RattlesnakeFeb 21 2018

Grapevine

Feb222018
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Today was a fun river day -- a few big rapids, and one of the more complicated rapids in the Canyon: Hance Rapid.

Most of the rapids are pretty much all in the setup: all of the work needs to be done before you enter the rapid. If you do that right, then the rapid will go well. If you don't, well, it'll go another way.

However, Hance is one of the few rapids where you have to actively make a move or two in the rapid itself, which isn't easy.

But first we gotta get there.

Starting the day with rigging.Starting the day with rigging.

I was very pleased with my run through Hance -- it wasn't perfect, but it was good, and there were some really big tailwaves this year, which were a lot of fun.

After that, we ran Sockdolager, which is fun because it's a big wave you just crash through.

JB just floating downstreamJB just floating downstream

We got to camp around 11am, and that wasn't a great thing. This section of the river has pretty sheer walls, so there aren't many options for camping. This camp was chosen for its location, not because it's a nice camp.

This is pretty much the entire campThis is pretty much the entire camp

It was sand with no protection from the up- or down-canyon winds, which picked up about the time we hit the beach. I set up my tent and, trying to avoid choking on sand all night again, devised a better system. I hung some plastic sheeting inside my tent to catch the sand that might enter, and piled some gear around the base of my tent as a barrier.

Looking down the Canyon will get me every timeLooking down the Canyon will get me every time

We had ambitions to hang out and play cards, but the sand and wind put a stop to that. Shortly after a windy and sandy dinner, we all just retired to our tents to do whatever to pass the time.

Not much activity tonight.Not much activity tonight.

By the time I went to bed, the wind had been blowing for a few hours, so I got a preview of my sand defense system. There was minimal sand on things, so maybe it'll work?

Let's see how she fares the nightLet's see how she fares the night
GraniteFeb 23 2018