THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE HEADER. MIDDLE KINGS vs. UPPER CHERRY
__________________________________________________________________
by Cody Howard
| June 10-18, 2007 |
| HUCKINHUGE.COM PRODUCTIONS 2007 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| THE CREW. Left to Right: Nathan Hunkapiller, Ben Hawthorne, Johnnie Kern, Rok Sribar, Ambrose, Culley Thomas, Cody Howard |
After receiving the bad news that our donkeys were a "no go" due to some crap about altitude. We
had a restless night, anticipating the long hike over Bishop Pass. The hike took us the entire day, starting
around 10-11am. Some random stops and naps along the way we finally made it over and down into the
canyon.
had a restless night, anticipating the long hike over Bishop Pass. The hike took us the entire day, starting
around 10-11am. Some random stops and naps along the way we finally made it over and down into the
canyon.
Peaks border Bishop Pass
Day One of the Middle Kings, ended
up being the highlight day on the river.
A brutal beginning of low flow and rock
bashing, made our group wonder if we
were going to have boats left at the
end of the day. But after a couple of
side streams entered and long twisting
valleys, we dropped into our first little
gorge. It was a tight entry and a sweet
slide. Rok opted to run the entry while
the rest of the group portaged. A wise
move, since Rok had a rough time in
there. Further on downstream was
Squeeze Play. A tight ten footer that i
decided was a go. It tossed me
around but i came up smiling.
up being the highlight day on the river.
A brutal beginning of low flow and rock
bashing, made our group wonder if we
were going to have boats left at the
end of the day. But after a couple of
side streams entered and long twisting
valleys, we dropped into our first little
gorge. It was a tight entry and a sweet
slide. Rok opted to run the entry while
the rest of the group portaged. A wise
move, since Rok had a rough time in
there. Further on downstream was
Squeeze Play. A tight ten footer that i
decided was a go. It tossed me
around but i came up smiling.
Then we were presented with the "choice drop" of the run. A sweet double drop that had multiple
lines down the entrance. Rok stepped up and ran it, but was shot to the middle and rocket into the air at
the bottom. Barely recovering, he made the second drop and hurried to shore. Johnnie decided he
might as well run it, and gave it a go. Dropping in on the river right line, John rolled and barely
recovered, nearly missing a disaster. Standing there, just watching Johnnie Kern and Rok Sribar, both
getting jacked up and near misses, i wondered why the hell i was still considering running the drop!!!!
But all was well, when i stuck the far left line with Johnnie cheering from the Band Stands!
lines down the entrance. Rok stepped up and ran it, but was shot to the middle and rocket into the air at
the bottom. Barely recovering, he made the second drop and hurried to shore. Johnnie decided he
might as well run it, and gave it a go. Dropping in on the river right line, John rolled and barely
recovered, nearly missing a disaster. Standing there, just watching Johnnie Kern and Rok Sribar, both
getting jacked up and near misses, i wondered why the hell i was still considering running the drop!!!!
But all was well, when i stuck the far left line with Johnnie cheering from the Band Stands!
Cody running the initial slide
"Welcome to the rest of the river!" Johnnie
Kern said to me as we drop into another little
mini-gorge of boulder mank. Its day three, and
our group of 7 is in the thick of it, on Middle
Kings.
This river, the Middle Kings, has been
named as one of the hardest multi-day runs in
America, and thats not including the hike in. Our
journey began on a Saturday night when Ben
and I received a message, stating "we are
putting on Middle Kings on Sunday.....meet us in
El Portal".
With that we stopped our daily runs of
Cherry Creek and proceeded to take an
afternoon off to rig our "Kayak Backpacks". A
pizza was thrown in and we were on the road in a
packed car with Rok Sribar, Johnnie Kern and
Culley Thomas. The group had been driving for
a total of 19 hours that day, and we were on our
final push to Bishop Trail Head.
Kern said to me as we drop into another little
mini-gorge of boulder mank. Its day three, and
our group of 7 is in the thick of it, on Middle
Kings.
This river, the Middle Kings, has been
named as one of the hardest multi-day runs in
America, and thats not including the hike in. Our
journey began on a Saturday night when Ben
and I received a message, stating "we are
putting on Middle Kings on Sunday.....meet us in
El Portal".
With that we stopped our daily runs of
Cherry Creek and proceeded to take an
afternoon off to rig our "Kayak Backpacks". A
pizza was thrown in and we were on the road in a
packed car with Rok Sribar, Johnnie Kern and
Culley Thomas. The group had been driving for
a total of 19 hours that day, and we were on our
final push to Bishop Trail Head.