Oh how Joyful it is. God gave us kayaks so we could kayak. So we did. After a sweet weekend in Buena Vista Colorado the Liquid Logic crew (and a huge southeast crew in general) made the migration to the snow covered peaks of Crested Butte, to get on a gem. We made sure to eat a hearty breakfast of a dozen eggs and a pound of bacon before the great hike into the cold waters of Colorado. 
Leland and Andrea also made the trek and they made our first day so much easier by driving their house across the river, only to later get stuck in the middle of the Slate on the way back. But that is for later. 
Grace stoked that he made it to the top. Biscuit doesn't know if she is in the right place and Tater is smart enough to just not care and enjoy the view. 
Slide in, go ten feet, drop 12 feet vertical immediately. What a great way to start a run. It only gets better from here. Isaac doing what he does best, sitting up straight. 
Same drop, different angle. Myself, stoked to be back on one of my favorite runs ever. So fast, so bumpy, so many amazing drops in a short period of time.
John Grace airing the right side out. Myself, sitting in arguably the coldest spot on the river. Note the snow behind me. 
John Grace going down S-turn getting ready for an amazing 8 foot boof, action alley for sure. 
Still going down the next slide
Getting ready to turn the corner and get the goods. The goods. That's all I have to say for this drop. 
The beautiful 25 footer in the middle of the run. We hiked up and ran it again a few times. It is so worth it. 80 degree heat, in a dry suit, hot out of the water, perfect in the newly melted snow water. 
Everyone discussing their run off of the waterfall and deciding what to do next... hike back up and do it all over again? Go to the camp and drink whiskey? I vote another run!!!
Grace and I looking happy but slightly dilapidated. It was so hot on the mountain side but then looking at the drainage there was so much snow and it was CLOSE! But melting fast for sure. We can't complain about the scenery either. 
Pat Keller dropping the sick boof after the normal takeout to drop right into Avalanche. This boof was well worth scaring the crap out of myself both days while running Avalanche.
Grace styling the crux of Avalanche. I heard a rumor that all of the wood is gone from the bottom of this drop now, which makes the rapid not nearly as scary if this is true. But I also heard the last rapid in the run is totally unrunnable. The wood does have to go somewhere..
Turn the corner after Avalanche, grab a few breaths at 10000 feet, and get back into why this run is so amazing. Myself in the next long slide with snow covered mountains in the background. Colorado is not an ugly place :-)
So, after all is said and done. Everyone came out happy, tired, and hungry. Back to camp life below the amazing drainage of the Slate river. Crankee and myself playing some football at camp after a great day of paddling. We got up and did it all over again the next day. It's not a bad life that we all live.Get out there and go paddling!! A trip report from the Teva Mountain Games in Vail will be coming soon.
Happy Paddling!!
Adriene
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