Stepping it up (Quarter Gnarlz Style?)

[Shep]

This past Sunday was the hardest boating I've ever done, and, in hind-sight, I think it was too big a risk given my current skills. I'm not looking for a discussion of what I should have done differently, because, trust me, I have already thought about that plenty...

Suffice it to say that Sundays run was certainly hard and/or dangerous class IV, and might possibly have been class V. It was classic steep creeking with some wood (We portaged 5 or 6 things), some very technical rapids hidden under dirty water, and some moderate drops. After going 0 for 3 on rolls in class IV+ rapids, I now know exactly how bomb-proof my roll is not.

So, I've paddled some things that were class IV before, but I felt completely unprepared for the nature of this creek... I have good runs on the W. Branch of the Penobscot below Big Eddy, good runs on the Dryway section of the Deerfield. I haven't been to the Ocoee in two years, but expect to get out there this summer. Definitely going to do multiple laps on the middle, and expect to run the upper as well. But, I don't feel like any of this is really applicable to steep creeking the way I saw it this past weekend...

So, what things have people done, that they felt good about afterwards, to get into serious steep creeking? Other than speeding up my roll, I'm in a quandary about how to keep improving without putting myself in unnecessarily dangerous situations.

Thanks,
Shep

[Sir Adam]

Make tough moves on easy rivers - there are always more difficult lines than most of us choose to run.

The biggest bit is get that roll down - mentally that is HUGE. If you are like me when you got in those situations Sunday you likely made the mistake of having your head come up first, rather than last, when rolling. It takes time to get that ingrained response out, and the automatic "proper" roll in.

Now that I've said that, watch me swim somewhere this weekend doing exactly that

[Shep]

Hmmm. I don't want to discount what you are saying... I guess the big thing that leaps out at me is there didn't seem to be any clean lines through the tough rapids. When I think about "making harder moves" I assume that means making tough ferries in big current, or maneuvering the boat faster. While to an extent that is certainly applicable in the water I was on Sunday, the bigger problem I had was reacting quickly enough to the crap in the rapids. FWIW, two of the three times I flipped, it was actually to my on-side, and I rode my low-brace for a good long ways down the rocky drops (not vertical, still rapids) before I was getting bounced around so much I couldn't stay on the low-brace. I was trying to roll up... I WANTED to roll up, things were just happening faster than I could stay on top of.

So I guess what I am saying is that things were happening REALLY fast, and I don't know how to re-create that feeling in easier and/or safer rivers.

Thanks for the continued thoughts!

Shep

[busterblue]

When stepping up to more challenging runs, I've had the benefit of paddling with people who are way better than me and who know the runs really well. It helps to have input from a more experienced eye when scouting. Or even just watching someone go down a rapid first and trying to follow their line.

[Jim]

I agree with Adam. There are "good runs" and then there are lines on those runs you never thought possible. Take the Dryway. There are the straightforward lines and that is okay practice. But there are some interesting lines you can choose that are much tougher. These make for great practice, and probably with less consequences than what it sounds like you encountered on Sunday. Also- choose one line and stick it fast and tight. Do not go slow and do not accept being a foot off your line. Grab lots of eddies (and there are a LOT of eddies on the Dryway). When you find you are playing your way through that stuff on the Dryway the 4+ drops will not come at you so fast.

[cheajack]

A really good beat down is a sobering experience, but don't let it get you down. I've had two in the last three years. From Doug Ammons book on Paddling Phiolosophy, he says in his fear essays that you must get in good physical condition and practice your roll until you trust it. Not easy, as both require a certain time commitment, but I'm trying and if I can do it so can everyone else on this list.

[marclamenace]

All good advises above (good roll, physical conditions, know your run or go with people who knows and scout), for me practicing on easier runs have helped a lot lately. Learning to do hard ferries and attaintments helps in must-make moves on creeks, such as getting out of an eddy in strong current and keep your lineup (on&offside stern draws) to ferry etc...
For me playboating also helped in learning to fight back holes, side surf, deal with enders (do not panic!) and getting a better roll. Trying different boats is also good; everything (but surfing) seems so much harder in a small playboay once back in your creeker you're really at ease to downriver.

[Sir Adam]

A really easy way to make everything happen faster is hop in a different (less stable) boat.

I may never take the Oxygen down class IV as a I know some have, but i've learned a tremendous amount paddling class II in it!

If you are ever in the Queensbury / Lake George / Saratoga Springs are drop in... I have a few boats that will frighten most on flat water:) And yes, one of them IS my design (Maven).

[Shep]

At first I felt like I wasn't explaining myself very well, but then I realized you guys are actually reminding me of something I knew in the back of my head all along. I already know that I can comfortably run some easier class IV's... What I should be doing is really, REALLY trying to play hard class III and maybe even a little bit in class IV. In my first response, I pointed out that those eddies and ferries aren't the moves I need for the kind of creeking I was doing this weekend, but I forgot one important detail...

When you are playboating at your limit things DON'T go right all the time, and when things are going wrong, that's when things speed up. THAT'S the feeling I am missing to practice for stepping up. On balance, I think what I need to do is get on a river like the middle Ocoee and try to OWN those rapids playboating. Yeah, I'm confident I could run the Ocoee right-side up now, but I should be playing it instead, and I might swim, but I'll get more and more rolls as I go along.

Hmmm... Right now, I'm really wishing I hadn't moved away from the land of dam-controlled classics (Maine) to the land of seasonal flooding.

Shep

[Larry Horne]

Having a dependable roll is a must, and will really help your confidence. That confidence, in turn, will really help your boat handling.

When you're doing hard moves in easier water, don't forget to play the rocks.
I love boofing the corner of rocks
Practice going OVER rocks to catch the eddy behind it. Flying sideways over a rock into the eddy is a blast.
Practice using pillows to move your boat, and soon you'll be comfortable bouncing off them.
Play with rock spins.. so when they happen on accident it's no biggy.

[marclamenace]

Having a dependable roll is a must, and will really help your confidence. That confidence, in turn, will really help your boat handling.

Oh yeah that's so much true also. When you're constantly afraid of flipping you miss on all these occasions to throw the boat on a very high angle to use the water efficiently or to do whatever else...

[cheajack]

...........and don't forget to put on your "Big Boy" pants.

[Cheeks]

Lots of rivers have Class IV moves on a Class III run, meaning, the difficulty is there but the consequences aren't necessarily. That's a good way to gauge how you are progressing.

I know some people feel comfortable just jumping in and going for it, but that's a personal call. For me, progression is gradual, and it is good.

[oc ender]

Your first run on a tougher classs will not always be a perfect run.Like anything,practice and experience makes perfect.The only way to get good on class and grade progression is to do it.Not prematurely but when you feel like your able to run it at a competent level.You'll know.Go with experienced people,walk what you feel you should and take the experience in,soak it up.Each time you go,your previous experience will enhance your mental and creeking skills the next time.It's a big mental challenge,don't get to stiff,relax and really think your way down the creek.It's a different game.

Sounds like to me,your ready.You didn't hit your rolls but the next time you will.Experience.

I do agree with what the others said also,practice harder moves on easier water.Try this now,after your first creek and i bet you find your confidence level and skills have already progressed.

Play safe and have fun!!Don't forget,grab the rope!!

[insolence]

for a bombproof roll, as some folks said: playboating

for confidence: step up slowly - that's the advice Dooley once gave me.
There are people who just have no fear and just run that class v rapid, as Full Mgnarlz obviously is one of them...but this may not work for everyone. Those other guys - like me - can get into difficult whitewater building up the confidence step by step
for technique: have you considered canoe slalom?


riding the tough stuff requires following things, while a lack of one can sometimes, not always be compensated by a higher amount of another component:
- technique
- fitness
- balls
- EXPERIENCE --> building up confidence step by step