So the Park Service has been hard at work clearing the strainers out of the top of the third slide on the fish ladder. Actually it was more of a log dam than a strainer. It was kinda like a enormous beaver used old growth trees to build a dam. The Park Service looked like they were about half way done and the water started to flow freely down around the right side of the log dam.

Jason Beakes and I heard this and headed out to check it out. When we saw it a few days ago there was a slot about six feet wide with a log running parallel with the current that we are shown grinding off the end of the log.
Here are some shots from the first slide on the fishladder, click to enlarge:
All of the photos above are courtesy of Dave Murray

Click on images to go to the enlarged version and to rate them!
All of the photos above are courtesy of Dave Murray

Jason Beakes is shown in all of the above images boosting big air off the hole at the bottom of the first slide on the fish ladder. This is a super fun trick to pull when running that slide and hitting the hole at the bottom. In a diesel it is totally possible to use the face of the hole as a ramp and to launch of the hole into the air.

The second slide on the fish ladder was pretty straight forward. Just a big hole and try not to get caught in it.


Now we are at the top of the third slide with the log jam on the left side and a slot through the debri pile on the right. The slot has a great rail grind style log in it that you would get to launch off the tip of after you went through the slot. This made for a really fun move because once you went through the slot and grinded off the log you would land in the third slide and go down it. Non stop action. Here are some pictures from that slot and log grind(click on the thumnails to see the enlarged version):
All of the photos above are courtesy of Dave Murray

Click on the thumbnails above to go to the enlarged version and rate the photos!
All of the photos above are courtesy of Dave Murray

After the third slide action then the forth slide was the same as usual. The S-turn between the forth and the fifth slide is where you have to be careful. There is some vertical logs pinned on either side making a clean slot in the middle if you hit it. You just have to be careful not to hit those logs because you will take a serious beatdown if you hit the log teeth on either side of the slot.

The fifth slide was the same as usual...super fast, huge hole, try and miss it.
This photo below is actually Jason Beakes launching off the hole on the first slide.

All of the photos above are courtesy of Dave Murray who is a incredible photographer. Thanks Dave.
Click here to see Dave Murray's Gallery on LP
If you read this far I hope you enjoyed all the pictures and story behind this fish ladder paddling session.
-Luke

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