The Lower Klamath

The Lower Klamath rafting trip had to be revised at the last minute. Fires that were raging throughout the river's gorge would not allow us safe passage down the 17 mile stretch of river. The team settled on running a class II section of the Klamath River and did some playboating instead. The Schoolhouse play wave is one of the best in the State of Jefferson. Team All-Trac, the high school kayaking club, accompanied us to the play wave for some play boating fun.
Travis is rowing the raft while Dan sits in his boat on the raft eating a carrot

Dan finally decides to get in the water

Ben Smalls, captain of Team All-Trac, having fun in Schoolhouse.

Travis and Dan making the approach into School House in a 12 foot raft।

Every Team Kettle trip is an adventure and this trip down the Klamath River was no different. After play boating for a couple of hours, Buffalo Bleu Thurber ditched his kayak and joined his teamates in the raft. Some point between climbing in the boat and the take out his paddle fell out of the raft. The missing paddle was not realized until gear was being loaded up in and on to the All-Trac. Buffalo Bleu Thurber quickly commandeered a paddle and maned his boat in a charge down river to find his lost paddle. His valiant effort was not rewarded. Buffalo Bleu Thurber lost his paddle forever!

When Buffalo Bleu Thurber accepted his loss, he eddied out and climbed out of his boat. The location he chose to reconect with his teamates was not ideal, but he was able to bush-wack his way up the bank of the river through trees, black-berry bushes, and poison oak.

The drive home had a slighlty somber tone, but you can't keep Team Kettle down for long. We have already started to plan our up coming trips and adventures.


We leave you with a few more pictures...