41 - 6/28/09 - NF Lewis (Day 2)

(Clear water on the NF Lewis)

My IK camping setup for the trip consisted of my umbrella tent, a Big Agnes air mattress, a fleece sleeping bag, and a pillow, as well as camp clothes, food, and the all-important chair. Most of the gear went into a Watershed Colorado (large) drybag, which fits in the back of my IK. I strap a folding camp chair onto the top of this bag. The remaining gear went into a Watershed Ocoee (small) drybag. Watershed bags are expensive, but they work - keep in mind that my boat spent a few minutes getting pummeled by water when it was wrapped the day before. I've taken to using compression bags for the gear that can compress (pillow, sleeping bag, and clothes). This was the first time I had slept on the Big Agnes mattress, and it was very comfortable and it wasn't all that hard to blow up.

We had originally decided to sleep in, but I was awake at the usual 5AM. Luckily, I had an iPod with me so I had entertainment for a couple of hours before I couldn't take it and got up. We ended up leaving camp a lot earlier than we had planned. We only had to boat a half hour or so before we reached the bridge that is used as the put-in for the lower run. A few minutes later, we were at Curly Creek Falls, which is a double waterfall with a stone arch in the middle. There is another waterfall a few hundred feet downstream. A little later, we came upon the other campsite we had used on our first trip. This used to be a larger beach with more sand on it, but now it would be a difficult place for more than a couple of people to camp.

The rapids pick up a little at the end of the run. A few creeks and the Muddy River bring in a bit more water, making the going easier except in one place where a big logjam blocks the main channel and a side channel siphons off 1/3 of the water. We hit the takeout at around 11AM and were on the road before noon.