Photos by Erik Boomer eboomerphoto.com

Take boat off the car. Full of water from melted snow, empty it. Grab the water bottle and head back to the falls for one more look. Walk along the road and avoid cars. I’m glad it looks smaller from river left. Talk to Nate to assure myself it’s good to go. It is good to go. Hike back up to the boat, grab my paddle. Trudge, alone, through knee-deep snow to the river. Empty the rest of the water. Move the bulkhead up a notch. Adjust much elbow pads again. Adjust gloves. Tighten PFD. Ask myself aloud, “Am I ready for this?” Hell Yeah, this is gonna be awesome!” Put the spray skirt on. Think about my line. Imagine the moves. Focus on the moves. Think. Paddle into the current.

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Mosier Falls is located just east of Hood River. The drop, totaling 80 feet, has been run previously by Nate Herbeck, who ran the river left side, Josh Bechtel, who ran the right side and Erik Boomer, who 1st D-ed both sides of the drop. The night before I’d spoken with Heather Herbeck as both of us were on the hunt for big drops. With severe flooding occurring in the area, we figured that a park and huck would be our best paddling option for the day. We mulled Beaver Creek Falls near Astoria, among others, but ultimately I made the drive into the Columbia Gorge the next morning. Rain pounded the windshield on the drive into the Gorge. I had never seen Mosier Falls prior to that day. It is big and, framed by snow-speckled desert rock, it looked great. The entrance ledge was a big focus of my scouting, as was the cave on river right at the bottom of the drop. Nate had a very unpleasant experience in there and I wasn’t looking to repeat that. Ultimately, I thought the drop was challenging in the why that I like – technical with a combination of moves.

* * *

Catch eddies down the flooding channel. Back and forth, fast, trying to warm up. Catch the eddy above the ledge. Whack my face on a branch. It stings. Signal to Nate that I am ready to go. He returns the signal much faster than I expect. No hesitation. Charging on the ledge, not far enough right. Sub out, realize I am farther left than I planned. Look left, should I go left? charge right. Make the right channel easily. Turn back to the left and down the channel. Accelerate. Hold my stroke, wait. Spot the whiteness as I drop over. Boof. Whiteness. Slam into the water. Slam again. Roll up. Scream and pump my fist. Brief eye contact with Jay. A briefer look upstream. Begin dodging strainers in the runout.

* * *

I’m now entering my 17th year as a whitewater kayaker and Mosier Falls is the biggest drop I’ve ran. I feel that it went pretty well. I was very pleased with my line but I could have done better. My boof stroke whiffed and I did not manage to get my bow up. I also did not tuck forward all the way through the drop, my paddle shaft jacking me in the ribs by as I took the first hit, losing a hand on the shaft as I took the second. After I rolled up, I was quickly pushed downstream before I could admire the drop from the bottom. It was a little anti-climatic. As quickly as a ran the drop, I was pushed rapidly downstream through log-choked class II. Mosier Falls was as great – just as hard as I thought it was going to be. All in all, it was really, really fun.

Big thanks to Nate and Heather Herbeck for organizing the mission and to Jay Gifford for running safety. It was good to see you at the bottom!

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