kayakstan.net :: Day 15 - The Arashan
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After a nice sleep on proper mattresses at these hot springs, we got ready to have a ride down the Arashan, which whilst steep and wild would be far more comfortable than in the trucks. I had to repair my drain bung - about time I used the gluesticks and leadflashing I've carried for ages, and say good bye to the locals who hadn't seen kayaks before - I smell a First Decent!
A beautiful get on...
Phil H, James, Wouter and Martyn were ready the quickest so they hopped on and dashed round the corner. Rob, Tim, Graham, Dave and myself (Phil C) followed suit onto some nice Gd3 with clean lines, it soon steepened up with pine forests on steep gorge sides. One log jam was a definite portage, but the next was a goer - a boof, under the broached tree.
Pretty much like this most of the way...
Some more good class 3-4 followed, until a particular steep section. I had a quick scout and all looked good, 100m of good class 4-4+ read and run - where we then ran into the front group - a couple had portaged slowly much to Phil H annoyance!
What goes up must come down...if you're continuing paddling!
We unjammed another tree, had a few sketchy moments with last eddys and some shallow pins, and then got to a nice 10ft fall. We all boofed away, some more successful than others and after a long day (6hrs) it was time to get off the full on river.
Boof! - down ARIZONA FALLS (!)
oof!
Back to Karakol and the Turkestan camp, we had a very nice Chineese/Turkish 'grab and share' meal (by recommendation from some locals who thought they'd seen us dancing before!). We now have a rest day to look forward too - before we head deeper into the Tian Shan.