Class V rapids

The intro said if you have run a class V rapid and lived to tell about it . . .

The rating of rapids is very subjective. Many rapids change significantly at different water levels. I've run several rapids that I would consider class V over the years. I've only had one out of boat experience (on class V rapids). I've had several on other rapids.

There are three class V rapids on the Upper Animas, with No Name being the most difficult and usually rated V+. Although my run wasn't the prettiest run ever, I stayed in my 14-foot cataraft and stayed upright. Tenmile and Broken Bridge weren't nearly as difficult.

Dagger Falls on the Middle Fork is one of the most formidable and intimidating rapids I've ever seen. I ran that in 2003 when the MF was about 8-feet. (For those of you who don't know, that's raging.)

Rainie Falls on the Rogue River is a classic. If you've been to Ray's Tavern in Green River you may have seen a photo of me running Rainie Falls. The first time I ran it we made it through just fine. The second time was last summer. I was doing paddle assist. We were slightly left of where we should have been, the raft went sideways and came down upright, but empty. The three of us ended up swimming, but everything turned out fine.

Ladle Rapid on the Selway is also a classic. I was able to do this one twice on the same trip. The river was very high and most people in our group wouldn't run Ladle, so we spent hours lining the boats through. I rowed my raft through, then walked back up and did a paddle assist for the only other raft that ran the rapid.

Cataract Canyon at high water has at least a couple of rapids that are class V, with the classic being Big Drop 3, with Satan's Gut.

Thanks for letting me reminisce . . .

Steve