So there are a few paddlers around here that are desperate enough for fun intermediate whitewater this time of year to brave the Wind River at super low flow. I am one of these people. Last Wednesday was not my best day on the river. I only landed two of the falls, but as it turned out I would've rather plugged those too. Oh, well. I was due for a humbling and I still had a great time! Good people, great scenery, hot springs, waterfalls, super cute dog... pretty much all my favorite things in life were on this trip.
The Wind River is probably the most scenic river I have paddled, so I don't mind a little flat water.
Alex, Dan and Kourtni all ran the terror that is The Flume, but I'm too chicken!
Alex runs The Flume
Dan runs The Flume
Shipperd's Falls is a 4-part waterfall. It starts off with a 10-ish footer, then a 20-ish footer, a manky slide, ending with a 10' weir. They are all different, all friendly (at low water!), with nice recovery pools between each drop. This day I landed the first drop flat, which is like doing a belly flop in a kayak. Ouch!
Me hitting the auto-boof (it launches you!) on the first drop
Looking back at the 2-4th drops of Shipperd's Falls
This hot spring is the best. Nice & hot, comfortable, and you can't beat the scenery! It is just downstream of Shipperd's Falls, and the paddle out from here is only an easy 1/3 mile.
While Alex, Dan & I relaxed in the hot spring, Kourtni paddled out, got her dog and they hiked back up the river a ways so the dog could paddle out with us. I don't know who enjoyed this more - me or the dog.
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