Da Box

The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. An absolutely amazing river.  I went this past weekend for my third and best trip yet. Several summers ago I went with a group of good friends and Jackson Hole Kayak Club coach Carson King or "Snug". With high flows and me being very inexperienced, we rallied down the Day Stretch and it was GNARLY. I was scared shitless! But unbelievably juiced at the same time. The next summer I returned with another group of brews from the Jackson Hole Kayak Club. Coming off a semester at WCKA and another year of boating under my belt, we rallied to the Honeymooner section and had the best weekend ever! I was very content with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, but the illusive and very hyped "Box" among Wyoming boaters lay just down stream. The thought of the beast sent chills of fear and excitement through my body. Last summer I had high hopes of returning to The Clarks Fork but I was cut short with a summer of rehab and hard chilling after a shoulder injury earlier in the season. So when the opportunity arose to go this past weekend I knew that I had to rally. Here are some of the photos and words I have to share from the trip.

Johnson sneaking up on some trout at the first camp.

The Ankle Breaker Portage. The first portage after the first camp. All of the portages on the box are unbelievably gnarly and very un-runnable. 

Hydration during a quick break on the portage

A slightly awkward self portrait I took during the portage. I am not sure why, but I like it. 

One of many towering walls in the Box Canyon. if you look closely you can see a white mountain goat in the right side of the photograph.

Chompers running "Double Suck" one of the first major rapids of the run.

Tyler about to go deep on "Deep Six."

Ryan gettin' ready to plug. (Deep Six from above)

Evan pulling a stroke into the lip of the drop.

The crew taking a look at "Balls to the Wall."

Ben Kinsella getting ready to route the beast.

Evan cruising down the crux of the rapid.

Tyler punching through the whitewater before the last move of the drop.

Chomps and Ryan blue angeling the drop.

Chompas cruising on line.

The canyon below the first part of "Dillworth."

Ryan Lucas planting a boof on Calender Falls.

Tyler steezing out with a brown.

Day 2 camp.

Johnson chilling by the fire.

Eating some tasty trout we caught next to camp.

A solid fire on a picture perfect night. A full moon and not a cloud in the sky. 

Ryan taking a look at "Deliberation."

"A bit too rich for my blood" -Ben ( or something along those lines.)

Water pouring into the siphon next to the crux move of the rapid. Nobody ended up running the stout due to the high flows and a sketchy move that you see here.

Johnson getting a solid boof on " leap of faith," the last major rapid of the run.

A crazy rock formation near the take out.

Evan taking some shots of Sunshine Creek and the Clarks Fork Canyon. If you look closely, you can see the upper ridges of the box canyon.

A griz in Yellowstone on the drive back to Jackson.

It was by far the best trip to the Clarks Fork yet. To date it is one of the coolest places I have ever been, and the some of the best whitewater I have ever run. Can't wait until next time!