Cataract Canyon trips

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!

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?

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

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Originally Posted by Alex

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

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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

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Originally Posted by trackrunner

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?

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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.

Another video.

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

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Originally Posted by Bo_Beck

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

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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:

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Originally Posted by trackrunner

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:

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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.

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

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Originally Posted by Alex

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

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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!

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Originally Posted by mcirque

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!

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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:

Totally agree with you Alex! Really hope that one day I can get on a river with you. I learn so much with each and every trip and person I go with! Cheers!

Just itchin' for a trip, but have to settle for backseat coachin' and vivid memories of our oct. trip?!?! Next season though...my right shoulder ought to be healed enough to get back in the saddle! :-)

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

I still haven't made it. I hope to one of these days.

I still haven't made it. I hope to one of these days.