Kayaking Hanging Spear Falls

Turns out even Red Bull thinks the ADKs are cool. So much, that they sent a few athletes there to run the Hanging Spear Falls in the Opalescent Gorge.

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/adventure/stories/1331686992409/steve-fisher-hanging-spear-video

Holy cow that is incredible!

Yeah, that was a pretty crazy adventure. The logistics of that whole undertaking were crazy.

Harvey wrote

Holy cow that is incredible!

Ditto. Good find TB.

Also, what a weird sport where you have to hike to scout out a section, hike back up, get in your boats, paddle the section, get out before the next impassable waterfall, rappel down, lower your equipment down, then go back to scouting the next section.

If skiing or mountain biking were like that, I'd quit.

Very cool, but too much slowmo

This video makes anyone that hangs out in the Adirondacks a little bit cooler

^ Much like you are a little bit cooler because you live in the same county as me.

This is pretty awesome!

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/adventure/stories/1331686992409/steve-fisher-hanging-spear-video

Thanks tBatt.  Really enjoyed that!  

Niiiice... Thanks for sharing that Tbatt

I don't see what the big deal is, they have the kayak for protection after all. A real man would just jump in, sans wetsuit.

The fist picture's caption must be wrong, the Ausable does not flow on that side of the high peaks unless they came in from Elk Lake and that would have been a miserable hike with the canoes up the shoulder of Skylight and Marcy although I don't recognize the bridge (It could be the new one at Marcy Dam, but I would think they would go in from Upper Works or get a ride on the private roads on the old mine property.

Pictures are great - that is a beautiful spot.

PeeTex wrote

The fist picture's caption must be wrong, the Ausable does not flow on that side of the high peaks unless they came in from Elk Lake and that would have been a miserable hike with the canoes up the shoulder of Skylight and Marcy although I don't recognize the bridge (It could be the new one at Marcy Dam, but I would think they would go in from Upper Works or get a ride on the private roads on the old mine property.

I noticed that (and a few other minor errors).  It looks like they hiked in from Marcy Dam / Avi Pass, then paddled across Avalanche Lk and Lake Colden to pick up the Opalescent.  The top of Avi Pass is the watershed divide, with the Marcy Dam side being the Ausable Watershed (drains to Lk Champlain) and the Avalanche Lake / Lake Colden side being the Hudson Watershed.  The photo can't be the Ausable River itself, I beleive it's the new bridge over Marcy Brook (a trib of the Ausable) at Marcy Dam.

Adk Jeff wrote

PeeTex wrote

The fist picture's caption must be wrong, the Ausable does not flow on that side of the high peaks unless they came in from Elk Lake and that would have been a miserable hike with the canoes up the shoulder of Skylight and Marcy although I don't recognize the bridge (It could be the new one at Marcy Dam, but I would think they would go in from Upper Works or get a ride on the private roads on the old mine property.

I noticed that (and a few other minor errors).  It looks like they hiked in from Marcy Dam / Avi Pass, then paddled across Avalanche Lk and Lake Colden to pick up the Opalescent.  The top of Avi Pass is the watershed divide, with the Marcy Dam side being the Ausable Watershed (drains to Lk Champlain) and the Avalanche Lake / Lake Colden side being the Hudson Watershed.  The photo can't be the Ausable River itself, I beleive it's the new bridge over Marcy Brook (a trib of the Ausable) at Marcy Dam.

That would be my guess as well, the hike up to Avi pass would be fairly easy although rather than coming in from the HPIC I would have come in from the South Meadows truck road, much easier with the boats. The shortest approach would have been to get access to the National Lead roads and then go in the trail, there is an old road that gets you just about to the entrance of the gorge. Would save miles of carry.

Great new kayak film featuring the Adirondacks and hanging spear falls. Not sure if this is the right forum however the kayaking is secondary to the Adirondacks and the Hudson. I hope the link works,here it is;
       
Steve Fisher Kayaks Hanging Spears Falls in New York
Oct 28, 2014 ... Kayakers Conquer Adirondack's Hanging Spear Falls. Watch world-class kayak athletes take on New York's steepest mile of whitewater.
www.redbull.com/us/en/.../stories/.../steve-fisher-hanging-spear-video

This was discussed in a previous thread.