Alps 2010
From ICCC
People
- Antony "Head Rudder" Farrington
- Ally "Kit breakage, not self-breakage" Cott
- Tom "Eye for the ladies" Haywood
- Tom "Drainbung?" Leeman
- Mark "Turd" Wardle
- Joe "Sunburnt" Freeman
- Ralph "Riiikk, watch out for that tree!" Evins
- Rik "Muppet Point Ratio Winner (Muppet Points/Days)" Williams
- Rachel "Every pancake on the menu please" Fox
- Robert "Naked goodbye" MacRae
Randomers
- Callum Strong
- Kieron Thorpe
- Richard George
Trip Report
25th Driving
Tom booked 8am ferry as it was cheap, hoping no one would notice when we turned up for the 8pm ferry instead. Then after Mark’s fail with the booth women and subsequent extreme blagging in the driver’s lounge we changed ferry times and the bus got on the 7:20 ferry.
26th Slalom Course
Driving across France day. The first muppet points were given to France for having confusing motorways. We all arrived at the new campsite, very similar to the old one but with more ants and a gnarlier river next to it. Rob arrived a day earlier than expected and we all got on the L'Argentière slalom course. Tom L had a swim to introduce himself to Alpine rivers.
27th Upper Guisane
All rivers seemed to be at higher levels than previous years with plenty of lively moments. Muppertry occurred early today with both Ant rolling within 100m and Rob failing a ferry glide, being washed into a tree, and losing his paddles. Bonus muppet points go to Mark and Joe for chasing off down river after the paddles only to find them on the bank 5m down from where Rob was all along.
28th Onde & Gyronde
Onde was as people remembered it, one long fast flowing bouncy boulder garden. Portage at the barrage now requires you to climb through a pipe to get to the Gyronde, which was also flowing pretty well. Tom L started off the muppertry today with taking a dip early on and losing his paddles. Tom H and Joe gave good chase but never found them.
Next up was the grade 6 portage where Tom L, Rob and Rachel all carry on further than normal, get on for a few rapids and then Rob and Rachel organise a synchronised swimming lesson meaning two boats, a set of paddles, a Peli case and all the foam from Rob’s boat setting off down river. All kit eventually collected this time, with the first group who were getting worried at this point driving the minibus down to where people and kit where strewn along the river bank.
29th Briançon & Durance gorges
Briançon gorge was first, short but fun with energetic 2+ with bit of 3. Kayak shoot was running with Ally shooting unsuspecting people with a water pistol on their way down it. Rob split his boat somewhere and promptly sank.
Durance gorge was run by a few who came back and said that it could be an everyone river as long as you know where the portage was. Tom H’s eye swelled up which was cured by finding the coldest thing to hand, burgers.
“I could have been a turd floating down that rapid!” - Mark
“The OCD inside me is warming to the idea that I die on my birthday” - Joe
Rik practised his driving skills back at the campsite with Ally in Ralph’s car. There was some worried running around and making sure that yes Rik had actually put it in first instead of reverse. Rik eventually parked much to the relief of everyone.
“I need a beer” - Ally post Rik driving experience
30th Upper Guil & Sunshine Run
Upper Guil was run with not much carnage to report, a few rolls and Rob trying to drown himself, so quite normal behaviour.
A quick drive over to the Rabioux campsite allowed some to attempt the Rab and carry on down. Again apart from rather rubbish driving there was not much that went wrong.
1st Upper Ubaye & Bachalard
Upper Ubaye, like everything else, was higher and faster than previous years. An efficient start saw us getting changed in a cold valley as the sun hadn’t reached the river yet. A nice sunny day met us down river with a sheep deciding to jump in (and get 3 muppet points for subsequent swimming). Tom L leaves his drainbung out, which is the first of many times over the next few days.
The Bachalard is a grade 4 with tight bends, meaty drops and lots of trees. Ant decides to open the swimming after only 25m after getting stuck in a hole. Tom L followed suit a bit further on after finding a strainer. Rob and Rachel got on further down where it looked a bit easier but was still a 4. Groups were split up and Mark (who had burst Betty and was slowly sinking) misunderstanding signals and taking Tom L off leaving Rob and Rachel to join the second group.
A jet black tributary flowed in just above a small village which confused Rachel and prompted a swim. Mark and Tom L found Ally and the bus waiting for them on a bridge and then had a long wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
“I just couldn’t believe Betty had burst!” - Mark
2nd Upper Guil & Chateau Queyras & Rabioux
Tom L started off the muppertry with a forgotten buoyancy aid but the rest of the river was run without incident. There was plenty of punch in some of the stoppers, particularly around the gorge section but all run it confidently and fast.
Next up was Chateau Queyras which only a few decided to run, beforehand though Joe had enough time to get extremely sunburnt over lunch. Mark made an good attempt at broaching Betty across a narrow point and then had a roll in an interesting eddy before making it to the end.
A few decided to try and surf the Rab, some managed longer than others.
We then moved down to the lake at La Roche de Rame where some went for a swim, Ally decided to run up the hill. Tom H had a women completely strip and bend down in front of him before jumping in the lake herself and swimming over the Rik to ask for cigarettes.
Went out for a meal at the Vallouise microbrewery where Mark failed to pick up the waitress. It all went wrong when her boyfriend walked in. Rachel, Rik and Tom L decided to eat all the different kinds of pancake the restaurant had.
3rd Gyronde
The Gyronde was higher with trees and quite pushy. A rather long portage by the first group lead Ralph, Rob, Ally and Tom L into thinking the others had gotten off. Everyone was reunited after some long faff and carried on down to the Slalom course.
Another trip to the lake at La Roche de Rame and then Joe, Ralph, Rik, and Rachel set off home.
4th Middle Claree
A new river for some people the Middle Claree proved a challenge, low volume but steep with some sharp rocks and continuous 4 from the start. Rob had a swim after over thinking a little slide drop, once again everything came out of his boat. Ant swims whilst chaseboating and breaks the visor on his helmet. Everything was recovered after some searching along the banks. Tom L gets more muppet points for leaving his drainbung out.
All drove up the Biaysse to see the higher grade 5/6 section. At the top there was a waterfall which most climbed up a path to get a good look at. All decided that we just weren’t feeling up to it.
5th Middle Guil
Mark started this day with forgetting his deck, which may have broken his concentration as he goes onto swim (but self-rescue) at Triple Step. More muppertry followed by Tom L as he dropped his boat into the river whilst on the portage around Letterbox and again leaving his drainbung out. Callum jumps in to livebait it out, only to find the water is 20cm deep. A few decided to run the rapid with Mark electing to go down it backwards. Ally failed to roll after going over on the last rapid before the takeout, he got to the side before realising why his roll failed, there was only one blade left on his paddle.
6th Sunshine Run & Gyr
Tom L still hadn’t learnt what drainbungs were for as he picked up some more points for leaving it undone at the start. Ant followed with the muppertry with a nice seal launch into some shallow water meaning a roll even before he had started.
The Sunshine run kept true to its’ name and a nice relaxing day was had. Tom H and Rob failed to recognise the Rab which led to some quick power strokes! Tom H found a French boat after the Rab and towed it to the end.
Most decided that relaxing was not for them and went to the torrent that was the Gyr. Tom L had a nasty swim near the top and walked the rest of it. More beer from the microbrewery was had at the pub next to the Gyr after everyone had been found.
7th Upper Ubaye & Ubaye Race Course
A relaxed run down the Upper Ubaye which was lower than before and now an easy grade 3. A quick lunch was had in which Mark’s prized football was viciously kicked into the river by Tom L, meaning a quick scamper down river and a wade out to rescue it.
A keen group of Tom H, Mark, Callum and Ally take on the Ubaye Race Course which proved to be fun but not too pushy. Fast progress down river made life hard for the video crew of Rob and Tom L.
Back to the lake at La Roche de Rame for some relaxing and to watch a lone German cyclist try to outshout a room all supporting the other side in the World Cup.
8th Durnace Gorge & Fournel
Most got on the Durance gorge with main features edging an interesting grade 4. Lots of recovery space after drops which for the most part was not needed.
A quick drive up to the Fournel with most practising their boof strokes.
A nice meal was had at the Le 5 Saisons restaurant in Freissinières with a nice sunset and lots of stars to gaze at on the journey back down to the campsite.
9th Glacier walk
A rest day was called for and Ally suggested going up to the glacier which feeds the Onde. Rob decided to go for a swim in one of the lakes near the top before leaving to go home while everyone made it up to the Glacier Blanc refuge.
10th Bonne
We decided to break up the journey home by stopping to run the Bonne. After watching some French boaters miss a livebait and muck up the grade 6 we got on. The heavens opened which lead to the gorge like river filling up fast and the visibility decreasing rapidly. The grade 6 was successfully portaged and after some more gorge the river opened out to allow a rest before reaching the end.
11th Drive home
Camped near Djion and carried on driving until we reached Calais. Saw the last of the sunshine before entering a massive bank of cloud on the other side of the channel.
Thanks to all involved, it was awesome trip as usual with some new rivers ticked off and some old favourites conquered.
