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Seventh Day By Chip Powell

And on the seventh day they rested.....

but this was mostly because on the sixth day they'd climbed down to the river.

A.K.A. The Elk is good. /Six Flags over Elko

So, enthusiasm born of the frustration of not going to Tofino due to lack of time, money and the need to do homework. An opportune message from Paul to the list and phone calls from Steve and we decided to go and try the Elk to see if there was water.

Paul swings by from Edmonton via Banff (?) and we arrive at the get in on Friday night and meet assorted paddling persona. Wade is there, freshly tanned from five weeks playing in Hawaii; Keith is there, pasty white from the last five months in Canada. We settle down with a few beers for much merriment and ribaldry. Apologies to any we offended in (by?) our intoxication. Saturday arrives unexpectedly. One moment I was curling up to be cozy by the fire, the next thing I know its morning and playtime.

About the crack of ten everyone is breakfasted and considering an early start on the river. Since the is the first run of the season for many, an easy warm up session is considered wise. (Can the Lower Elk put in be considered easy?) Hence the group splits into two factions, one to do the Lower run down to the bridge, and an enthusiastic bunch (Nadege, Wade, Jesse, Justin and Chip) to do the Upper Lower, or the Lower Upper (or hey, why don't we just call it the Middle?) Elk. (Is there an Middle Elk anywhere else?)

This has the hardest put in I've done since the Myrtle with Messrs Sladden and Thomas last year. At least then all we had to do was rap into the bowl by Helmcken falls. With this one we have to climb down a rail line down the side of the canyon trying not to kill our colleagues en route. This looks like it's been borrowed from Six Flags. Patch's direction to "walk down the very steep railway line just below the drop" comes back to haunt me. Railway lines don't do steep, do they? Well actually, yes. This does. It's more of a cart on a rope and its at the sort of angle that has the person 20 feet ahead of you 35 feet below you. About halfway down I'm wondering if the knees are going to make it. Its like doing deep lunges in the gym in boating gear, with boat. I then start wondering if the cart thing at the top was actually secured or just balanced. This is less reassuring so I start to consider if I can drop my kayak without it:
a/ killing Wade, b/ destroying itself, c/ running the river without me.

Next time might consider roping the boats down in stages.

Get to the bottom just before knees blow out and fall over. Recover enough to take photo of Leap of Faith (apparently its been run, but so has Tapestry falls and I'm not doing that either) and struggle into boat. Once we're all together we poodle off down river. The first drop has Jesse scouting, as he's the only one who can find a micro eddy to get out of his boat (and possibly stand up ?). Directions are relayed back to the rest of us, as he's at the front and I'm at the back I'm hoping the message doesn't get too garbled via the intermediary three. Chinese Whispers anyone? The plus side is that I can watch everyone else's line, the negative is that it's only as far as the corner then they're gone. Did someone say something about a hole?

The hole is in fact on the left, and we can get a good look in to it as we pass by on the right.

We carry on down the canyon, it's gorgeous, the banding of the rock, the mosses, a touch of sunshine, the verticality of the right wall akin to a mini Verdon, a hundred virgin rock routes there for the taking, assuming you can make the first moves from a surging kayak on the way past. The river is around 0.5-0.6 on the gauge, a lovely level for the first trip down. We stop to scout and take photos, at least some scout, I'm currently at greater hazard of falling into the river whilst looking at it than from trying to paddle it. Better admire the view and the formations. Everyone seems to be mostly making good lines smoothly, although one marginally misdirected maneuver by Nadege causes a moments anxiety. (Un)fortunately, I've not got the long lens on so no wide eyed evidence material.

As the canyon widens we get a choice of lines to play on, and practice, first trip of the year, a good time to make harder moves on easy water. A fabulous combination, another 20 or 30 km would be fantastic. All too soon we reach the put in for the Lower run, choice time. Run the Lower or hike the hike. Group consensus is to hike it, so strip down and start trekking. My boat must be made of a polyethylene-lead compound. The walk up is less worrying than the walk in. This kayaking thing is good for the leg muscles, might use it for snowboard training. Big thanks to Justin and Wade for their assistance.

So, the Middle Elk, gorgeous run at 0.5/0.6 with a hefty climb in and an entertaining climb out (afterwards......) At this level probably class 3+ to 4ish (I was paddling a big boat tho') with super stunning scenery. The bits at each end are good for the thighs and the bit in the middle is good for the soul. Really, really pretty.

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