Cataract Canyon trips [Archive] - Bogley Outdoor Community

Bo_Beck

09-08-2010, 06:45 AM

I'm really wanting to go on a river trip through Cataract next year or in the next couple of years. If you can recommend any guide services for this let me know.

Few years ago I went on a private down the Grand Canyon with Monte Tillinghast, Jack Tillinghast, "OC" and others. Monte works for OARS as did a couple of the others on the trip. They were great. I'm sure there are other great services out there as well.

I launch 1 month from tomorrow at Moab and should be in Cataract starting saturday the 16th. Our trip is a private and we'll be running in canoes from Potash to Spanish Bottom. From Spanish Bottom through Cataract and out to Hite we'll be in Alpaka Packrafts. Getting pretty excited for this trip!

Bo_Beck

09-24-2010, 09:18 AM

I launch 1 month from tomorrow at Moab and should be in Cataract starting saturday the 16th. Our trip is a private and we'll be running in canoes from Potash to Spanish Bottom. From Spanish Bottom through Cataract and out to Hite we'll be in Alpaka Packrafts. Getting pretty excited for this trip!

19 Days and counting!:clap:

Bo_Beck

10-05-2010, 07:40 AM

19 Days and counting!:clap:

5 Days and counting! Inflated my Alpacka and it's holding air (good thing). Just have to prepare 2 community meals, pack my stuff, hit the LQ and I'll be ready noon sunday to kick out from SG. Adrenaline is beginning to kick in! Psyched for sure!

Alex

10-05-2010, 08:40 AM

Hopefully the weather holds up for you! How are you guys going to shuttle the cars?

Bo_Beck

10-05-2010, 08:55 AM

Hopefully the weather holds up for you! How are you guys going to shuttle the cars?

Dave (the permit holder) at a moments notice got a job on the Grand. He gets back to Flagstaff at 2PM Sunday. Rich and I will leave SG at noon on Sunday and drive to Hite. We will wait for Dave at Hite. Probably camp at Hite on Sunday nite and then drive to Potash Monday Morn. in one vehicle (leaving the other at Hite). We will look around to see what it would cost to have Tex's or someone else take our truck back to Hite, or we will leave the truck at Potash? If we can pay someone to take the truck back to Hite it would be nice so we could pull out and pack up and just drive back to SG, otherwise we'll drive back to Moab and pick up the other truck after we pull out at Hite. We put on with 2 canoes and a small Cataraft on Monday. Arrive at Spanish Bottom Friday Morn. Go hike to the Dollhouse Friday, come back down and camp at Spanish Bottom friday nite, then the 2 canoes and 2 of our party will shuttle back up the Colorado to Potash. Dave, Rich and I will continue down Cataract saturday morning and hopefully arrive at Hite monday sometime? We have a small motor for the Cataraft to motor the stillwater.

Alex

10-05-2010, 12:33 PM

Bo_Beck

10-06-2010, 07:20 AM

I can give you a name of my friend who does shuttles for Colorado river, I don't know how much he would charge or the logistics. Also there are a couple of places that do shuttles out of Moab. Just google "river shuttle moab"

Thank you Alex. Rich is in charge of figuring out the practicality of hiring a shuttle. He's done a fair amount of rivering out of Moab and I'm pretty sure he's got an idea? Anyway I'll mention about your friend and googling "river shuttle moab". Well, I've finished repairing one valve on the Alpacka and have all my gear, food etc picked out and gathered, now I get it all packed up into my backpack and I'm ready to go! (One exception: Lees Discount in Mesquite, and the supermarket to pick out my assigned dinner and breakfast). The long range forecast looks to be in our favor, but you really never know, so I'm prepared for all contingencies. I had weird dreams last night about getting lured into the Big Drops in that tiny Alpacka and really getting pummeled, so I've made the decision to wear my wetsuit and take my Class V Vest instead of my Class III :haha: I'm really looking forward to another great trip with the same awesome guys I did The Green and San Juan with! Dave picked up a waterproof camera and I'll take my old Nikon and hope that I can post some pictures and Videos after our adventure!:nod:

Iceaxe

10-06-2010, 09:46 AM

Here is some basic information I wrote up about 12 years ago.

Cataract Canyon
http://climb-utah.com/Moab/cataract.htm

The wife and I have done Cataract Canyon both commercially and as privateers. Here are a few tips that will help you save some coin and enjoy your your commerical trip.

The only commercial guide I have used for this trip is Western River Expeditions. The guy that owns the company is my old scoutmaster from the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Western River Expeditions is the Cadillac of the commercial guides, they will not be the cheapest, but no one will be better. The food is outstanding and the guides are top notch. The trip back to Moab will not be in an old school bus, but it will be in a first class motorcoach. Everything you need is supplied, you show up with a small bag of clothing and a camera. Their main office is in Salt Lake, you will get your best deal by walking in and talking with them face-to-face.

I know all of the following tips work with Western River Expeditions and many of the other commercial guides.

Ask for a Utah residents discount, last time I checked Utah residents were getting 30% off on all trip (excluding the Grand Canyon).

If your schedule is flexible tell them you will take cancellations or short notice (two weeks). This can cut the cost in half. They want to send their boats through full to maximize profits. Last time I checked if you could set your trip up with only two weeks noticed it was 1/2 price.

The best part about talking with them face-to-face is they will deal so long as it benefits them. By moving one of my trips back one week they were willing to cut $200 off the per person price.

They run the big S-rig (J-rig) boats until about the first of July depending on water levels, and then switch over to 16' rafts for later in the year when water levels drop. You might want to schedule your trip with that in mind depending on what type of ride you want through the canyon....

Now..... for a good time ask my wife about her first trip through.... she told me to book "a cruise" and so I booked a Cataract Trip. I didn't tell her until about a week before what type of cruise I had actually booked.... hahaha.... she is still mad about that one.... and then to top it off we flipped the raft at the top of the mile-longs.... she went through the entire mile-longs without a raft....

Iceaxe

10-06-2010, 10:01 AM

More....

Outside of the fact that I like paddling my own raft I have to say going pro can be a lot of fun.... Going pro is a totally different experience from being a privateer.... You have no gear or boats to deal with. Just show up with your clothes. When you pull into camp you go swimming, hiking, play horse shoes, while someone else cooks your meals and then cleans up the mess. You get up in the morning and breakfast is ready, no cooking, no cleaning, no packing..... you get to meet some really cool people. After the first day I have noticed the rafts always break into two different groups.... the party boat and the non-party boat. It's just how the groups always split up after the first day.... the party boat will be the one loading cases of beer at the start. Some non-party folks seem to not understand that finer point...

All drinks are furnished but that is water, lemonade and fruit punch. Everyone is allowed to bring a case of their drink of choice. I highly suggest you mark your beer (or soda pop) or everyone else will try and drink it. With beer I also try and bring an off-brand that isn't real popular and not something like Bud or Coors. Same goes for soft drinks like Pepsi or Coke..... because their is always some scum sucker in the group that will try and nick your drinks.

Wasatch Rebel

10-06-2010, 01:02 PM

Now..... for a good time ask my wife about her first trip through.... she told me to book "a cruise" and so I booked a Cataract Trip. I didn't tell her until about a week before what type of cruise I had actually booked.... hahaha.... she is still mad about that one.... and then to top it off we flipped the raft at the top of the mile-longs.... she went through the entire mile-longs without a raft....

Lol! Thanks for the info Ice. That helps a lot. How about if I'm going by myself? Will I have any problem scheduling a single?

Alex

10-06-2010, 01:04 PM

You'll never catch me on a commercial trip. If you are not rowing your own rig or setting up your own groover, you haven't earned the right to be on the river. Every time I pass a commercial trip on the river, they always look out of place. The guides are awesome dudes and gals, but the paying customers just don't belong there. They treat it like another effing disneyland ride. River is a serious adventure, which takes lives very often and you got to have the respect for the river which has flown the canyon walls for million of years.

Bo, too bad you are not on the Cat today, seeing a tornado over Colorado river would have been epic! lol

Alex

10-06-2010, 01:05 PM

Ice, which rapid did you guys flip on? You flip on Big Drops, it's a nasty swim!

Alex

10-06-2010, 01:10 PM

Doh, helps if I read the original post, my bad.

Wasatch Rebel, a private trip is a completely different experience than a commercial. You do get the luxuries of what Ice explained, they do pretty much EVERYTHING for you, except wipe your ass. A private trip, you do all that on your own, setup the boat, build a camp, cook, groove, clean. It adds a great deal to the experience when you are in charge of everything.

If you are looking for a guide company, check out Holiday River Expeditions, Adrift and Moki Mac, I've met a lot of their guides and all seemed like they know what's up. http://www.utah.com/raft/guides/?id=1950

ibenick

10-06-2010, 01:17 PM

You'll never catch me on a commercial trip. If you are not rowing your own rig or setting up your own groover, you haven't earned the right to be on the river.

But without a guide or the luxury of having friends that raft, how would someone like myself get into such an activity? I'm thinking hard about buying one of these trips. It will be nice to have them cook for me and all that but more than anything I just want to get out there. Without friends that already do this stuff it's kind of the only option.

Alex

10-06-2010, 01:44 PM

The only way to get into it, is to get into it. I never had friends in canyoneering or rafting communities, now most of my facebook is full of people from bogley and river rats. There are forums for whitewater which post invites sometimes, also a yahoo mailing lists. Some people have spots open once in a while.

Alex

10-06-2010, 01:48 PM

The best way to get into it really is rent a boat and go do it. Get a permit and invite people who know what they are doing. Permits are the hardest thing in a river community to get. You can rent/buy everything else. You can get a full setup from UofU for much less than it would cost you to pay a commercial trip. A great way to start is Desolation canyon on the Green river. I can give you all the info you need if you are interested in it. Rafting is a steep commitment to get into it, but it totally pays within a year if you get into it.

My car is parked outside, while my rig enjoys the warmth of the garage now :naughty:

Iceaxe

10-06-2010, 04:15 PM

There were several singles on the trip we took.... they just fit in with a group as the first day wears on.... I would also check for singles trips. The rafting companies put together all types of specialized trips. There are trips that deal with geology and others that deal with native Americans, some have kids, some are adult only, all different types of trips are run.....

Going Pro and going Privateer are two completely different experiances.... it's hard to even compare them....

Going Pro is like visiting an all-enclusive luxary resort on a Mexican beach.

Going as a privateer is like backpacking with your friends 20 miles into the backcountry.

I have done both and really enjoyed both types of trips.... A few years back the wife and I paddled a raft through Desolation as privateers. We did the trip in Late April and we were the only ones on the river. We didn't see anther soul. It was really nice being on the river all by our selves.

I have a good story about that trip also.... the wife woke me up in the middle of the night. She said she had to use the restroom but was afraid to go outside because she thought she heard a bear.... I told her to quite being chickenshit and go, there are no bears outside.... guess what she met face to face when she unzipped the tent door? Occasionally she still likes to remind me about what a dumbass I was with that call.....

moab mark

10-06-2010, 05:03 PM

We put on with 2 canoes and a small Cataraft on Monday. Arrive at Spanish Bottom Friday Morn. Go hike to the Dollhouse Friday, come back down and camp at Spanish Bottom friday nite, then the 2 canoes and 2 of our party will shuttle back up the Colorado to Potash.

How they getting back upstream?

Alex

10-07-2010, 06:24 AM

Ice, that's awesome, I bet she will never unzip another tent door on Deso! LOL Ya there are plenty of bears, black bears. This year we had plenty of tracks of mama and a baby in our camps, especially by the Log Cabin. A dude has been attacked late last year at the log cabin, the dude's son shot the bear dead. Deso is a great canyon to start out the rafting. A lot of people call it mini grand canyon.

To the original poster, I wouldn't go to Cataract for my first rafting experience, or at least go in October (low water). Cataract is classified as one of the biggest whitewater in the United States at high water. I personally would start out with Desolation canyon or Lodore/Yampa if you are lucky enough. Of course if you go with a commercial then anything is doable.

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 07:08 AM

How they getting back upstream?

The 5 of us are splitting the cost of renting the canoes, paddles, groover and firepan from Tex's in Moab. When we arrive at Spanish Bottom (just below the confluence with the Green River), Tex's has a Jetboat that they run down the river and pick up folks that need a shuttle back to Moab, and run the customers and canoes back upriver to Moab. We used the same service when we did the Green River from Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom last october, except that the shuttle was via Van and Trailer back up Mineral to Moab. Great operation that Tex's has.

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 07:20 AM

But without a guide or the luxury of having friends that raft, how would someone like myself get into such an activity? I'm thinking hard about buying one of these trips. It will be nice to have them cook for me and all that but more than anything I just want to get out there. Without friends that already do this stuff it's kind of the only option.

In the early 90's I met folks that were river guides on the Grand. They asked if I'd like to do a trip and I said yes. Working as a swamper on 2 upper Grand trips was a blast! One trip was a "Deadhead", meaning that there were no paying customers, just boatmen (and boatgals) running empty boats to Phantom to pick up paying customers. I was eventually asked in late 90's to row a baggage boat on a commercial (same company 'Sleight Expeditions- High Desert Adventures') down the San Juan. 5 or six years back one of my friends (commercial guide with OARS) invited Tanya and I on a private on the Grand. Since then I've played around on rivers a bit by trial and error (Deep Creek-Zion Narrows) and most recently hooked up with friends doing the Green, San Juan and now Colo. River thru Cataract. A fair amount of planning takes place and research to understand what you'll be getting into. This winter I hope to do a 150 Mile Canyon "Canyoneering" to the River and then down on packrafts to Tuckup and out. I'm pretty certain that our planning will begin on this trip that we are embarking on this sunday. As Alex put it: You pretty much just have to make the Committment and Do It! I assure you......you won't regret it Commercial or Private. It's frigging AWESOME and more ADDICTIVE than Crack!

Alex

10-07-2010, 08:22 AM

I've taken quite a few people down rivers with me, I don't think anyone got into it heavy. A lot of people want to be weekend passengers. The river really shows it's glory when you are faced with a class 4-5 rapid staring at you and you are committed and pushed away from shore. No way but down with the river thundering ahead. Your heart is about to jump out of your chest, the water is raging down below. The last look over your gear, everything secured, everything is rigged to flip and then the ........... calm.

That calm is what every river rat out there spends thousands of dollars, months of planning and hours of discussions. The calm of skills kicking in, because your brain can't process the environment fast enough when the river takes you and pushes you down. All you do is keep your bow down ignoring the screaming passengers who are getting hit in the face with a raging water, who are getting tossed left and right and hopefully stay in the boat. Up down, left right and then it's calm. We made it.... we didn't flip and then the cheer of joy is heard from everyone. Young or old, skinny or fat, ugly or uglier.... on the river everyone is the same. And you want nothing else but to take your raft up top and do it again.....

Until you sit behind the oars and stare at the unknown below you will not experience the joy of the river. It is truly more addictive than any other sport I have ever tried. Just something about being away from everyone in the most remote areas and making home in one piece.

Here is a video of my Cat trip last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxKCnOmc15Q&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 08:55 AM

Until you sit behind the oars and stare at the unknown below you will not experience the joy of the river. It is truly more addictive than any other sport I have ever tried. Just something about being away from everyone in the most remote areas and making home in one piece.

Yee Haw! Not too sure what it'll be running on the 16th and 17th, but this ought to be awesome on the Packraft!

Question Alex: On the upper Colo. how is the firewood supply? I'm planning to bring 6 firelogs and a big bag of split firewood from home, but for Cataract it looks as though wood wasn't too big an issue? Yes? No?

Alex

10-07-2010, 08:59 AM

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 10:45 AM

We didn't have much fires on the upper Colorado, but there is drift wood everywhere, plus all the dead tammies to cut down and burn! Past Big Drops there is a ton of drift wood, just stop and gather some before making it to camp.

Thank you Alex! I think I'll scrub bringing along a bag of split wood then.
Just got a call from GoPro and they're overnighting me a Gopro HD Helmet Hero! If I can get it to adapt well to my helmet before I take off on Sunday I ought to get some awesome video like yours to share!? :2thumbs:

Alex

10-07-2010, 11:18 AM

I'd get an extra battery and a big SD card

ibenick

10-07-2010, 11:30 AM

Here is a video of my Cat trip last year.

Great video, Alex. Thanks for posting! :clap:

Wasatch Rebel

10-07-2010, 12:43 PM

To the original poster, I wouldn't go to Cataract for my first rafting experience, or at least go in October (low water). Cataract is classified as one of the biggest whitewater in the United States at high water. I personally would start out with Desolation canyon or Lodore/Yampa if you are lucky enough. Of course if you go with a commercial then anything is doable.

You know, at my age, I just want to go down it to see what it's like. I'm probably not going to have the funds or the time to make it something I do regularly for the rest of my life. I don't live near enough a large river to actually learn what I need to learn to do my own trip. I can definitely see your point though, and maybe if I can sell my novel, I'll be able to have enough time and money to devote myself to some of my desired pursuits. Until then, I'll provide the toilet paper.

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 01:03 PM

I'd get an extra battery and a big SD card

Should be coming with the camera. I specified an extra battery, but I may have to go pick up a 16 or 32 gig card.

Alex

10-07-2010, 01:08 PM

You know, at my age, I just want to go down it to see what it's like.

A lot of river rats I know and some of the toughest sobs out there are way over the hill. If you want to do it once, then by any means call a commercial trip. I listed above the ones I got good feedback about or floated with their guides.

Bo_Beck

10-07-2010, 01:42 PM

A lot of river rats I know and some of the toughest sobs out there are way over the hill.

Are you referring to me Alex?!:haha: No really though, the river trip Tanya and I did in the Grand a few years ago had Jack at age over 70 and OC (who's probably rowed the Grand more than any other human alive) also over 70. Rich, who I did the San Juan with and will be doing Cataract with, I'm guessing to be in his mid 60's? But it is a commitment to pick it up as a new hobby and go full tilt with it. Can be pretty expensive and time consuming for sure! Can't beat the peacefulness, comraderie and pure excitement of a good river trip though!:2thumbs:

ststephen

10-07-2010, 10:23 PM

I'm enjoying the energy in this thread!

To Shane: I did the exact same "booked your cruise for you, Dear" trick on my wife! It was the Grand for our 10th anniversary.

About the passengers treating a commercial trip like Disneyland: I don't think we were that way. Of course, I'm biased to not view myself that way. It is a fact though that we spent more time hiking with the guides than hanging with the clients on the river. Every time that boat hit the shore we were off exploring and then later partying with the guides and the few other hardy clients also up for it.

This is inspiring me to get planning on an easy trip like the Green to Spanish or the San Juan.

Alex

10-08-2010, 05:13 AM

Wasatch Rebel

10-08-2010, 05:39 AM

A But it is a commitment to pick it up as a new hobby and go full tilt with it. Can be pretty expensive and time consuming for sure!

That's what I mean. I'm not too old, but picking it up full tilt as a new hobby--well, I've already got so many things lined up in the queue that I just won't end up having time to learn it. Who knows though? Maybe I'll love the ride so much it will spur me on to drop everything else I'd planned and move river running up to the front of the line. I've done some rafting and canoeing on the Snake--smaller stuff of course, and that sure was fun.

Bo_Beck

10-08-2010, 07:09 AM

Grand is a bit different, since you have some time to know people and get into the groove of things. I guess I was referring more to daily and overnight trips. If you've ever done any dailies you'd know what I am talking about. The commercials pack those boats so tight with people, run them through and send them on their way. Being on the river is all about kicking back, having a cold one and bsing with everyone till weeee hours of the morning.

WoW! I have a Facebook account that I mostly neglect, but every once in a while I stop in to take a look. I noticed that Kase (a friend of the husband of one of my ex-employees who was a river guide up in Montana) will be doing Cataract on what he is billing as "The Booz Cruise" on the same dates as we will be there! Maybe we can hook up for some of those weeeeeeeee hour bsing sessions and tip a few together! COUNTING DOWN 2 Days to go!:clap:

Wasatch Rebel

10-08-2010, 08:33 PM

Nice vid, btw, Alex.:2thumbs:

Alex

10-09-2010, 06:32 AM

Bo check your PM

Bo_Beck

10-09-2010, 01:33 PM

Bo check your PM

Got it. Thanks Alex.

20 hours to go! I'm set. Foods done, packraft and gear packed, liquid courage stashed, Gopro mounted, permit in hand! Now just need to try to get some sleep tonight! Nah!

Bo_Beck

10-09-2010, 05:53 PM

Got it. Thanks Alex.

20 hours to go! I'm set. Foods done, packraft and gear packed, liquid courage stashed, Gopro mounted, permit in hand! Now just need to try to get some sleep tonight! Nah!

17 Hours to go!~ Do I sound like a little kid? At heart you bet! Forgot a few things so it's back into town then it's SLEEP! S@#t You gotta be kiddin'! Mike, Rich, Rocky, and Dave.......and peacefulness......whoa! Lets getdoonandoonpuckaroon! Wonder if the stars will be out? Oh...PS...Dave your wife brought over the permit that you forgot! Last night on the Grand for you and then it's right back on the water!

Bo_Beck

10-18-2010, 06:13 PM

Made it back to Ivins at 5PM after an amazing trip down the Colorado on Canoes. We sent the canoes back upriver with Tex's on saturday and 3 of us continued on down Cataract. Rich supported Dave and I with his cataraft, as Dave and I ran down on Alpacka Packrafts. We ran 25 of the 28 rapids in the Packrafts. Rich ran everything including Big Drops 1-2-3. I swam rapid 7 on the first day and then 2 more on the second day. Dave swam I think 3 on the second day? The rapids on the lower part (day 2) were much bigger mostly rated 3's and 4's. Anyway what a blast! The Gopro worked out really cool mounted on top of my helmet and I have some really bitchin video (even swimming scenes) to post as soon as I get some editing figured out! First comes a shower after 9 days on the river, some cleaning and drying of gear etc. This time I promise I'll have some cool stuff to show!

trackrunner

10-18-2010, 08:16 PM

epic. can't wait for the pics and video. I knew they'd lure you into some of the big water and go for a swim. Do you do the biggest in the packraft?

Alex

10-19-2010, 08:59 AM

Swimming rapid 3 or Big Drop 3? Those are like day and night! Glad you made it ok, can't wait for the video.

Bo_Beck

10-19-2010, 10:29 AM

Swimming rapid 3 or Big Drop 3? Those are like day and night! Glad you made it ok, can't wait for the video.

No Alex! I flipped on the first day in Cataract at Rapid 7 and then again around rapid 16, 17, or 18 on day 2 in Cataract. I didn't run any of the Big Drops on Day 2. I walked all 3 and played safety down below for Rich running the Big Drops in his Cataraft. As promised....keep in mind that the camera was new to me a week ago friday, and my video editing skills leave a lot to be desired, and I can't get my big swim to load yet, but here are 3 videos. One of them is my swim in the class 3 rapid #7 and then one of them is an awesome run I had in a Class 4! Sweet!

Here are the links to youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTkAj5M85Ts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq038aygkVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2edJHItonA

Bo_Beck

10-19-2010, 10:43 AM

epic. can't wait for the pics and video. I knew they'd lure you into some of the big water and go for a swim. Do you do the biggest in the packraft?

Shaun, I walked with my Packraft around all 3 BIG DROPS! I had taken a swim just a few rapids upriver from the Big Drops and it took a lot out of me! To swim one of the 3 Big Drops just didn't seem like a lot of fun at the time! That water may seem small in the videos, but it's pretty scary to swim some of those rapids. I swam one rapid early in the morning (I have video, but can't get it upload yet?) and I had neglected to distribute the weight properly in my pack. I couldn't get the raft to upright and I was headed for some good sized holes and rocks. I redistributed the weight after that swim and felt much more stable and solid.

Bo_Beck

10-19-2010, 11:31 PM

Another video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCK6Ft3hImI

trackrunner

10-20-2010, 09:04 AM

That water may seem small in the videos, but it's pretty scary to swim some of those rapids.

For sure. I'd would have been too scared and walked around everything.

If the video is making the rapids look smaller than I can only imagine what how big it was on the third video you posted. It look huge compared to your raft. You had nice control in those videos. More stable than I would have first thought. Is there a learning curve in packing the backpack for stability?

Nice videos :2thumbs:

Bo_Beck

10-20-2010, 10:10 AM

For sure. I'd would have been too scared and walked around everything.

If the video is making the rapids look smaller than I can only imagine what how big it was on the third video you posted. It look huge compared to your raft. You had nice control in those videos. More stable than I would have first thought. Is there a learning curve in packing the backpack for stability?

Nice videos :2thumbs:

The only learning curve I experienced was a wakeup on Rapid #7. After swimming that one I really didn't want to swim another right off the bat! Rich who was in the cataraft is an immensely experienced river rafter and kayaker and gave some tips. He said to relax and dont anticipate, rather learn to react by feel and sense. After he explained this to me, it brought me to memories of my hanggliding days. Soon I began feeling the river and reacted by instinct rather than trying to anticipate with tense muscles. Rich explained that the rapids we ran (25 of the 28 total) ranged by eastern standards from class 2 to class 4+. The rapids were pretty big, but fairly non technical with the exception of a few, Big Drop 3 included.

Alex

10-20-2010, 01:20 PM

When I take the newbies with me, I like to scare them to death of everything what could go wrong, then I start my safety talk and what to do when you fall in. Every person who has swam after my talk everyone reported the only thing they could remember under water are my instructions on hold your breath, relax and don't fight and panic. Everyone remember the T position for swimming the rapids, when to open the mouth and what to do when get stuck under boat.

Swimming rapids is very hard to explain in words, after the first swim you understand everything about it. And you never want to swim again! lol

mcirque

10-21-2010, 01:55 PM

Swimming rapids is very hard to explain in words, after the first swim you understand everything about it. And you never want to swim again! lol

Some of us like to swim them for fun...although this will show you how swimming in the T position can go wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msiGl0mGGC8

Even class II can kick your a** (literally). Thanks again for that permit Alex!

Bo_Beck

10-22-2010, 08:14 AM

Some of us like to swim them for fun...although this will show you how swimming in the T position can go wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msiGl0mGGC8

Even class II can kick your a** (literally). Thanks again for that permit Alex!

So far out of the last 6 river trips I've been on I've swam at least 1 rapid or more on 4 of the trips. I certainly enjoy being in the boat more than being in the water :lol8:. The only rapid that "kicked my butt" was the class 6 in Deep Creek! It sort of lingers and swimming any rapid certainly gets the adrenaline rushing! :nod: