JASPER : In memory of Charlie Beavers (1981-2002)
Gradient: ~ 700fpm
Season: Upper Section- Near Peak, Lower Section- Not Peak!!
Style: High Sub-Alpine Freezing Cold Gnarl
Lower Jasper
Lower Jasper Creek was pioneered by Sean Lee and a group of southeasterners in 2001. If you
know Sean, you already have an idea of what this creek is like. It has been run a couple of times
since, but not many. To get to this section, hike up the Hessie
Trail and take the first possible left turn . There are some old no-trespassing signs, but I think it is all forest service land. When
you come to a creek crossing, you are at Bridge Falls. There used to be a foot bridge here that
was washed away. Hikers tend to put logs here to cross so some wood removal might be necessary.
The meat is just upstream of you now. Hike up the side of the creek and scout as you go up.
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| ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Charlie Beavers |
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| Beavers at the entrance to KMF |
The put in is above two eight foot boofs that precede a gnarly fifteen footer landing in a
cauldron. There are a couple of drops above the put in that have not been run yet
(to my knowledge) due to wood. (We’re working on it.) The two eight footers are clean right down
the middle. After the second one, you need to get left. Start left and drive right off the fifteen
footer, “Are You Kidding Me Falls” (KMF). Get a good boof. This is definitely the gnarliest drop
on the run. It lands in a five foot wide cauldron with a narrow run out. Land upright and paddle
hard. Please, set up a strong safety team here!!! The hole is very sticky. If you get sucked back
into the hole, you’ll know what I mean.
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| Tight cauldron, sticky hole |
If you make it past KMF the next drop will come up fairly
quickly. It is a six foot boof that lands right above “Bridge Falls”. Get a good boof and charge
off “Bridge Falls.” It is a short, steep, and bouncy slide. After the falls, there is a sweet
triple drop that is pretty mellow. It requires a couple of quick moves, but nothing like the other
stuff. Take out after the triple drop and walk through the woods back to the Hessie trail.
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| Charlie at the Bridge Drop |
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| Ya, it's steep |
Things to remember: Once you’re in, you’re in. Jasper is steep and fast and it isn’t easy to
get out between drops. Everything is easy to pre-scout. Make sure you are on your game. KMF is
one of the craziest drops I have ever seen.
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| Sean KMF first descent |
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| Sean Bridge Drop 1st D |
Upper Jasper
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| Sean Lee Friday the 13th |
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| Nick staying upright cause it's rocky underneath there |
Upper Jasper Creek was first run in 2003 by Sean Lee, Andy Blakeslee, and myself.
It is a short, high alpine steep creek near the small town of Eldora, Colorado. Jasper Creek
flows into Middle Boulder Creek just below the take out for the popular run “The Source of Boulder
Creek”. To get there take highway 119 West from Nederland, turn right when you see the sign for
Eldora Ski area, continue on this road for about 3 miles (don’t take the left fork that leads up
the mountain to the ski area). It will change into a dirt road after you pass the small town of
Eldora. When the dirt road forks, go left. The creek floods the road here so you will need a four
wheel drive vehicle with good clearance. Stay on this road until it ends at Middle Boulder Creek.
Gear Up here, chug some Red-Bull and carry your boat up the Hessie Trail for about one mile. When
you cross a bridge, look upstream. You will see a sick 25 foot drop, “Friday the 13th”. Put-in
somewhere above this drop. There are a couple of smaller drops above it that you can warm up on.
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| Andy lookin' sweet on Friday the 13th |
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| Raggedy Andy lookin' um, not so sweet |
The approach to “Friday the 13th” is a long fast bouncy slide. Start right and move left.
You need to be far left when you enter the drop due to an ugly sieve on the right. After a tight
entrance the river turns to the right and drops about twenty feet. Stay upright! It is very rocky
underneath. The small pool at the bottom is deep, it has been tested. When you resurface below
the drop, eddy out and catch your breath. The rest of the run is fast moving, class V boogie water.
Keep your nose up and don’t get pinned. Take out above a large cascading unrunnable waterfall.
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| Boogie Sean Lee |
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| Andy and Sean doing the lambada |
All of the Upper Jasper pics are from video by Trey Chase. Footage of Upper Jasper
can be found on the White Album. You can order the White Album for under twenty bucks
from Ology productions.
CLICK HERE to order.
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