TR: Das Box

[slide_for_life]

For two days in mid-July of 2007 I had the singular pleasure of passing through the natural temple known as the Clarks Fork Box. We decided to self support, which was both a blessing and a curse. We were blessed in that our provisions allowed us to live at river level for the whole trip. The curse was manuevering those extra heavy boats through countless technical rapids and the many arduous portages that make the Box a true mental and physical test piece. The flows were about as low as you would want- about 600 dropping into the 400 range. The crew: John Souter, Dane Stephens, Carson King, and myself. Photos by Mark Cecchini and Carson King.

Pilot Peak watches over the Clarks Fork Valley


Packing boats at the takeout. Remember kids: "ounces turn into pounds and pounds turn into pain."


The trip started with some manky drops on the Honeymooner. This is a perfect way to get used to the many gaping sieves that you will paddle by during the descent.


The just when you start to feel in the groove, the walls get vertical and it's time to start walking the Green Monster Portage.


The portage feels shitty and unnecessary until you catch a glimpse of what lies in the canyon below.


After the mile-long portage it's time for some of the most gorgeous flat water you will ever paddle.


By the time you start to wonder when the whitewater starts, an obvious horizon line comes into view. Time for more walking. In the pic, Carson is getting his game face on after suffering his way through the Ankle Breaker portage.


Below the Ankle Breaker is where the shit really starts. With every drop the walls get taller and the canyon gets narrower. At this point you are totally committed.


After some technical boogie water boulders on the right and a sheer cliff on the left signal your approach to Balls to the Wall, on the of signature drops on this stretch. John and Mark scout the runout.


The upper part of Balls is a series of heavy moves with major penalty points for if your balls are not on the wall.


After Balls there was one more big class V, Snollieguster, before camp. Snollie has a stout lead-in to a serious hole followed by a sweet boof flanked by sieves. Sorry, no pics for that one. But our camp spot was pretty sweet.


The fishing isn't bad down there, but I have no clue how the trout made to where we caught them.


After some of the best sleep I have ever experienced, Day 2 dawned.


Day 2 features more heavy rapids and two mandatory drops. After a quick portage right out of camp Dillworth rapid signaled the start of the shit. Souter strokes the first move in the three boof sequence.


Dane dialing in Dillworth- this is aesthetic class V.


Some more drops, including the much photographed Calendar Falls come in quick succession before Deliberation Corner. The Corner is a stout five part sequence that includes a mandatory boof over a backed up hole. John and Dane deliberate at the mandatory move.


You can look all you want, but eventually you gotta go.


After the Corner its more boogie water, and if you're lucky some kayak-spelunking. This is a low-flow-only line.


Another big horizon line signals that it's time to walk again. I suppose that there is a line down this one, but nobody has sacked up yet.


The reason that nobody has sacked up is because Leap of Faith, the second mandatory drop, is immediately below. Leap is as blind as it gets. There's a lip and all you can see are the tops of boulders below. On any other Clarks Fork rapid that would mean a walk, except there is no portage route for this one. Carson finds the line.


Below Leap is the final portage of the run. It is hard to see where to start the portage, but this is one place where you don't want to go bombing down blind drops. One person has died and several other have been seriously injured by making that very mistake. The picture shows the innocent looking entrance before the 40 footer that goes underground.


After the final portage Sunshine Creek pours in from river right, and you can finally relax a little. On the float out you can finally take in the beauty of the third deepest canyon in the US.


And that's how I spent my 2007 summer vacation.

[teledave]

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

This is SICK! Nice TR. I love when the very occassional kayaking TRs go up. Makes me want to start paddling again

(Note: I was never good (Class III at best) and only recreational in NC when working for summer camps about 8 years ago. With that said, I am certain I have my old Dagger Medieval sitting at my Dad's house with all the gear. I should have it shipped and start paddling again this summer in NorCal. Too bad all the rivers are bascially above my paygrade).

[teledave]

Caveman, DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suck at paddling. But it is so much fun even if all I can run is Class 3 and the occasional Class 4 swim. It's the perfect companion to skiing, when the skiing blows the rivers are usually going off.

[Alpine Dreams]

Very nice! Thanks for posting the stoke.

[mattinak]

Holy shit! This is truly an awesome TR.

[OSECS]

Damn !!!!!!

[mavrick]

TRs like this one make me want to get a boat and paddle some really dumb shit! lol

Nice TR.

[406]

nice stuff.

[thredayevt]

Nice work. I'm so glad that spring is here.

[hialtitude]

That looks like an amazing trip.

[moose pit]

Every time I see a kayak TR that has those nice little drop I think I should throw my boat on the car and go check it out. Then I read the rest of the TR and realize that I am but a mere mortal that still get shit kicked in class III water - "aesthetic class V" no matter how pretty ain't happening (yet).

Nice TR!