Clarks fork of the Yellowstone

More thoughts on the nature of the beast which is a trip through the #ClarksForkBox. @benstookesberry recently posed – what is a #portagefest and is the Box one? He notes the roughly 2000 ft of total gradient, of which at least 700 ft is usually walked around, or more accurately slogged, groveled and crawled around. It's Work. Especially for us traditionalists who shudder at the idea of spending our nights on the canyon rim via a half way escape route. A big part of the allure of the place is spending a night, or better yet two, in the depths of the canyon on riverside beaches with starlit skies framed by towering granite cliffs painted with a unique mosaic of swirling blacks, oranges and grays. What this means though is we're carrying multi-day gear as we shoulder our boats up and around a handful of too-steep to paddle cascades. These walks though seem to only add to the sacred and humbling nature of the place. You’re beat down, your ego stripped and washed away by the endless steams of sweat huffing your loaded boat up and down unstable slopes of scree is sure to bring, and then, just when you think you've had enough walking with your oversized plastic backpack, you can't walk anymore. You're confronted with two must-run moves in the heart of the canyon and passing these tests after all that trudging is what makes the Clarks Fork so rewarding. Of course, after you survive the second must-run move you still have one more big portage before the riverside walks are over. Is it a #portagefest? Probably. But the quality of the whitewater is just undeniable and something about the suffering we kinda enjoy don't we? #fuckingmasochists#weloveagoodsufferfest #wildandscenic #5000milesofwild