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Europe Tour 3: Egua
Rising at the Campertogno
campground we're greeted by nice sunny weather. This calls for a nice
breakfast al fresco to start things off. That behind us, those in the
know debate what to do for the day, looking for what will have the best
water levels and photographic opportunities. Jobst Hahn from the Prijon
team will be able to join us today and has the most experience in this
area. As the day warms we head up to the Egua River, one of the best
known in Peidmont.The Egua has some dams that make you wonder what's underneath.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 70mm
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 16mm
There
is another small group at put-in, and they're on a similar program as
ours, drying gear and relaxing in the sun. Soon more and more people
show up and we have our gear on, just ahead of the curve.
Upstream view of the Alps high above the Egua. Jobst Hahn, Gerhard Braune and Toni Prijon start off.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 46mm
There are just a few strokes of warm up for the hallmark drop of the Egua, up the bridge other groups watch our lines. Rok Sribar with a nice one down the slide.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 39mm
The Egua is very typical Piedmont
kayaking, steep and low volume. We have what's supposed to be a high
flow, but it kind of feels low. There is still a lot of rock bouncing.
There are so many rocks in the shallow water it's more aerated than
we're used to, giving it a different feel from something of similar
gradient and volume in the states. Below the slide we're into some
steep technical boulder gardens.
Gerhard Braune weaving through some typical Egua action.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 42mm
There is nice bedrock mixed into the
boulder gardens, higher flows let us hit an unusual on this ledge where
people typically run the right side. Gerhard Braune.
Sony A6000, Samyang 12mm f/2
Jobst Hahn boofs over a sweet curler.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 41mm
A short ways below the curler was a tricky slide into a sticky hole, the most commonly portaged rapid on this part of the Egua. Rok Sribar makes the entrance move.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 67mm
The slide into the hole, we had a group catch up with us here and managed to help out with two swims at once, quite exciting as the river doesn't pool up very much.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 22mm
After all the carnage is collected we stay in our boats for a nice stretch of river before rounding a corner to scout. Jobst Hahn.
Sony A600, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 40mm
Toni Prijon nails the boof in the same rapid.
Sony A6000, Sony 55-210mm @ 168mm
Jobst Hahn on what may be the best boof of the Egua.
Sony A6000, Samyang 12mm f/2
These pools move quickly at the flows we have, a swimmer in a group behind us has his kayak continue downstream. Rok Sribar lines up the glory boof.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 16mm
Gerhard Braune with nice style.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 34mm
Mr Braune again, the slide looks bouncy but turns out to be quite smooth.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 27mm
Jobst Hahn heading into the final sliding falls.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 41mm
Is it a slide or a waterfall? It's hard to say, but one thing is certain, it can be very sticky. Toni Prijon lines it up.
Sony A6000, Samyang 12mm f/2
Jobst Hahn lines up the perfect stroke to get through on the left..
Sony A6000, Samyang 12mm f/2
And that's it. The Egua is an amazing mile of whitewater that drops over 400 feet. Quite incredible that it has no portages considering the nature of it. At the higher flows it's also not afraid to dish some pain, on our one run we saw six swims!
Half the reason to kayak in Piedmont, that scenery and history.
Sony A6000, Sony Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 @ 68mm
On to Switzerland