Lake creek pictures

When I posted video called My Home I called Pine creek rapid my home run. It is true but its easy, accessable, convenience and fun run. In this blogpost I would love to introduce you some of my best home runs ever called Lake creek. It flows in valley next to the road no. 82 called Independence Pass. Most of the summer its really high and running bottom section would be pretty hard core. You can run upper section though and it includes some fun class IV-V kayaking. This time of a year waterlevel drops low enough to run bottom two miles including 4 big and very fun rapids and tons of boogie whitewater in between.

The best thing about it is that is just 20 minuttes drive from my place. Welcome on the Lake creek photo tour

First rapid of the bottom section called Brains

First rapid called Brains because of big bubble at the bottom of the first drop. Better boof it! Right after that you have few hundred meters of boogie class III-IV before you get out on the left to scout rapid called Paralizer.

Paralizer rapid from the river right

Paralizer has a very tight line on the left. If you hit it good you get sick air a great feeling landing just few inches next to big chunk of rock. In case you would get pushed right you would probably find out why is this rapid called Paralizer.. After few runs almost better not to scout and just have fun.

Enjoying air time landing next to sketchy and dangerous rocks

This is great view of Paralizer from the bottom. You can see the rock you wanna stay away from on the river right.

Cleaning the line on Paralizer

Right below Paralizer there is another quite sketchy rapid called Kiss me. It is a slot going from the river right to left right under ugly rock. I ran it just once and I got pinted to the rock for a few seconds. It was pretty wet kiss I gave to the rock and it wasnt easy to roll back up. Made it eventually though.

Kiss on the Lake creek means getting pushed against the rock

After Kiss me rock you have about mile of great and fun class III-IV whitewater to enjoy. Below artificial 5 feet boof eddy out on the right to scout last big rapid called Cauldron. Its easy class IVish lead in with tight technical drop at the bottom. Coming from the right to the left into tight slot with some undercuts I always go deep no matter what. Probably need more laps on this creek to line up this one..

Entry in Cauldron rapid

Running tight Cauldron chute

Bottom of Cauldron is nice technical right hand curve where you can totally ride the wall. Its pretty fun!

Crusing down the last move on the river

Once you get to the bottom of the creek it melows out and your feelings are really good. To me it still feels like pretty hard class V even though I ran it like five times already. Section is just 2 miles long but excitement you get on all 4 big rapids is as much as a full day river. After you take out on the left under old broken bridge drive the shuttle or go for a nice high elavation run to the top which kicks your ass.

Kicking it next to Twin Lakes where Lake creek comes into

Have a great day!

Jakub

June Video Update

Last week has been pretty busy for me. Have been working as a safety kayaker on Arkansas river, kayaked every day after work, worked for catering company making lunches at nights and also edited movie from June spent in Colorado. Here it is, hope you will like it.

Only 20 minuttes drive from my place there is a nice river flowing down the steep valley. Couldnt be any better its flowing at the perfect flow these days. Its called Lake creek and you can expect a bigger update and better pictures in next days. Here is a few freeze frames from my Go Bro waterproof camera.

Great double drop as an entry rapid

Dropping down into "Kiss me" rapid with nice undercut on the bottom

This is just two rapids out of whole 2 miles long run. The biggest and best rapid is called Paralizer and has some nasty stuff in there. You dont wanna miss the line. My lines were all good though and we got some nice footage and pictures. Stay fired up for the next update!

View I get if I hike up the hill at my place not bad huh?

Fireworks on 4th of July Independence Day

To see more pictures from Lake Creek visit: Sweet Protection Blog

Have a great summer!!!

My Home

This July I am based on the Arkansas river in Colorado. Its great out here. I work almost every day as a safety kayaker for Timberline Tours. In my time off I go kayak somewhere else or work on my videos, designs and gear improvement for next years..

Here is a video of my home run called Pine Creek. Its super fun class IV+ run I kayak every day. Sometimes twice or more because we raft it comercially as well. I already tried to run it backwards, do kickflips in there, try some tight creeky lines and hit all the boofs I can.. Here is edit of my run in the main line together with sick song from Fast Food Orchestra



I also love to freeride. Combine freestyle, river running and creeking makes kayaking the best thing on the world. Here is nice shot of me doing kickflip the other day.

Have a great summer!!!
Jakub

Oh Be Joyful creek

After almost two weeks working every day I got two days off to visit my friend Brent Toepper in beatiful Crested Butte area. Of course it wouldnt be me just to go visit friend. There was an Oh Be Joyful race going on Sunday..

Thats what OBJ is all about. Slides, drops and FUN - Jakub kickin freewheel off 8 footer

After safety kayaking run on Saturday me and my girlfriend Meg jumped in a car and rallied towards Crested Butte. Rolled in around 6PM to catch the highest flow of a day.

PICTURES COURTESY OF MONICA GOKEY AND MEG SMITH - THANKS!

My girl Meg on the entry waterfall

Oh Be Joyful creek is one of those rivers you have to deserve. From the camp site you gotta hike up for almost two miles. Run itself is like 1 mile long. If you want to lap two or more runs get ready for solid work out hiking your boat up and then kayaking it down. But as always, its totally worth it and thats what we live for!

Good fun out there!

On Sunday after 4PM Oh Be Joyful race has started off. Brent Toepper and his local crew did amazing job organizing this event. Prize money for winner and SWEET protection helmet for second place got lot of people solidly fired up.

Racing over 25 footer waterfall

In my race run I felt pretty fast and smooth all the way down, except the first drop. Then all the class 4 section and coming down over slides and waterfall. Below them I was fired up and kept going hard over final slide serie.. After finish line I thought I have a good chance to be top 3. Hiked back up to the put in and went for another lap with my girlfriend to get some footage and pictures then...

Evening sun makes pictures damn good looking

Ride to live, live to ride!

Happy days
Jakub

Yule creek pictures

By the beginning of last week I got a day off to go kayaking. Called Demshitz crew and the word was a Yule Creek. One of my favourite runs in Colorado so far. Little creek flowing into Crystal creek from the left side has tons of big stuff to do! On the way up we checked the waterlevel and it seemed little low but totally runnable. After hike in and like a mile of warm up rapids we came to horizon line which means two big slides and technical moves coming up!

Great pictures taken by Nicole Mansfield
The wors ones by Jakub from the river...

Graham Seiler in the "warm ups"

Scouting the first technical combination

Jared firing up the entry waterfall

David Fusilli taking a right slot in the "Wall Ride" slide

Jared on the perfect line of "Wall Ride"

Entry waterfall and Wall ride slide is the first part of big ones on the Yule. Right after that you get to horizon line which brings a big slide called “Oriental massage”. We got out and scouted. It was little rocky and shallow. Looked good though so we ran it.

Jakub getting Oriental massage on the Yule

Jared running last drop on Yule

..and gigling after successful run

Demshitz brothers Dave Fusilli and Jared Seiler paddling over the lake to take out

Our paddle/photo/video/rescue crew ;)

On the next day I had to be back in Vail area working hard. Kayaking along with raft trips. So we did easier section of Crystal creek down below and rallied home. It was a great trip and I cant wait for another one like this one.

You better stay fired up for video!

Jakub

Gilman Gorge video and pictures

Week before Teva games I got a phone call from the boss of Timberline tours in Colorado that they are looking for a safety kayaker for this summer. Chance of getting paid, being able to kayak every day doesnt come every day so I said “Yes, of course!”

These days I kayak every day. Safety kayaking for rafting trips in the morning and almost every afternoon I go out to explore or run something harder. One of my favourite runs around here is Gilman Gorge on the Upper Eagle river. Enjoy short headcam video from my run I did with my buddies Sam and Brandon yesterday!

Yesterday started raining a lot and its cold. Because of that, river trips got cancelled today so I took advantage to post up some pictures for you guys. Hope you will like them!

So nice to see snow in the middle of June

One of the funnest rapids on the Gilman Gorge

Sam scouting Slory Pipe rapid

Kiwi dude Ryan Lucas firing up Slory Pipe

Stay tuned!!!

Jakub

Homestake race with a headcam

Teva mountain games kicked off on Thursday with Steep creek championships on the Homestake creek. Its such a great event, 55 best kayakers from all over the world come every year to show their skills on manky class V whitewater. In the first run I was 9th, so I tried really hard in second run. Unfortunatelly, at the bottom section I lost few seconds not being on the fastest line. That meant 11th place overall.

Right now I am waking up at 6am to get ready for downriver sprint and freestyle kayak semi finals. Its gonna be fun!!!

Jakub