From tacos and oranges, to pinecones and ice sickles. I arrived in South Lake Tahoe few weeks ago, got a job with SharpShooters Images shooting photo on the Heavenly ski hill. My office is at 10,000 vertical feet and my briefcase has a Digital SLR in it. Fun place to live if you like outdoor winter sports. Looking back at the photos from Mexico I remember how exciting our trip was.
Adriene entering S-TurnRio Alseseca Road Side Section:
Meet Up with Adriene and Davis to boom down the road side section of the Rio Alseseca. Being led down this river by Adriene was one of the greatest days in whitewater ever. With descriptions like "go strait over that hump there, try to get a boof half way down, get your nose up and try not to piton,... your going to land in the vail of the waterfall coming in from the side. It looks nasty but it goes!" then she would peel out of the edie and disappear over the edge.
The Road side was a super fun, bang for your buck river. Being that the river bed is made up of Basalt, it makes really fun pool drop waterfalls. Running everything but the crack drop blind made the road side super entertaining for everyone (Lance, Chris, Davis, Adriene, and myself John) especially S-Turn!
Stopped off at El Tajin. Famous for the ball games once played there with the out come of human sacrifice. Abandoned in 1230 AD, El Tajin's mysteries are still being dug up and restored to this day.
Rio Alseseca Tomata 1, 2, and the 7 Sisters
Everyone took a long look at Tomata 1 and Tomata 2. By the end of the day everyone had different idea's of which one looked better too. Lots of talking but not much kayaking. Eventually we down climbed/rappelled to the base of Tomata 2 to run the 7 sisters below.
The 3rd sister was apropriatly named (John's Rapid) after having everyone run down after i quickly scouted it. Getting out to scout sucked so i gave a quick disruption..."Its going to look really crazy when you go over the lip BUT there's a toung down the middle and a huge launch ramp to boof off with about a 15 foot free fall after. Good to Go!" and walked over to the lip a pointed out where to enter with my paddle. Chris went first with a great line and Jake was close to follow. Lance next and I pulled up the rear by landing on my head. oh well
The 6th sister was this sweet ( Gorilla Pad ) looking launch ramp. The 7 rapids we found below Tomata 2 were definitely worth the rappel in. Most of which are scout able from the orange and banana fields above.
Rio Texolo
Finding our way 2 hours south Lance, Chris, Jake, Davis and myself stopped off in a rafting town called Jalcomulco. After getting some detailed directions to the put in and take out we were off to a tributary of the Pescados, the Rio Texolo!
Most of the river is bolder garden style until arriving to the 45ish footer. Entering the cave like tunnel before the lip is a bit intimidating seeing how the lip is mostly walled in.
Super fun waterfall that broke 2 paddles and left smiles on everyone. It was just what the group needed and was looking for. After having a few laughs and breaking out the break down paddles we were off once again.
Here i am hitting a huge boof on the last big rapid just before the take out at the 90 footer. Caution, its easy miss the last edie before the 90 footer, make sure there's always another edie to catch. We hiked out river right up the hill and out of the gorge.
Mexico... yet another place where the people talk a bit funny and the whitewater is amazing. As i move on to the next phase in my life here in Tahoe i look back and remember how lucky we were to be able to live in Mexico for a month. With nothing to worry about other than which taco stand to eat at and where to paddle the next day.
Live from South Lake Tahoe,
John McConville
