A chilly take-out in ’98

Twenty-eight years ago, my wife Lisa and I completed the first descent of West Clear Creek with the late Josh Lowry. Josh wore a wetsuit and paddled a leaky Noah Jeti. He was freezing most of the time, nonetheless probing blind horizons and committing slots. I always regarded the 3-day run as one of the stoutest creeks I ever explored. And I always figured it was a one-and-done; no re-visit needed.

A new approach in ’26

Still, parts of West Clear became tamer in my memory. If there were just an access below the full-commit 240-feet-per-mile section…Enter packrafts, and trail #17, and some warm sunny days on the heels of fresh snow; chaka-boom! West Clear, I’m coming back.

Ed Price sends 500 cfs in his new Mage

Paddlers Ed Price and Jon Hirsh, (who I recently interviewed for the BQR) the all-enthusiasm team, rallied with just hours notice. Following a few-mile hike–1,700′ down into the canyon–we found the creek was a river, with rapids. These 6.5 miles were merely the “paddle out” in 1998. In 2026, it kept our full attention. I found myself asking, “Did we scout this one last time?”

The run-out to a IV+ lost in memory

A new take on an old run, I’ll be back to West Clear Creek. Jubilant with the success, I joined John Govi for the upper 3 miles of Woods Canyon, hiking out before truly dropping in. Not sure I’ll do this again. The class V realm was entered. The hike-out was exhausting. We stashed our boats to race darkness. Sitting at the truck in the dusk, I had to ask—didn’t I retire from this shit?

John Govi in Woods goods