Elbow

Some good pictures of the Elbow on Wednesday Night. Certainly looks harder than the Saint today!



More images at here (images from calpaddle link

Trips June 6th to 13th

With all the rain things are looking great. The weir in Lethbridge is looking to be at a surfable level. The last year it was, Clay had said the surf was fantastic. It looks like some of us will be heading there for 6:00pm on Monday night.

With the lowe Saint releasing and flows up everywhere, it looks like there will be lots of people skipping work early. I checked out things on North Drwyood Sunday afternoon. Those creeks are at ideal flows.


The first set of big drops on N. Drywood


The last major drop on N. Drywood

So things should be good for a slew of trips this week.

Lower Saint is Flowing! (as well as others)

Mike, Ronna and I just got off the Lower St. Mary's (Friday - on river @ 5:30PM)). The gauge was around 150cms!!!! I'm assuming the dam is releasing water. Rainwave was washed out, difficult to catch, but lots of good roller waves on that stretch. Might be worth trying to hit this weekend.

As well, the Upper St. Mary's if flowing over 100, the Belly was over 70 and the Castle is currently 82.2cms.

Gotta love that rain!


Mr. Hironaka (Blondie) on the wave train below the ledge a couple of years ago


Images from Wednesday June 9th.


bottom of haripin


The best surf around, 2/3 down hairpin


the end of the flume on hairpin


good surf on run no run

Boat Sales

In an attempt to pair down, update our fleet, and get boats into the hands of club members, the club is moving to a policy of continually offering all its boats up for sale. Right now, here is the list of boats and prices. Any exec can sell any of these boats on the spot.

Pyrannah Razor $500
Wavesport Stubby $650
Riot 007 $550
Perception Amp $550
Wavesport X $600
CFS $1100
Frankenstein $300 sold
Whip-It $350 sold
Transformer T3 $750
Transformer T4 $750


Some deals for 2 piece break down paddles and old nylon or neoprene skirts may also be arranged, depending on what is available at the boathouse.

Trips May 31 to June 6th

Post your trips for the week here. I am looking for people to head creeking down to the Bitterroots south of Missoula or up in the Kootenays (skook, dutch, wildhorse, etc). A hiking trip up to the Granite creek access of the Middle Fork of the Flathead would also be OK.

LVM

Kadijk sent me this link for lvmvideo.com. It has quite a good section of trip blogs Check it out. If anyone has any other good links, post them here.

Trips May 25 to 30th

If you have any trips planned for this weekend, this is the spot to post them. The weather looks good for the weekend. All the rivers are flowing, so take advantage of the prime conditions.

Help at River Rendezvous

The ORCKA Executive is looking for help running the breakfast at the River Rendezvous this year. If you can help on the Saturday or Sunday, please let Clayton or Mark I. know as soon as possible. Money earned from this event is used for equipment maintenance and purchasing, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks to all those who can help!

Mark Iwaasa


http://www.libertypages.com/chris/paddle/rendezvous.html

Courses

I thought I would post this update from aquabatics.

AWA River Rescue
Interested in taking the AWA 2-day River Rescue Course?
1) There may still be room this coming weekend in the River Rescue Course that Ernst Bergman is putting on for the Cottonwood Kayak Club. Contact Keegan Smith at ksmith@mancroft.ca for more information.
2) On Friday June 3rd and Saturday June 4th Ernst will be putting on another 2-day River Rescue Course on the North Saskatchewan. Cost of the course is $150 and funds are payable to the AWA. Please contact me aquabatics2@shaw.ca if you are interested in signing up.
3) Saskia van Mourik will be running the AWA River Rescue course on Thursday August 25th and Friday August 26th as part of the Junior's Paddle Camp. There will likely be space for other 'non-junior' paddlers to participate. Contact Lynn Jobe for more information at ianlynnjobe@shaw.ca
4) Jim McDonald will be offering the AWA River Rescue Course through the U of A later in un the season. Course dates are likely some time in August, but are not finalized. Contact Richard Simpson at 780-452-5878 x249 or by email at: Richard_Simpson@forcorp.com for more information.

AWA Trip Leader
Immediately following the River Rescue Course, Ernst Bergman will be offering a 2-day Trip Leader's program for Trip Leader Instructor Candidates, on Sunday June 5th and Monday June 6th. Although the AWA Trip Leader Program is normally an 8 hour program, this 2 day program is designed to fast-track strong Trip Leader Instructor candidates who are interested in going on to teach this program to clubs and other paddling groups. Please contact me aquabatics2@shaw.ca if you are interested in becoming an Trip Leader Instructor, and I will provide you with further Details on the 2 day program.

Level 1 Instructors Course
1) Saskia van Mourik will be offering the NCCP Level 1 course in the Calgary area in June 11-12. Please contact me aquabatics2@shaw.ca if you are interested in getting in on this course.
2) Roy Sharplin is offering NCCP Level 1 course June 7th, 8th, and 9th for U of A Paddlers. This is open to non U of A paddlers as well. Contact Richard Simpson at 780-452-5878 x249 or by email at: Richard_Simpson@forcorp.com for more information.

Level 2 Instructors Course
1) Chuck Lee will be running a Level 2 Instructor's Course on June 11th and 12th. The cost $160 plus $20 AWA fee. Contact Chuck at chucklee@telusplanet.net for more information.
2) Roy Sharplin is offering a Level 2 Instructor's Course on July 23rd and 24th for the U of A Paddlers. This is open to non U of A paddlers as well. Contact Richard Simpson at 780-452-5878 x249 or by email at: Richard_Simpson@forcorp.com for more information.

Drywood Access

With high water coming early, I just checked with the Blairmore Forestry service about the opening of South Drywood. Apparently, it won't be open until the 15th of June and closes at the start of September. By then, I am sure the high water will have gone. Alternatively to access the valley one can get a research permit which gives you a key to the valley. You need to contact the Blairmore forestry service with a letter of request. It should be on department letter head.

Perhaps I will need to make a trolley to carry boats up. There are quite a few people keen on doing it. The may long weekend event would be perfect.

Weekend Report II

A great weekend of paddling, with the flows coming up!

On Saturday, we saw 5 club members paddle down the Castle River. We started at N.B.Kirk's access and finished at the Canyon Bridge. Flows were at 36 cms for this mostly class II, which was ideal (see http://www.horizon.ab.ca/ace/StreamTeam.html for flow details). We had 1 swim and everyone pulled off a least one roll when it counted!

See you on the river!

Weekend Reports

This last weekend, the St. Mary's was down quite low. Mark K. and I paddled it on Thursday night. It was quite bony. On Friday Mark I. and I went down to the Middle Fork. Bear creek was at medium - low flows. Fun, but not pushy. This is a fun, consistent run. After, we went down the upper Middle Fork. We took out at the bridge below the Goat Lick. This section is about the same length as the standard run down to West Glacier. There are fewer rapids, more swirly eddies, and some great scenery. There is one major rapid a ways below the goat lick. It is probably a III. The eddies are a bit squirly for begginers. These can be avoided by going down the center of the river.

Rivers in Waterton are also flowing nicely. Pass creek was at mediumm to low on Sat, making for some technical moves down the rapid above and below the falls. I would give the lower rapid a IV-. On Sunday flows had gone up and the rapids were bigger, but less technical. I have been putting in at the top of the flood plane. This gives another III drop through a section of red argillite. It also gives a few more surf and squirt holes. Walk to the top of the S-bend. Currenly the apparent log jam at the end of the S is washed out, making a clean path. It is a short peak to have a look for yourself.

Any other reports?