by Kim Buttleman - Lost River 'Dry' Gorge, Thursday Paddle.
Note: Dry is in quotes because, contrary to the prognostication of one authority, we were not skunked. The level was 14" at 10:30AM and 4PM at shuttle retrieval.
We had nine boaters for a fine sunny day on the Lost. We were Jenny T, Barb B, Zofia K, Bob M, Mark B, Chris O (making his first post-retirement trip with the Thursday Paddlers), and Gisela Z (all in little pointy boats), and Kim B and Larry L (also his first post-retirement trip) in manly canoes.
Fourteen inches is a good level, with well padded drops. The top of Landslide has been cleaned out by the recent high water, and is now somewhat easier. Just remember to swing wide at the top. (Note: The normal RR staging eddy was non-existent.) The log that had blocked the runout is gone so you can run the bottom part, but it's no easier than before, with perhaps a few more gotcha rocks. No carnage of note was experienced by anyone.
Three participants went to a lower takeout, but one reported that it wasn't worth doing because it was so muddy.