We had to divert back to the takeout and jam into one vehicle but luckily Rolf was able to get us a shuttle driver saving us 2-3 hours of driving. We made it through the maze of backroads to the hike in spot just past ross crossing at 4pm and down the hill we headed through a nicely groomed trail thanks to Darin Mcquoid.
We were geared up and shoving off at 5:30pm, all of us had done the run and felt good bombing most of the first big drops. Jim got out to scout the biggest drop on the run since it had been 5 years since he had been down but besides that we stayed in our boats and made good time down to a big drop called spike. I had walked the drop my two previous trips and really wanted to run it but my body was telling me otherwise after 2 hours of sleep and it being 45 minutes before dark. The rest of the boys fired off the drop with varying degrees of success with JJ having a swim into the calm pool below. We camped on a big granite slab for the night after only 2 hours on the water and went to bed early to try and recover some of our lost sleep from the drive out.
Jim getting ready at camp with a great sunset behind him
The 2nd day of the trip was amazing and we all were feeling good and ran lots of big drops throughout the bottom half of the run with everyone having good lines and the only swim coming when Jim broke his paddle and got surfed in a hole but no damage done as he swam into a nice pool.
The boys trying to figure out how to work the chainsaw to cut up Jim's broken paddle, gotta pack out your trash! (we ended up not being able to work the chainsaw and just snapped the paddle)
With the lower water level I walked anaconda and the final large drop of the run named Nicky Kelly’s slide. Last year one of my good friends partially tore one of his nerves controlling his right arm giving him numbness/weakness for 8 months after running the drop upside down. His tough recovery was messing with my mind to much for me to run it and I carried my boat around as Rolf, JJ and Jim ran the drop with everyone coming out unscathed.
Rolf on the good morning slide
Rolf on a great drop just below camp
Rolf blasting through prison love
Rolf sending the nicky kelly slide
Dinkey Creek was a great way to start our 8 month kayaking binge, it has amazing whitewater that for the most part ends in pools, classic California scenery with sunny granite wonderland and was with a great group of friends that I love paddling with. Enjoy the video short of the trip and thanks again to Dagger for all the support!
The Next Horizon Line Dinkey Short from Tom Janney on Vimeo.