water level issues, too much water, for most of us to feel comfortable doing the Guard Rail section, so after half a day on a lake the rest of the class took place on the Red Gate section. While the water was up this section had a little bit of push to it. It was fun and had some challenging moves on it. By the third day the water had come down some and most of the push was gone which was a little disappointing because pushy water is where I have the most trouble and need the most practice.

Pat through gate 3 headed for gate 4.

The slalom gates were still up from the Willow Fest a couple of weeks ago so every Red Gate run started with making the gates. With the higher water level the course was a little more challenging! Especially gate number four which necessitated boofing off of a rock and trying to make it over the hole below.

We camped at Susitna Sled and Kayak and they also cooked breakfast and dinner for us each day. This was great, we didn't have to cook and clean before paddling and we could paddle later since we didn't have to cook and clean up afterwards either.

I forgot I had the camera on me for most of the class so the pictures are limited.

Analyzing Pat's surfing technique.

Lower Eagle River

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Pat and Glen peeling out.

Learning a cross-draw stroke.

A nice evening paddle on the lower Eagle River through JBER. Pat took our neighbor, Glen, out in the tandem; his first run on white water! They had a blast catching eddies and going through wave trains. We missed going out to eat afterwards because we didn't get off of the river until 10:30 pm. Gotta love the midnight sun. Good thing we parked in the upper lot at the campground or else we would have been locked in.

Lion's Head, Matanuska River

Saturday, June 1, 2012

This weekend was the annual boating/camping/hanging out at our friends cabin. Depending on work schedules it is held Memorial Day weekend, or the weekend before, or the weekend after, as it was this year. Lots of people, lots of boats, lots of food, lots of dogs, and lots of fun!

We ran the Lion's Head section of the Matanuska River putting in on Caribou Creek and taking out at the Keith's Road bridge. Actually, the bridge is our usual take-out, this time we went a bit further than that but I can't really describe where we took out!

There were two young boys with us on the river this year, one was 10 years old the other, 12 years old. They rode in a raft through the Lion's Head section but both of them have some kayak experience. To give the young guys a chance to do some paddling of their own, part of the group continued down to the Hicks Creek take-out. This section of river is not as difficult as the upper stretch.

Bill

The level of water in the river was considered to be on the low side and the gage in Palmer read approximately 3,400 cfs. The gage is waaaay downstream of where we actually paddled. This number is not really valid for the section we paddled but it is the closest reference that I could find. There are a bunch of side streams that empty into the Matanuska on its way to Palmer and they increase the flow.

I still don't deal very well in big, pushy, water, which is Lion's Head even at this lower water levels. I held my own through most of it but swam once on this section and then once more playing around in the short section between the take-out bridge and where we actually took out. Several times a wave or a rock would push my boat sideways, I wouldn't be able to correct before the next wave or rock, then I would be  backwards. I went through the end of two drops backwards, bouncing down rocks before finally being able to stop in an eddy. Very frustrating and kinda scary.

I should be able to work on gaining better skills in big, pushy, water during the canoe clinic that I am attending this summer. The water levels on the Matanuska and Willow have both climbed pretty high with the sunshine we have gotten in the last couple of days. I will let you know how it goes, keep your fingers crossed for me.

Lyon Creek

May 28 - 29 2012

Since the weather was beautiful and sunny on Monday after a weekend of getting rained on up at Willow,  Pat and I decided to head a little south and do an overnight paddle on Lyon/Bertha/Granite Creeks. The skies became cloudy and the air cool by the time we reached the top of the pass and it started to rain as I put up the tent and it was still raining as we drove away on Tuesday.

Lyon Creek is just beyond the line of trees.

We were lucky with the shuttle and Pat had hitched a ride back up to where we were putting in shortly after  I finished dragging the boat, filled with our gear, across about 100 yards of snow! Normally you can drive right down to the edge of the creek but we had a LOT of snow this year and it hasn't quite melted yet.

Lyon Creek is always narrow with tight corners and on this trip the water level was a little low. We scraped the bottom and brushed across a few rocks on the way down but nothing too bad. We camped just upstream from the Bertha Creek Campground (still closed) and on the far side of the creek. We did a little hiking in the evening up the mountain a bit then retreated into the tent to get out of the rain. The next morning Pat went back up the mountain and I explored the shoreline along which we were camped. From camp we could see one of the new footbridges for the Historic Iditarod Trail and I wanted to go take a look at it, except it bridged Bertha Creek before it meets up with Lyon  Creek so I was on the wrong side.

Looking for wildlife.

The confluence of Lyon Creek with Bertha Creek helped a ton with having enough depth to not scrape the bottom but it brought new hazards. Lots of trees fallen all the way across or most of the way across the creek and in one spot there are downed trees just upstream of three log jams that between them completely block the river. It is quite a nasty spot. We ended up dragging around the first log jam, doing a ferry to the center log jam, using the boat as a bridge from the center jam to the one just behind it, dragging the boat over that log jam, hopping into the boat from a floating log sticking out of the jam and paddling away downstream. It took us about 40 minutes to scout and figure out how we were going to get through here. There were a couple more downed trees that we dragged around further downstream and several more that we did a quick scout on and paddle around or through. An exciting day for a small class 1, class 2 creek!

Old avalanche debris field.

Willow Creek Whitewater Festival

Memorial Day weekend May 2012

We missed the festival last year and were pretty excited to participate this year. We had a blast! A huge thanks to James and Deb of Susitna Sled and Kayak for sponsoring and organizing the whole weekend!

 Only three  open canoes participated in the events but there were up to five of us there; a pretty good showing in AK. Pat and I each came home with a first place trophy, he for the slalom, and I for the Red Gate section downriver race. We did do a run down the Guardrail section on Saturday before the slalom race but we didn't participate in the doubles downriver race through Guardrail on Sunday.

The results haven't been posted for this year; but when they are, I think they will be here: Susitna Sled and Kayak.

Sat. 26th May ~875 cfs
Sun. 27th May ~850 cfs

Doug on Red Gate

Pat pulling a surf move