Icicle in April - Ricochet Rounds

For days and days...














    


    
     Adrian was in town and we were able to get multiple laps on the middle five miles of Icicle Creek. This portion of the run is known as the Ricochet section of Icicle Creek.

Levels were as follows:

Friday 4/20: 3060 cfs and rising 20cfs/hr Wenatchee at Peshastin.
Saturday 4/21: 3100 cfs and rising 60cfs/hr Wenatchee at Peshastin.
Sunday 4/22: 4200 cfs and rising 40cfs/hr Wenatchee at Peshastin.

Many friends were seen and even more good lines were had.

Brief photo dump of the 3 day weekend adventure:

The view from secret camp, way above Leavenworth is worth the drive.

Looking West from Secret Camp towards the source of Icicle Creek and therefore the source of all things good in this world.

One of the best drops on the run: The Plunge. The normal line is starting center river right and staying right until the slide. Then you want to be a couple of boat widths off the right wall with right or no angle. BOOF!

With more water you actually run over the river left side of the ledge.

This rapid is, in my opinion, the best rapid on the river, by far. It has no name, other than "the one above the plunge". Multiple boofs and tight line abound. Get in and get some.

Some Greenery with your Scenery?

More fun below Horseshoe

On Sunday we scouted with a little more water in the Creekbed.

Here, Adrian weighs his options on Horseshoe's outflow.

Horseshoe at a healthy level

Gorgeous weather all weekend

Stopped on the way up to The Wall for a look at Last Exit.

Stay safe.

Video From the Weekends Fun:

Finally back into Ernie's

 It had been almost 9 months since I was last in Ernie's Canyon. I had almost forgot what I was missing. Ben made the call and I rallied out. I was a little hesitant as I would be boating my old, partially destroyed Burn.

                                           Popping up for some air in some quality boogie.


I spent all day Thursday, Thanksgiving,  practicing my plastic welding on an old boat and got to a point where I was confident welding up my newest broken Burn. 

                                           Trial and error at its best.

 Will she hold?

                                                               She will.

                                           Final "bat" test on my best weld: Success!

                                                            Now all I need is some water.

Luckily Ernie's had it and felt like sharing.  I met up with Ben, Andrew, Lane and of course: Rob Himself. I got to the takeout and had a full half hour to psych myself out of getting on the river. Level on the stick was around 6.60 and I couldn't remember what kind of a pucker factor that translated to.

Boofing the Hell out of Raft Catch.

                                                         
But within minutes of being on the river, I was glad I put on.

Boof Or Consequence, for real son!

                                                           After I came out of the bottom hole in double hole, whatever you want to call it, I just started paddling through to the next eddy. Maybe because the closest was full, maybe because I'm an idiot. I don't know if my mind was just in a daze or I just wasn't paying attention, but by the time I realized I was paddling into a strainer I was past the point of no return. All I could do was yell "Wood!" and boof. Luckily it worked out.

                                                                           Boof Left

                                                     Outflow of the current hydro plant on Ernie's.

Good times where had and I was able to snag a little video... Good day on the river. Good people to share it with. And $1.50 tacos at the takeout. Can't complain one bit.