BIG HORN ANATOMY OF A FIRST DESCENT
To say the Big Horn Mountains are remote or isolated would be to ignore the literal ‘X Marks the Spot’ formed by I-25 and HWY 14 a few hours east of Yellowstone, leaving me confused as to how the main stems of the two largest rivers in the Big Horn remained un-attempted. That was until I began posting photos from a scout mission on social media. Montana Surf author Nick Turner was the first to define general sentiment toward the area: the rivers in the Big Horns are manky with a capital "M," and the deep, steep, un-run canyons are more water flowing under rocks than over them. In other words, the Big Horn’s reputation created a perfect milieu for full-on exploratory kayaking, practically in my backyard.
“I feel like I should be intimidated, but with Boomer, Nouria, and the perfect water level, this just looks fun.”
JUNE 7 -11 THE SCOUT
“It’s not often that when you scout something gnarly on Google Earth, it actually looks better in person!”This is vintage Boomer: seeing lines in unreasonable looking whitewater. In front of us, framed in magical morning clarity by 2000-foot granite walls, is something out of a kayaker’s graphic novel. Boomer is convinced the torrent of whitewater a quarter mile below is close to runnable while I think it’s closer to insanity. Cherry Bomb Gorge on steroids comes to mind. But this is Northeast Wyoming, not California, we are the only
