Happy Birthday Dad!

Pretty awe inspiring place even if you don't throw yourself off the edge


Lower Mesa Falls

I found these pictures on the internet (we only had one camera and more pics are on the way), but for now you can get a feel for what were talking about here.

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you and hope you had a great day!

So I get a call from Matt on Monday morning asking if I want to tag a long with a group of people that are going to run lower Mesa Falls. I have never ever heard of Lower Mesa Falls before in my life, but it sounds cool, so I commit to the trip. I got online and googled it, and what I saw horrified me. It was a kayaker plunging off the top drop of this two tiered beast of a waterfall. So whatever, we get up the next morning, load up the cars with 6 boats and all of the gear and people neccessary to paddle them. We make the 2 hour haul up into Ashton, and finnally find the overlook of the falls. We walk out to the viewing area, and I see what I have been fearing all morning. A HUGE F*%^*^% waterfall roaring off in the distance!! The mist is higher than the falls, and it is soooo much bigger than it looked on youtube. We park the cars, hike the boats the mile and a half to the river. As we got to the rim of the canyon, we were met with a fairly challenging cliff. So we scaled down and roped the boats up, and somehow everyone and thier gear got down without a hitch.

We eventually made it to the river and got set up. We had the camera up on the rocks to get a good shot of the big drop, saftey after the first drop (not like it would do a damn thing), a saftey boater at the bottom, and me up top getting a first hand account of the horror that was about to take place.

Matt drops the first drop clean, in perfect position for the next one, and dissapears off the horizon. Just a couple really long seconds later, I hear the hoots and hollers downstream. He gets back up top beaming.

Someone asked who was going to go next, and before I knew it the words came out of my mouth saying I'll go. I instantly found myself wondering why I did that. Somehow I managed get myself into my boat, and my boat sitting on top of that little triangle rock in the eddy mere feet from the ledge. Spray in the face, the thundering of the falls, let me tell you, it was as scared as I have been in a long time, and every second of it was awsome. I droped the first drop and nailed it, hit my second line (as well as acouple rocks) and managed to flip upside down and take the remander of the big drop in that position. Lost the paddle on impact and swam. Made it to shore with boat and paddle in hand. I ran it a second time, had a much better line! Had a booty beer for pennance.

Ian from Kentuky went next with a solid top drop, and a super sick line off the right rooster tail. Boofed it clean!

Kevin followed, good first drop, went way left off the second drop, landed flat and suffered a nice little compression as well as putting a few holes in his tounge with his teeth. Maybe a mouthguard next time buddy?

Charlie was next, he stuck his first drop sick, went off the second looking great, buried himself at the bottom, and swam up with a broken paddle.

The sign at the viewing area says the falls are 65 feet. I have heard it is not quite that big, but give or take a few feet, and it is still alot of elevation in not a whole lot of time.

My camera is broken for the time being, so thats why I've been sluggish in the photo department. Kevin took a few shots of lower Mesa so when I recieve his email, I will post them up on here.