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lot harder than getting in. By my reckoning I spent three and one half weeks trying to claw Beyond the White my way out of that sucker. But my friends, and I use that word loosely, who were standing on shore laughmg, swear that from their Holes perspective I only surfed the monster for three by Bob Gedekoh minutes! Experts agree that Stephen Hawking, the White Holes may not be quite as powerful famous British mathematician and physicist, is as Black Holes, but they can still pack a wal- the smartest man alive. Unfortunately Hawk- lop. I was once trapped in a hole on the Mag- ing suffers from ALS, a progressive neuromus- pie River that was so powerful that it sucked cular disease, and is confined to a wheelchair, the buzzards right out of the sky. unable to move or even speak without me- Some scientists, including Hawking, have chanical assistance. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that objects drawn into Black Holes speculated that if Hawking lives long enough, actually punch through them and come out the he will succeed in developing the "Unified other side... that Black Holes are gateways to Theory", a mathematical formula that will ex- other dimensions. I know that White H oles plain the relationship of the four forces that can sometimes act that way; I once hold the universe together: gravity, electro- recirculated so deeply in a hole on the Upper magnetism, the weak force and the strong Gauley that when I surfaced for air I found my- force. self in a hole on the Tigers Leap Gorge of the Supposedly if Hawking develops this Yangtze... in China! theory he will be able to explain everything... White Holes often swallow complex ob to answer every question. He will be able to Once an object, or even a beam of light, is jects and reduce them into elementary par- tell us whether there is life on other planets. drawn into a Black Hole, there can be no es- ticles. A kayaking unit that is drawn into a Hewillbeabletotellusifthereislifeafter cape. But according to Hawking that doesn't White Hole may well come out in pieces... a death. He will even be able to tell us how necessarily mean annihilation. He believes paddler here, a paddle there, a throw rope Bubbles, the monkey, feels about the marriage that time gets stretched more and more the here, a sandal there... float bags scattered ev- of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie! closer one gets to the center of the Black Hole. erywhere. Of course, because of his disability Hawk- Actually, he can't prove this, because no one But Hawking is concerned with more than ing will never be able to experience can see what goes on inside a Black Hole, and Holes. In his book, A Brief Historv of Time, whitewater. That is a shame, because I think no one who has drifted into one has ever re- Hawking poses the question, "If we can re- he could learn a lot from our sport. Certainly turned to report on the experience. member what happened in the past, why can't most of the whitewater boaters I know have Well, I've never been drawn into a Black we remember what will happen in the future?" deep intellects and a keen interest in applied Hole, at least that I can remember, but during Well, Mr. Hawking, sometimes whitewater and theoretical physics. Why else would there my paddling career I have spent more than my boaters can! During the past decade I have wit- be rapids named the Cyclotron, the Particle share of time trapped in the clutches of White nessed innumerable episodes of carnage at Accelerator and the Time Warp on rivers just Holes. And let me tell you Mr. Hawking, big First Island Rapid on the Big Sandy. These re- an hour from my home? White Holes can be every bit as treacherous sulted in broken paddles, shattered boats, ver- So what exactly could Hawking learn from and voracious as their Black counterparts. tical stern entrapments, skinned knuckles and whitewater and whitewater boaters? Well, Time gets stretched in White Holes, too. cracked heads. I myself spent a week on consider this. Much of Hawking's work has For example, on a dare I once dropped into crutches after a particularly nasty thrashing dealt with Black Holes... those mysterious Phil's Hole on the Ottawa I soon discovered there. points in space that suck in matter and energy. that getting out was going to be one hell of a Now when I reach the top of First Island, I

Editor: Bob Gedekoh, Box 228, R.D.#4, Elizabeth, Pa. 15037 Emeritus Editor: Chris Koll Graphic design: John K. Victor, 396 Church St., Chillicothe, OH 45601 Production Assistant: Teresa Augustin Advertising Director: Phyllis Horowitz, Box 85, Phoenicia, New York 12464 (914) 6885569 Safety: Charlie Walbridge Conservation: Rich Bowers, 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 910, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone (301) 589-9453 Fax (301) 589-6121 Missing Copies and Address Changes: Contact Phyllis Horowitz American Whitewateris printed by SPENCER WALKER PRESS,INC., Newark OH. All rights reserved. rnerican Whitewater v Gauley Festival 1994 mmmmmmmmmmwmwmwmwwwmwmmmmmmwmmmmmmmwwwwmwmwmwmwwmmm FORUM

"remember" what is likely to happen if I you having fun out there?" Certainly from choose to run it. That is why I ignore the jeers the vantage of her parallel universe his swim of my buddies and sneak down the left. Unfor- must not have looked too pleasant. She, of tunately, some of my friends are not as insight- course, had no way of knowing just how much ful as me and they do not "remembern what is fun he had. From her perspective she could Photo credits for last issue's story, "The going to happen as well as I do. As a conse- never have understood why later that day he Evolution of a Hair Boater", were inadvert- quence they continue to get their butts kicked chose to disregard his innumerable abrasions ently lost. Thanks to Joel Serra for those there on a regular basis. and bruises to challenge Crunch again. pictures. Like most theoretical physicists, Hawking Theoretical mathematicians like Hawking spends a great deal of time considering relativ- are currently engrossed in exploring what they ity and perspective and how they effect the call Chaos Theory, which suggests that if you The Kids Are way we perceive the universe. His point is that use powerful computers to study phenomena things are not always what they seem. Of that appear to represent total confusion, pre- course whitewater boaters already know that. dictable patterns will eventually be revealed. I Consider this. One of my friends recently can think of no better example of this than the fell into a humongous White Hole at the top of chaos surrounding the Gauley Festival. Every the Crunch Rapid on the North Fork of the year it rains, every year AWA Executive Direc- Payette. The Hole quickly dismantled his boat- tor Phyllis Horowitz manages to create order ing unit and my buddy found himself tumbling out of pandemonium and every year we all down the rock strewn, turbulent, mile-long have one hell of a good time. This summer the kids that compro- time-space continuum that constitutes Crunch. But did the universe really start with a Big mise the "Extreme Squad" from Adventure A number of elderly folk traveling in Bang, as Hawking suggests? And, if it did, Quest completed a whirlwind tour of Wiebago spaceships witnessed my friend's what is the relationship between the Big Bang America that included plenty of Big Wa- swim and they stopped to see if they could and the Big Splat? We'll have to wait for hoo Whitewater. Besides attending the help. When my friend finally made it to the Hawking to give us and answer to that. In the Open Canoe Nationals, the Junior World's, bank and crawled up to the road, he looked meantime, I going to leave these astrophysical several rodeos and the US. Team Trials, like a half peeled, half boiled potato. musings behind, and head for the river.. they tackled three of the toughest Small wonder that one of the elderly ladies whitewater runs in the western United posed the incredulous question, "Son, were States... the Pine Creek Canyon of the Ar- kansas, the Gore Canyon of the Colorado and the North Fork of the Payette. NEW '93 CANOE This new breed of Hair Boaters, aged 13-16, followed Chan Zwamig of Wave Sports down Gore. "These kids didn't just paddle Gore, they shredded it!" Zwamig The AWA announces the inaugural fall said later. Whitewater master Dan Gavere The Rapid Solution to your season on New York's best class IV-V run... led the Extreme Squad down the North shortboat dilemma. Shorter, the Bottom Moose. Releases will be held Fork- at a phenomenal 2000 cfs! on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 Humble Pie for the rest of us! Look Lighter & Quicker am. on Oct 8-9,1516,22-23, and 3031. for photos of these incredible young boat- Abundant camping and classic ers scattered throughout the special Big Adirondack scenery are nearby. Wahoo section of this issue. Special kudos Call (315) 652-8397 for more informa- to their guru, Peter Kennedy, for helping tion. these kids along, and for sending us these impressive I Use it or lose it!.

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American Whitewater v Gauley Festival 1994 rerocious, but odorous class knerican Whitewater, which wpe you will find Charlie's V+ rapids of Mill Creek, down tppears so professional in liscusshof this important to the confluence of the New erms of photography, story opic enlightening. River National Gorge, through :ontent and, yes, editorializing, As for our typos and the striking backdrop of should be so jam-packed with :pelling errors, I try my best, Hawks Nest State Park. ;YPOS, dropped words, and YU~many of our articles re- Contemplating these and a :ven faulty grammar. What you pire extensive editing and myriad of other would be great need is a good proofreader. (In wivein my mailbox about a Dear Editor. runs, I'm uncertain what to do. hct, I'd be glad to do the proof- ueek &Qthe stated dead- Should I write Kokatat and ex- reading if you can't find any- ine. Needless to say, thin@ I don't profess to be a au- plain my plight? Or write to my me else to do it, and provided let a little hectic... thority on fecal coliform and local congressperson? The lat- [ can fit it in between Class V So look out, I may take its effects on human paddling ter seems a more logical way river trips!) jou up ma your offw. maggots like myself. to go about getting something One other point. The river But as a semi-professional done. decides who the Class V pad- Bob boater and natural freak..(Uh?.. But wait? In retrospect, dlers are, without a doubt. But Tedekoh nature freak!) I have found, to perhaps I shouldn't call atten- who decides which rivers are my very sensitive nose, a tion to this rapidly regressing Class V? I used to hear the Up plethora of the disfavor on dilemma It's not as if our per Yough and Upper Gauley some of West Via'screeks, congresspeople aren't cogni- described as classic Class V not to mention full blown riv- zant of the situation. But if I runs, but now that I've become ers, which, to put it bluntly, beget too much "stink" about fairly proficient at running "STINK!". this predicament, the powers them, I hear them described as If there is any way to get that be may proclaim these riv- "nice Class 111-IVs". I thought Kokatat to produce an OSHA ers and creeks inappropriate Swallow Falls was Class VI un- approved full body, biohazard, for human immersion. Since til, after I'd run it several times, gore-tex dry suit, then send me there may be no way to correct I learned it's a mere Class IV. Dear Editor. one! Because that's what you this foul quandary, given our Maybe what's going on is that need to safely paddle some of national, state and local politi- the envelope of what is doable I recently had an unpleab Wid and Wonderful's fecal cal pecuniary ineptness, the of- is being pushed so fast by the ant experience with a DNR of- creeks. ficial response might be that extremely good paddlers that ficer in Maryland at the Upper If I had one of those suits, I boaters would not be allowed the Class V "limit of navigabil- Yough put-in. In particular, I would challenge the fecal haz- to paddle their streams and ity" has to rise to keep pace. was ticketed for urinating at ards of Piney creek-which rivers at all! Have we reached the point the put-in. The whole matter overflows the deficient sewage So, with pen in hand... where only the Upper seems rather trivial and ridicu- treatment facility of Beckley, Dear KOkatat... Blackwater, the Narrows of lous but I thought you or your West Virginia If you haven't the Green (doesn't count un- readers might find it amusing heard about this superb class Kent less you run Gorilla), Mann's and serve as a warning to oth- IV run, it's certainly not due to McCracken Creek and their equals merit ers. Apparently, the "establish- any lack of white (brown) wa- West the Class V designation? Or do ment" (DNR) does not think ter. And it's absolutely not due Virginia we dare taunt the river gods by too highly of paddlers. I sup to a scarcity of natural splen- bandying about the term "Class pose my behavior was not ex- dor. It's likely due to its reputa- VI paddler"? emplary, but the reality is that tion as a fecal monstrosity. everyone "has to go" before If I had one of those suits, I Best regards, puuting-on Feel free to print could finesse my way around Gib McGill all or part of my letter in future the fetor perils of Brush Creek, issues of American while eqjoying it's class 111, IV Dear Bob, Whitewater if you feel others and V+ rapids. Brush Creek's Editor's Reply: may be interested/ entertained waters sludge into the National By definition, an editor is by my experience. Scenic Bluestone River. A fa- one who writes editorials in In this issue's safety sec- this which he expresses his or her A ther we spoke with along tion Charlie Walbridge creek said "I brought my son opinion. I, for one, appreciate makes the excellent and valid Sincerly, here to show him which creeks the excellent job you've been point that whm expert boa& A1 Qlak not to swim in". doing; I find your writing style Rochester Hills, Mi 4 ers manipulate the river rat If I had a full body, OSHA informative and highly amus- ings system to gratgy their approved dry suit, I'd disregard ing. Your article "The River De- own egos, there are rarely the warning sins of indigent cides" elicited many good argu- any serious consequences... water quality while bopping ments on both sides of the is- for them. down Dunloup Creek, which sue, but I didn't think you de- Unfortunately intermedi- passes right by the National served the mean-spirited, per- ates and those just making Judge, Maryland District Court Park Service headquarters on sonal low blows that were lev- the transition to wnning it's way to Thurmond and the eled at you by some of the 205 3rd Street more dz~icultwhitewater of Oakland, MD 21550 New River. readers. I did agree, however, rn fall victim to this If OSHA mandated this with the guy who pointed out "whitewater devaluation". I suit, I could safely paddle the the spelling error. Too bad that Honorable Judge: American Whitewater v Gauley Festival1994 American Whitewater v Gauley Festival1994 now equrppea rs your kayak?

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 I do not admit guilt for part of my preparation, I found Finally, he accepted my expla- overly excessive for the crime "disorderly conduct" for the at- it necessary to urinate. Since nation and took my name, ad- (if urinating in an open field is tached citation. Since I live in there were no public facilities, dress, phone number, and so- really a crime). Michigan, appearing in court in I walked approximately 20 cial security number; and pro- I hope the above explana- Maryland is not reasonable yards into the open field ma- ceeded to "write me up". tion does not sound too cyni- considering the non-serious na- cent to the parking area, Several things bother me cal; however, I am quite angry ture of this offense. I am en- turned away from the parking about this event: about the entire situation. I closing the $65 fine to close area, and took care of my busi- 1. Ihadtourinatesome- drove a long way from Michi- the matter only, and am not ad- ness. where since there were no gan to edoy the Upper Yough mitting guilt. If you decide to In retrospect, I could have public restrooms at the put in and did not appreciate how I reduce or drop the fine, please walked further into the field or The open field seemed like a was treated. I pay a lot of fed- return the difference. into the woods near the river reasonable place. eral and state taxes and am a The attached citation for bank; however, at the time I re- 2. The DNR officer was un- retired naval officer. As a re- disorderly conduct is a perfect ally didn't give the matter necessarily rude and angry sult of my military background, example of harassment of the much thought and 20 yards about the matter. I was treated I am quite familiar with author- general public by DNR officers. into an open field seemed sufFi- as though I had committed a ity and feel that the citing DNR Although not specified on the cient. I didn't think anyone heinous crime. I half expected officer was abusing the author- citation, the "disorderly con- would be offended. The entire to be hauled away in handcuffs ity vested in him by the state of duct" was for urinating in an event took about 15 seconds. I after not being able to produce Maryland. I hope other guests open field at the put-in for the doubtifanyoneevennoticed. a driver's license. Possibly, to your state are treated better Upper Youghiogheny River. Well apparently the young kayakers have a bad reputation than I was. The details of this "offensen are zealous DNR officer did notice in Maryland. I don't know how described below. as he approached me and de- else to explain the officer's an- Sincerely, It was a warm sunny day manded to see my driver's li- gry demeanor. Alexander M. mlak as I was preparing to kayak the cense. I stated that I did not 3. There was no trouble at Upper Youghiogheny River. have my license with me since the put-in and no one was com- There was lots of activity in the I had not driven to the river. plaining. Why was the officer parking area as people were He again sternly asked a sec- there seemingly "looking for unloading and making prepara- ond time to see my license to trouble"? tions to get on the river. As which I gave the same reply. 4. The fine of $65 seems

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LaGrande Canyon - from Left:View from put-in: Nisqually River; rapid called "Hang Nail." by Rich Bowers In early 1992, a newly hired velocity of the water... the high safety issues, boaters also staff member of the AWA was gradlent of the reach and ... fre- prodded other groups and locked away in the heart of the quent spills from the damw. agencies to take a closer look public reference room at the Bingo! A possible at the worth of the Nisqually Federal Energy Regulatory whitewater run and the pro- bypass. Along with this re- Commission (FERC), deep in cess begins. In February, 1992, lease, studies were performed the bureaucratic heart of the AWA requested that FERC to: determine levels needed for Washington, DC. require Tacoma City Light to continuous flow (currently The mission - to research conduct flow and feasibility only five cfs is provided as a over 160 projects and 200+ studies in this canyon, look at minimum flow); how bypass dams up for relicensing in the improvements for whitewater flows could augment fishery upcoming year. The Penobscot on the popular downstream FERC co ultants, boaters and and recreation flows down- and Basin Mills projects in McKenna to Tank Crossing others were addressed during stream of the powerhouse; Maine were over 20 volumes section, and address a compre- studies at 800 and then 1000 ramping rates for fish in the by- each, and the combined appli- hensive review of recreational cfs. Final results from fishery pass and numerous other fish- cations filled a space the size opportunities on the Niually. studies on possible fish strand- ery surveys and tests. of a small room, waist deep. Tacoma was not pleased! ing in the canyon are still pend- So, did we win? Do we re- In a little under one hour, What ensued was two and a in€!. turn to FERC to look through this person realized exactly half years of contention, delay, Results from this test show more applications? The an- how little he new about the and misinformation. First, that whitewater boating is en- swer is both "yesw and "now. FERC process, and that this Tacoma claimed that anyone tirely feasible in this canyon, Yes, we continue to watch for job was not quite the high pro- paddling the canyon would and that in fact, this may be other whitewater gems (up file opportunity originally envi- never come out. This changed one of the best runs in the coming relicenses include the sioned! (when it was realized that we state of Washington! The com- Klitmath and Trinity in CA, Undaunted (and unwilling could run it) to concerns over bination of aesthetic beauty, Dead River and Indian Pond on to lose this new job in the f't liability and safety, and then abundant play spots, good the Kennebec, ME, Bear Trap week), he proceeded to at- continued to mutate into state- Class IV and V drops (depend- Canyon on MT's Madison tempt to correlate hydro-engi- ments about whitewater flows ing on flow volume), available River, and many others) - and neering terminology into destroying fisheries, drawing portage routes, and scheduled no, we haven't won yet, al- whitewater drop, went,and down lake levels, and costing release flows make this an is- though this whitewater test "fun". the ratepayers over a quarter sue worth fighting for. was a resounding success and Several weeks into this, of a million dollars. Finally, Equally important, it makes an eventual win much one river segment stuck out Tacoma stated that even if or- showed that no river section more promising. from the continuous discus- dered by FERC to conduct should be ignored - that di- In the coming months sions on power generation, tur- whitewater studies, they verse values exist in each, val- boaters wiU need to continue (> bine capacity, and mitigation weren't going to do it (a kind ues critical to the overall negotiations with Tacoma and measures. A small canyon in of "I'm taking my river and go- health of the watershed (The their consultants, continue the Northwest, locked away ing homen attitude). Nisqually would have been dogging the process through from the public eye since 1912 On June 28,1994, many of found eligible for state Wild FERC and their consultants, . (the year that the original these questions were finally and Scenic, except for this two and work with other compet- LaGrande project on Washing- answered when the AWA, mile section of totally dewa- ing interests to cooperate on a ton state's Nisqually River was Tacoma, and Tacoma's con- tered river). final, equitable, and fair resto- completed), offered the follow- sultants Harm Northwest con- Besides determining opti- ration package for the ing description: "The width of ducted a joint whitewater mum flows for whitewater and LaGrande Canyon. If success- the floor rarely exceeds 200 study in this 1.7 mile canyon. the feasibility of access into ful during these efforts, then feet but frequently narrows, While the applicant may still and out of the canyon (ropes we can look forward to along- occasionally to less than 20 not be pleased, many of the were used to negotiate the 250 term win for the river, as well feet. During routine spills, concerns held by local search foot embankment at the base as for scheduled whitewater these points become impas- and rescue ~ersonnel.UD- of the dam), and eliminating releases and a win for boaters sible to fish due to the extreme stream lakebwners, E;ERc, unfounded or exaggerated-- everywhere.l American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 ccompanying this article is a first-hand, rapid by rapid account of the first decent of the LaGrande Canyon by Mike Deckert, it was

I written to provide those involved in the test, and other boaters, with some idea of what is hidden in this canyon. Rapids were named during this test in or- The put in be- der to provide all parties with eas- low the LaGrande While an excellent Dam consisted of portage route is ily identifiable reference points. I a short hike from available on river hope you enjoy it! the road to the , right, it is also pos- All of the work done by the head of a scree sible to run the slope which Civil Structure by AWA on this issue, including this dropped some 250 dropping over on whitewater test, was accom- keet to the base of far river right. The plished by volunteers - boaters the LaGrande main flow runs Dm. From this left through a who provided time, travel, and point ropes were breech in the professional expertise to provide set to lower the structure, where it drops over 15 feet into an un- a polished and accurate final kayaks to the water and pre Headwater for the Nisqually vide a margin of safety for the dercut boulder, and makes a package. Without their assistance descent. During the second River4t. Rainier. screaming right turn. This this effort would have been im- trip, we utilized a single rope route was not run during either possible. In addition to paddlers, to lower all the kayaks lashed test flows. together into a single long Below the Civil Structure, the AWA would like to thank: train. The put in, while steep, is the river enters one of the companion intervenors in this entirely feasible as shown by Shillhammer and his canoe. most beautiful canyons in They both spent some time project; Harza Northwest for their our two descents. Washington. This long section The river starts with an en- swimming in the hole at the boasts 300 foot cliffs rising professional and unbiased help; joyable class 111 rapid we bottom of the rapid. straight out of the water. The Pierce County Sheriff's Depart- named "Hang Nail." Just as the After "Hammer Slammer" river through this section is the water flows through the class 11 to class 111 with large ment for safety assistance; Stone river disappears around the comer from the dam, it drops narrowest passage on the river. pools allowing us to float and Webster, consultants for through a rapid imaginatively Following a short pool, the through in awe of the magnifi- FERC; FERC itself for requesting named "Play Hole." This play river drops over "X Falls." This cent sights. spot is as outstanding as the in- drop was run over a ledge on Standing at the foot of the and participating in this test; and ternationally famous "Bob's the river right side. If the right Civil Structure, I gazed in Tacoma City Light for providing Hole" in Oregon. It would be side of "X Falls" looks too diffi- amazement as the other flows, access, cameras and other possible to spend hours here at cult, another route exists on kayakers dropped into the this one spot (as demonstrated river left. mouth of the inner gorge. The necessities. by Rick Williams on the sec- "Triple Slide" is an eqjoy- kayakers and their boats were ond 1000 cfs run). There are able collection of three large dwarfed against the backdrop LaGrande Canyon good eddies on both sides of ledge drops. There are routes of the sheer canyon walls. Af- the river allowing access from available on both the far right ter passing through the portals Whitewater Team either side into the play spot. and down the middle of the into the canyon, I was over-

0 Comparable play spots are rare river. whelmed with the magnifi- Tom Wolf, Jennie Goldberg, on other Washington rivers. Two other named drops, cence of this place. The river Steve Uren, Gary Shillhammer, Descending downstream, first "Indecision" and then becomes class I1 to class IIJ we passed through a delightful "Bumper Wall" exist before through this section, giving us . Randolph Pierce, Mike Deckert, rapid called "Kissing Comer." reaching the old abandoned time to let all the beauty soak Greg Dore, Pete Flanagan, Rick Below "Kissing Comern is the civil structure about half-way into our consciousness. Even Williams, Shawn Wickstrom, and rapid "Hammer Slammer." The through the run. Both of these now as I write this five days portage route for "Hammer are easy but class lV drops. later, the images come to my Tom Baker (who mysteriously Slammer" is on the river right When approaching the mind flooding me again with a moved to New Mexico immedi- side. I portaged this rapid dur- "Civil Structuren, the inner sense of awesome beauty. Nar- ately after this test). ing both the 800 cfs and 1000 gorge unveils itself and the out- row channels and cathedral- cfs releases. The portage starts standing beauty of the like amphitheaters highlight Supporting Cast: in a large eddy and is an easy Niually becomes apparent. the inner gorge between the Brooke Martic, Matt Lutz, Tim walk over flat shelves of rock. At 1000 cfs the water starts Civil Structure and the "Boul- Jacobson, and Becky Deckert. The rapid was named for Gary to crest the Civil Structure. der Field."

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Anita Adam Bob Glanville Mac Thornton Star Route 1, Box 46 66 Deer Run 228-112 12th Street SE Edrnond, WV 25837 Glenwood, NY 14069 Washington, DC 20003 Ric Alesch Joe Greiner Bany Tuscano 14262 West Warren Place 404 Stacy Street RD 1, Box 32 Lakewood, C0 80228 Raleigh, NC 27607 Bolivar, PA 15923 Blll Baker Blll Hildrath Charlle Walbrldge 2953 Birch Street 78 Beechwood Street 230 Penllyn Pike Denver, C0 80207 Cohasset, MA 02025 Penllyn, PA 19422 Pope Bamw Lars Holbek 136 13th Street SE Box 63 Washington,DC 20003 Colorna, CA 95613 Lee Belknap Olana Holloran 1308 Maryland Avenue Route 1, Box 90 Vice President: Rick Alesch Glen Ellen, VA 23060 Fai~iewMountain Road Secretary: Charlie Walbridqe Reliance, TN 37369 ~reasurer:Jim Scott Rlsa Shimoda Callaway P.O. Box 375 Denver, NC 28037 P.O. Box 1500 Phyllis B. Horowitz, Executive Director Harriman, TN 37748 P.O. Box 85 Tom Christopher 931 Union Street Rear Jim ~cott Phoenicia, I\IY 12464 Leorninster, MA 01453 3715 Jocelyn Street NW (914) 688-5569 Washington, DC 20015 Rich Bowers, Conservation Program Director Bob Gedekoh Box 228, RD 4 Pete Skinner Richard Hoffman, Access Program Director DURAB Elizabeth, PA 15037 Box 272, Snyder Road 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 910, 2450 JONES RD. c West Sand Lake, NY 12196 Silver Spring, MD 20910 LENOIR CITY, TN. m,;' Susan Gentry Phone (301) 589-9453 Fax (301) 589-6121 52 Albernarle Place XI6 Ron Stewart (615) 986-9387 Asheville, NC 28801 P.O. Box 1337 CAU OR WRITE FOR FREE BR Chattanooga, TN 37401

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 CONSERVATION: AWA maintains a The American complete national inventory of whitewater RIVER ACCESS: To assure public ac- rivers, monitors threats to those rivers, cess to whitewater rivers AWA arranges Whitewater publishes information on river conserva- for river access through private lands by AfWhtion tion, provides technical advice to local negotiation or purchase, seeks to protect groups, works with government agencies, the right of public passage on all rivers Our mission is to conserve and -when necessary -takes legal ac- and streams navigable by kayak or canoe, America's whitewater resources tion to prevent river abuse. and resists uqjustified restrictions on government-managed whitewater rivers. and to enhance opportunities to EVENTS: AWA organizes sporting safely enjoy them. events, contests and festivals to raise AWA was incorporated under Missouri The American Whitewater funds for river conservation, including the non-profit corporation laws in 1961 and Affiliation (AWA) is a national Ocoee Whitewater Rodeo in Tennessee maintains its principal mailing address at organization with a membership and the annual Gauley River Festival in PO Box 85, Phoenicia, NY 12464. The of over 8000 individual West Virginia, the largest gathering of phone number is 914.6885569. AWA is tax whitewater boaters in the nation. exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the In- whitewater boating enthusiasts ternal Revenue Code.. and more than 100 local SAFETY: AWA promotes paddling paddling club affiliates. safety, publishes reports on whitewater accidents, and maintains both a uniform EDUCATION. Through publication of national ranking system for whitewater the magazine, American Whitewater, and rivers (the International Scale of by other means, the AWA provides infor- Whitewater Difficulty) as well as an inter- mation and education about whitewater nationally recognized whitewater safety rivers, boating safety, technique, and code. equipment.

Don't be sticky n H ... :rn : Let $20 find a hole in your pocket*@$ n The A WA is fighting to save our whitewater n resources. You can help. Your $20 membership fee is funneled directly into our effective m -- river conservation actions. Plus--every 'c *A m member receives a bi-monthly subscription to American Whitewater... the best semi- .... n n professional whitewater magazine in the world! --.. n m n m Join the AWA today and receive American Whitewater at home m Yes, I want to join the AWA and receive a subscription to American Whitewater. I've enclosed my tax-deductible contribution of $20.00 ($25 Canada, $30 overseas) to help conserve our whitewater resources and promote river safety.

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 CONSERVATION

Rich. Williams4oulder Field, Nisqually River.

Boof and Booaie

determine if we were going to run it or not There was a lot of room on shore, so we walked up and down the rapid looking at it from many angles. After delib- erating for awhile, I decided to portage. The portage route is straightforwardand easy, a wonderful feature to have at the hardest drop on the river. Rick Witook a look at the "Boulder Field" and decided that he could run it. Pete Flanagan and Randolph Pierce also decided that they could run the drop. They all had great lines. After watching them, I would give serious consideration to running it myself next time. The canyon through this lower section of river remains impressive. Even though this section is the hardest part of the river and is confined to a narrow canyon, the portage routes are straight fonvard, roomy and easy. This fact opens the river up to a large segment of the kayalcing public. While individual rapids may be at a person's skill level, the ease of portaging the two or three significant drops makes this river accessible to many. I portaged the first half of the "Boulder Field" and I ran the second half. The second half of the drop is a flying Sturn among three large boulders.

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 CONSERVATION

Box Canyon4aGrande Canyon of the Nisqually River; AWA Whitewater test, June 1994.

Boof and Boorie continued The final rapid before the powerhouse and the end of the canyon is called "Boof and Boogie". The rapid starts with a six-foot vertical drop, followed by chute after chute of wide open class III to IV whitewater. This rapid can be run in a hundred different ways! During the last trip, everybody (except the two who were taking pictures) ran this rapid at the same time. There were boats everywhere, each exploring their own routes-or boofs-through the rapid. Below Boof and Boogie, we looked up from the large boulders that dot the riverbed to the vibrant green moss clinging to the canyon walls. Ouzels (American Dippers) watched as we passed them by. Osprey and Turkey Vul- tures soared overhead. Violet Green Swallows carved their way through the air in search of insects and a meal. This river has it all. Great whitewater, excellent scenery, and wildlife. The Niually River's LaGrande Canyon, with its magnificent canyon walls and exquisite scenery, is a premier whitewater experience. Impor- tantly, many people in the whitewater community have the skills needed to run this river; it is a public resource that local paddlers would use if given the opportunity. I am hard pressed to think of any river in the area that is comparable to the LaGrande Canyon, especially one within an hour's drive of a large population center. The LaGrande reach of the NiuaUy is truly unique. Simply put, I loved itM

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American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 Despite the fact that Neil Young ad- through the hydropower relicensing pro- protect international whitewater rivers. vised "It's better to burn out than fade cess. While traditional river conservation To end on a positive note, AWA hy- awayn-advice followed to the letter fights center around maintaining the status drologists have developed a model-by Nirvana's Kurt Cobain-river issues are quo by fighting off new threats, the hydro taking into account the probable positions more likely to do just the opposite. River dam relicensing process gives boaters a of the Jet Stream, the El Nio effect and conservation and access problems are usu- chance to win back previously lost butterflies flapping their win# in China- ally resolved only after years of effort. In a whitewater stretches. AWA's July that can accurately predict weather condi- truly spectacular example, Kentucky's Red whitewater study on Washington's tions and stream flows across the country River was finally designated as Wild and Nisqually River unlocked a stunning gorge for an entire year in advance! They tell us Scenic-13 years since it was found eli- that has been off-limits to boating since that 19945 promises to be one of high wa- gible. 1913. ter for rivers throughout the US.! See you What distinguishes 199415 will be On the policy level, river conservation on the river.... AWA's increased focus on river access is- efforts are seeking solutions to the (Please note that the Top 40 list is not sues. Spearheading this effort will be Rich ever-growing array of problems that rivers ranked in order of importance. We de- Hoffman, AWA's newly hired Access Pro- face. One particular need is a shift from a cided to move from West to East Coast . gram Coordinator. The 1994 Top 40 re- focus on river corridors to watersheds. this year to make it look better on our flects this trend, weighing in at 15 ex- AWA is monitoring the progress of several map!) tremely noteworthy access problems. new legislative efforts that attempt to redi- To help with some of the jargon, here Among the access problem heavyweights rect this focus. Another important effort is an incomplete list of what various acro- are all rivers in the state of Georgia which that AWA has participated in is HR 4213- nyms stand for are governed by particularly restrictive nicknamed the River Registry Bill-which state laws. In addition, Rocky Mountain has the potential to provide a key bottom- boaters face access problems on three of up counterpart to the Wild and Scenic Riv- FERC = Federal Energy Regulatory Com- the best whitewater runs of the area: the ers ~ct. mission Arkansas, Gore Canyon, and Utah's Whitewater threats, however, are not BLM = Bureau of Land Management Westwater Canyon. Access to the limited to the US. The permanent loss of NPS = National Park Service Yellowstone River also ranks at the top of Chile's Bio-Bio and current threats to the TVA = Tennessee Valley Authority AWA's project list. Futaleaufu (Chile), Pacuare (Costa Rica) DNR = Department of Natural Resources AWA's upcoming agenda will include and Reventazon (Costa Rica) offer just a EIS = Environmental Impact Statement ongoing efforts to restore whitewater glimpse of some of the upcoming fights to NIMO = Niagara Mohawk

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 We" Se2 for Ka

1. Clavey River, California Issue: Hydropower dam; Wid and Sce nic Designation Current Status: A 1990 proposal for a program designed for $700 million five dam power project by paddlers who insist on the Turlock Irrigation District is being A evaluated through an EIS which is due in quality, innovation and results. mid-summer; a FERC licensing decision Our team of instructors are may follow as early as 1995. In the mean- recognized for their experience time, the Tuolornne River Preservation and professional dedication to Trust, along with AWA, the Sierra Club kayaking; names synonymous and American Rivers is seeking Wild and with the principles underlying Scenic status for this outstanding fishery instruction today. and recreational stream. The Clavey is one of California's few remaining free-flowing rivers and offers over 20 miles of Class IV- V whitewater. Please see separate Clavey article in this issue! For more information, contact Johanna Thomas at (415) 2923531 or AWA Re- We are based in the hub gional Coordinator Susan Scheufele at of Southeastern whitewater: (408) 459-7978. with rivers ranging from the "Ken Kastorff is a patient, masterful beginning level through expert. teacher. There is much to be Our instruction season extends 2. Mokelumne, California learned by trusting his guidance." from March into October. -Outside Mhgazine Issues: Hydro relicensing, access re- Travel with us this fall and strictions, proposed hydropower project winter to international rivers! Current status: Whitewater flow tests Costa Rica is our specialty, were conducted on the Class IV-V Devils with intermediate, advanced Nose and Tiger Creek Dam runs, the Class and expert levels. III Ponderosa run, and the Class I1 Electra run last summer. Pacific Gas and Electric Quality kayak instruction (PG&E) has offered recreational flows on and specialty kayak trlps. the Electra run, while AWA has requested recreational flows on all the runs. F'ERC is still ruling on the relicensing of these Call or write today for our PG&E dams. Meanwhile the Middle Bar color brochure on how you run remains closed to all recreational use can excel at kayaking. Endless e due to restrictions by the East Bay Munici- River Adventures invites you pal Utilities District (EBMUD). This is a to share a lifetime's worth of navigable waterway but EBMUD is reluc- paddling opportunities! tant to let boating get a serious foothold on this run since they want to keep the op tion open of raising Pardee Dam to bring more water to Oakland. The Devils Nose Dam project was turned down by FERC, but Amador County is appealing the ruling. For more information,contact AWA PO Box 246, Bryson City, NC 28713 PhonelFax 7041488-6199 Regional Coordinator Susan Scheufele at Worldwide E-Mail, Cornpusewe 71604,1240 (408) 459-7978 or Nancy Dagle at (510) 237-6976.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 ronmental damn, stalled in the California development because they believe that the State Assembly earlier this year and also federal government promised them this failed to pass the California State Senate water two decades ago as part of the origi- in July, but may come up for a second nal Central Valley Project. The losers will vote in the State Senate later this year. be the state taxpayers, who will be subsi- Ironically, the San Francisco BayLDelta, dizing (to the tune of $2.2 billion dollars) a 3. North and Middle Forks, the primary water beneficiary under the water supply that the local counties are American River, California latest bill, could actually be harmed by the unwilling to pay for, and boaters, who will loss of normal spring flows held back by lose the Class IV and Class 11 runs on both Issue: dam proposal the dam. the North and Middle Forks of the river Current Status: For the last decade, Jf the dam is eventually built, the big (24 boatable miles on each fork). various "old water dinosaursn have tried winners will be the local developers in For more information, contact Charles to resurrect the Auburn Dam project at Placer County and adjacent counties who Casey at Friends of the River, at (916) 442- both the federal and state levels, and the will get a free new source of water as the 3155. California river group Friends of the River second and third water beneficiaries. has had to spend most of its time and re- These counties can still develop relatively sources fighting off these legislative ef- inexpensive sources for new water, but forts. The latest version, a so-called "envi- most of them don't want to pay for water

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 to determine boatable flows and safety is- 4. Stanislaus River, sues. (See article in MayIJune Jodfor a California more complete update.) On the upper "Forks" run, the Forest Issue: Water project Service has initiated a new permit system Current Status: The Stockton East wa- designed to limit impacts on the canyon. ter district has almost finished building a Under the new 1994 program, use is lirn- $52 million tunnel and water conveyance ited to only 15 boaters per day, and all ap facilities to remove up to 160,000 acre-feet plicants need to enter a lottery for permis- it, at the following address: Secretary of so-called "surplus" water from the New sion. This system severely restricts pri- Bruce Babbitt, Dept. of the Interior, 18th Melones Reservoir, based on a secret 1984 vate, day-use boaters from accessing a and C Streets NW, Washington, D.C. 20240 contract with the Interior Department. Cal great run. In July, the AWA presented testimony Trout is currently litigating the 404 water For more information, contact AWA to support the eligibility of the Klamath as permit due to the failure of the Corps of Conservation Director Rich Bowers at a National Wid and Scenic River. The Up Engineers and Stockton East to do an EIS (301) 589-9453. per Klamath offers Class IV whitewater before the permit was issued, as per the (some 74 major rapids) and year round federal Clean Water Act and National En- boating flows. vironmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines. 6. Trinity, California For copies of AWA testimony contact Stockton East says it wants to replenish Issue: Access and Relicensing AWA Conservation Director Rich Bowers the underground water supply, but in real- Current Status: Developers have (301) 589-9453 or for more information, ity some or all of the water is likely to be erected a fence and gate across a key river contact Louise Biieimer of Pacific Rivers used to heavily urbanize rural areas in San point on the Wid and Scenic South Fork Council at (503) 3450119. Joaquin County, and there has been no of the Trinity River in California The public involvement in this attempted wa- fence eliminates river access for the two ter grab. principal runs in this river canyon, includ- 8. Elwha River, Washington The Stanislaus River below the tunnel ing the Three Bears section. The public Issue: Dam Removal has the Class IV Goodwin Dam run (the has accessed the river here since 1948 mitigation for losing the Camp 9 run when Current Status: In 1992, Congress over what has always been understood to passed the "Elwha River Ecosystem and New Melones dam was built), and the be public land. The Forest Service is trying Class I1 Knights Ferry run. A million Fisheries Restoration Act" It is an awe- to negotiate a land swap with the develop some success that all parties-including people a year use the Stanislaus from ers to obtain an alternative river access. If Goodwin to the ocean. The Stanislaus James River Co. (the dam "owner), the land swap proposal fails, litigation will Daishowa mill, City of Part Angeles, the River Council, comprised of representa- be necessary to protect public access to tives of various environmental groups, is Lower Elwha Tribe, environmental, recre- this river. Both the AWA and the Six Riv- ational, and fishing groups--came to this working to keep water from being di- ers Paddling Club are preparing to act as verted out of the river. The New Melones legislative consensus in 1992 to remove codefendants should a lawsuit prove nec- the dams and restore the Elwha River! Dam contract specifies that water should essary. The South Fork has whitewater not be diverted "out of basin", and there The just-released Interior Department ranging from Class I1 through IV. "Elwha Report," has determined that "dam will be state Water Board hearings held on Central Valley Project Dams which this issue in the next couple of years. Also, removal is feasible and is necessary for control flows to the Trinity (including the full restoration of the ecosystem and there will be a supplemental EIS proceed- Burnt Ranch Gorge) are up for relicensing ing on the Stockton East water diversion. native anadromous fisheries." in 2006. Discussions are beginning now on So what's the catch?- money! The River activists should get involved with how to increase flows for recreation and both the Water Board hearings and the "Elwha Report" concludes that "the costs fishery purposes. AWA will work with fed- to fully restore the Elwha. ..are generally supplemental EIS. For further informa- eral and state agencies, as well as local en- tion, contact John Murphy of Cal Trout at on a par with the restoration activities vir0nment.d organizations to improve elsewhere in the region." This is a bargain (209) 527-6242, Richard RoosCollins of boating flows. the Natural Heritage Institute at (415) 288- when the end result will be removal of the For more information, contact Dave two dams and the release of more than 70 0550, or Laurie McCann of the Stanislaus Kruger at (707) 442-9598 or AWA Access River Council at (916) 448-0326. pristine miles of anadromous habitat in Coordinator Rich Hoffman (301) 589-9453. the Olympic National Park! It would be a tragedy if this whole, enlightened process 5. Kern River, California 7. Klamath River, Oregon is washed down the tubes due to lack of Issue: Relicensing funding! Current Status: Southern California Issues: Hydro development, Wild and For more information contact Friends of the Earth at (206) 633-1661 or AWA Re- Edison is applying to FERC for a new 30 Scenic year license for Kern River Number 3 Current status: The City of Klamath gional Coordinator Carol Volk at (206) (KR3), a hydroelectric project on the Up Falls has applied for a new project on the 876-6780. per Kern which controls flows for 22 miles Upper Klamath which will require a new of Class III-V water! AWA is working to 401 certificate under the Federal Clean 9. Skokomish River, secure more whitewater releases for this Water Act as the first step. The Interior stretch. The juxtaposition of incredible Department's draft EA found the river to Washinaton whitewater and a large population center be eligible for Wild and Scenic status, and (LA.) could result in a huge economic the final EA is waiting to be released, but Issue: Relicensing windfall to the state of California from ex- is believed to be stalled within the depart- Current Status: This FERC relicensing panded recreation. During June, AWA par- ment due to political reasons. You can will be a doosie! The Cushman project ticipated in a whitewater feasibility study write to ~ruceBabbitt, and ask him to sign provides a perfect example of just how en-

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 ...... a.m.

like to take out at the confluence with the have "agreed" to have "r~~~~~onalre- Cowlitz River, or at RM 1.5. Access to the leases" SIX DAYS per Year at 1400 cfs!- lower few miles of river has been denied and only if we give them 24 hour notice in since the access road was gated. Worse xh~~~e! yet is the possibility that FERC will li- For more information contact AWA cense yet another project on the Cispus. Ch~ervationD*ector Rich kwers at We*vehady lost a mile of the cispus (301) 589-9453 or AWA Regional Coordi- vironmentally destructive a hydro project (and the cowlik ~allsrun!) to the cowlib nator Carol Volk at (206) 876-6780. can be. The ancient Cushrnan project Falls project. This project, if approved, twice dams the North Fork of the would take another 4 1.miles of the Skokomish, with-- no -provision for fish Pas- Cispus! Proponents of the hydroproject sage, then virtually dewaters the remaining riverbed by sending the water through tubes to a remote powerhouse on the Hood Canal. The debate is already heating up... because there is a large group of local residents who want to keep the dams func- tioning exactly as they have been. It is ironic that these residents live on Lake Cushrnan, and lease their land from the project owner, Tacoma City Light! If FERC requires Tacoma City Light to release some water into the North Fork below the dams, an intermediate kayak run would be born. For more information contact AWA Conservation Director Rich Bowers at (301) 589-9453 or AWA Regional Coordina- tor Carol Volk at (206) 876-6780. 10. Wynoochee River, Washington Issue: Whitewater Releases Current Status: This is a scenic gorge run that is runnable year-round, because of an upstream "flood control" dam that provides a minimum flow of 190 cfs. Several years ago, the cities of Tacoma and Aber- deen obtained a FERC license to add hydropower facilities to the existing Wynoochee dam. It made sense. For one thing, it may prevent another free-flowing river from being dammed. For another, we were assured that hydropower generation on the Wynoochee would have no negative effect on recreational flows or fish habitat. Now that the hydro facilities are completed, the licensees have changed their tune, and want to operate the Project to maximize power production- and there goes our minimum 190 cfs to boat on! For more information contact AWA Re- gional Coordinator Carol Volk at (206) 876 6780. 11. Cispus River, Washinoton Issue: Access; Hydro dam construction? Current Status: The "Lower" Cispus is a popular, playful Class III run. Boaters r-i I- --,..--- IB

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 12. Nisqually River, 13. Alaska Rivers Washington Issue: Wild and Scenic Current Status: As part of the process Issue: Relicensing and Access of updating the Land Use Management Status.. On June 28, AWA conducted a Plans for the Tongass and Chugach Na- whitewater study on this river. The results tional Forests (our largest national forests 14. Mid-Snake, Idaho were wildly successful, as the Niually at 16 and 4 million acres respectively), the proved to be, in many ways, one of the Forest Service is studying rivers that are Issue: Wild and Scenic; Recreation most outstanding runs in this state of al- eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. In Flows ready outstanding whitewater. The the Tongass, the Forest Service has con- Current Status: After a six-year cam- Nisqually Gorge offers a two mile, Class paign by Idaho Rivers United, the Compre- .I sidered 112 rivers and found only 24 as IV-V wilderness run which combines fan- both eligible and suitable. Forest planners hensive State Plan for the Middle Snake tastic pool-drop rapids (every rapid can be are just beginning to review Chugach riv- River was passed by the Idaho legislature. portaged), play spots, and one of the most ers. Whitewater and other river users can 71.5 miles, including the outfitted e stunning box canyons in the state. In addi- play a vital role in the eventual Congres- Hagerman and Murtaugh runs, are now tion, due to the existing hydro project, the sional consideration of qualified rivers. Ba- protected from new dams, although sub- Nisqually can provide whitewater flows sic information is needed on the ject to federal override. BLM recently rec- when other rivers are too low. The City of whitewater rivers of these forests. If you ommended wild and scenic studies for the Tacoma has stated that it will fight can contribute to this effort or need more Murtaugh, Milner and Hagerman reaches. whitewater releases even if the gorge information, contact AWA Volunteer Jack In 1988, FERC required (as part of a proves mble,so the next step is to Hession, Sierra Club, 241 E. 5th Ave, #205, new license for the hydropower dam work on providing scheduled, dependable Anchorage, AK, 99501, (907) 2764048; and which controls flows for the Murtaugh flows on this reach through the FERC pro- Chris Dillon, Conservation Chair, Knik section) at least 8 days of releases annu- cess. Working with fishing interests and Canoers and Kayakers, P.O. Box 101935, ally for whitewater boating. Since then, lake owners will be critical in establishing Anchorage, AK, 99510. the applicant has failed to do these tests appropriate times for whitewater flows. because of a lack of water. When there See separate Nisqually article in this issue! was water (last year), they claim that they For more information, contact AWA were unaware of this fact since the Bureau Conservation Director Rich Bowers at of Reclamation manages for flood control (301) 589-9453.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 and Scenic classification by several river groups. This designation would eliminate 20. Animas River, Colorado the threat of acid mine drainage from the Issue: Possible Irrigation Diversion recently proposed New World copper and Access mine just outside of the Park's boundaries. Current Status: The proposed $640 mil- AWA supports Wild and Scenic designa- lion Anirnas La Plata Project, an environ- tion, and will address the inequitable treat- mental concern for many years would di- on the Snake. AWA hopes to resurrect re- ment of boaters with respect to access in vert water from the Animas near Durango quired flow studies in the future so that re- the Yellowstone canyon. Currently, fisher- into the LaPlata, may well die from its own quired releases are made available. men, hikers, and pack trips can access this economic infeasibility. The Government For more information, contact Liz Paul canyon and the upstream Yellowstone Accounting Office recently issued a sum- at Idaho Rivers United, (208) 343-7481, or Lake sees heavy motorboat and sailboat mary report which found this project to be AWA Regional Coordinator Mark White at use. A new park superintendent will take far too costly for the public to underwrite. (801) 5823445. office in October, and AWA has opened Further opposition to this project comes discussions with him regarding boater ac- from the local Riverfront Task Force, who cess. oppose this project because it is not in line 15. North Fork Payette For more information, contact AWA with proposed riverfront plans for the city. River, ldaho Access Coordinator Rich Hoffman at (301) Local grassroots groups are pushing for 589-9453. public meetings to offer further opposition Issue: Hydropower prevention and to seek alternatives. Current Status: AWA was present on From Gateway Park in Durango to the Capitol Hill during testimony for H.R. 233 18. Arkansas River, New Mexico border, there is currently no introduced by Representative Larry legal public access to the Animas. In a pro- LaRocco (Idaho). This bill-an amend- Colorado posed land swap between the county and ment to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act- Issue: Access; Dam proposal the city, a 17 acre parcel may become would ban dam construction on the Class Status: Once again, the Arkansas available for a city park. If successful, this V North Fork of the Payette, but would makes the AWA top 40! In June, no tres park would include public access to the produce no other changes in river or land passing signs were posted (along with a river for whitewater boaters. Several pri- management. Sentiment to keep the North guard) at the put-in to the Numbers sec- vate land holdings are also up for sale in Fork wild has widespread citizen support, tion of the Arkansas. Later, signs were re- this area, and could eventually offer an- leading Idaho to adopt a state water plan moved and boaters were allowed to ac- other answer to this access concern. in 1992 that protects the North Fork. De- cess the river at this site, but the long-term For more information, call Nancy spite this clear message, FERC has contin- fate of this put-in remains in question. Jacques at (303) 2593209. ued the review of Gem Irrigation District's AWA is asking state and federal agencies proposed dam that would divert almost all to either buy this 50 acre tract outright or of the North Fork's water. to purchase an easement that will secure 21. Wolf River, Wisconsin For more information, contact Liz Paul boater access. If this effort is unsuccess- at Idaho Rivers United, (208) 343-7481. Issue: Proposed Mine ful, AWA may buy the land. A proposed Current Status: The proposed Crandon dam that will supply Colorado Springs future copper mine could potentially reduce and 16. Lower Salmon River, with a water source also threatens pollute groundwater flow to the headwa- the Arkansas below the Numbers, and to ters of this 25 mile Class 11-111 river. This ldaho date the city has not released information application is particularly distressing be- indicating how lake levels or lake fluctua- cause it occurs upstream of a section that Issue: Wid and Scenic designation tion will impact whitewater recreation Current Status: Another Idaho river is designated as Wild and Scenic, and high- For more information, contact AWA lights the concern that even our most out- bill, H.R. 4083, would add 112 miles of the Board Member Ric Alesch at (303) 98s Lower Salmon River to the National Wild standing rivers are not fully protected 8620 or Access Coordinator Rich Hoffman from development pressures. In May the and Scenic Rivers System, connecting it to at (301) 589-9453. the upstream Wild and Scenic Main Fork AWA supplied testimony to the Wisconsin and Middle Fork. Unfortunately, power DNR who is reviewing the mine applica- boaters are not supporting this bill out of 19. Gore Canyon, Colorado tion. For more information, or for copies of fear that they will be outlawed from this Issue: Access AWA testimony, contact AWA Conserva- stretch, despite language in the bid that Current Status: The Grand Ranch and supports "traditionaln uses. tion Director Rich Bowers at (301) 589- the railroad, who control access to the 9453. Hats off to Idaho Rivers United for canyon, seem to have combined forces to their persistent and dedicated effort! eliminate all legal and reasonable access For more information, contact Liz Paul to the Class lV-V Gore Canyon of the Colo- 22. Pine River, Wisconsin at Idaho Rivers United, (208) 343-7481. rado River. Currently, boaters access the river by consent of a local landowner, but Issue: Relicensing must paddle over an hour of flatwater be- Current Status: This project highlights 17. Yellowstone River, fore even reaching the canyon. AWA will a real problem in the current relicensing work with boating interests, local land- process-the double standard that FERC owners, and the Bureau of Land Manage- upholds regarding the financial capabili- Issue: Access; Wild and Scenic desig- ment (BLM) to seek a solution. ties of the applicant. Since the Pine is a nation For more information, contact AWA small and uneconomical project, FERC Status: The Yellowstone-the longest Board Member Ric Alesch at (303) 985- has ruled that the applicant does not need free-flowing stretch of river in the conti- 8620 or Access Coordinator Rich Hoffman to provide the level of mitigation required nental US.-is being pushed towards Wid at (301) 589-9453. at other sites. For boaters and fishermen,

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 this means no scheduled whitewater re- these companies laid off several hundred leases and no year round minimum workers, thereby fueling a jobs vs. the en- instream flows. The applicant, however, vironrnent debate. will need to provide access and a flow For more information, contact AWA I phone gauge to make this short Class IV-V Conservation Director Rich Bowers at section available to boaters. AWA is in- (301) 589-9453. volved with both federal and state agen- 25. Kennebec River, Maine cies in overturning this decision and push- 24. Moxie Stream, Maine ing for stronger compliance. Issue: Relicensing; Access For more information, contact AWA Issue: Dam removal Current Status: FERC will address the Conservation Director Rich Bowers at Current Status: Central Maine Power cumulative impacts of 11 separate hydro (301) 589-9453. (CMP) has sold this storage project to the projects on this watershed, including town of The Forks (population 38), and whitewater impacts below Moosehead has stated that it no longer has responsi- Lake and on Moxie Stream. Cumulative 23. West Branch Penobscot, bility for safety, conservation, or recre- impacts has been a major focus of the Maine ational concerns on this river. In doing AWA and the Hydropower Reform Coali- this, CMP has elevated this small project tion and will set the stage for future stud- Issue: Relicensing to national prominence. Moxie's outstand- ies on this issue. Unfortunately, the Indian Current Status: After almost a year of ing recreational and ecological values, to- Pond project, which controls whitewater negotiation between consemtionlrecre- gether with questions on future dam access to the Kennebec Gorge, has not ation interests (including AWA) and safety, could make Moxie the prime ex- been included in FERC's study. Therefore, BowaterIGreat Northern Paper, no agree- ample of why dam decommissioning is so Central Maine Power's $1 fee for river ac- ments have been reached. In the latest set critical to the future health of rivers. cess will not be addressed din-ing this of events, the paper companies have at- Moxie stream provides a gorgeous two study. AWA is continuing to work with tempted to circumvent the entire FERC mile, Class IV run during winter draw- CMP on eliminating this fee through other relicensing process, and to politically pres- down. discussions. sure state representatives into granting For more information, contact AWA For more information, contact AWA them a new license with no environmental Conservation Director Rich Bowers at Conservation Director Rich Bowers at or recreational strings attached. Last year, (301) 589-9453. (301) 589-9453. just prior to public scoping meetings,

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 27. Grasse River, New York 28. Salmon River, New York (Tooley Pond Segment) (near Pulaski) Issue: Access Issue: Whitewater releases Current Status: Rivaling the Bottom Current Status: A hard fought battle Moose's spectacular waterfalls, this seg- for 57summer releases on the Salmon are ment of the Grasse in Northern New York now part of a Memorandum of Under- offers a unique whitewater run. Unfortu- standing (MOU) which we hope that nately, a hunting club owns both sides of FERC will adopt as conditions in their 26. South Branch of the the river and maintains a police presence dam license. Part of that MOU is a "Flow to chase away boaters even thinking about Advisory Panel" made up of lots of stake- Moose, New York putting in. Since one of the falls requires a holders. Paddlers will have to participate Issue: Access portage above the mean high water line on this panel to assure that other interests Current Status: Paddlers are awaiting a (the Moose River Decision--see above-- don't gobble up these releases for other decision on the appeal of an earlier New says that it is OK to portage as long as you purposes, that Niagara Mohawk Power York State Supreme Court decision about are below the high water line, but is silent (NIMO) lives up to its part of the bargain, paddling rights to a Class II segment of the about upland portages), portagers will be and that FERC does all the right things. upper Moose River. An adverse decision arrested for trespassing if they are caught. For more information, contact AWA would require a lot of effort to appeal. A Exactly how to deal with this site from le- Board Member Pete Skinner at (518) 585- decision favoring paddlers will likely re- gal and other standpoints has been the 7580. sult in more litigation, this time on subject of much debate among the river whether the run is navigable: a hydrolo- access cognoscenti. Many have argued 29. Sacandaoa River, New gist for the opposition has claimed that the that litigating the issue of what rights the run has too many rocks and rapids to be public has to portage about the high water York paddled. AWA's Charlie Walbridge will be line should wait until the Moose case is resolved. Issue: Whitewater releases the Star Witness for paddlers. Regardless, Current status: AWA and commercial we are looking at years of more litigation. For more information, contact AWA Board Member Pete Skinner at (518) 585 rafting companies are fighting New York For more information, contact AWA Department of Environmental Conserva- Board Member Pete Skinner at (518) 585 7580.

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 31. Mongaup River, New 33. Lower Youghiogheny, York Pennsylvania Issue: Whitewater releases Issue: Access Current Status: The Kayak and Canoe Current Status: Through negotiation tion proposals to shave much of the 4000 Club of New York and AWA continue to with PA State Parks, the AWA, ACA and cfs multi-hour release patterns that we en- fight for 2 turbine releases on the Friends of the Lower Yough have agreed joy on the lower Sacandaga for the cre- Mongaup, while other interests are trying upon an interim plan which allows for ac- ation of major continuous flow regimes to eliminate the single turbine releases we cess with no fees during non-holiday all already have. Safety concerns have been weekdays. These groups will have an op (e.g. 600 cfs the time). Although boat- this ers recently celebrated (midJuly) the voiced about the Mongaup wave-a stand- portunity summer to develop a more opening of NIMO's Sacandaga Whitewater ing wave formed at the confluence with comprehensive, permanent plan for the fu- this the Delaware-that fonns at 2 turbine re- ture of this river. Meetings will be held in Recreation Area, the flows that make this a family paddling destination may end up leases. However, the utility which oper- August to flesh out plan, which will in- evaporating into fish habitat maintenance. ates the hydro dam on the Mongaup has clude the issues of access fees, running There is no doubt that a lot of time and ad- been generating 2 turbine releases for Ohiopyle Falls, and an equitable user allo- cation system. vocacy will be needed to maintain the sta- years. The FERC has supported additional tus quo. whitewater testing for this summer, but For more information, contact AWA For more information, contact AWA the National Park Service Director on the Conservation Director Rich Bowers or Board Member Pete Skinner at (518) 585 Delaware is attempting to have this deci- AWA Access Coordinator Rich Hoffman at 7580. sion overturned. (301) 589-9453. For more information, contact Ken 30. Raquette, Beaver, Fischman at (212) 2285753. 34. Cheat River, West Oswegatchie, Hoosic Rivers, 32. Upper Youghiogheny, Virginia Issue: Water Quality New York Maryland The water quality of the Cheat has gone Issue: Whitewater Releases Issue: Recreation Flows from bad to worse. In May, a coal mining Current Status: Colton, Hannawa Current Status: Maryland's Department company introduced a new source of acid Falls, Sugar Falls, Norfolk and East Nor- of Natural Resources issued a final permit mine drainage into the river which leff folk are all very paddle-able hydro-devel- for the Deep Creek Project on Maryland's paddlers with a none-too-subtle metallic oped sites on the Raquette in northern Upper Youghiogheny River on April 5, taste in their mouths, and, according to New York. Feasibility studies already 1994. The permit will last 12 years. How- well-known local Jim Snyder, left large or- completed have shown that several of ever, one key feature of the permit was ange "eddy-muffins"all along the river. them are very attractive. Studies on other. left to further study: the "temperature en- AWA, West Virginia River Coalition, the rivers listed above have shown that New hancement" requirement. This is a man- newly formed Friends of the Cheat, and lo- York state paddling need not be limited to date to release water on hot summer days cal landowners are joining the state in its the Hudson. AWA is negotiating an agree- to cool off parboiled trout. Unfortunately, effort to make mining companies assume ment with NIMO (perhaps through the scheme could reduce flows available the costs of mining cleanup, as is required relicensing, the 401 process andfor the for whitewater. According to AWA's law- by West Virginia Law. Currently, the bur- system wide whitewater plan approach) yer, Dave Plott, the temperature enhance- den of cleanup is passed onto the taxpay- which will make periodic releases avail- ment provisions of the permit are illegal ers. able in the future. under Maryland law so AWA has appealed For more information, contact Roger For more information, contact AWA this portion of the permit. Currently the Harrison at (304) 472-0025 or AWA Con- Board Member Pete Skinner at (518) 585 appeal is being "held in abeyance" by the servation Director Rich Bowers at (301) 7580. State until more work is done to improve 589-9453. the temperature enhancement plan. In last-minute negotiations, however, AWA 35. 13 Rivers in West did succeed in gaining other changes in KAYAK CHILE the permit (through the cooperation of the Virginia Long stretches of giant waves. Big, run- Penelec Company). Penelec agreed to a nable waterfalls. Turquoise-clear water. Issue: Wild and Scenic Designation Volcanoes. Dense forests. Deep canyons. longer whitewater flow season (from mid Run the Bio-Bio while the dam remains April to mid October), to increase The West Virginia Rivers Coalition unfinished. Then go on to the Fuy, Col-Col, whitewater flows in April and May, to (WVRC) has been working hard to estab- Manso, and Futaleufu rivers, in Chile and make more Monday releases, to make all lish permanent protection for 13 outstand- trgentina. Call, fax, or write for a free whitewater releases three hours long, to ing streams in Monongahela National For- KAYAK CHILE KIT. Or send $1 5 ($1 2 plus generate at maximum discharge levels est, including the headwaters of the Cheat $3 postage) for the video, KAYAK CHILE, (Shavers Fork) and the fruitbasket (Cran- n full color with narration and music. during low water, to make water available annually for an August Upper Yough race berry, Cherry). These streams were found Sport International release, and to provide weekday releases eligible in 1991, and we are now awaiting The best international class IV-V kayak trip. during Gauley season. the Forest Senrice draft EIS as part of the 1602 Alder Street For further information, contact AWA "suitabiitynphase. WVRC hopes to have a Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1 A 3W8, Canada. Board Member Pope Barrow, (202) 548 bill to Congress within two years. (403) 633-2742. Fax: (403) 633-61 84. 3766 For more information, contact Roger Toll-free phone: (800) 779-1 784. Harrison or Pam Merritt (new full time Wild and Scenic Coordinator) at (304) 472-0025. American Whitewater v Gauley Festival1994 36. Gauley River, West Issue: Wilderness designation; devel- project will bring the Pigeon in line with opment state water quality standards or whether Virginia Current Status: Last year, the entire Champion must still get a variance remains to be seen. Although the jury is Issue: Access river left side of this 12 mile Class IV-V creek was protected under Bowater Inc.'s still out for future whitewater releases, it Current status: As part of their man- n looks hopeful that three releases a week date for establishing the Gauley River Na- "Pocket Wilderness Program. However, there are plans for development along un- will be a condition of Caxolina Power tional Recreation Area, the National Park tra- and Light's license with FERC! For the Service has drafted a proposal of their protected segments, specifically at the ditional put-in. present, there is a hotline that informs plans for the area that is subject to public boaters about the weekly release sched- comment. While the Park Service recog- Both the AWA and local interests were involved in soliciting funds for a strategic ule (call 1-800-899-4435). Highway conve- nizes that public access to the river is criti- nience and a Class ILI-IV difficulty may cal, the preferred access roads to the river management plan, and the AWA supplied partial funding for a video of the gorge. even offset extremely poor water quality . are owned by commercial outfitters. AWA this conditions on this section of river, and hopes to gain legal access at Mason Please see separate article in issue! For more information, contact AWA has the potential to become as popular Branch (Panther Mountain Road) and as the Ocoee. In the future, access and Bucklick. Please see separate article in Board Member Ron Stewart at (615) 756- 3170. parking will need to be secured to ac- this issue! commodate private boaters: most take- For more information, contact AWA out land is owned by commercial outfit- Access Coordinator Rich Hoffman (301) 39. Pigeon River, North ters. 589-9453. Carolina For more information, contact AWA Board Member Joe Pulliam (615) 882- 37. Clear Creek and Issue: Water qualiw, hydropower 0404 or AWA Access Coordinator Rich relicensing; future access Hoffman (301) 589-9453. Crooked Fork, Tennessee Current Status: Champion Paper Com- Issue: Water supply reservoirs pany has recently completed a $330 million project that has significantly reduced 40. Tallulah River, Georgia Current Status: In part a result of dedi- this cated grassroots activism, the Farmers pollution into the river. Whether Issue: Relicensing Home Administration has decided to conduct a full EIS before loaning and granting $3,370,000to the Catoosa Utility District's proposed water supply reservoir. Catoosa plans to dam a tributary of Clear Creek up stream of the National Wild and Scenic boundary line. This win, however, is over- shadowed by a similar water supply project that is proposed on Crooked Creek, a tributary to Clear Fork (Class I-II) which in turn is one of the mainstems of School of Paddling the Big South Fork (Class IILIV). In this case, the Fentress County Utility Dis- 213 YoughSt., ConfluencePA15424 trict-again with financial support from the Farmers Home Administration-plans to build a water supply reservoir just above the National Recreation Area boundary. Fully stocked outdoor store featuring products Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness from Patagonia, Perception, Dagger, Prijan, Planning has requested that TVA be the ones to conduct the EIS on Clear Creek Teva, Ace, Kokatat and Rapidstyle . and to include a plateau-wide water bud- get analysis that would analyze the true needs and costs of water supply for the Highly acclaimed Paddling School with special Cumberland Plateau and eliminate the Kid's Programs and Slalom Clinics * as- sault of small, piecemeal projects. This strategy parallels AWA relicensing efforts to require basin-wide, comprehensive management plans for all watersheds. For more information, contact Lee Russell (615) 574-0860. 38. North Chickamauga Creek, Tennessee

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994

Current Status: After last year's highly successful whitewater test of this previ- OUTSIDE THE U.S. ously un-run gorge, the AWA and Georgia Power have drafted a memorandum of A. Futaleufu, Chile agreement which provides for 5 weekends of releases, and the possibility of running Issue: Hydropower development this river during natural flow or mainte- Current Status: Will this world class nance spills. To facilitate whitewater runs, river suffer the same fate as the Bio-Bio? Georgia Power will install a flow phone Earlier this year, Endesa-the power com- for boaters. pany which is building the Pangue dam on Although whitewater boating interests the Bio-and two other companies filed and the utility have reached an agreement, papers to acquire all water rights neces- the Inter-American Development Bank in the FERC relicensing process has been de- sary to build a huge hydroelectric generat- Washington, D.C., approved a loan last De- layed. Due to upstream lakeowner con- ing station on the Futaleufu, a fabulous cember to ICE, the Costa Rican power au- cerns over lake drawdowns, FERC has de- wilderness river in the Patagonia region of thority, for a dam on the nearby cided to conduct a full EIS on this project. Chile. This project would flood the entire Reventazon. The next phase of the project, The Draft EIS is not expected until Febru- upper gorge section. An organization not yet proposed for funding (but ex- ary 1995, which could delay all minimum called the FutaFund has been organized in pected soon), c& for another dam on the instream flow and whitewater release the U.S. to help the CODDERFU (Cornmit- Reventazon as well as the damming of the schedules. tee for the Advancement and Defense of Pacuare. The two drainages would be con- Whitewater interests and Georgia the F'utaleufu and its Ecosystem)--a Chil- nected by a tunnel, allowing the much Power are also negotiating stronger pro- ean group composed of local inhabitants dirtier Reventazon water to fill up the tection measures for Tugaloo Lake, the of this magnificent area The larger ques- Pacuare dam in the dry season in order to take-out for both the Tallulah Gorge and tion that surrounds this issue is whether turn the turbines. If you are interested in Section IV of the Chattooga This includes building huge hydro dams raises the living helping Costa Ricans fight for the Pacuare, a moratorium on new access roads, stron- standards of developing countries. Re contact Steve Gates at the One World One ger protection for lands in the watershed, search has shown that large-scale, capitol River Trust at (819) 822-7857. W and hopefully, a future reduction in horse- intensive dams often saddle the country power size allowed on this lake. Consider- with a back-breaking debt that actually re- ations are also being given to improving duces living standards. Another important the current take-out for Section IV. point is that Chile is rich enough in wind guides For more information, contact AWA resources to derive all of their electricity Conservation Director Rich Bowers at from wind-powered technology. The cost I videotape (301) 589-9453. of wind energy is already competitive with hydro at 5-7 cents/kiloowatt-hour. For more information, call Tamara 41. All Rivers in Georgia! Robbins at (209) 572-FUTA or write to P.O. Box 4536,1314 Coldwell Ave., Issue: Access Modesto, CA., 95350. Current Status: The fate of access for ALL rivers in Georgia is still being decided. Georgia Canoeing Association is a co- B. Pacuare and Reventazon plaintiff in litigation concerning access to Rivers, Costa Rica Armuchee Creek. They are awaiting a WAYWARD I'RODUCI'IONS bench trial in October which will center Issue: Hydropower dams Rt 1 Box 454 around what criteria to use for the deter- Current Status: The fight to save the Fa cttevillc, WV 25840 mination of public waterways open to pas- Pacuare River from a 205 MW dam is be- (3x4)574-2395 sage (i.e. boating). Another parallel course coming more imperative, particularly after of action is an effort to pass legislation that will establish an objective standard to determine boatable rivers. Last year's Georgia Family Rivers Act was "bush- -1- whacked" in the Georgia State Legislature. Scheduled for late summer is a meeting IAWIC~Nwewing 6 mfg. which will bring boating interests together A to coordinate how to address access is- Aluminum rowing frames, camp sues in the state of Georgia kitchens, dry boxes and tables. For more information, contact Dan Achilles & SOTAR inflatable boats and MacIntyre at (404) 870-1800 or AWA Re- FishRite aluminum boats & sleds. gional Coordinator Andy Warshaw at (503) 773-5582 (404) 373-6683. 1385 Justice Road Central Point, OR 97502 CASCADE OUTFITTEI Call or Write tor our PO. Box 209 Springfield. OR 97477 Free River Equlprnent Catalog 503 (747-2272) . Toll-Free Order Lme 1-800-223-722n

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Words Of Wisdom Jim E. Snyder-Squirt Master: "I thrillseek on- steep creeks because I know no better."

Gordon Grant-NOC Kayak Instructor/writer: 'The Thrillseeker lives up to its billing, it made me a convert. The Thrillseeker handles as well as any boat I've paddled, decked or not."

Charlie Walbridge-AWA Safety Chairman: "It's a fun boat for all skill levels - I have to fight with all my friends to use it."

Jan Kellner-Well known German Mck boater: 'The funnest play boat I've ever paddled."

Jeff Snyder-White Water Wizard: "Instant fun, just add air and water."

Dr Information Contact: P.O. Box 80 Albright, WV 26519 (304) 329-2359

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994

West Virginia Symposium "A Success"

The Appalachian Rivers and Watershed Symposium, hosted June 3 through 5th by West Virginia University's Division of For- estry, was a smashing success for the sci- entific, grassroots,and agency interests involved in conserving West Virginia's rivers and streams. The symposium was sponsored by the WV Rivers Coalition and WV Department of Commerce, Labor, and Environmental Resources, and cesponsored by over 30 organizations, including the AWA. Highlights included an amazingly well Rich Williams, AWA discusses Public Access at West Virginia Rivers Symposium. run conference, stellar speakers, and a

- Starrk - Moon Canoes m - Delta, Pa. at the Muddy Creek Gorge and the lower Susquehanna River

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 CONSERVATION

wide range of topics dealing with river issues and concerns. Discussions and panels were held on water quality and quantity, River Network public use, watershed management, and rivers and people. Most outstanding was the panel discussion on the perceived dif- publishes new ferences between conservation and private property rights, and Georgia Power's pre- . sentation on the conference theme of book "How to "Shared Perspectives, Sharing Solutionsn. As befitted the Mountain State, recre- Save a River" ation and whitewater played an important part in this symposium. AWA staff, board members and regional coordinators par- As a handbook for Citizen Action, au- ticipated in panel discussions on both pub- thor David Bolling highlights river saving lic and private land access, and on hy- success stories, campaign strategies to dropower development. Other panels dis- save rivers, and lets ordinary citizens in on cussed commercial outfitting and river how to effectively organize and plan a economics. campaign, build public support, and imple- On Friday, June 31-4keynote speaker, ment a plan of action. AWA invitee, and native West Virginian David Bolling is a award winning jour- Royal Robbins gave an inspirational ad- nalist, a paddler, and the former Executive dress and slideshow on the importance of Director of Friends of the River in Califor- "connecting" with the outdoor experience. nia On Saturday, Tim Palmer concluded the Paperback copies of this book are symposium with an equally impressive available for $14.00 from River Network at slideshow on river "Lifestyles".. PO Box 8787, Portland, OR 972074787, or call at (800) 423-6747..

A WA invitee speaks at the 1994 West Virginia Rivers Symposium.

RIO SHONDURAS The National Park Service (NPS) is 10281 Hwy. 50. Howard. CO 81233 now conducting the first update of the NRI since its original publication in 1982. The 800 255-5784

looking for a new place to paddle? Join us in Honduras and experience tropical paddling. UJe offer a variety of 1-9 day or customlguide service kayak, canoe and raft trips. Some of our excursions through lush rain

forests and exhilarating whitewater Also available with are led by renowned canoeist Bob Polypropylene or Spectra Core line. Foote and top notch kayakers Mary Hayes and Phil Deniemer. Highly experienced expert guides lead other kayak and raft trips. Waist-worn throw bag Waist-worn throw bag Call for more information and &tow system holds 554.of line holds 70% of line detailed itineraries.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 ...... CONSERVATION NRI is a listing of all remaining free-flow- fisherpeople, who visit outstanding rivers ing river segments in the United States and streams on a daily basis. The AWA en- which could potentially qualify as national courages boater participation in this up wild, scenic, or recreational rivers under date. the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. For copies of the nominating proce- The NPS is soliciting boater input into dures for State rivers and contacts, please this update, in order to incorporate addi- contact the AWA Conservation Office at tional high quality rivers. Nowhere is this (301) 589-9453, or contact Dan Meyer knowledge more readily available than to (NPS) at (202) 3433779.1 recreational river users, boaters and

Paddler Mugs Unique among paddling novebes! North Chickamauaa Creek Undate - IndividuaUv wheel thrown and relief sculpted of tough porcelain by paddling potter Melinda McDaniel. * K-1,OC-1 & 2, C-1, Squirt * New for '94 Rock Climbers! A few years ago, North Chickamauga Creek was on the cutting edge of what was be- * Wide range of mwes and colors for ing run in the southeast. Today that distinction has passed to steeper and more difficult personalizing runs,but the Norht Chick remains a premier whitewater run. At high flows, it is one of * 3 Sues: Smd Coffee, Large Coffee and the most challenging runs to be found. Mega Beer * Dihwasher/Microwave safe * The watershed which drains North Chickamauga Creeek encompasses some of the Call or write for free brochure and ordering most pristine wilderness east of the Mississippi and yet is within minutes of downtown information Chattanooga, TN. It is rare to fine such undisturbed wilderness so close to a major city, * Look for us at Gauley Fest '94 and this proximity is one of the most important aspects of the gorge. White Tree Pottery 405 Windsor Dr. For several years, AWA and other conservation organizations have directed their at- Rocky Mount, VA 24151 tention towards some sort of permanent protection for the watershed. There has been (703) 489-3722 significant progress in this area but the rapid growth of development within the watershed makes the need for protection even more pressing. In June of 1993, Bowater, Inc. designated 1095 acres as a Pocket Wilderness, in effect protecting the entire river left corridor downstream of the confluence with Cain Creek. After this win, attention fo- cused on land on river right and the upper watershed. The Conservation Fund conducted a major study of the area, utilizing modern computer graphics to do an enhanced analysis of the gorge. AWA was active in this study and assisted a local organization, The Friends of North Chickamauga Creek Greenway, Inc. in obtaining a grant of $8000 from a private foundation to prepare a strategic management plan for the gorge. AWA joined the Conservation Fund, The Friends group and the National Park Service as partners in the project. AWA board member Ron Stewart represents AWA on the steering committee of the project. AWA also allocated money to be used in developing a video of the gorge and to support activities of the Friends group. The video was recently completed and highlights the value of all aspects of the gorge.

In a recent development, the Office of Surface Mining targeted North Chickamauga Creek as one of three potential pilot projects that could receive major funding towards water quality restoration from acid mine runoff. A grant application has been submitted for this project.

That's the good news. Many problems remain, however: major funding for land ac- quisition of the unprotected critical areas is still in question; the area which has been tra- ditionally used as a put-in on the Signal Mountain side of the gorge has recently been targeted for development; access issues on river right are arising. In addition, rapid development within the watershed from other sectors could pose a problem to water quality and the wilderness nature of the gorge, and could cause cause future access problems. Vandalism and related problems in the popular blue hole areas near the bottom of the gorge have been an on and off problem, a situation similar to those at other rivers when they first began to be protected. Concerns about chip mill operations in the area have raised several questions about the impact on the North Chick gorge as well as several other important watersheds in the area

AWA has played a mojor role in protecting this significant southern stream. If considered for Wild and Scenic status, North Chickamauga Creek will forever be one of the true gems of boating in the S0utheast.l

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 CONSERVATION

One Saturday this May, drifting down the eddies at the top of Clavey Falls on the Tuolumne River, I inspected the last section of the Clavey river as it makes its final tumble into the Tuolumne. I hadn't run the Clavey in years and wondered whether there was enough water to run it. Sure enough. For soon after our group got to the bottom of the Falls a trio of paddlers, Scott Lingrin, Mark Holcomb, and Charlie Muncie, came charging by. They'd run the whole lower Clavey in four hours. This is remarkably fast considering that the alleged first descent of the Clavey involved over twenty-five portages and took two days. This was made by Dennis Johnson and Rob Kirby in a secretive run in 1980. Dennis had a strong belief that you shouldn't tell people about your first descents because you "would ruin the wilderness experience for the next group down." So only the vaguest rumors came out at first. The rumors made the run sound like a horrendous portagefest. The next descent was four years later. These paddlers trimmed the portages down to half a dozen. By the late 80's the Lower Clavey was being run more than a dozen times during a good water year. Last year I ran the Upper Clavey for the "nthn time in a decade. I was with a

Left: Unknown boater: Clavey River.

Cheat River . Update

AWA has joined West Virginia Rivers

D Coalition, West Virginia Mountain Stream Monitors and the newly formed Friends of PADDLE BAGS the cheat-including resident ~ii Carries 3 paddles per bag! Snyder-as intervenors to Appeal No. 94 27-RBR before West Virginia's Surface Mine ) For breakdown, full length touring and whitewater paddles. Board. T & T Fuels, a mining company that is responsible for much of the Cheat's poor PADDED PADDLE BAGS PADDLE SOCKS! water quality, has applied for relief (i.e. PRICES FROM $43.50 - $68.50 money) in cleaning up the Cheat. The intervention is an attempt to thwart T & T's attempt to pass on clean-up costs to the taxpayers. I

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 YOUR #lREASON TO DEMAND ...... w.... CONSERVATION

MEWORLD'S #I5PRAY5KIRT large contingent involved in a film-making escapade. The water was high. A number of backenders and inadvertent flips occurred. As usual in filming there was a lot of waiting around so we had a lot of time to inspect our larger surroundings. In comparison with the lower run, the banks on the upper are more forested and the rocks are generally sharper and smaller. Class 5 rapids are fewer and further between and the drops are generally FROM THE PUT-IN less severe and more open. Halfway down we found an abandoned Crossfire, I guess TO THE TAKE-OUT, IT from a previous trip. As I got out to inspect it, Dave Turner began chanting "Up grade! upgrade! upgrade!...". They all urged me to trade in my ailing T-Slalom for this (ailing) Crossfire. But the fit was a bit tight and I didn't feel like abandoning my boat. So the Crossfire is probably still there, now decayed by the Sierra sun. The Lower Clavey is a primo steep creek, prime spud-boat country. To give you an idea of how tight the drops are I DEMAND A A& "SHOCKER" will recount a rapid I remember from the first time I ran it, which was with Lars FOR YOUR LOCAL DEALER CONTACT: A&&.619 -376-2794 Holbek. I paddled a Hollowform back then. I paddled this Hollowform for YEARS, enough to get an incredible amount of grief about it from my fellow paddlers, who were by now in upscale bright col- ored short boats. (Istill drive a 71 Datsun, so am considered a bit conservative regarding equipment upgrades.) Lars was in a Mustang which was at least a foot shorter than the regulationsized Hollowform. There was one drop where Wilderness Kayak Expeditions you have to eddy out halfway down Fly-Ins and Day Trips against the right wall in order to set up for Rentals, Instruction the next move. The Mustang fit with about Raft Supported Trips six inches to spare. So I carried.

Chuck Stanley and Lars Holbek were my main boating partners in the 80's. 907-349-4588 Chuck and I have toned our boating way 3732 Encore Circle down, but back in the early 80's the three Anchorage, AK 99507 of us were a team dedicated to making first descents and clean-up runs. By cleanup runs we did not mean garbage clean- ups but portage clean-ups. Chuck and Lars represented our team on the clean-up second descent of the Clavey in 1984 where the number of portages was whittled Specializing in canoe instruction and guided down to half a dozen. Chuck has a racing canoe trips on Interior Alaska River background and would get inordinately pissed when "yahoos with no skill" I t outgunned him in running giant drops. So Box 81750, Fairbanks, AK 99708 I remember quite well Chuck's smug, vin- (907) 479-5183 I dicated mood upon returning from that run. His "competitors" were the other six or so paddlers of the day. I recall numerous stories of the "penalties" these paddlers racked up in the form of pins, body slams, swims, and the like. American Whitewater v Gauley Festival1994 Above:Unknown boater Clavey River.

One particular wipeout comes to are pumping. The remains of the pool mind. Gordon Patchen pinned in the above the ~allswhere the Clavev comes I RIVER DATA middle of a drop, got half stuffed under out seems like a sizable stretch of Both the upper and lower put-ins are water and waved while people took his flatwater after all those horizon lines on outside Tuolumne city. The upper put-in is picture. the Clavey. And the Falls becomes less in- the second bridge up from the confluence While we're on the subject of wipeouts timidating, seeming like a minor drop in with the Tuolurnne. The upper take-out is here is one that occurred several years elevation and completely wide-open in the first bridge up from the confluence later at a natural slalom gate on the Lower comparison to the drops on the Clavey. which is also the lower put-in. The gradi- Clavey where the river becomes so narrow ' that a person can easily span the gap with a foot on each bank. One unfortunate individual forgot to take his paddle out of the way while running the gate. His penalty for hitting "the poles" was a broken blade on his kayak paddle. He flailed down the bottom of the drop, trying to use this broken blade, and then staring at it after it sliced . uselessly through the water. His conse- quent swim set off a string of swims which Chuck found quite unforgivable. So Chuck . engaged him in spontaneous boot-camp BEAK style roll sessions in the tiny pools between drops to try to insure that he would HELMET VISOR SYSTEM regain his lost eskimo art and that we would not have to pick up the pieces. Send $12.50 Check or M.O. to SALAMANDER My all-time favorite confluence is P.O. Box 2895, Seal Beach, CA 90740 where the Clavey hits the T (Tuolurnne).

A Or check out your local Paddle store. You come off of this incredible white stair- case of a creek into the T just above Red, Royal, Teal, Black and Purple Clavey Falls. The T is typically running high if the Clavey is runnable, so the Falls

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammm CONSERVATION ent on the upper is over 120 feet per mile. On the lower it is over 130 feet per mile. There is a gauge on river right just below the Lower put-in. The low end of runnable is 5.6.7 feet is an ideal level and the high end is around 8.5. These figures translate out to about 400,800, and 1,500 cfs. The lower takeout is the takeout for the main Tuolumne-the Ward's feny bridge. For more complete information see Outdoors Chuck and Lars' guide and joke book "A Guide to the Best Whitewater in the State of Californian. The geology of the rapids on the lower run alternates between big round granite boulders and a hard red bedrock There are so many major drops that only a few have been named. An amazing number can be boat scouted without prior knowledge. We named some of them way back when - really intelligent names like "Super-Bad-Ass-Wickedn, and "Wicked Undercut". I doubt anyone uses these names anymore. Some other names are "Island Rapid", "Mothern, and "Landslide". There are two mandatory portages, Our spectacular 1300-acre Outdoor Center lies on the rim of the New and most paddlers carry a few more. There are several mediumsized runnable River Gorge adjacent to New River Gorge National River. It's the perfect waterfalls. The last one is about 15 feet "home base" for exploring southern West Virginia! high and is a popular destination for rafters hiking up from Clavey Falls. It is Our lodging facilities include luxury Mountain Chalets, deluxe SAri Tents, within a quarter mile of the confluence with the Tuolurnne. & Teepees, as well as tent camping. The Outdoor Center also features a The canyon is quite remote and un- lakeside Dining Hall, five stocked fishing lakes, miles of hiking and mountain touched, despite being a three hour drive bike trails, four shower houses, a swimming beach, and much more! from the San Francisco Bay Area I have never seen any other person outside of our paddling group during my runs. It is re- ACE offers affordable multi-day adventure programs. nowned for fishing and is one of the few Stay a day...or stay a week! remaining native trout streams in the state. Cougar and bald eagles have been spotted. Kayak lessons and guided trips by ACA-certified instructors The Clavey is definitely a world-class -*=- are offered on the New, Gauley, and surrouding rivers. creek run. Come on out and run it. And write a letter protesting the misguided dam plans on the Clavey. See conservation Climbing lessons and guided trips are offered for all ability box alongside this article.. levels on the world class rock faces of the New River Gorge and Seneca Rocks areas.

Mountain biking tours and rentals are available for riding excursions on over 25 miles of marked trails on ACE property, plus adjacent trails of the National Park.

Scenic horseback riding with ACE'S on-premise stables provides relaxing halfday and full-day riding at its best.

All Adventure Companies Are Not Created Equal! GET REAL WET ACE Outdoor Center P.O. Box 1168 Oak Hill, WV 25901 Stnokestack Etontworks 1-800-223-2641 164 Wilclwoocl Avenue East Lnnsclowno, PA 19050 215-ezzzzc2..9_B_B6- American Whitewater v Gauley Festival1994 m.m.m.mmm....mm.m.. m..... CONSERVATION Clavey River Issue

The Clavey is a tributary of California's Tuolumne River, it is considered "one of California's last wild rivers", and is one of 3 only four remaining free-flowing rivers in the Sierra Nevada It has become the focus of a major battle between conservationists, recreationists and a Central Valley irrigation district. The Clavey flows for 47 miles, and is located just west of Yosernite. Thousand foot canyon walls, old-growth forests, swimming holes, waterfalls, and Class TV and V whitewater characterize this river. This is an unequalled expert wilderness run, and is a CA Wild Trout Stream. In 1990, the Turlock Irrigation District national policy, the Wild and Scenic Rivers tact AWA's Conservation Office at (301) submitted an application to FERC to con- Act. I 589-9453, or the Tuolumne River Preserva- struct a $700 million five-dam project on AWA members are strongly urged to tion Trust at (415) 292-3531.H the Clavey. With an irrigation district as send letters of support for a Wild and Sce- the applicant, one would think the primary nic Clavey to their US Representatives and motivating would be water for irrigation, Senators. For additional information, con- Above: Unknown boater Clavey River. but the proposed project provides no water, only high cost electricity to district residents, farms and businesses. High cost because electricity generated by the Clavey Project would ring in at 13 to 14 cents per kilowatt hour, more than three times the market rate in CA. The abundance of surplus energy now available in CA, and the availabilityof cheaper energy alternatives has offered conservation interests a strong tool with which to fight this project. Recently, the CA Energy Commission agreed to conduct an independent economic analysis of the Clavey Project. The CEC's neutral report should help further convince the public of this projects economic infeasibiity. Even some of the largest industrial energy users in the Turlock service area are contesting this project, including local businesses, the Coalition for Better Gov- ernment, and the CA Farm Bureau. Earlier this year, the AWA petitioned the FERC to allow for late intervention in this proceeding, in order to represent private boater interests and to offer recre ational expertise on this outstanding river. A FERC EIS is due on the Clavey some time in late 1994, which will offer additional opportunities to those interested in intervention. A FERC licensing decision could be made as early as 1995. Opponents of the project, which includes the Tuolornne River Preservation Trust, the AWA, Natural Heritage Institute, American Rivers and the Sierra Club, are seeking not only to stop this project, but to have this river protected by our strongest

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994

bg Rich Homn

I'm excited to have recently joined AWA as the Coordinator for their river access program. AWA is an impressive organization; over the years, it has accomplished so much with little money and no staff, Without AWA's longstanding efforts, we would no longer have whitewater on such outstanding rivers as New York's Bot- tom Moose and Black, West Vis Gauley, or other outstanding rivers. AWNS Board, regional coordinators, staff and membership represent a wealth of talent and energy. Since I've started work with the AWA, I've come to appreciate the ex- pression that one can see better by "standing upon the shoulders of giants." As the new addition to this group, I plan to help AWA's conservation program take giant steps. Developing a full-time staff strictly dedicated to river conservation will dramatically increase our accom- plishments, helping AWA to help you-our members. Already, we've had some tre- mendous successes, particularly through the hydropower relicensing process, not to mention our whitewater festivals and rodeos. The way I see it, my mandate is fairly simple: to get ACCESS! Those of you who Rich Hoffman at Chattooga's Soc 'em Dog. know me realize that I have been obsessed with both the word and the concept of...ACCESS! The word access seems to creep its way into every sentence, every thought. Wasn't this country founded on the belief that everyone has the right to life, access and the pursuit of boating? While the prime directive of my job is simple, the solution is anything but. Access problems are everywhere, leading many top conservationists to recognize access as THE most pressing problem for whitewater rivers. On the Kemebec and Lower Yough, user New FutaFund fees are charged for the use of public streams. In Georgia, gates and barbed wire are being strung across rivers. On private land, boaters are sometimes denied access because of liability concerns, while government managed rivers often have inequitable permit Address systems for noncommercial boaters. To add insult to injury, what constitutes a public waterway varies wildly from state to state, and in some states, relies strictly on anti- quated codes that define navigabiity as only those streams that can float barges. Put The FutaFund-the U.S. simply, we do not have ACCESS! Having said that, let me make an appeal to you, our members. I believe that AWA's based organization that is energetic and passionate membership is the key to the success of our efforts. I envision helping Chileans in the fight to my job as Access Program Coordinator to be one that is ultimately guided and driven by YOUR needs. My role will be to serve as sort of an elected representative for private keep the Futaleufu River free- boaters. As such, I need to hear from you! One of my initial goals is to compile a nation- flowing--has changed ad- wide listing of access problems. The long-range goals that I have for the access program is to eventually move from a dresses: piecemeal, one-at-a-time approach to a broad, comprehensive program. While at first, our efforts will be diluted by the necessity of dealing with access threats one by one, we P.O. Box 4536 will eventually develop a strategy that will address many rivers at the same time, guaran- teeing a higher rate of return for our energy. Please feel free to call me (301-589-9453) Modesto, CA 95351 any time of the day or night: access issues never sleep!. Phone: (209) 572-mPTA FZIX(209) 522-5511

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 ...... ACCESS

Lathe turned vessels, River Custom furniture, Exceptional Quality Wood Canoe & Kayak Paddles I Mykl Messer Access Rt 2 Box 408 Albright I WV 26519 304-379-9750 In the early summer, AWA attended Landscape Plate public meetings organized by the National Park Service about the future of the Gauley River National Recreation Area The Park Service did an excellent job of evaluating what makes the gorge unique: the relative lack of development. Basi- cally, they proposed not to construct any new access roads into the gorge.

Best of all, they have recognized boater access as the number one priority! After all, it doesn't make sense to have a public resource that the public can only access by tresspassing! At present (and up until mid-November), the Park Service is wel- coming public response about their plan. And the Park Service wants input from boaters, specifically about the preferred access points!

The Park Service's survey in 1991 showed that boaters overwhelming preferred: CHATTOOGA -Mason Branch (aka Panther Mountain Road) as the take-out for the Upper PrCTHl'ZEWrnR Gauley, and -Bucklick Branch as the put-in for the Lower Gauley. SHOP

Please consider writing a letter to the Park Service about your access prefer- b ence. In your letter, mention the fact that you support efforts between the Park Ser- invites you to come experience the National Wild vice, AWA, the West Rivers Coali- and Scenic Chattooga River. We are a licensed tion, and commercial outfitters to arrive at a long-term solution that will secure legal professional outf~tterand offer a complete selec- access for the public. tion of paddling equipment and services. We are Letters should be sent to: open seven days a week April through October Superintendent and on weekends all winter. Gauley River National Recreation Area P.O. Box 246 14239 Long Creek Hwy. Glen Jean, WV 25846 Long Creek, S.C. 29658 Roger Zbel, 12 time winner of the Upper Yough Race, and 'A Satisfied Backlund Paddler Since 1980. mas mosr rrecnerous wilderness rivers, ultimately concluding that the pain and strain was worth the gain.

Above: Primitive hut near the river.

Top left: Piiia, Chris and Scott surveying the hike down.

Bottom leff: Entering the canyon.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 Hiking this trail in sandals was a sudden rustling in the bushes. The squeal- huge mistake. I had fallen behind by 15 ing and grunting suggested some poor ani- Above: The author in a minutes and was faced with yet another mal was having an unpleasant experience. banana grove, looking fork in the path - not knowing which route An Indian staggered fonvard holding a exasperated after two to take. rope in each hand, tied to the correspond- hours of hiking. "Which way!" I screamed in ing back leg of his pig. A hard tug to the frustration..... There was no reply. right and he would jerk the back right leg "Bastardsn, I muttered. Why did they of the pig. The pig would squeal and move leave me? I stood there for a moment, cov- to the right. A yank to the left leg, the pig ered in mud in the sticky hot jungle and would grunt and move left. wondered if any river was worth all this. Clever way to clear the trail for Clutching my boat tightly as I looked over snakes, I thought, as he steered his pig the precipice, I thought about John. A few from side to side. weeks ago, while hiking in, he put his boat I gestured in pigeon Spanish, "Which down, only to watch it slip away into the way to the river?" thick jungle below. The thought of wres He pointed me down the correct path tling pit vipers for a kayak was not appeal- and we were on our respective ways. At ing. this point, I wasn't sure who was worse The daydream was interrupted by a off - me or the pig.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 JUNGLE BOOGIE The most "accessible" river among these is the Rio Chinipo - Atlantico. In southern Costa Rica, between the Rafael Gallo and Mike Mayfield, au- Above: Chris in the midst of Pacuare River valley and Panama, lies the thors of The Rivers of Costa Rica describe Euthanasia Falls. Cordillera De Talrnanaca mountain range. the river in this way: "The initial elation of This remote section of the country houses the group on finding the first 2 miles of the the Chirripo Volcano (now extinct) and river to contain exhilarating Class IV water dense jungle, interspersed with minute vil- was soon tempered by the harsh reality of lages. Drainage the 12,530 foot volcano to running endless Class V and Class VI rap- the Pacific coast are tributaries of the ids and rapidly rising water levels. There popular Rio General. The main boatable was no way to exit the canyon except con- tributary is the Chirripo - Pacifico. tinue down stream, and each tributary To the east, where annual rainfall mea- added to the woes of the run...... sures 200 inches, lie several rivers which "We do not recommend the Chinipo are extremely remote - requiring long rig- del Atlantico. Despite it's beautiful moun- orous hikes or airlifting of gear. Among tain scenery, challenging rapids, clear wa- these rivers are the Ftio Estrella, Rio ter, and splendid isolation, the difficulties Telire, Rio Coen, Rio Lari, Rio Uren, and and hazards associated with running this the Ftio Chirripo - Atlantico. 1 river are simply too great".

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 I CAN'T RESIST

Well, how could anyone resist a stir- ring guidebook description like that? Based in Turrialba, we were having a great time on the Upper Pacuare - running it three times and finding Bobo Falls no more difficult than Watauga Falls or Ham- mer Factor on the Green. The Pasqua and Peralta sections of the Reventezon were nice, but the water quality was just too nasty. "Jungle Runn, the definitive rapid on the Peralta section, had been grossly altered by the December 1993 flood, rendering it unrecognizable. We were ready for a change of scenery. We had heard of a recent descent of the Chirripo Atlantico, featuring 10 miles of exciting whitewater after a grueling hike-in. Our day began at 330 AM, loading boats for the two and one-half hour drive from Turrialba toward the Rio Chirripo Atlantico. Our driver, Tito, was somewhat

SHIRTS 1) ~~~:~~~~f~\~f------11--- HATS PATCHES DECALS POSTERS LICENSES

item size total AWA T-shirts available in M,L,XL unless noted (postage $2.90 up to 2 shirts) AWA Logo: $10 SS; $12.50 LS (SS in M & L only) The Wilder the Better: $10 SS; $12.50 LS Bold Look: Closeout LS Medium only $8 Super Heavy, Super Sized T-shirts (M,L,XL).. - New Logo, SS only, Grape or Forest $15 AWA River Caps: $10 (postage $1) AWA License Plate Frames: $5 (postage $1) AWA Embroidered Patches: $2 AWA Waterproof Decals: $50 Rodeo World Championship Posters $6 (postage $1) PCXXAGE familiar with the area, and after a few camped there overnight and by the follow- IT DON'T COME navigational corrections, we were depos ing- dav" were out of food. Fortunate18. In- I ited on a high mountain plateau. The sun dim,which exclusively occupy thisierri- I --EASY -- - had just risen as we began our descent to tory, helped extricate their boats from the I the river 3,000 feet below. canyon by loading them onto horses. I was in good company. Scott's group was grateful, but the The hike in was the most arduous I Chris Hipgrave is a world class horses were not accustomed to dragging had ever done with a boat. The two mile creek boater. His most astonishing ex- kayaks. They spooked, smashing the kay- hike to Giant Gap in California paled in ploits are exhibited in Water FaU Kauak, a aks into trees as they bucked and galloped comparison. The trail started as a narrow video in which a 125 foot waterfall in uncontrollably up the mountain. footpath between rows of coffee. Con- Wales is tackled. Brent Austin, who suffers from Com- tinuing down, we were engulfed by the Nicknamed Pina (pineapple) by the lo- pulsive Paddler Syndrome, can only be sa- verdant jungle. The trail was "good" decals because of his blond mohawk tiated by multiple trips down the Green spite deep mud and countless steep dreadlocks, Andy Lee, from New I Narrows. The Chirripo would have to suf- switchbacks. Several times when the trail Zealand, had claimed a first descent a I fice this day. presented optional routes, an Indian month earlier near Manuel Antonio. Scott Andler, from Portland Oregon, had attempted the Chirripo 3 weeks earlier, only to be turned away by high water. His group had hiked for over 9 hours in Left: Our escorts to the river. We were really knee deep mud to the river. Tired, they taken by the beauty of these people. anoe KayaKMagazine The #1 Paddlesports Resource

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American Whitewater GauleyFestivall994 would appear - almost too coincidentally - to assist us in following the correct path. Although the region was remote, the indigenous population was versed in Span- ish, no doubt from trading coffee and ba- nanas outside of their village. Small children would sometimes appear higher up on the mountain, as if we were being shadowed. How did they know that a Fer De Lance or a Morte Verde was not in their wake as they romped through the thick forest unprotected? The dark trail, like a tunnel shutting out all light, continued up and down the mountain, but would peri- odically open up to expose a brilliant meadow of chest high grass and a glimpse of the valley below. We reached a banana grove and a thatched roof hut crudely constructed from bamboo like poles lashed together. We felt like we had taken a step back in time. Next to the hut was a thatched roof pavilion complete with handmade vine hammocks and an open fire pit for cook- ing. The inhabitants assisted us in locating the river, since we had veered off the path by some 300 meters. This family of Indians escorted us the rest of the way. We arrived at the river after a two and a half hour hike, scratched, muddy, bruised, sweaty, and almost exhausted by the carry and lack of sleep. My hands were rope burned, blistered and sore from dragging the boat, making it difficult to consider clutching a paddle for the long run ahead. The river looked low, probably no more than 300 CFS. We put in nearly 2 miles upstream of the foot bridge that Scott had hiked to 3 weeks before. The river was unique. Channelized in a gravel bed was about 23 miles of Class 11 water. The action began to pick up to Class IV when we scouted a blind 7 foot boulder strewn drop. The difficulty dropped back to Class 11 for another half mile until we entered a steep rocky gorge. The action jumped from Class III to Class IV almost immediately. The volume picked up noticeably. An- other half mile and we were into some Top: Brent getting tuned up for the canyon. very pushy water. The river took on a western feel and hole dodging was impera- Bottom: Chris ... Euthanasia Falls. tive as we picked our way through boulders fields. And then the wind began to howl through the gorge, upstream, as if to push us back. Precise eddy hop moves be-

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 came more difficult as we wrestled our paddle blades, first through the water, then through the gale. The gorge was steep and stunning and there was absolutely no way to get out. Several rock slides were a result of an earthquake in April 1991. The epicenter of the quake was very close to the lower canyon. Rock slides formed a natural dam that blew out after heavy rains later that year and altered many of the rapids. The river was now falling at 120-130 foot per mile, making for non stop continuous Class N+action. At this point Chris was in the lead and I ran second. I began to wonder, why am I following him down this blind mess - he jumped off a 125 foot waterfall, remember? As we watched from tiny eddies, Chris would disappear. We stared at each other as if to say "Who's going to follow him next?". There is a powerful link between the human mind, paddling and music. Most people listen to a song on the way to work, then replay that same song mentally all day. On this particular day our shuttle driver had Tony Orlando & Dawn playing in his tape deck This prompted Brent to torture me by singing a few verses of "Candida". In the maw, it kept popping in my mind...... "Oooooh Candida, we can make it together" It was I who was cursed this time. Per- haps Brent was seeking revenge for the time I put a large rock in the stem of his boat, prior to a run on the Green. The author running one of many similar drops in the gorge. The gradient and intensity picked up another notch. We knew there would be 8 Ehris like a bunch of lemmings, suggested slammed the left wall of the gorge, and to 10 miles of action and that we were m his thick New Zealand accent that "We stopped in a eddy to scout the lower por- probably only 3 or 4 miles in. We stopped mght to start scouting these drops". tion of the run. He made the treacherous to refuel. It was strange - during lunch no We had scouted only a few to this lower section look easy by making a few one said a word for 15 minutes. The karma point, and for the last mile had been decisive creek moves, totally avoiding a of the gorge was more than we antici- blindly bombing down some serious stuff. terminal 10 foot high pourover. pated. Looking downstream, the river The horizon line suddenly changed, a We knew of perhaps a dozen or so curved out of site. We could only imagine monstrous rock was perched in the middle groups that had descended the river be- what lie ahead. of the river. The river made a 90 degree fore us, including Gallo's group in 1984. right hand turn through house size boul- One group in 1987 had reportedly ran all THE BIG THRILL ders. This time we all scouted, Chris on the rapids. However, the 1991 earthquake river left, and the rest on river right. changed the river significantly and this As we approached the 170 foot per Brent, Scott and I found a sneak on far was the first known attempt at this rapid mile section the rapids were getting big- river right and walked the lower section of since that time. Chris was given the hon- ger, though more pool-drop in character. the rapid. Chris boofed a slot on river left, ors of naming this rapid. F'inally Andy, concerned about following powered through a huge pillow which His pronouncement was: "I've always

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 wanted to named a rapid Euthanasia Fallsn. So be it. FEELING AND PURAVIDA The Chinipo didn't let up for another 4 STAYING ALIVE miles but it seemed like the gradient de- PADDLING COSTA creased a bit after the falls. As we finally You can't help but feel alive when you're RICA paddled out of the gorge the difficulty in the middle of an experience like paddling eased back to Class III-IV for a few miles. the Chirripo- Atlantico. When the shuttle, For nearly a decade Costa Rica has Moravia Falls was a notable landmark, hike in, the remoteness, and the river are all been a paddler's paradise. A combination deliniating the end of the gorge. The re- taken into account, it becomes a unique of rain forests and high mountains yield an maining 10 miles or so to the take out was experience. abundance of outstanding Class IVN riv- Class Il or moving Class I. Running the Chirripo demands a team ers. Unlike other Latin American coun- The volume near the end of the gorge of totally committed paddlers with skills tries, where political climates often dictate was about 1,000 CFS. All along the way commensurate to the undertaking. The travel conditions, Costa Rica is the "Swit- beautiful horse tail waterfalls had contrib- river should only be attempted when lev- zerland of Central America". It is common uted significantly to the volume and conse- els are manageable. During high water to travel and paddle in Costa Rica without quently the difficulty. The guidebook indi- season, the river would unquestionably the use of an outfitter. Temperatures are cates that the run is 18 miles long. That become a maelstrom. warm and tropical, the Ticos are friendly, might be so... if one could locate the This is no place for sissies. Our bodies and in most parts of the country the food egress at Playa Hermosa and put.in at the were plenty sore the next day. and water are safe for Gringo consump bridge. Our trip was about 28 miles. Even Chris Hipgrave, who has youth tion. We paddled down to the main highway and bravado on his side, downed his first Turrialba is the consummate paddler's in Bristol. At the take out, we trudged up Ibuprofen...... town. Several rivers are within a 2 hour the river bank and found a cantina with drive, the accommodations are cheap, and cold cervezas. Somehow it was all worth the cervezas are always co1d.l

fter a day on the Upper Yough or on the Gauley, enjoy fine food and f% pirits, meet the artists, and help further river conservation efforts in "the Rivers Staten -West Virginia.

Suggested donation $25.00 (but any donation is graciously accepted).

* Donations of $25.00 or more receive 5 free tickets in the Wild, W.Va. Rivers Raffle featuring five whitewater boats, paddling gear, etc.

Show runs through September. Gallery hours FriSat- Sun-Mon: Noon-7 pm. Donations to WVRC will be accepted at the Windrush throughout the show. Donations can be sent directly to WVRC at PO Box 606, Buckhannon, WV 26201. For further info or to RSVP for the reception call WVRC toll-free at 1-800- 747-5899 or call the Windrush Gallery at (301) 746- 4083.

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Two miles from Chattooga River Bridge Highway 76 in South Carolina I -8001647-0365 14546-8 Long Creek Highway, Mountain Rest, SC 29664 Solo Boater Questions Guidebook's Edict "Never Boat Alone!" An Open Letter by W. Scott Morris

To: Jim Cassady, Bill Cross, F'ryar Calhoun Authors of Western Whitewater

Dear Jim, Bill, & Fryar, I recently bought a copy of your Western Whitewater, which I find very impressive. It is the most comprehensive and well re- searched work that I have seen on western rivers and will probably remain on the very top of my pile of river books. There is, however, one issue which I would like to address in your safety section. This is the edict "Never boat alone". Actually there are many good reasons to boat alone and the safety record of solo river runners is probably better than that of mupboaters. I realize that this is not "your" rule; it has been around a long time, but most authors and serious boaters' organizations have dropped it entirely or adopted "boating alone is not recommended", a wiser rule; and one less likely to provoke bureaucrats into banning solo trips on their rivers. I feel very strongly about this issue because I boat alone a lot. My solos are generally long whitewater wilderness trips in a small whitewater raft, and have included the Salt, Dolores (twice), San Juan, Rio Grand through Big Bend (five times), Middle Fork Salmon, Main Fork Salmon, Rogue, Green, Westwater, Cataract, Grand Canyon (twice), and others. These solo trips have provided me with some outstanding adventure and deep solitude, and I hope to do many more in the future. As one boater to another, I hope you will have the patience to listen to why I think we should eliminate, or at least modify, this rule about never boating alone. The main issue here is safety. My personal experience suggests that, while additional precautions are worthwhile, the likelihood of serious problems while boating alone is minimal. I have never had any mishaps that I couldn't deal with myself; and I think that real experience is what we need to look at here. Not only mine, but others as well. The literature is packed with stories of solo trips of every kind, from peaceful to wild. While there have certainly been thousands of solo river trips over the years, we rarely hear about them because no problems were encountered. But there are also many legendary stories about river trips involving solo boaters like, R.M. Patterson, Buzz Holstrom, Walter Kirschbuam, Walt Blackadar, Bi Mason, Calvin Rutstrum, and Amos Burg. And these weren't all just class 2 paddles; many were considered extremely dangerous, and some were first descents. If the "Never boat alone" rule had any basis in fact, we expect none of these boaters to return alive. But survive they did and arrived home in good condition! In fact many of them considered their solo trips to be some of the most valuable and intense experiences of their lives. If you think about it, you will realize that mishaps are actually less likely to occur when boating alone simply because the boater is going to be a lot more careful. Moreover, solo trips eliminate several problems which can be caused by group dynamics, including poor communication between boaters and a host of behavioral problems. Also the lackadaisical attitude of "just another trip with a bunch of friends' simply isn't an issue on a solo trip. People who do solo trips are very aware that they are responsible for everything and that

American Whitewater GauleyFestival 1994 any mishaps could be serious. This is the factor when accidents do occur. Rarely wearing a PFD,boating beyond one's abili- crux of the problem. The real safety issue will people bother to ask "Might not this ties, a victim happens to be boating alone, with solo trips is not that there are apt to have happened anyway? Even if there was people will often wrongfully point to that be more problems, but rather that certain someone else there?". In real life, more as the cause. But accidents are usually the kinds of problems might have much more people might mean more injuries or result of ignoring other, more reasonable, serious consequences if there is no one deaths, either due to the same cause or safety rules. around to help. Viallyany kind of injury some dangerous rescue attempt gone One example of this was a story I or medical problem that incapacitates the wrong. heard about a solo kayaker who did a re- boater, or loss of critical gear or supplies If an accident occurs on a solo trip, the mote fly-in, fly-out trip in Alaska some on a long trip, could spell trouble for the cause of the problem probably won't be yeaxs ago. The boater told only the pilot of solo tripper. I often ponder certain sce- that the boater was alone, but rather: not his trip plans, but on the way home the pi- narios inwhich it would be handy indeed to have some friends nearby. But over the yeaxs I've realized that this isn't as big an issue as it seems. WHITEWATER INSTRUCTION Firstly, there are getting to be quite a few boaters out there. It's hard to think of a VIDEOS river where, at least during boating season, you would not see other boaters every day. Boaters on wilderness rivers are The Kayaker's Edge generally quite friendly and glad to play safety or help out in an emergency; in fact This fast paced instructional video unlocks the secrets behind basic and advanced stroke techniques, smooth surfing and sidesurfing, most of the rescues I've seen on the river rolling and bracing. 58 minutes. were conducted, at least in part, by boat- "The best general instruction v~deoon the market" - Outside ers from other groups. Solo Pla yboating! Secondly, there is a techno-fix, radio nspiring instructional video packet with information for oDen canoeists. gear. I personally carry both an aviation 43 minutes. "Entertaining... super j:b of presenting technical points. Nicely band transceiver and an emergency locat- paced. ..fun to watch. -Charlie Walbridge, Wildwater Designs ing transmitter on most long solo trips. While I suspect this is overkill, a lone Take the Wild Ride! boater with such gear could probably call A highl entertaining, yet instructional, look at the world's best in help faster than a group trip using a run- freestyre kayakers. Their aerial stunts are incredible to watch. ner (although I would never bet my life on it). Advances in telecommunication gear GI Challenge have been rapid, and it will not be long be- Citizen Racer Workshop fore phones are available which will work inspriational, highly instructional. from anywhere (unfortunately). So al- onlv $1 9.95 each. though problems on solo trips have the - potential to become more serious, stick- Available from your favorite whitewater store or send $29.95 ing to popular runs and/or carrying radio each + $4 shipping to: Kent Ford, Whitewater Instruction gear for remote trips seems to negate a Videos, 160 Hideaway Road, Durango, CO 81301 (303)259- fair amount of this liability. 1361 River running does have its risks, and solo boaters are not immune to mishaps, but people are to quick to blame the "solon

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Call or write for our free 24-page catalog of PFD's and all-terrain clothing and sportswear. Extrasport, Inc., Not just sport. 5305 N.W. 35 Court, Miami, Florida 33142 (305) 633-2945 PolartecTMis a trademark of Maiden Mills Ind., Inc. lot crashed and died. The kayaker waited rush. Certainly if it would save even one adopt your safety rules, including "Never at the take-out rendezvous until he starved life a ban on kayaks would be worth it, boat alone", as part of their regulations and to death. The person who told me this right? In fact banning kayaks would prob- make solo trips illegal on their river. story pointed to this particular case as a ably save many lives each year, looking at I think this would be a horrible mis good example of why you should never the statistics. So why don't we make a take, and so, evidently, do many other au- boat alone; but starving to death is hardly a rule against kayaking? thors in the field. A review of my river li- boating safety problem. ARer all, if he hap- Well, probably because we non- brary shows a few books echoing the ACA pened to have a friend with him, would he kayakers have the good grace and sense and AWA rules "Boating alone is not rec- have fared any better? Perhaps he could to stay out of it and let the kayakers de- ommended" or "Boating alone is discour- have eaten his friend, but my guess is that cide for themselves; after all, they are the aged" but none of them Witon this dicta- they both would have died. The problem ones who are taking the risks. The torial "Never boat alone". These books in- here was not that the boater was alone, kayakers have decided that its worth it, clude: but rather that he hadn't left a travel for whatever reasons, and if they can look Whitewater Rafting by McGinnis itinerary back home with specific instruc- these risks squarely in the face and go Rafting by Jeff Bennett tions on when and how to activate a anyway, who are we to stop them? River Rescue by Bechdel & Ray search. (I was glad to see your safety rule Let's use the same standard of rule Floater's Guide to Colorado by Wheat on this). making for boating alone. Unless the sta- Rivers of the Southwest by Anderson Of course even a single tragedy involv- tistics start showing some horrible trend a& Hopkinson ing a solo trip is enough to tempt one to (which simply hasn't happened), let's let River Safetv Re~ortby Walbridge write rules against boating alone. But let's the solo trippers decide for themselves Whitewater River Book by Watters be fair here and make sure that the same what safe and what's not. And when there Path of the Paddle by Mason standards of rule making apply to all boat- are accidents, we should examine them Whitewater Sourcebook by Penny ing issues. carefully, not with the intention of placing River Information Digest by ARMS, For instance, let us say a kayaker gets blame, but rather to learn how to correct and others. pinned, can't get free, and dies. Lets say we the problem and make these trips safer. None of them seem to agree with your exam the facts and all agree that this I do not want to dwell on morbid im- implacable rule. In fact several authors would not have happened if the boater had probabilities, but it is also worth noting specifically disagree with it. been in an open boat or a nice safe rubber that if a solo boater meets with disaster, it The River Safety Task Force of the raft. Would it not then be tempting to ban is generally due to their own screw up. ACA says in their Statement of Pumose kayaks from the river? "Never take a kayak The most tragic kind of accident is when "The ACA is concerned that well-meaning on moving water". the victim is innocent, but dies because of efforts to protect the individual not curtail This, I think is a good analogy. Why someone else's bad judgment - something the right of the informed, prepared pad- don't we ban kayaking? My own personal that happens more than it should. Solo dlers to practice his or her sport. We be- experience with kayaks proved them to be trips preclude such cruel and undue lieve that there is much to be gained by the extremely tippy and dangerous little boats. deaths. individual and the sport as a whole by tak- While my experience was short (about 20 The reason I have taken the time to ing calculated risks.... We believe the indi- minutes), it was very convincing. write such a lengthy dissertation on this vidual alone is responsible for the conse- We could convincingly argue that there subject is that the sport of river running is quences of his actions;.." is no reason why anyone needs to take a still in its infancy, particularly as regards Similarly, Watters says in Whitewater kayak on moving water; they were de- the development of river regulations and River Book, "Safety is the responsibility signed for hunting seals on flatwater. We permit restrictions. My fear is that since and choice of individuals, and the choice is could argue that kayaks are of virtually no you guys are experts on many aspects of something that should be left in the wilder- practical value on the river, and their op river running and since Western ness experience". erators are usually hedonistic thrill seekers Whitewater will surely become a classic, Bill Mason, the legendary canoeist, of a most egotistic ilk, strictly in it for the some well intentioned bureaucrat might teacher, author and filmmaker is more to

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 American Whitewater GauleyFestiwll994 the point about this rule. In the introduc- groups, or boating clubs catering to nov- include rules like "Never boat alone" sim- tion to Path of the Paddle he has an excel- ices. While this "Never .." rule should really ply to dissuade novices from doing some- lent discussion about solo trips, and al- be tossed in some deep river, it is perhaps, thing stupid, but really intend for them to though he is quick to point out their risks forgivable in the context of dealing with be broken by advanced boaters, then cer- and dangers, he speaks clearly to those beginning boaters who simply haven't a tainly we should ban boating class V wa- safety conscious groups and their well clue. But in the Preface of Western ter, maybe even class IV. And we should intentioned rule against boating alone. Whitewater you strongly imply that the probably up-rate all rapids at least one Mason says "I am as safety conscious book is for ALL river runners, including notch to protect these eager neophytes. as they are, yet I cannot bring myself to daring experts. Right? say that traveling alone is a thing of the You purposely avoid authoritarian dic- This is an issue which has confronted past. I don't think anyone has the right to turns like "Never run class V" or similar many rule makers and rapid raters over say thatn. rules which might be included for excep- the years, and most of them, like your- Of course there are plenty of cases tionally naive students. So why do you say selves, have come to the conclusion that where this didactic rule has been pub- "Never boat alonen? honesty is the best policy. Tell it like it is. lished over the years. You can often find it There is an issue of integrity that needs So, if your going to address the issue of in the safety rules of school or scout to be addressed here. If we are tempted to solo trips, lets do it with the same sense of

If you are writing about a commonly paddled river, your story should be told from a unique perspective. Articles about difficult, in- The editorial staff of American Whitewater carefully reviews all frequently paddled or exotic rivers are given spe- material submitted for publication. We are particularly interested cial consideration. Feature stories do not have to be about a specific river. Articles about ad- in receiving full length feature articles, conservation and club news, ding techniques, the river environment and river articles pertaining to whitewater safety and short, humorous personalities are also accepted. Pieces that in- pieces. corporate humor are especially welcome. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine Articles should fit our established format; include a self addressed stamped envelope through and don't be afraid to poke a little fun at that is, they should be stylistically pattered to with your submission. If you have slides, it is yourself. .. and your paddling partners. fit into our Features, AWA Briefs, Conservation best to have prints made and to mail these in- Profanity should be used only when it is ab- Currents, Safety Lines, Big Swims or End Notes stead. Because we publish in black and white, solutely necessary to effectively tell a story; it is sections. Exceptional photographs and photos with a lot of contrast work best. not our intent to intentionally offend our more whitewater cartoons are also welcomed. American Whitewater Feature articles sensitive members and readers. If possible articles should be submitted us- should relate to some aspect of whitewater Please check all facts carefully, particularly ing Wordperfect 5.0 on a 5 114" single sided boating. Please do not submit articles pertain- those regarding individuals, government agen- flexible disc. Please use the standard ing to sea kayaking or flatwater. The best fea- cies and corporations involved in river access Wordperfect default settings; do not alter the tures have a definite slant... or theme. They are and environmental matters. You are legally re- margin or spacing parameters. Send a printed not merely chronological recountings of river sponsible for the accuracy of such material. copy of the article as well. trips. Make sure names are spelled correctly and river Those without access to a word processor Open the story with an eye catching lead, gradients and distances are correctly calculated. may submit their articles neatly typed and perhaps by telling an interesting anecdote. Dia- Articles will be edited at the discretion of double spaced. logue should be used to heighten the reader's the editors to fit our format, length and style. Photos should be submitted in the form of interest. Don't just tell us about the river... tell Expect to see changes in your article. color or black and white prints. Keep your us about the people on the river... develop The American Whitewater Affiiation is a originals and send us duplicates if possible; we them as characters. Feature articles should not non-profit volunteer organization; the editors can not guarantee the safe return of your pic- be written in the style of a local club newslet- and contributors to American Whitewater are tures. If you want us to return your pictures, ter. not reimbursed.H honesty. I think that there is, however, a poten- meeting of individual and nature. Whether For some reason, many people re- tial problem with the publication of "Never ~tsa search for solitude, or a battle with spond to the issue of boating alone in a boat alone". Typically, people new to the the Gods, solo trips have always provided very personal way; they often translate the sport will fire themselves up with legend- a classic and profound way for this to oc- question of whether it's okay to boat alone ary stories of solo adventures like those of Cur. into "Would I ever boat alone?". But the Patterson, Mason, Kirschbaum, and Many of the stories that stir the imagi- real question here is "If somebody does Blackadar. And since these great deeds nation of adventurous boaters are tales of want to boat alone, and appears compe- blatantly violate one of the most emphatic solo trips into the wilderness. Stories of tent to do so, should we try to stop safety rules on your list, it may appear that discovery and learning, freedom and a them?". they will have to make a choice between new perspective; stories of adversity and Of course there will occasionally be a being a safe boater or being a legendary adventure, and a passion for life. Stories few crazies and spacecase novices who boater. It may even encourage them to like R.M. Patterson's Dan~erousRiver, show up at the put-in alone for all the scoff at all your other safety rules. when on his first solo trip up the Nahanni wrong reasons, but I think that any experi- Which would be unfortunate as your River, he felt like "the last survivor of the enced ranger could weed out these types safety rules in Western Whitewater are ac- human race cowering in the dusk beside based on a short conversation about their tually very good. I especially like the ones his puny fire at the bottom of some vast experience and an examination of their starting with "Know how to recognize ...", shadowy canyon - a monstrous gash into gear. "Know the risks of ...", and "Know the dan- the heart of a dead world". Over the years, most authorities and gers of ...". These not only provide warn- Or Anderson's and Hopkinson's ac- organizations have realized that boating ings, but good advice, and a list of key- count in Rivers of the Southwest of alone is not a problem for river runners. words for the innocent to dwell on before Walter Kirschbaum's solo first descent of Of all the river permits I have obtained on they set out in some skinny little boat. Gore Canyon of the Colorado, which starts western rivers over the last 12 years, I Another latent drawback to the inclu- off "Perhaps in 1962 no one else in the have never had any problems getting ap- sion of unfounded but sermonic rules like world was equally qualified to make the proval for a solo trip. The one exception to "Never boat alone" is that once a person run ... and in 1962 Gore Canyon repre- this was the river office at Dinosaur Na- does go solo, but doesn't meet the bogey sented the outer limits of possibility in tional Monument (this park specializes in man as warned, he may well start to feel whitewater boating. Kirschbaum would fossils) which used to ban solo trips, but above the rules, invincible, Godlike. have to make the run alone.... has recently relaxed these regulations This is a wonderful feeling, to be sure, Or the story of Walt Blackadx's in- somewhat. but truly dangerous. In fact, from my own credible solo through Turnback Canyon of River managers tend to be very deci- experience, I would guess that the feeling the Alsek River. The first and last boater to sive when it comes to dealing with serious of invulnerability is the root cause of most even think of running this 10 mile stretch safety problems. They hate it when visi- of the worst mishaps on the river. Publish- of seething class VI whitewater. The expe- tors get killed in their park; and they are ing dire warnings which prove easy to ig- rience was so awesome that he later tried quick to remedy the problem with safety nore simply encourages this kind of over- to explain it by claiming that he had rules wherever they see fit. Hence the confidence in boaters. "missed the eddy", an unlikely story that strict regulations on life jackets and other Safety issues aside, there is a particu- no one believed. safety equipment. If boating alone were larly profane aspect to this "Never boat These and many other tales told in the any kind of real safety problem, these alone" rule that reeks of betrayal. Betrayal flickering firelight are the very soul of wil- people would certainly have made it more of the greatest heroes of our sport and derness boating, the stuff of dreams and difficult to get permits for solo trips. many of the classic stories of our time. In- aspirations for many boaters. The ultimate But they haven%There is simply no deed, a betrayal of the very thread and fab- experience. Very few of us will ever come experiential or rational reason to believe ric of true wilderness adventure. close to these experiences, very few will that boating alone is a safety problem in The heart of all profound wilderness actually ever try. But we are dealing with itself. experience is the direct, unprotected hopes and dreams here, as well as re&-

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 ties, and it seems particularly brutal and legal would be a terrible betrayal of all But if you do feel compelled to write irresponsible to try to ban such legendary that wilderness boaters hold sacred. rules, they should be phrased in a way that achievements. So what should we do about this rule? tries to be helpful rather than dictatorial. As boaters we need to protect these I suppose that since I have decimated it "Never boat alone" is an ominous edict dreams and the right to realize them some- (hopefully), I should offer something con- that is not only misguided, but lacks any day. Even if it is discouraged by everyone structive in its place. Actually, I would like kind of useful advice; some explanation of involved, we must allow those few brave to deep-six it, just eliminate it, and leave the safety risk would be much more use- souls that are well prepared the right to the responsibility for this decision to the ful. boat alone into the jaws of death, the gates boater. I think there are way too many Perhaps: of hell or the depths of their own being. rules already. Boaters should be thinking "Boating alone generally means deal- Any attempt to make these experiences il- about realities, not rules. ing with problems alone, and mishaps

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 might have much more serious conse- There is actually a lot of good advice I would be delighted to hear about quences" or, if you insist on a sterner which should be offered to the solo boater your thoughts and experiences on this is- warning, stick to the more reasonable and to be, but it would never fit in a list of sue. widely accepted rule: rules. If you would like to deal with this is- And, aside from your edict on boating "Boating alone is not recommendedn sue in more depth in any of your future alone, I think Western Whitewater is an or, if you must, publications, I would enjoy contributing to excellent piece of work. "Boating alone is discouragedn or, be& this effort. I am enclosing an article on ~on&tulations on a job well done! ter yet: solo trips that I wrote for Canoe Magazine Sincerely, "Boating alone is not recommended as (Dec. 1988), but I have learned a lot since WScott Morrisl mishaps on solo trips might have much then and would be glad to share these more serious consequences." things with your readers.

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 Riding the Big Wahoo by Bob Gedekoh

The first murky swells rolled smoothly and predictably. My boat rose and fell gently, as if I had climbed aboard one of those gentle carousels, downsized for the little kids. As the gradient increased, the river mustered its forces and the swells bur- geoned to big kid size. Soon the waves sprouted crisp peaks and, if you paddled hard, you could launch the bow of your boat skyward like a rocket when you reached the crest, soaring for an instant, before landing with a resounding splat deep in the next trough. It felt good. Real good. I was Riding the Big Wahoo and I was having Big F'un. Peering downstream from one of the peaks, it looked like this gigantic magical sine wave would roll on forever. Intoxicated by the ride, I threw caution to the wind... hardly noticing that the waves were starting to explode.

American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 Left page: Team Adventure Kyle Matinello, age 14, droppin' into Gore Rapid, IOU0 cfs, somewhere between Steepness and Nutcracker, 1994 Cadet US. Team K-1. Right page: Kyle looking for a line in Jacobs, North Fork of the Payette

Eventually one crashed down over my I drove up and over several more while, then cartwheel. It was the kind of head and I emerged from the foam with an mountains of water and, just as I was hole where kayakers often swim and the icy snootful. I had lost my momentum and starting to think to myself, "How much kind of hole where swimmers sometimes when the next wave erupted, just as I longer can this fun last?", I found out. recycle and the kind of hole where recy- reached the top, I slid backwards, surfing Just ahead a swell towered above me... clers occasionally die. down into the trough, bracing all the while the Matterhorn of the wave&.. and It was the kind of hole that makes you to avoid a flip. with a burst of energetic strokes I climbed wonder if Riding the Big Wahoo is really It was an interesting turn of events, to its magnificent peak, pausing for an in- such a good idea! amusing, but not necessarily one I cared to stant to savor the view. repeat. Recognizing the power of the river, It was breathtaking all right, but not in I know the question on the tip of your I resolved to put a little more muscle to the way I might have wished. tongue. the paddle. As I headed downstream the A Monster was lurking just ten feet Where is this Big Wahoo? How can I river grew increasingly turbulent, surging ahead and ten feet below me. And it was find this river? Or, perhaps, how can I q rhythmically from left to right as well as voracious and it was mad and it was un- avoid it? up and down. Along the banks the muddy avoidable. It was the Mother of All Well, like a state of mind, the Big Wa- water swirled through the scrub and Holes... the Dark Side of the Big Wahoo! hoo is everywhere. around the trees; the smaller bushes shud- The Monster had a vicious upstream Okay, almost everywhere. (Idon't dered in response. grin. No... grin is not the word for it... it think you will find it in Kansas.) But you The shoreline sailed by at a remark- was more of a sneer. It was deeper than can find it on almost any sizeable able clip. How fast was I moving? It was Socrates and it had a virulent downstream whitewater river. You can find it on the hard to tell.... certainly faster than I could recycle. It was the Death Valley of Holes. Hudson and the Nolichucky and the run. Perhaps ten... maybe even fifteen... It was the kind of hole where the unwary Chatooga You can find it on the Lochsa miles per hour. surf for a time, then windowblind for a and the Arkansas and the Animas. You

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 ream Adventure 3ed Coriell, age 14, Launching a pillow in Gore Canyon, l000cfs.

can find it on the Deschuttes and the glasses, one that was almost impossible to Rogue and the Trinity. Stayhg Out offrouble wipe away. You can find the Big Wahoo on virtu- And dirty flood waters are often ripe ally any river that swells... ie. floods... in with infectious agents. When heavy rains response to especially heavy snow melt or Flooded rivers present unique chal- occur, particularly during warm weather, rain. The important question is not lenges and dangers; getting into trouble barnyards, sewage disposal plants and whether you can find it; but whether you becomes all too easy, while getting out of septic tanks release bizillions of bacteria should find it. trouble can be next to impossible. When it and viruses into their watersheds. As a re- In fact, defining the Big wahoo is not comes to high water, the odds are stacked sult boaters may develop common ail- easy. Water levels that are intimidating to to challenge the boater, if not to beat him. ments such as swimmers ear (otitis an advanced boater may seem trivial to an Consider even the most basic factor, externa) or skin infections (cellulitis) at expert, particularly one familiar with a the essential "qualityn of the water. Be- the site of minor cuts and abrasions. river. The North Fork of the Payette at cause high water is often a function of A good friend of mine once wound up 1800 cfs is a Big Wahoo to me, but the Big snow melt or early spring rains, the Big in the hospital with a virulent infection in Dogs of Idaho consider this an inconse- Wahoo generally ranges from chilly to his hand after he skinned a knuckle on a quential level. To a degree the Big Wahoo frigid. One rarely gets to paddle the Big flooded Tygart tributary. The infection, is in the eye of the beholder, but for the Wahoo on a warm, sunny day. which developed in less that twelve hours, purpose of this article we are defining Flooded rivers are almost never clear, occurred in spite of vigorous cleansing Paddling the Big Wahoo as tackling a com- silt and sediment render the medium and antiseptic application at the take out. monly paddled river at an uncommonly opaque, making it difficult to detect rocks The risk of contracting more serious high level. and obstacles just below the surface. Even infections, such as hepatitis or giardia, is High water adds a new dimension to waves and holes take on a peculiar ap no doubt increased when paddling dirty paddling rivers that are, at the usual levels, pearance. As anyone who has paddled the flood waters. Cautious Connoisseurs of class III and IV. Paddling the Big Wahoo Grand Canyon knows, negotiating a boom- the Big Wahoo routinely flush their ear ca- can be rollicking fun, but it is not without ing class IV chocolate milk shake can be nals with a weak white vinegar1 alcohol serious risk. Days on big water are like the difficult. solution and carefully rinse any cuts with little girl in the nursery rhyme... when they I have paddled the Cheat and the clean water and apply an antibiotic oint- are good they are very, very good, but Tygart when they were so muddy that my ment such as neosporin after getting off when they are bad they are horrid. every splash left a gritty haze on my the river. Certainly extended roll practices

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

Left:Team Adventure Justin Souter, age 15, Droppin' into Gore Rapid, IOOOcfs, 1994 Jr. US. Team C-2.25 Right: Team Adventure Luke Moore, age 14, Big Air, Gore Canyon, IOOOcfs, 1994 Jr. US. Team C-I.

A POINT TO PONDER Monitoring the Big Wahoo Gauge reading in feet Actual flow (cfs) As a consequence of geometry, the relationship between the level of a river, as measured with a vertical 1.7 ...... 600 gauge, and the actual flow, as measured in cubic feet 2.0 ...... 750 per seconds, is not a linear one. To put this simply, as 3.0 ...... 1650 most rivers get higher their gauges become less sensi- 4.0 ...... 2900 tive. The difference between eight feet and nine feet in 5.0 ...... 4400 terms of volume and actual flow is usually a hell of a lot 6.0 ...... 6350 greater than the difference between one and two feet. 7.0 ...... 8000 This is a point well worth pondering when you are 8.0 ...... 10500 tempted to ride the Big Wahoo. Consider this data from the Lower Youghiogheny. 9.0 ...... 13500 10.0 ...... 18000

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

in cruddy flood waters are ill advised. River Renovations Microorganisms are not the only unde- sirable life forms which find their way into flooded rivers. High water often flushes AU manner of debris finds its way into snakes from their rocky dens along the rivers in flood. Tires, outhouses, trees... river. Most of these are harmless, but cop you name it. As long as these objects are perheads and rattlesnakes sometimes are moving with the flow they offer minimal swept into these serpentine regattas. hazard, but when they come to rest at in- Needless to say a rattlesnake that has opportune locations they become death- been flushed from the comfort of its den traps. More than ten percent of into a raging river may be a trifle foul tem- whitewater fatalities occur secondary to pered. entrapment in trees according to a recent These snakes want out of the water AWA safety survey. and they want out of the water NOW! A The Big Wahoo often deposits strain- warm dry rock would be peachy, but the ers in unexpected places. There is nothing deck of a kayak will do in a pinch. It is not more disconcerting than drifting around a always easy to dissuade a disgruntled and blind corner in a familiar rapid, only to dis- confused snake from climbing onto your cover that a strainer is blocking your route boat. of choice. If you are lucky, you spin into Raft passengers are another life form an eddy, if noL.. Of course this risk of en- that frequently winds up in the drink when trapment persists long after the Big Wa- rivers run high. Years ago a well known hoo has spent its fury. safety boater on the Cheat was faced with Late this winter the Upper Yough the unenviable task of retrieving an in- raged at a level that amazed even the local jured raft customer who had come to rest oldtimers... nearly spilling out into the on a small boulder in the middle of the streets of FriendsvilIe. This Wahoo was deluge. The Cheat was ten feet and rising not without consequence. A forked tree fast; with each passing minute the rafter's came to rest across the face of the Tomb- pedestal became smaller and smaller. stone Rock in Lost and Found ~~Up The stalwart safety boater managed to Falls). This has always been a dangerous feny across the torrent to the microeddy spot, the site of one fatality and a number behind the boulder, only to discover that of close calls. the rafter was not the only critter taking Fortunately the tree, which could not refuge on the rock... he shared his sanctu- be seen from the pool above, did not block ary with two surly copperheads! The the conventional route. But anyone blown rafter was safely evacuated from the rock; "off line" was likely to find themselves in a the snakes were left to fend for them- very, very bad way. selves. That tree has since been removed but

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

the point remains... extra caution is in or- Not the least of these was the megahole der when paddling a river, even a familiar which appeared and remains at Big Nasty Facing the Challenge one, during or after a flush of high water. and the total "renovation" of Coliseum. Under these circumstances it is a good Let me tell you there was some scrarn- But these are problems that one en- idea to ask local boaters if they know of bling going on that day! counters after the Big Wahoo. What about any new obstacles before launching. Within the past thirty years mudslides the challenge of paddling the Big Wahoo Sometimes whole rapids change with a and avalanches have created completely itself! flood. The November deluge of 1985 al- new rapids on a number of popular west- There is of course the obvious. Big wa- tered the topography of the Cheat River em rivers, including the Colorado and the ter makes big waves. Big water is turbu- forever, rearranging boulders the size of Redra. We take these rapids for granted lent. Big water is unpredictable... it swirls houses. Those of us who paddled the river now, but you can be sure that their ap- and explodes unexpectedly. You can play for the first time, several days after the pearance came as quite a surprise to the with big water and it can play with you. flood (at eight feet- a Big Wahoo in and of first boaters who paddled across them. Eddy lines become eddy walls. Rapids itself), got several eyepopping surprises. "flowing upstream" form in eddies that are

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

usually tranquil. Sometimes these rapids eddy on Chile's Futaleufu. lent eddy can be far more difficult that take the form of whirlpools. Breaking out During high water eddy lines attain rolling in a straightfonvardwave hain of such an eddy can present an unnerving amazing strength, snapping boats around It becomes difficult to roll when vigor- and frustrating challenge. Some become in an instant. It is easy to underestimate ous currents are playing seesaw with your inescapable. their power; if you don't change.yourlean paddle. Meanwhile your boat spins like a We recently published an account of a fast enough, you will find yourself floun- top. Inevitably you find yourself "set upn perplexed boater who spent an discomtit- dering for a brace, or even upside down. on the unfavorable side. Small wonder ing time recirculating in such a depressed And rolling in a churning, swirling, turbu- these spots earn names like "The Eddy of Woe". Large waves and hydraulics are two of the most distinctive features of high water. At high flows rivers and their passengers move quickly. Everything happens fast, boaters must be able to read the river and choose an appropriate line without hesita- tion. Obstacles and holes must be antici- pated well in advance if they are to be avoided. It is easy for the uninitiated to underestimate the speed and power of the Distinctive Books for the Out-of-Doors Big Wahoo. It helps if one is familiar,withthe river at lower levels, but certainly this does not We offer a wide selection of paddling books, including: guarantee an uneventful cruise. At high water levels familiar landmarks and even entire rapids sometimes disappear. The Appalachian White water Series: One stormy spring day a few years ago Vol. I: The Southern Mountains ...... $14.95 we paddled West Virginia's New at twelve Vol IZ: The Central Mountains $13.95 feet. We maintained our orientation ...... through the Keeney Rapids, but then we Whitewater Tales of Terror ...... $ 6.95 got "lost". Kayak: A Manual of Technique ...... $12.95 Nothing looked familiar. Although we The Whitewater Sourcebook $19.95 had all paddled the New at more conven- ...... tional levels countless times, we were Wildwater West Virginia...... $14.95 thoroughly confused. Were we in Double Z? Undercut Rock? Coal Tipple? And To Order Call where was Greyhound? "Where in hell are we?!?" we shouted to one another over the roar of the river. This riddle remained unsolved until the Bridge came into sight. Familiar rivers that are tame at conventional levels take on an entirely different character at high flows. Consider the Lower Yough. Dangerous holes emerge along the popular river left route through Entrance. And no one is gohig to negotiate a slalom course through the exploding turbulence that is normally the Darhnouth Rapid. Dimple Rock is gone, Swimmers Hole is gone, Double Hydraulic is gone! But several "newn megaholes appear... pourovers that form behind rocks normally five to ten feet above the surface. If John Kazimierczyk, Millbrook Boats you know the river you can anticipate the I 49 Luflrin Road, Weare, NH 03281 (603) 529-3919 location of these rnaneaters, but if you are unfamiliar with the river, you could be swept into one of these traps. Even the most cautious whitewater paddlers find themselves stuck in hydrau-

American Whitewater Oauley Festival 1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

lics from time to time. Big Wahoo enthusi- best not to stay in your boat until you are of a party by more than half a mile in just asts completely exhausted and have no re- a minute or two. Whenever possible, should be prepared to deal with this. serve. Remember that swimmers often those in the lead should pause in an eddy Paddlers should try to paddle forward and recirculate in large holes several times be or pool to allow the group to "tighten upn. backwards across the hole, hoping to find fore they flush free. In these circurn- Rescues can be surprisingly difficult a weak spot in the recycle. Often it is pos- stances follow Walbridge's advice and use on the Big Wahoo. In the unfortunate oc- sible to punch out one of ends of the hy- your body to "Make shapes". currence of a "Yard Sale", boaters, boats draulic. Allowing the boat to spin or River wide ledges which may be of and gear drift apart quickly and it is easy doughnut in the hole may facilitate escape; little consequence at low levels can form to lose sight of them. Assuring the safety if the current catches the bow or stern, it gigantic keepers at higher flows. And the of a swimmer must be the foremost prior- may kick the boat and boater out. carved faces of rocks, nodyhigh ity, retrieving gear a secondary, albeit im- Intentionally (or unintentionally) flip above the surface, may create menacing portant, concern. Slings and,carabineers ping may also work if you extend your undercuts as water levels rise. that are readily accessible can facilitate body and paddle into the deeper down- Familiarity with the river, the abiity to the rescue of abandoned canoes and kay- stream currents. Of course sometimes read water and solid boating skills should aks, especially if the boats are outfitted large holes have ideas of their own; after a be requisites to high water runs. with adequate floatation. flip you may find yourself It is always best to paddle the Big Wa- Even so, salvaging boats and paddles "windowblindednupright again. .. and still hoo with a cadre of skilled boaters who can be nearly impossible on continuous in the hydraulic! understand the risks involved and agree to rivers like the Colordo's Animas during As a last resort decked boaters can look out for one another. The individual peak snow melt. At high water the Anirnas pop their skirts, allowing their boats to fdl who knows the river best should lead and features big, booming class III-IV rapids with water. This extra weight may allow a strong paddler with good self rescue that extend without respite for miles and the boat to wash out of the hole. Unfortu- skills should sweep. miles. To make matters more difficult, nately sometimes there is no choice but to The group should make every effort to there are few large boulders along the swim for it. No one is eager to abandon stay together; remembering that swift, shore... hence there are precious few ed- their boat in a monster hydraulic, but it is powerful currents can separate members dies. Swimmers, who can pull themselves

American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 Riding the Big Wahoo

onto shore, generally fare better than their gear. Over the years quite a few boats and paddles have been devoured by the impen- etrable Second Box Canyon of the Animas. Boat Selection

What is the best boat design for paddling the Big Wahoo? Ask ten experts that question and you will get ten different an- swers. Squirrely currents can create havoc with diminutive slalom and squirt boats. But proponents of these vessels argue that they tend to slice through or get blown out of large holes. And, because they are light and maneuverable, a few well-timed strokes may allow you to dodge trouble entirely. Larger boats are more stable and for- giving... less likely to flip and easier to keep on line. But high volume boats, par- Team Adventure ticularly short ones, tend to stick and re- Silas Treadway, age 15, Tunnel Falls, Gore Canyon, 1000cfs. cycle in hydraulics. Large boats are usually heavier, a disadvantage when quick evasive changes in course are imperative, but an advantage when punching through large waves and holes. If entrapment is a concern, glass boats, which sometimes break apart re- leasing their occupants, and/or boats with large, keyhole cockpits are wise choices. Entrapment is less of an issue in open boats and they generally punch through big water effectively. But unless they are filled with floatation swamping can be a problem and, by virtue of their weight and bulk, they can be difficult to rescue. Big Water... Big Fun

All things considered, it is easy to see why the Big Wahoo may not be every boaters bucket of tea Running rivers at high levels can be an intense and scary experience and there are many excellent boaters who just don't enjoy paddling close to the edge. Running high water requires a lot of skill, strength and judgement, and perhaps a little bravado. There are unique risks in- herent to running high water, but there are rewards as well. The decision to put on a river is an individual one, each paddler must decide for themselves whether the risks are accept- able. This is never more true than when rivers run high.l

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 AND THEY LIVED TO TEUTHE TP I c

ere places where ve could count on having fun - usually outside the raft. Occasionally we would encounter arafttrip-the industry was in its infancy h\ then- andthe This story has been told countless guide would times, and it still makes a great party tale. get a real The biggest problem I have with setting it concerned down for a national audience is how to tell look and it without looking stupid. ask us if Knowing what I now know, or even I we knew what the most basic whitewater novice vas coming knows today, it's incredible that "itn hap- aa$r Riv- pened. But you gotta understand that, ers. ttle yellow "thisnwas way back in the old days. h, straddling I began my whitewater career in 1971 That first I ibronco on the Youghiogheny River. Riding the Gau~eyv vuswr. we IW IUSL XI IIWLJI paddles that rapids in a little raft was an instant hit with Some of us showed up we began tying ropes from the handles to me. Riding them outside the raft was even club lore. late and had to take our little Sears raft. he raft. Sometimes my dog rode in the better. My friends and I never attempted to The older members had all secured spots i-ont of the raft. The inner tube would tag learn anything about moving water. We dong behind. Those guides had every rea- thought the only way to approach a rapid in the Club's big rafts. The Club has a slide of us upside down and airborne at Pillow ron to be concerned. But there's no doubt was full speed ahead, right down the is n my mind that we were having more fun middle. Our raft trips involved more swim- Rock that still shown at Christmas parties. We swam every rapid on the Gauley &an their customers. ming than paddling. We didn't have the It was about this time, probably foggiest notion what a hole or an eddy that day. For the next couple of years we made wound the campfire and the keg, that I was. If the raft flipped, that was fun, and came up with my theory of whitewater made the day more memorable. You have trips to the New River two or three times per summer. We owned two Sears spe- relativity that can be summed up as: "Its to remember that there was no one else on cials $99 on sale, horse collar life jackets, only watern. To illustrate the finer points the river to learn from - not that anyone - and wooden canoe paddles. We camped at of the theory, I regularly invited my friends could have taught us anything. Fayette Station, where our night-time ac- with the worst hangovers to join me for a In 1973 I was introduced to the F'itts- tivities became legendary. sunrise swim through Fayette Station burgh Explorers Club. This was, in those Once our party was bigger than we Rapid. This moming ritual not only would days, a social organization which regularly could fit into the rafts, so we got a truck broaden our insights into the dynamics of scheduled outdoor activities such as rock turns climbing, parachuting, and whitewater inner tube and took riding the rapids rivers, but it instantly cleared the cobwebs in the tube. Pretty soon we were fighting associated with the excesses of the night rafting. The activities offered an excuse for over who got to ride the tube. The New before. I've since revised this theory; but going to exotic locations to drink. The activities were always strenuous, but the par- was perfect for this - deep, with few rocks. what is so amazing to me now is that we We rode inside the tube with our feet ties afterward were real killers. got so far into the sport without knowing hanging down and our arms over the Explorers Club members were under- anything at all about the technical aspects taking some monumental expeditions and sides. It was amazing how the tube caught of it - and survived. the deepest current and skirted the holes. Well, its time to get to the good part of always had great stories to tell. In reality Not that we knew what a hole was. most of them were in way over their the story - the part that makes me look We had learned that there were rapids stupid. If you thought that I already cov- heads. I fit right in with their rafting pro- called The Keeneys and Greyhound. These ered that you're wrong. gram. They ran trips to the New and - ACT 1: It was the first weekend in October, 1976. I howthis because it was a month before my wedding. I was 25. I was madly in love. I was inatio- rial. Must have been the hormones. We were at SumrnersviUe / Dam; my bride to be and I were having a to1~gh time with my theory of whitewater relativity. It was only water, but it was f 5 inches deep and it

was inside my tent We I spent the e&ly morning hours crampe md in our VW Bug in wet sleeping bags. It was raining as hard as I've ever seen it rain and the water was everywhere. Shortly alfter daybreak I downed a couple of coId Rolling Rocks and went looking for tl le other Explorers. I

found them at the baseI of the dam, hypno- tized by the sight of thc 3 water blowing out of the dam. It had raintXI four inches over night and the lake was overflowing. The water was lapping at Ie railing above the pubin. I can imaghw what thoughts were going through the minc Is of the others who had come to take on thle mighty Gauley. Something akin to reqmtful awe. I can't imagine now what I wz isthhkhg. "Where's the rafts? Come on, let's get going". I was greeted unth blank stares, and stem admonitions., Nnt. ,, , a ,-,,~inuln nthor,,.,. person was even contemplating getting on Above: New River Gorge, 12 feet, Middle Keaney. (Photo by Scott Underhill) the river. I had never considered that we wouldn't painted gauge on the bridge pier is under head up the road to Fayetteville. Remem- So what's wrong with this picture? water. ber this is pre-Bridge. Halfway up the Later that day I formulated a new rule to There's some discussion by the Ex- Gorge Road we're turned back by a live by "Never make a life and death deci- plorers as to what it would be like to put mudslide. I have since made this a rule to sion on a moming that your breakfast on the New at this level. I'm looking at live by "When shuttle roads are washed came from a brewery."This has served me where the takeout rapid- Fayette Station- out the river Gods are trying to give you well over the years. used to be and arguing that it will all be one last warning." And, no, I didn't put on the Gauley by washed out. Several of the more experi- The detour was 30 miles back through myself at 15,000 CFS. You think I'm stupid, enced Explorers keep mentioning "Big Gauley Bridge to Fayetteville. We stopped or what? I talked some of the Explorers Holes". I think I quoted the Theory of at a gas station blow up the then s to raft, into driving down to look at the New. Whitewater Relativity. proceeded to Cunard. Final result: Four of us decide to take We donned our heavy 2-piece hooded Act 2: a Sears special and an inner tube and give diving suits and primitive PFDs. Ever it a whirl. Where, you ask, did I find three safety conscious, we also wore cheap plas- Fayette Station bridge. 20 miles south. other crazies to risk this with me? #l. tic helmets. Our paddles were dutifully Still raining. Same respectful awe, etc... A That's Kitty, my wife. She loves me and lashed to the raft. Kitty and I were using group stands and stares at the New River. has no choice. #2 That's Joady, my sister. homemade paddles that I had crafted in The campsite above Fayette Station Rapid She trusts me and has a touch of my love woodshop. I had used a wood canoe is under water. Fayette Station Rapid is of adventure. #3 That's Ron, Joady's hus- paddle for a pattern, lengthened the shaft gone. The water is rushing by at 50 mph, band. He loves Joady and has no choice. and enlarged the blade. For strength I usec about ten feet below the bridge deck The Now we're rolling. Load the gear and solid red oak. They were heavy, but un-

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 breakable. Each paddle had a hole drilled seen before. The same smooth swells tumbled and cartwheeled through a cha- in the grip and we knotted a piece of para- were visible to the horizon, but then the otic mass of foaming and wrenching water. chute cord long enough for freedom of horizon was fairly abrupt. In the center of The force was indescribable. Any resis- movement. No one ever considered that it the river a spout of water was shooting tance was out of the question. This river was also long enough to strangle someone. about 30 feet into the air. was going to do what it would to me and I don't remember there being any talk It took a few seconds for this to regis- all I could do was submit. I tried to curl about what to expect once we were on the ter. Then Joady piped up with the first ra- into a ball, but centripetal force kept my river. We did discuss the possibility that tional idea of the day. "Hey that looks limbs splayed. the power lines below railroad might be in pretty big. Maybe we better try to get over Suddenly I was clobbered by a huge the water. 1 don't think anyone had any to the siden. flume of water and was carried with it. I contingency plans if they were. We hoisted My reaction was less rational. "Just tucked into a ball again and the noise that raft and began the long descent to the paddle hard. Its only water.". faded. The water became black and I was gorge. Our trusty inner tube was in the raft At any rate we could never have got- sure that I was on the verge of eternity. I and the raft was on our heads. If anyone ten over in the seconds that were left be- closed my eyes and waited. I was being had any reservations about the river, fore we crested the lip of the huge caldron swept away with such force that I felt like surely we would have turned back when of exploding white froth. That instant will a tiny insect. Finally, my lungs forced me we got to the part of the hill where a huge be forever etched in four memories, per- to attempt something. I opened my eyes mudslide had totally obliterated the road. haps more in mine, since I was the one re- and for the first time could see light in one We were knee deep in very unstable sponsible for this folly. Looking down 30 direction. mud and rock there and could easily have or 40 feet into the bottom of the hydraulic That must be up." I broke into a triggered another major avalanche. But I which stretched from tree-line to tree- strong breast-stroke and seconds later sur- guess the Gods were saving us for the line, there was no doubt in anyone's mind faced. river. that we were about to die. Simultaneously I began sucking in air The water was so high that the put in I remember thinking, "Now I know and surveying the surface for other survi- was on the lower road. The river here what a hole is." vors. The first thing I saw was the rafL It looked like the ocean. It was soooo wide, That raft never even slowed down on was floating upright about ten feet down- with huge smooth waves rushing by. For impact. I think we rode it all the way to stream. A couple of strokes brought me to 50 yards along each bank there were trees the bottom of the river. Then I was being it and 1 flopped over the side in seconds. poking up through the current. I realized that whatever happened, it was going to be fast. I have since paddled many high water runs. I was on the Lower Yough the day of the '85 flood. I paddled the Grand Canyon, the Cheat at 10 feet, the Tygart at 13 feet, the Ottawa in the Spring. But this was the fastest sustained current I can ever remember seeing. In the time it takes to describe this debacle, we were at the take- Whitewater Clothing out. Maybe 15 minutes. and Accessories by Olympic Medalist Dana Chladek ACT 3: We jumped on the raft, straddled the &*High quality, bombproof bungi cord tubes, got a good knee grip and paddled * spray skirts! like hell to get out through the trees. Once into the current everything was smooth sailing. The swells were 15 feet high and a * Paddling jackets&pants... racing float quarter of a mile long. No need to paddle; we were traveling too fast already. Down vests... pogies... neoprene tops, shorts past the railroad bridge in three swells - and pants... and more. about two minutes. Luckily we ducked under the power line, short of the crest of the wave. A few feet higher and we would . .We make custom gear for have been "wiredn! individuals and groups ! Having negotiated what I thought would be the only threat on the river, I be- 5302 Flanders Avenue gan a short discourse on how easy this was going to be. Probably even boring. Kensington, MD 20895 Meanwhile as we roared around the next TeVFax: (301) 946-9686 bend off in the distance there appeared a new feature, one that none of us had ever

American Whitewater GauleyFestivall994 down the tracks. I couldn't believe it. We had all sur- 11 000 Baltimore Ave. # 104 vived. I should have been oveqjoyed but I Beltsville, MD 20705 was overcome with exhaustion. I collapsed right there and began retching. 301 -595-2867 Joady had to help me walk back to Kitty and Ron. She explained that she had sur- "Small enough to know you, faced from the hole near the right shore, grabbed a tree, then made it to shore. big enough to serve your needs" I hadn't realized it, but I was the only one to hit the second hole. You might say I Sales Instruction Trips Rentals got what I deserved. Kitty and Ron neatly skirted the second hole close enough to Specializing in whitewater and touring kayaks see my terrified face as I fell into it. We were less that a one-half mile from I I] Prijon Fayette Station It had taken us 15 minutes Pyranha to get there, most of it spent swimming or Snap Dragon Skirts hanging on an inner tube. Later I learned Lightning Paddles that the big holes that did us in were formed by Whale Rock in Upper Keeney and the undercut in Double Z. I have since paddled the New at faenfeet and had a close look at each of these holes as I drifted by. At fifteen feet they look very impressive- but there is no comparison to the way that looked that fateful day from the brink- at more than thirty feet- with Just outside Washington D.C., 1 112 miles outside the Capital more than twice the flow. Beltway and only 30 minutes south of Baltimore off I-95 Aftermath Upstream and off to the right I spotted the some point not far into my second hole So, you ask, what effect did this amaz- inner tube and I almost collapsed with re- ride the raft was torn free. The oar locks ing experience have on us? Well, for a lief when I realized that Ron and Kitty were my only connection to reality and I time I had a hard time finding folks to take were clinging to it. I thought I could see held them like my life depended on it. rafting. We all knew that some or all of us Joady's yellow helmet and orange life vest I finally surfaced, spitting up water should have died that day. further down river toward the right shore. and sucking in air. Miraculously the tube Did whitewater loose its charm? Well, My first job was to get to Kitty and was right beside me and I latched on to it. figure this out: I got a kayak the next surn- Ron and haul them back into the raft. I A short distance away I could see the de- mer, which opened up a new chapter in grabbed my paddle rope and pulled in a flated remnants of the raft floating down my notorious career of aquatic misadven- splintered oak shaft. Another rope had stream. I had no desire to retrieve it. tures. Kitty did indeed marry me the next nothing at all. All of the paddles were ei- Feelings of security are by all means month and has also mastered the kayak. ther broken or gone. Suddenly being in the relative. Floating a 50,000 CFS river with We now have a 15 year old son who has raft seemed less than secure. I began hand two other halfdrowned people on an in- mastered the Upper Yough. paddling towards the tube, making very ner tube suddenly felt great. I started yell- Joady and Ron never got in another little progress. ing for everyone to stroke for shore. We raft and try not to think about whitewater. Kitty and Ron were about twenty feet were exhausted and scared. One more They got their fill of whitewater all in one away from me when we came to the sec- hole would certainly kill us. Letting go of big helping. Shortly after our debacle they ond hole. This time I recognized what was the tube and swimming would have been found the Lord and dedicated their lives to coming from the signs... another abrupt easier, but none of us were willing to relin- Jesus. horizon with spout of water shooting high quish that tube. We made very slow I would argue that stupid is someone into the air. I glanced towards the tube for progress to the right shore, but, thankfully, who doesn't learn from his experiences. a second and then, terrified, I threw my- the river had no more terrible surprises for Just because someone or something ham- self spreadeagle across the raft and us. mers you over the head doesn't mean you grabbed the oar-locks with both hands. As we crawled up the bank my first re- shouldn't consider it educational. I do I don't know what I thought the raft action was to collapse, but I was so wor- have a very thick skull, but 1. can learn. I was going to do, but I was determined to ried about Joady that I scrambled up to may be crazy, but I'm not stupid. not relinquish those oar-locks. the railroad tracks and started running, These days I have a deeply ingrained From this position in the raft I wasn't scanning the river and calling. I did this for respect for rivers. Over the years I've been really able to see much, but after my expe- almost a mile and was despairing of ever taught many a valuable lesson by these rience in the first hole, that suited me fine. seeing my sister again when I rounded a powerful teachers, but that first one re- I closed my eyes. bend and spotted her calmly strolling mains the most memorable of all. I never did let go of those oar locks. At

American Whitewater GauleyFestival 1994 American Whitewater GauleyFestiva1I994 American Whitewater GauleyFertivall994 n Board with the Bard ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS':- -WITH A BEER! A Tale from the Big Wahoo Based on the CGRR Nolichucky Trip of May 28,1994

by David Parlcer

4CT I1 hey have their eddies and their ferries, icene 1 (A campsite near adone man in his time surfs many holes. 3rwin) "-7 kene 2 (On the Rocks) Dramatis Personae: Enter the Empress, Sir Francis, Sir David Parker, Duke of Decatur Enter Duke, Spaller, Smith and Empress.] lwimsalot and Duke] Mike Frace, aka Sir Swimsalot Smpress: Smpress: Sir litancis Cheung, a noble paddler freetings and felicitations I bring ?e, what monstrous hole awaits me here, Dave Skelhorn, a clown +om the Tick Farm whence, lo, I have Vould that I were positioned straightaway Jon Spaller, a clown xaveled. Ieigh-ho, I am undone! [Exeunt vessel] Steve Smith, a seer Tracy Lettern, Earl of Millegeville Jpaller: hke: The Boy Scout, aka Jeff Peters 'Iere comes the Empress, in sportive hu- toil, roil, oh thou wondrous river Ruth Ann Marchbank, paddling a duckie nor let I will try the last. Beside my boat Joyce Reynolds, Empress of the Tick Fm Fain would I jest ere twilight fall this day. give my strong low brace: Hark! Hark! Julie Keller, aka The Gripper, wife of FYancis ind yet Karen, wife of Tracy Smith: What water fills my vessel? To prevent Audrey Pennington, Princess of the Narrows You axe three paddlers, yea, whom des- bIy navigation? 'Zounds! I am undone! [Ex- Many other paddlers tiny- ?untvessel] l'hat hath, as its instrument, this world ACT I. And what is in't, the never-surfeited river, Sir Swimsalot: Will trash many ere sunset tomorrow. Forsooth I know not primogeniture Scene 1 (Parker's Palace) Lmbues in me aquatic contretemps Duke: When least I glub expect glub, glub, [Enter Duke] Yet what strange drowsiness possesses Glub, glub, glub, glub. [Exeunt vessel] Duke: me Now is the winter of my discontent Verily, will I take my rest. Wondrous Francis: Made glorious summer by paddling Heavy. And be fresh to paddle anon. [n sooth, I promise you (except for Quar- trips.And all the snow that fell upon my I will not adventure my discretion. ter Mile) house The way is mush easier as we go. In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Now is my brow bound with paddling hel- Scene 3 (Quarter Mile) met ACT III. My torso, fore and aft, padded with PFD Scene I (the Noliehucky River [Enter Skelly, Duke and Sir Francis] I take up the broad bladed lance, the put in) Skelly: paddle To sneak, or not to sneak: that is the ques- And I cry, 'Bring on the Nolichucky!" [Enter Tracy and Sir Francis.] tion: Tracy: Whether 'til nobler in the mind to suffer Scene 2 (Green's Liquor Store) Thou see'st we are not all alone unhappy: The scrapes and bruises of outrageous for- This swift flowin river going by tune [Enter Duke] Presents more woeful pageants than the And flail my arms against a river of Duke: scene troubles One case of beer, one bottle of wine - No Wherein we play. In my opposing end swim. To sneak, to Two cases of beer, two bottles of wine! swim In sooth I hope 'twill suffice my palate Francis: No more - and by a sneak we say we end (Well, maybe a bottle of gin) -Anon, All the world's a river, The headache, and the thousand natural I am off. And men and women here merely pad- shocks dlers. Swimming flesh is heir to! 5is a consurn-

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American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 t mation Devoutly to be shunned. TO sneak, to swim - To sneak perchance to swim; \ h..; ay, there's the tub. In sooth, I promise you(as \ Iquoth earlier) Duke: The way is much easier I grunt and I sweat through this weary rapid And now find my off-side ferry will not do I'll switch hands, the bet-AAUUGH! [Exeunt vessel] Scene 1 (the take Francis: out at the campsite near In sooth, I promise you (as I quoth earlier) [Enter Julie, s@er and Duke] The way is much easier as we go. Julie: Out, damned knave! Out, I say! - AAUUGH! [Exeunt One, two: why then 'tis time to do't Hell is vessel.] murky. ACT TV, Re, my lord, fie! A paddler undetemd. Francis: Scene I (below Roostertail) If thou wilt be saved, seize yon rope anon. Duke: [Enter Boy Scout] Here's neither bush nor shrub to bar B. Scout: Duke: The take out of this noble crew. Is this a paddle which I see before me, Forsooth, good fortune cheers, noble pad- The handle toward my hand? Come, let me dler Spaller: clutch thee. My gratitude knows no- Here, kiss the book [Gives him drink] I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Though thou canst swim like a duck, Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible Julie: Thou art made like a goose. To feeling as to sight, or art thou but Hie thee, hither A paddle of the mind, a false creation, Turn loose the rope, for verily we see Scene 2 (the campfire) Proceeding from the beer-oppressed More swimmers follow in your perilous [Enter Duke.] brain? path. Duke: If I offend, it is with my good will. Scene 2 (Lower Rollercoaster) Ruth: That you should think, I come not to of- [Enter Ruth, Princess, Duke, Julie and Sir A rope! A rope! My duckie for a rope! fend, rncis] Glub, glub, glub, glub, glub, glub. But with good will. To show my simple Ruth: skill, 0, wonder! Princess: That is the true beginning of my end. How many goodly paddlers are there here! Glub, glub, glub, glub, glub, glub. [Exeuntll How beauteous the river is! 0 brave new world That has such people in't! AAUUGH! [Exeunt vessel, very long swim ensues.] PADDLE COMPANY Princess: (sings:) WMTEWA TER Come unto these yellow sands And then take hands. Curtsied when you have and kiased w~thproven The wild waves whilst. Why, tis a boisterous and a rude river, durability you want Not for beginners. Why, she defies me value that makes $ sense AAUUGH! [Exeunt vessel] Call or write for information & outfitters in your area: 814 -422-8844 Duke: RD 1, Spring Mills, PA 16875 I know not whether the river gods rule For some displeasing service I have done , . American Whitewater GauleJfFestival 1994 Run Rivers! With New England's Whitewater Experts

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Reprinted from the 1971 Winter issue of American Whitewater

By Dr. Walt Blackadar,

Editor's note: Dr. Walt Blackadar, who died paddling one of his favorite rivers, the South Fork of the Payette, was a true whitewater pioneer. He was Most of us have graduated to Above: A whitewater explosion on the among the first to paddle many of the whitewater via open canoes, and we soon Niogzra Gorge. (photo by D. Cochran) western United State's most dzxicult learned in these fragile craft to back runs and he was renowned for his abil- paddle and let the boat climb the waves. A continued on into a stroke or brace to ity to negotiate big water. This article, crashing onslaught by the boater soon which one then commits himself to as written for American Whitewaterin brought a full boat and capsize. A kayak much as necessary. 1971, is of more than historic interest; (K-1) under forward power, going faster I frequently watch kayakers fight their Blackadar's tips on paddling BIG WA- than the oncoming wave, has no chance to boats to maintain a bowdownstream ap HOO whitewater are still quite valid to- rise and ride over the challenge, but rather proach in Hair, and I am sure that most of &ti. One point of interest, the meaning of cuts through and becomes unstable. A them who watch my nonchalant attitude the term "Hair" has evolved during the craft floating at the speed of the wave is feel that it is pure showmanship to enter past twenty-fve years- in Blackadar's very stable until it reaches the brink and sideways or backwards. This is not always day "Hair" was used to refer to big riv- then tends to get flipped back from the hue; in reverse it is possible to lie back on ers running high, as opposed to steep, crest. the rear deck and shift one's weight way technical creeks. Thus a boater can relax, almost go to back and one's anns easily reach almost to sleep, even in huge Hair, until his boat the stern. Once immersed in a wave on a Paddling Hair need not be nearly as ex- reaches the summit of each wave. At that high brace, it is easy to hold on for some hausting as many boaters make it. We all instant a brief but definite downstream time, until the lightened bow climbs over started paddling our first big water with feint or, if necessary, a strokehrace com- the wave. The stern thus becomes a sea the shout "paddle hard -paddle!" in our bination prevents the expected upstream anchor, pulling the kayak to safety. ears. Many of our best boaters have never flip and lets one again relax for a couple of Sideways is stable if on hitting a crest- been able to forget this philosophy even seconds until the next crest is reached. ing wave you fall downstream and catch a after they no longer needed it for reassur- This feint is actually a bluff rather than a high brace through the wave, pulling the ance. Actually the charge technique is stroke, and usually never hits the water; boat over the top before righting your sometimes the cause of upsets in big wa- however it does shift the body weight, and body. If you really commit yourself on the ter. My motto is quite the antithesis, if the wave has been read properly, noth- brace, it is impossible to flip upstream no "When in Hair relax and keep your paddle ing more is required, even for a big wave. matter how violent the wave. high and dry." If the feint proves insufficient, it is then This opens a new approach to big-wa- ing an infallible screw roll .Any roU that requires a change in hand positioning is certainly slower, and carries a higher risk of losing your paddle while trying to get organized. However a dependable roll is far more important than a fast one. When you flip, take enough time to get everything right before your first try and then come up every time. I put the paddle in position alongside my boat, slide my rear hand back to the in- active blade, and wait until the blade breaks water before I start up. In huge waves, I find that my paddle won't break the surface until I reach the crest of a wave where an immediate roll brings me up in time to get stable before the next summit. Next to roll practice in big water, I emphasize hole practice. Start sdand work up but eventually bite off boles you cannot get out of by any technique except to swim. While in holes I follow and con- Mark Whife on the Clark's Fork of the cur with the excellent article by Jim ~e~~owstone. I Sindelar and Walt Harvest which was printed in this magazine about a year ago ter kayaking. Forget the angulation of approach, you will find yourself riding the (Spring 1971). My technique in essence is one's boat, relax until reaching the crest of waves more and more with your hips, as follows: First, get stable on a down- a wave, and look for danger. This latter ad- keeping your paddle high, similar to a stream brace then try to paddle forward or age is the single most important aspect of tight-rope walker with a long pole. It helps back and haul the kayak over and out, but staying alive in Hair. Read the water at a to maintain your balance and serves as an do not do the same thing over ten seconds. glance, react only if needed. Don't focus ever-ready wand to tap ever so lightly on a Change to something else before you get your attention all over the river but con- brace when needed to maintain stability. too tired centrate on the second or third wave di- Watch the wave that is hitting you and One helpful trick, when all else fails, is rectly ahead just as you crest, occasionally reach your paddle over and through this to try to get the boat perpendicular to the glancing farther down river to check your wave so as to tap the downstream face. hole by pulling the bow up or down- general position relative to what is com- Then, if the wave proves more violent stream. Once lined up, lunge the upstream ing. than expected, the tap becomes a grab, end into the apex of the hole and thus into In big water uniform waves are your which is used to pull the boat through. A the downstream water. This will usually safety, and breaks in the rhythm suggest wave coming from the side, rebounding result in an end-overend and a prompt danger. All mounds with no wave showing off a clifF or a rock, is treated similarly by exit from a nasty hole. Lastly, when all below are potentially dangerous; each flat leaning into the wave, throwing the paddle else has failed, drop in, keep trying some- pancake is a warning of the hole directly over the crest and into the back side just thing different upside down with your upstream. At first one fears crashing down as the wave crashes on you. paddle as deep as possible. Also as part of huge water in big waves, but it soon be- I would emphasize the necessity of an this technique, remember to save a little comes apparent that one can usually avoid infallible roll, first learned in flat water energy and roll up even though you know those yawning holes with only one or two and then transferred to Hair and eventu- you are still in the hole and look around, strokes if floating with the water and stay- ally to rolling in holes on purpose, thus you will usually remember something that ing in the waves. If your boat is sideways technically and psychologically steeling you forgot to do. when you get to the very brink of disaster, yourself to the big Hair rolls. When prac- Note that it is sometimes remarkably you don't have to slop into it! You're al- ticing, forget the usual flip in roll position; easy to roll up in that squirrelly water. Try ready pointing to safety, and a single for- instead concentrate on flipping in various it! If everything else fails, then do a wet ward or backward stroke often allows you inconvenient positions so that you can exit and go deep, but keep your life jacket to circle the rock or hole. learn to get organized under water. Re- on. I have never felt that the buoyancy of a If floating backwards, you are in the member to practice a broken-paddle roll life jacket meant anything in a hole. When best possible position to avoid trouble be- in case you end up with only half a paddle. you are able to join the downstream wa- cause you are perfectly set up for an up I have never felt there was any place ter, you will be pushed out. stream ferry to either side to safety. As for the layout (put-across) type roll in big Also, should you by any chance be- you become more skilled in this relaxed I water and would concentrate on develop come unconscious, you have an excellent American Whitewater GauleyFestivall994 chance of resuscitation when picked up wood on the inside of the deck and handle. If the boater rolls up on the same within five minutes floating in your jacket, glassing it well in place before drilling a side he went in on, both rescuer and res- and it will be impossible to find your body quarter-inch hole for a rope through the cued will be equally happy with the result. in that length of time if it is drifting deep deck and block. A wood handle, much like My views regarding paddles are not without a jacket. Note that the first boater the old fashioned outboard motor starting yet firmly entrenched in my mind, and I to reach an unconscious swimmer should rope handle, on a two-inch rope is then at- hesitate to give advice. Certainly I can see swim or float alongside him while immedi- tached and allows the boater to take a the advantage and do use a heavily ately rendering mouth to mouth resuscita- swimmer through nasty water with ease. spooned blade in ordinary paddling. In tion. The quicker those first few breaths Without this handle it is necessary for the Hair however, you can't afford a paddle can be given, the greater the chance of re- swimmer to cling to the boater's cockpit that might trip you up, and I personally vival. which is a very unstable situation, or to use a big unspooned blade. The bigger the While I emphasize playing in holes to cling to the stern grab loop of the boat. water the bigger the paddle-you're not us- become thoroughly acquainted with the In really big water, the ends of a kayak ing it for propulsion, only for a brace. hole technique, actually while paddling whip violently in the waves, and the swim- Whichever type you use, a spare (break- Hair, one should never need to call upon mer could easily suffer a broken jaw un- down) paddle is essential. this reservoir of tricks. If a mistake is less the boat is turned loose. Several inju- I hope that some of these ideas will made in reading the water and suddenly ries have in fact resulted from this. How- prove helpful in polishing up your big wa- one crests over the last wave in a series ever with the swimmer clinging to the ter technique-remember that when the and stares into a flat which rapidly be- handle and with his other arm over the Hair gets huge, don't fight the water any comes a boiling hole, it is too late to avoicd stern of the boat, he is firmly anchored to more than absolutely necessary. Try to re- it! So charge! & into high gear at the first the boat and no bruising will result. lax, riding the waves with your hips and sign of your error. Stroke hard on top and Should the boater flip, the swimmer auto- keeping your paddle high, ever ready for a if possible on the way down, then reach matically lets the boat twist around under brace. As we say up here in Idaho, enjoy far forward into the soup and hit it with as his arm and stays up even though clinging the ride. You re going H0ME.I many strokes as possible and as hard as with one hand to the now under water you possibly can. If you follow my advice and the hole is big, you will probably flip, but hopefully downstream of the hole. If you do flip, the temptation is to try a quick roll, but poorly organized rolls in the soup of a hole have a notoriously low success ratio for most people. Better, unless there is something horrible directly downstream, is to KEEP PULLING ON THE POWER STROKE UN- DER WATER until the turbulence sub- sides-then roll up. Using this approach, your chances of getting out on this first try are greatly increased, since you never let up on the power, and your body in the underlying fast jet helps pull you on through. However if you don't make it out and are hauled back into the hole, then shift into the technique that I have just outlined and get stable on a downstream brace and start trying one thing and then another. If you plan to paddle big water, you must use a big life jacket because swims can easily become disastrous. Thus forget about the life jackets with ten to fifteen- pound flotation, and secure the Grand Canyon type vests which have thirty-three pounds of buoyancy. These are easy to paddle in, do not hinder a roll, and it becomes much easier to relax, knowing that a swim is possible as a last resort. We equip our kayaks with a handle one-third of the way back on the rear deck, which is made by placing a block of

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 Pandemonium on Chatooga III A Hell of a Plate to Take

by Lee Belbnap

was bopping down the Chatooga III slipped through the huge boils. I found all when I noticed that the nodydry the gear where someone else had stashed Iside of the Island had water in it. I had them, but they were almost in the water always wanted to see that side of the is- ( again. I pulled them way up into the land, so I told my sister, a local raft guide, 3ection IV that day, but between 7 and 9 woods. I had no idea how high the river to eddy out at the bottom of the island and 1that morning, the gauge jumped from .7 fL was going to get and didn't want to take meet me there. When I got there, no one 1to .9 feet. When the guage reached a foot, chances. was in sight. we opted for section III. Before the day 1 waited for the rest of my new group Now I was at the top of the Sandy Ford 'was out the river would peak at five feet. to show up; It I must have been 45 minutes rapids, all alone. I started through the rap After everyone was safe on shore, I before the next boats came through. I had ids to catch up to the raft, playing waves 1had to get my brother and the Honduran just started to pack up my stuff to walk I'd never seen before. As1 bounced along, I back to the raft side of the river. Ferrying out. After all, I had no idea what Second saw a strange sight. In the pool below the each of them across on the back of my Ledge would look like and I didn't want to rapids was a helmet like my sister's, float- kayak would have been simple if only the face it alone. But the first boats through ing, with no raft or passengers in sight. A 1 :Honduran spoke English Somehow he fi- contained friends that I paddled with fre- closer look revealed that it really was my nally got the point and mustered the cour- quently. I gave up on my sister's cework- sister. Where was her ra.ft, my mother, my age and we made it across the wide, swifi ers, figuring that they'd walked out, and I brother, and his Honduran axmy officer current that is normally a large pool. joined my third group of the day. guest?! With everything collected, the family The rest of Chatooga 111 in flood was That's when I noticed the horizon line. decided to take out there so I joined a new wild, wonderful, and weird. The current It was in the middle of the river directly be- group of paddlers- including some of my was fast, and the water boiling. The nasty low me and 1 was heading directly towards sister's co-worken. holes cast menacing invitations, and there it. As I skirted the edge of the hole, I found Until that day, I had never seen so were tons of waves to mess with. I remem- myself looking into what looked like a many walk off a river. At Sandy Ford a ber vividly the full size trees doing enders Greyhound Bus Stopper on the New. But group was surfing a small hole at the top as they floated down the river. There were we were running Chatooga section III, I of the pool. One paddler had several great many of them. All of a sudden one would mind you! surfs but during his last turn he suddenly suddenly appear and flip end over end, Nonetheless, that hole contained my discovered that exiting was next to impos- sometimes close by, without any warning. sister's raft with my mother, high siding it sible. The water had come up that sud- Luckily, nobody was hit by one of these for her life. My brother and his military denly, things. school classmate were also in the clutches As soon as my new party rounded the Second Ledge was a piece of cake, of the hole, recirculating wildly. first corner everyone pealed off to scout provided you started an inch from the There was nothing I could do but wait the Narrows. I paddled down to an eddy RIGHT bank. We did, however, see others just above the Nmwsand found a raft desperately trying not to "be the cake" as below. I didn't have to wait long. Soon we 1 , were scattered on both shores with the trip in need of assistance. they punched the nasty looking hydraulic raft tied off precariously in a strong cur- They had beached their boats high off in the normal route. I knew I didn't want rent. It took us a while t~ get the raft out of the river, but a raft and a kayak floated to be over there. the water. The "D" ring gave out just after away just a minute after they turned their When we got to Bull Sluice there was we got it to safety. backs on them. I went solo down the very water running down the back side of the This was on Section III of the turbulent Nmws, looking for the equip spectators' rock. It wouldn't have taken Chatooga? My sister had planned to take ment. The Nmwswas fairly mellow un- much more water to have turned that chan- my mother, brother, and his friend down til I got to the bottom. There I carefully nel into a wonderful steep creek run!l I - I American Whitewater GauleyFestival 1994 the holes and to scout, was a lot of fun. We reached the other side too soon I was psyched and was looking for- on the mgart ward to finishing the river. But I had to wait for someone familiar with the vgart to show up so that I wouldn't blindly by Lee Bellcnap paddle into the holes I presumed would lurk in the Sturn rapid. It was Memorial Day weekend, 1990. the top of that rapid had been easy, we While waiting for a "guide", more We had launched at West Virginia's Audra would have turned around and run it too! members of our group appeared and State Park to run the Middle Fork and We scouted and identified a reason- paddled into the woods. Julie waded Tyga gorge. able sneak route through the next rapid. through the sticker bushes and fought her Just below the put-in there was a won- But by the time I finished slipping my way up to the railroad tracks to join them derful whirling figure 8 shaped whirlpool, sprayskirt on, I didn't like, nor even recog- and dozens of others who were canying pulsing between two fast moving currents nize what I saw. The rapid had suddenly out. Hey, one of the marchers was the around a mid river boulder. The whirls fa- changed and big waves were now disap leader of our party! cilitated an endless series of effortless, dy- pearing down our proposed "sneakn chan- I was bummed. I looked around and namic, but graceful eddy turns. nel into the woods. We abruptly changed saw a small number of paddlers continu- It seemed that everyone was there. our plan and hiked again. As we put back ing downstream. But I had no idea if any Groups representing Virginia, DC (my in, I had to snatch my paddle as it floated of them knew where they were going. group that day), Pittsburgh, North Care off the formerly "dry" gravel beach, a With no one to follow, I joined the pilgrim- lina and Ohio were all milling about the beach that was evolving into a creek while age on the tracks. place. I figured all of these folks couldn't I climbed into my boat. The story doesn't end here. Shortly af- be wrong. If they could handle the Tygart, At the Tygart confluence the group ter we started walking, we helped rescue a so could Julie and I. Besides, the river split into two. Julie was still with me. By kayak from the river. It's former occupant seemed to be rising slowly, having stabi- now there were swimmers everywhere. had hit a hydraulic so powerful it knocked lized at a moderately high level after the Many others carried from the confluence his helmet off. He too was now waking night's rise. We didn't know that an hour back to the put-in at Audra on a park trail. the tracks. A few minutes later, he caught later the final group to launch wouldn't Julie decided instead to carry to the take- up to us and I "sold" his boat back to him even be able to find the gauge, because it out along the tracks on the other side of at a fair price. (IwasnY going to carry it was buried under water! The river may the flooded Tygart river. out!) have risen as much as ten feet in that hour. I carefully paddled onto the flooded A couple more 'yakers drifted by cling- At first our run seemed unremarkable. Tygart Gorge. While I played the first ing to their boats. The first got to shore If there were any swims, they were routine waves, the Middle fork became a cannon quickly, but the second disappeared be- and have long since been forgotten. We ejecting human cannonballs. I became hind an embankment between the tracks were having a lot of fun. We scouted the very busy picking up animate and inani- and the river. I dropped my boat, grabbed second to last rapids on the Middle Fork mate flotsam and ferrying it to shore. One my rope, and climbed the embankment. I before the Tygart confluence. It was obvi- such piece of drift stuff was a open canoe- found him clinging to a tree in very swift ous that the holes here were too big, ist, an old friend that I found floundering current. rocky, and ornery to mess with. While we in the middle of the wide river. While reel- In the end, perhaps only a half dozen were deciding this, a glass C1 floated away ing in this big fish, he pointed out that of the hundreds who put on the river made and pinned just beyond reach at the top of there weren't many boaters left in the it to the takeout via paddle power. STurn the rapid. By the time rescue was com- river. He had just about given up hope of was reported to be both worse and better plete, the rock the C1 had pinned on was ever getting to shore. than expected, with incredible holes half nearly under water. We departed for the This was one of three incidents that way across the river, but a nice flood other bank to portage. were reported from that river, on that day, channel sneak on the right side of an is- As we ferried across the river, a group to the AWA Close Calls Survey. Some- land. of paddlers - a half dozen or so - swam times it is easy to misjudge the serious- We put back in below the last rapids to shore just above us. Things were start- ness of a situation. and paddled down smooth water to the ing to get interesting. About half way With my friend safe, high and dry, takeout. Then, instead of waking the through our portage people started run- Julie and I ferried across the river, The usual 114 mile up the tracks to our cars, we ning the rapid we had judged ummnable. ride was great. There were big turbulent paddled up through the woods all the way They didn't even hit any of the holes. As a waves everywhere. Some were exploding, to our vehicles. There we waited for a matter of fact, the holes were gone! others hiding sizable holes. Paddling side- Mend who missed the railroad bridge he The river had risen abruptly and ways "Western Stylen through this stuff, needed to cross, and took "a little longer" washed them away. If the carry back to while using the waves to maneuver around getting home..

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 West Virginia's Blackwater River is one of those steep high mountain &earns Ihcdcomes up fast... sometimes very fast... sometimes very, very fast!!!! Black Water River. by Bob Glanville

One Saturday in early April, 1987, while making a run on the Big Sandy, Jack and I decided to paddle the Blackwater the next day. John, whom we had just met, expressed an interest in coming along. Although I had never paddled the Blackwater and John had only done it once, Jack had been down the river a number of times and knew it well. While I was intimidated by the Blackwater's reputation, I had a lot of confidence in Jack's judgment, and drew comfort from the fact that he would be leading. That night it snowed on the high plateau that feeds the Blackwater. By Sunday morning the snow had turned to an icy rain and the air temperature was in the upper thirties. "A typical Blackwater dayn, my buddy Jack said. While we were having breakfast the next morning in Parsons, West Virginia, Chris introduced himself. Our conversation quickly turned to the Blackwater. Neither Chris or his three companions had paddled the Blackwater before but, upon learning that Jack was a veteran, asked to join our group. Laboring under the de- lusion that there might be safety in numbers, we agreed. Our first stop was the takeout at Hendricks, where a gauge was supposed to be painted on a bridge pier. No luck. We learned later that it had been obliterated by the Great Flood of 1985. Eyeing the river, Jack noted that it was on "the high side of medium-possibly nine inches on the old gauge". Our guidebook suggested that an optimum run was six inches and that the maximum was one foot. That left precious little margin for error when guesstimating the level- without the benefit of a gauge. But we naively decided that the level would be manageable and headed for the put-in. At this point, Jack, who had not been feeling well, announced that he would be unable to join us on the river. The thought of paddling the Blackwater for the fmt time, at a high level, with five people I didn't know, only one of whom had ever even seen the river before, was more than a little disturbing. This was a good thought; I should have held on to it. But I told myself that, given the size of our party, there would be plenty of probes for me to follow. Reaching the put-in necessitated a carry of more than a mile on a railroad track and then another half-mile down a steep, heavily wooded, rocky embankment. I should have known that it was not going to be a good day when I pulled my dry suit over my head and the neck gasket did not follow. The gasket was beyond even the aid of duct tape. Our solution, inspired by the Egyptian mummy-wrapping technique, was to start just under my chin

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 and begin ringing my neck with overlapping layers of duct tape until the collar of the suit was joined Top: The Ledge on the semi-permanently to my neck. While this was remarkably effective in keeping the water out of my Blackwater. suit, it was almost as effective in keeping the air out of my lungs. Removing the tape, I later learned, rendered me a "Red Neck" in the truest sense of the word. Bottom: Dean Smith ... At the river it was still drizzling and a cold fog hung over the canyon. The first thing I noticed was Blackwater madness. that the water looked much higher than I had expected. (In fact, it was rising fast, but we didn't find that out ti1 later). We put-in in the middle of a significant rapid. Fortunately, we had stumbled on to the river downstream of two of the meanest rapids- Krackatoa and the Ledge. In its first five miles, the lower Blackwater drops at a rate of 120 feet per mile. We all knew that there were some nasty drops somewhere, but we didn't know how far. Several of us, quite clearly, were not eager to take the lead, and pretended to be "playing" until the others started downstream The first suspicious horizon line appeared about a quarter mile downstream. The drop (which I now know to be Rock and Roll), required quick maneuvering around several large holes and pinning rocks, then driving up and over a rooster tail above a ten foot wide slot. Three of us flipped on the rooster tail and we all hit our heads hard on a submerged rock just below it One member of the party was dazed by the blow and we took a few minutes to regroup before running the next drop. This involved punching several holes on a wave train headed directly toward an undercut rock, cutting around that rock, then dropping over a six foot ledge on a narrow tongue. That tongue was the only way through a river-wide hydraulic. We passed this test without serious incident. Next came "The Slide For Life." It consisted of a sloping shelf of rock that drops thirty plus feet over fifty yards. Most of the water funneled down the left into a terminal hole, formed by a six foot high rock wall that spanned twethirds of the river. We speculated briefly about punching the foam pile over the barrier, but the consequences of failure were potentially fatal. Accordingly, we opted to surf three successive left- to-right diagonal waves toward a narrow, unobstructed slot at the bottom right This passage was exciting, if uneventful. But "Eventsn would come soon enough, for the water had risen another six inches while we were scouting and running "The Slide For Life." The next rapid necessitated a difficult line through a river-wide, very nasty hole; the nastiness of which was

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 exponentially compounded by the fact that there was a tree in it Several of us, having no interest in a close encounter of the worst kind, opted to portage this drop. Below that rapid, either the character of the river changed, or I began to experience sensory over- load. I recall one steaming horizon line after another, interspersed with violent hydraulics, pourovers and downed trees. Scouting was out of the question-there was too much to scout anyway, and the more we scouted, the higher the water got. Someone was seized by a particularly mean hydraulic and violently surfed, first in his boat, then with his boat and finally without his boat. This was more fun than he could stand. Hypothennic, exhausted and scared half to death, he dragged his boat up the canyon wall to the railroad tracks and caught a ride to the takeout on a passing ATV. Downstream I spotted a tree in the middle of a steep boulder garden and decided to portage. Ex- traordinarily dense laurel and underbrush hugged the boulder studded shoreline, making portaging as much of an ordeal as running the strainer-filled rapid As I was about to relaunch, an overturned kayak drifted by and continued downriver out of sight. I looked upstream for its erstwhile occupant. Before my eye caught Rick I heard his voice, faintly calling my name over the din of the rapids. I could just make out his helmet and his arms above the strainer; the rest of his body was beneath it. I grabbed my throw bag and raced upstream to the strainer. By the time I amved, Rick had hoisted himself up onto the tree and lay there in a heap, exhausted and grateful to be alive. After a few minutes, Rich recovered his strength and we started to look for his boat. Fortunately, it had not gone very far. Unfortunately, that was because it was pinned under a house-sized rock. Un- fortunately also, Rick was paddling a light-weight glass slalom racing boat with long needle-like tips. Now Rick's boat was a foot shorter than when the trip began. While that fact undoubtedly en- Big Fun on West Virginia's hanced the boat's maneuverability, it contributed nothing to its seaworthiness. The rain, and the fact Blackwater River. that we did not have the fifteen rolls of duct tape that would have been required, prevented us from sealing the holes at the bow and stern. Rick was barely able to paddle across the river without sinking. He, too, then joined the march down the \ railroad tracks toward the takeout. Shortly after we performed the next hole ex- PLUNGE! traction, we were sitting in an eddy, steeling ourselves for the remainder of the trip. Out of the mist, like apparitions, slicing though the water in their bright metal-flake boats, vertiably dancing though the drops, came a group of Blackwater Regulars, including John Regan and Marty McCormick. Although I'm sure he didn't intend it that way, John Regan's remarks were less than encouraging. "You boys have got yourselves a real expedi- n A new video from tion!" He counseled us to "Take it slow , but, upon further consideration, added, "Remember, the slower you go, the higher the water is going to get." His parting words will remain with me forever: ' River Canyon, the Bear, the Cullasaja: "Beeeee careful! Beeeee careful!" and the Horsepasture. John and his companions soon flashed out of sight and we were once again alone in the mist When they arrived at the take-out an hour and a half ahead of us, John advised my wife to call the local rescue squad if we were not out by dark. That certainly made her feel good. Shortly before dark, we actually made it to the take-out. At least, most of us did. Rick, who had not been lucky enough to hitch a ride on an ATV, still was not back. He was still hiking down the tracks. Satisfied that everyone was off the river, I quickly tied my Dancer on to the roof and headed home. It had been a day I would not soon forgetl

I American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 FIREWORKS ON THE KENNEBEC GORGE /

A 9000 cfs Release Triggers a Big Time Splash Party at the First Kennebec Festival By Tom Christopher v BackTom Christooher fiahtina the waves at the had been publicized for months so just $ve us the 8,000 CFS they had promised. Water about everyone knew that the annual was cascading down the 150 foot sluice, nor- Inset: Rick Hudson meeting his "Demons" in the turbine test for Harris Dam Station had mally used only in case of flood. You couldn't 1 name of "Magic." (photo by Shirley Griffin) been scheduled for the Fourth of July to ac- hear what people said when they spoke and the commodate the first AWA Kennebec River put-in was ten feet higher than normal. Any fool lown the middle into the wave train, then caught Festival. It's not unusual to see 6,000 CFS in :odd see the water was big, it was pushy, it was he eddy on river left. the Kemebec Gorge during the week, espe- hst It was reading 9,000 CFS on the gauge. Rick He was smiling and said, "You know this is cially if the summer days are excruciatingly looked tentative. ike some of the drops in the Grand Canyonn He hot down south in Boston. Energy demand I squeezed into my Vampire on a small rock was getting his color back. "When do we get to the from industry and air conditioners keeps the ledge, planning to drop into the river between a Weyway?" he asked. three turbines spinning for long hours Monday touple of rafts. Rick said he'd put in a bit further We were already into it, running the river ver- through Friday. iown the line, out of harm's way of the rafts. idly with our Vampires, trying to stay out of the But it is only an accommodation to the "Meet me in the first eddy on the leftn, I said murovers along the sides of the gorge. A gigantic kayakers and commercial outfitters by Central and plopped four feet into the river. As soon as I murover just in front of "Big Kahunankept me in Maine Power to grant three or four hours of hit the current and could feel the power of the he center of the river. We bombed down the wave 4,800 CFS on weekends. This keeps a 20 million river, I knew we were in for a ride. ;rain into the "Cathedraln eddy, seeking some dollar commercial rafting industry ailoat in the Five minutes later Rick was at my side, with naceful serenity. I was breathing heavily from wilderness town of The Forks, Maine, and hun- both eyes wide and not saying a word. We fer- ,addling so hard. dreds of kayakers flocking to this whitewater ried back and forth a few times just to get a feel Rick caught up to me at "ZTum", the last surf- mecca for the river and were carried five hundred yards ng wave before "Magic Falls". Now he was in ex- The turbiie test was supposed to put a downstream. The current was incredibly pushy. :ellent spirits and really starting to enjoy the river. whopping 8,000 CFS into the Kennebec. This ex- Where it compressed against the rock walls of iis confidence was back and he was exhibiting tra water would provide a unique big water expe- the gorge it curled back into vicious, uncertain he perversity that he considers to be a sense of rience for many boaters- a test of skill and iron cross currents, producing nasty reaction waves Iumor. will and the chance for a "worst ever" swim- if three and four feet tall. I paddle the Kennebec At 9,000 CFS "Magicn contahed a mega- you had the misfortune to come out of your boat. countless times throughout the year, but this wurling wave that had all the power of the dis- On the annual turbine test days one finds was a new river to me. :barge tubes at the Gauley. When I pulled through good paddlers who do the tough stuff every Place that I normally surflike "Gwave'; he last wave crest and started to slide into the weekend and the "wanna be'sn, looking to step were gone. In its place were towering whitecaps imp, this gqantuous wave folded over me and up in class. Eve feet high. They propelled us like a runaway wried the entire length of my boat under water. It My friend Rick Hudson had traveled from freight train through the gorge. I didn't like run- was as if I had purposely performed a perfect stern his summer cabii in Lubec, Maine to make the ning the river this fast, usually there plenty of quirt, the ultimate vertical mystery move by a fat run. I didn't know that he wanted to confront the places to play, surf, and squirt. Rick was right py in a long boat. demons that had caused an epic swim in the behind me and still very quiet. A hundred yards behind me Rick was con- early days of his paddling career on the In ten minutes we were at "Boogie Wave", fronting the river demons that had him so worried Kennebec. normally a good four-foot surfing wave. Now it at the beginning of the trip. As I glanced over my He very wisely did not apprise me of his was seven feet high and extended half way right shoulder I could see him upright and pad- fears, knowing that in response I might direct across the river. After three or four muscular dling hard, the grin on his face was spread from him into every pourover on the river. Rick is ac- & we headed down river to face "Big Mama" ear to ear. tually a very good boater and I have no idea why and the "Alleyway". As we approached the end of our trip Rick he didn't trust me??? I geuss he knows that like The next quarter mile was a Whitewater told me that he had swum the entire "Alleyway" most boaters I enjoy a good laugh, especially at roller coaster into the breech of "Big Mama". and all the way through "Magic', early in his boat- someone else's, expense. Well, "Big Maman had grown considerably, as if ing career. This was the first time he had returned As we walked to the put-in next to the pow- she were ripe with river children. She was to the Kennebec since. erhouse we began to hear an ungodly roar. As HUGE... a good ten feet in height, and followed Congratulations were in order. He had cho- the bottom it was deafening. CMP had opened by a wave train of six to eight footers that led sen one hell of a day to make his triumphant the flash boards at the top of the dam in order to into the "Alleyway". Rick rode "Maman right return!H

American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 Paddler: John Rose, River: Gauley (pillow reck), Photographer: Dan 'A/-llen(photo courtesy of Dagger) Idle. To scout or not? There swept along by a is that inner voice again, tell- powerful current \g me I could do it. (Who through the usually tranquil does that voice belong to, any- pool above Lost Paddle. The way??) mouth of the Meadow River No sense waiting. drifted by to my left. Time spent thinking "Holy Cow!! I can't see any might only let doubt creep of the rocks up there!" in and there I took a longing look at the wasnoroomonthis right bank of the Gauley and re- river for doubt. I led as . trail Iwe st. out along the membered the that goes up mountain to Camifex Battlefield .en paddled to the LEFT of the "Hey, Chris! What's Lost t normally forms the left wall Paddle like at this level?" ep drop of Lost Paddle. "Joe, I don't know for sure. !ddy and Chris joined me. We never seen it THIS high. But, I tl e need to be far left on the fmt two 'normal" route at the second drop ended in pitches." "Good. The third drop is usu- a stopper of Bunyanesque proportions. I took ally easy. And the fourth pitch down to the another deep breath. Normally, exit pool might even be straightfornard." I'd let Chris lead. "Ummmm,Joe. You might want to think But I'd been watching too many Nike com- again. At fall flow, the third drop is the easiest mercials. Something told me ..."JUST DO IT!!" of the four. But, remember, the I peeled out and rounded the point of whole river necks down there. It's going to rock I went straight for the gut because I fig- be very dynamic ured the edges of the river would be squirrely today." beyond belief. Chris was right. These waves were NOT I knew that Chris Hipgrave wasa very ac- "My goodness. It's not green... it's wallflowers, standing around demurely, complished boater. I found out that day he was brown!!" I exclaimed, staring at the torrent looking pretty. prescient as well. I had rendezvoused with that boomed across the riverbed from the Nooooo! They were break dancing and Chris in BecMey, West Virginia in hopes of tubes, smashing into a house sized boulder on jiving and rock and rolling and were they running Glade or Piney Creek; but they were river left. happy to see me!!! The first one grabbed my too low. We stopped at the Corps office and asked tail and do-sidoed me right into its partner. It "Chris, what does the Corps say about if the discharge had changed from the morning took a liking to me and threw me high in jubi- the New and Gauley?" I inquired. recording. The ranger informed us that 11,600 lation. I tried to remember my dance lessons. "11,600 cfs." cfs was still coming out the tubes and that "Head over the buk..head over the butt!!" "Good level! I love the New at high wa- Meadow was holding at 2,400 cfs. That meant Now, I was ter." "No, Joe. Not the New. That's we would have 14,000 cfs from the mouth of in a trough 11,600 cfs from Summemile dam on the the Meadow to the take-out! climbing..... climbing.... noooo... stalling ...stalling. Gauley. And there's an additional 2,400 cfs The ranger was appropriately concerned, This last wave was a real woman. It embraced pouring out of the Meadow." asking whether we knew the river and me as it broke over me. I was buried in its wa- It had been a long time since I've had that whether we had any idea about what it was tery hug. Then it gave me a "Maalox Moment" feeling. I have never seen like at this level. Chris assured him that he thrill as it exploded under me and I the Upper or Lower Gauley at anything higher had done it up to 8000 cfs. I was silent. I dropped several feet. than the fall flows of 2,400 to 2,800 cfs. My in- didn't want the ranger to wony any more than I remember thinking that #is was the ner voice told me I could do it. But, I post- he already was. Mother of All Waves. poned the decision as long as I could. The ranger sighed, wished us well, and Suddenly, I was on a jet bearing down- "Let's just go do a play run on the Dries of walked off with that body language slump that stream. I eddied up in time to watch Chris the New," I suggested. seemed to say "Guess, I can't stop those damn stall briefly on "Motherw. Then he came rock- Chris was happy. I knew that he would fools.". eting out. have fun on the New. But given his choice, I The shuttle was silent. In an uncharacteristically not-socool Brit- knew where he wanted to be. The Gauley. I flipped and rolled in the first ledge. We ish accent he hollered, "Did you see that?? But did I want to be there also? ran Initiation and I relaxed a bit Insigruficant What a surf. It just shot me right out. WOW!! Finally, halfway to the takeout of the New, proved to be a very long, friendly standing Talk about dynamic!" I worked up my courage and pulled my van wave train that we negotiated to the left of Chris led the rest of the way down the over on US 19 and proposed a change of plan. center. river. I followed with a smile on my face. After Chris accepted, as I knew he would. We ran Pillow Rock farrrrr right down a all, "Mother" had embraced me and ejected And so the happy couple kept driving right creek route that is normally dry at conven- him. over the New and on to the dam on the Gauley tional levels. "Mother" did love me best.l at Summersville. Now, we were in the eddy above Lost

American Whitewater GauleyFestival 1994 roar ahead, I surmised (correctly) that it was coming from the gigantic river wide hole of TV fame. I took comfort in the BAD SPOT!! thought that my Blaster could cut through the Big Wahoo .... holes better than any round boat. As we approached the river wide horizon line we could see water spouting high Sometimes Even the Big into the air from the recycle below. F'inding HE DO NOW?? Off Than a safe portage became a clear priority. The Dogs Bite More portage necessitated teetering along the Riding the Wahoo They Can Chew! bank on loose gravel, wedging ourselves back into our boats, and reentering the river by Risa Shimoh Callaway just above a couple of sizeable waves and in Costa Ria another big, menacing hole. As morning broke over Steamboat Forrest tried to peel out and was Springs, Colorado the members of the 1986 slammed back into the eddy. He tried by: Joe Greiner Torque- a- Thon stirred. The team consisted again... and he was out of sight. Subsequent of Anita and Dale Adam, my husband, paddlers climbed into their boats and fol- Costa Rica-1986. It was 500 AM and Forrest, Andrew Carr, Brent Cochran, lowed his lead; they each disappeared aining. We didn't care. We were leaving Sherwood Horine, Bob McDonough and downriver just as abruptly. Those left be- ian Jose for the Reventazon. Mary Hayes Dave Williams. Although the day's itinerary hind began to feel very much alone. lipsher, Randy Riddle, Frank from Texas, had not yet been set, we were hoping the Several moments later Forrest ap md I were going to meet three others and Yampa would be running at a good level. peared downstream of the monstrous hole, )addle from Turrialba (Angostura bridge) to The crew of eastern squirt boaters ar- stroking like mad. Andrew appeared next, 'eralta Spirits were high. rived in town just as the Yampa River Festi- clinging to his stern. Bob and Sherwood We met Tom Vinius, Paul Mason, and val Slalom race was about to start. Too late were last seen chasing an errant boat hrgeSnelling at the American Hotel in to register, we played the role of radicals, around the bend. hmialba They had a self-bailing raft and donning our Transformer helmets and wield- Was that Brent's boat floating down the were happily anticipating an exploratory ing those ever- so- long Widdemore Blasters river, too? -un to see if the nine mile segment was com- and Ceylons. After being permitted am exhi- Soon Anita was hiking on river right; nercially viable. We loaded the raft, had bition squirt slalom run, we spent the after- how did her boat wind up on river left? jome stimulating Central American coffee, noon lounging in a hot spring, located down Sometime later Andrew lost his footing and md around Gate 12. But we needed something fell fifteen feet from the trail into the away we went. more to make their day complete. Yampa We wanted an early start. Only Mary A rumor was circulating that the Cross I sort of missed a ferry above a large md Randy had seen the river before- once Mountain Gorge section of the Yampa was pourover. Over I went, and when I came to zxh. And there were no roads to our take- romping. And so the Torque- a- Thon team the surface it was without my helmet. It sut. Mary had to call ahead to make certain headed out, against the advice of local pad- eventually popped up, thirty feet down- here would be a boxcar on the 200 PM dlers, who felt that our tiny, flat craft might stream. After narrowly skirting another hole train through Peralta We would ride the not fare well on the raging Yampa I hit the bank, hoping to take pictures as the train while our boats and gear rode the box- The locals' concern was not without others flushed through. I didn't have long car back to Turrialba Now all we had to do merit. Not so very long before the Cross to wait. was get there on time. Mountain Gorge had been attempted at the They looked quite relieved to see me; The next train?? The next day. ungodly level of 13,000 cfs by a party that in- they were glad that I was not still upstream, The gauge on the bridge read 1.80 cluded Cully Erdman. As network television locked into an eternal surf of a terminal hy- meters. cameras rolled a very large hole near the top draulic. "Mary,what's the river like?" of the Gorge played havoc with the would- As darkness fell Sherwood blitzed to "Unless it really rises, it's just like the be television stars, who never finished the the take out to alert the rangers that their lower Gauley." run. It made for quite a Wide World of might be a need for a night search. But as No sooner said than the rain started in Sports show. twilight fell one by one everyone made their earnest. After the first few rapids, I knew But not to worry. The Gorge was not way out of the Gorge. Bob and Forrest that I didn't recognize any of this as the running at 13,000 cfs. It was running at were safe, dry and unscathed. Others were Lower Gauley. In fact, it felt more like the 15,000! less fortunate. Andrew had made great Upper Gauley at a flow higher than I had The Torque- a- Thon team hit the water time, swimming the last mile of the Gorge... ever experienced. at 530 p.m. We figured we would have The next day the clean up crew, consist- The Reventazon was like riding an el- plenty of time to make the run,which is only ing of Bob and Brent, paddled in to retrieve evator going up. You could almost feel the a few miles long. After a short class I1 warm Anita's boat. Dinosaur National Monument river rising. About four miles into the trip, up the canyon walls closed in and the light Rangers found another kayak, thirty miles tired, psyched+ut, and sleepdeprived, I dimmed ominously. There was a terriiic downstream. Andrew was relieved! W asked Randy how much more we had to go.

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 "Not much. The rapids get a little far- "Ahhh,yes. That's better. I'm stand- the edge of the ledge. He said that just as I ther apart. But we do need to watch for a ing now. Wait!!! What's this?? Oh %!!" reached the lip he asked himself "Hmmm. big, bad ledge-hole down here on the right Five feet in front of me was a seven foot Bad spot. Wonder what he'll do now?" someplace." drop with an awesome backwash at the boG I still don't know where it came from, The rafters were having a ball. Every so tom. I was standing on the ledge that maybe my days as a competitive swimmer. often, they would stop and George would formed the very hole that Randy had As I felt that last slip, I squared up to the take out a notebook They would talk about wamed me about. Out of the comer of my ledge, looked out into the backwash, and the last few rapids and try to think up good eye, I could see Randy sail past the ledge on launched a racing dive- as lodoong and as names so that they could remember the river left. shallow as I could muster. I hit the back- river. My feet started to slip. The water was wash stroking. We came to a slot. The kayaken were thigh deep. My right foot slid forward six Thought Randy "Hmmm. Maybe that waiting in an eddy. I Dipped. inches. My left foot joined it seconds later. will play." I rolled... almost. I almost rolled again. "If only I can hold on here... someone Fortunately, it did. I was able to Oh Oh!! I almost rolled again. can get me a rope. Nooooo!!! My legs are pierce the backwash into Randy's eddy, The I ran out of patience and cool at the moving again!" others managed to corral all my gear. The same time. My legs felt like they were encased in Reventazon continued to rise. We made the I punched out of my boat expecting to water filled waders. But worse, someone &moon train. find myself on an eddy line. Instead I was in else (not me... definitely NOT ME!!) was On the train ride back, George, Tom, current, heavy current. moving my feet forward, about six inches at and Paul were huddled in the comer of the "Feet up... breathe... Where am I??? a time. I looked up quickly. Randy was in passenger car flipping through the notebook Which way should I an eddy downstream but THE HOLE and its and laughing about the run I could hear swim?? Where are the others?? Why backwash was between him and me. them as they came up with name after aren't they right here?? What's this?" . "What to do now, buckaroo? You can't name. They named the long rapid "Dos Ki- My feet hit something hard in front of just fall off the ledge into THAT hole. Who lometers" and the last rapid "The Land Of A me. knows how many times you will Thousand Holes." "Was this a rock?" recirculate? Make up your mind! Quick! My dive must not have been as long and "Good, maybe I can just slip behind it You're at the edge! One more slip and you'll as shallow as I thought. into the eddy. But wait! It's just a shallow be off the ledge." The boys in the raft named the rapid spot. Hmmm. Feels smooth. Maybe I can Later, Randy described how he watched "The Swan Dive".. stand." as I helplessly and inexorably was drawn to MIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE KANSAS ANYMORE when my daughter had been hit by a car last Chatooga IY was running high and rising fast Things were Christmas Eve day. I found myself sitting at the Chatooga IV put-in, having impure thoughts. "Not too good," I said to myself. I remembered my daughter's wonderful attitude, her recovery, and her seven year old @ Lauren Hunter belief in guardian angels. So I said a little prayer, the first of many that day. Sunday, March 27,1994 started with a the Chattooga the sky showed signs of At noon, when we launched, Bull Sluice quick glance at the weather channel and the clearing, but an unusual warm, muggy feel- looked pretty wild. We all ran down the cen- realization that the ChatEooga had been sit- ing was in the air. I asked an NOC guide ter and I made a mental note to check the ting in a storm system all night. 1 irnmedi- what the level was and he said it was 1.8 level. The river felt and looked like it was ately questioned the idea of heading there- earlier that morning. As the shuttle was be- rising. As we passed the gauge I saw it was as rusty as I felt, I wondered about the water ing run, I sat trying not to even think about at 2.2 feet. level. I had not been through the Five Falls being nervous. I said, "Okay Lauren, you can do this." I section above 2.2 feet. Maybe I should have It had been an "interestingn year for me. started psyching myself up, determined to listened to that nagging inner voice, but then As a woman and a mom, I am a minority keep the Doubt Monster at bay. Our party I would have missed all of the excitement. among my boating buddies. I use my own met two guys and we merged to become six. Our group met in Charlotte and con- judgment when I run rivers, but my river I was aware that the air felt very peculiar- sisted of my husband Quay, Gordon Brown, running confidence had been shaken earlier with alternating warm and cool pockets. Bradford Barry and myself. Upon arrival at that month and my very foundation rocked At Woodall Shoals, I realized that the

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 river was really rising fast. The hole at the The weather continued to sour and I tance. I yelled something about it to Gor- base of the drop on far right was huge. We knew an afternoon thunderstorm was com- don, but he could not hear me. I wanted to joked about Seven Foot Falls being Three ing. One of the guys from this new group get out of there. Foot Falls. We all had good runs and we paddled over and nonchalantly said, "So are Our walk took an hour. We had a lot of picked up the pace, remembering that there you having a little lunch?" climbing to do and used ropes and were feeder creeks that would add to the "Well," he added, "you might want to carabiners for our boats. We had to be ex- already rising level. The sky was getting mosey down to Five Falls." I swallowed my tremely careful to avoid slipping. We didn't darker and I could hear thunder. As we ap food, trying not gulp audibly. "The river is want to fall into the river right above Sock- proached what is usually a nice place to re- rising fast," he said. "If you don't get down em-Dog. Not my idea of fun Once we were lax and gaze at waterfalls and creeks, I no- there soon, there will be no bank to walk on around Sockem-Dog, we had to ferry ticed a decided increase in the amplitude of if you cany. around floating lumber in a huge the whitewater noise. Yo! Homey don't like this...... recirculating eddy to get to river left to run h When I looked at Stekoa Creek on river The guy who had lost his boat climbed Shoulderbone. right my mouth dropped open down to my onto the back of a very generous, well bal- As we rounded the turn heading for the sprayskkt, hit, bounced off and slammed anced boater's kayak and we proceeded. lake, the most incredible smell of pine over- shut. The creek was soooo high and disgust- More boatels appeared. As I recognized whelmed us. We looked up to see that vast ingly brown. It merged with the water I was them, I realized with a sinking feeling that areas of the forest on either side of the river in and caught my edge. they were all experts. Most of them had were completely destroyed It dawned on us "Mmmmmmm," I thought, "try not to done the Green Narrows numerous times the we had survived a tornado! Trees were get uptight!" Very quickly the Chattooga be- and probably even felt comfortable on it, for snapped off like broken match sticks. The gan to take on that interesting flood stage God's sake! tornado had bounced from side-to-side of quality, surging so much that the lines were At about 230, we reached Five Falls. the river gorge like a pinball. constantly changing. I tried to unclench my The level was estimated at about 4.0 feet. At the take out, we ran into a group of teeth which were still trying to recover from Everything happened fast from here fishermen who had experienced the full slamming together. on. The storm was getting closer; the water force on the twister. With wide eyes and re- It is a good thing my mouth was shut was rising. We made it through Entrance, newed faith in a superior being, they de- because the stench from the water was nau- Corkscrew (which I walked) and Cmk-in- scribed how they had tied their boat down seating and I knew swallowing any of the the-Rock When we scouted Jawbone, we and grabbed onto roots while lying face water could be a health hazard. Someone ended up on river right. It was then that down on the ground. They too saw a Wbf mentioned that there were chicken farms things got crazy. The sky became so dark water; they felt their feet lifted off the upstream of the creek, someone mentioned Our buddy helped me get my boat up a rock ground and pulled up into the air as they being sure to stay upright, someone men- wall and then walked down river. Later, he held onto the roots. They saw their johnboat tioned the status of the water level and the found a raft to ride out on. There were fly through the air, torn from the rope and Doubt Monster mentioned "Raven Chute" in groups of people below Sock-em-Dog. Quay watched the trolling motor drive into a tree. my brain was standing looking at the river, trying to They saw trees breaking and falling like Raven Chute has eaten more skh from decide if he should run Jawbone. dominoes. my elbow than any rapid in the Southern I had decided to walk and it was going They were feeling very lucky and anx- Appalachians. I knew I would scout. to be the walk from Hell. It got as black as ious to get out of there. We took out and There were no rocks exposed on river night and the young guy whose buddy had rushed to change while another storm left where we usually eat lunch and the lost his boat, joined another group. They all brewed. When we got to the put-in, we holes were huge. I saw a line but decided to made the hairy ferry above Jawbone and found out that the road home was closed. I walk. One of the young guys we had hooked walked the ever decreasing bank on river realized I had left my ruby red slippers at up with ran it and punched the hole. A left. home. "There is no place like home." Some- pretty cool move! His buddy did not quite Gordon, Quay, Bradford and I stayed on one mentioned that the level had risen to make it. Not so cool. the right. Gordon took off up the rock wall nearly five feet. We all walked down to see I saw his eyes widen as his stem was to scout our portage. I stood watching the Bull Sluice, a sight to behold! drawn back into the hole. He valiantly tried river. The air got very warm, then very cool, Later we drove past an area where an- to pull out straight, his boat's bow waving in then hail started falling- large, irregularly other tornado, or perhaps the same one, had the air. shaped chunks of ice. touched down on Highway 76. It wrenched Bye, bye, I thought. Well, it was ugly. He I was glad for my helmet! The darkness my heart. On the way home I kept trying to surfed, swam and lost his boat. Our buddy lifted and the sky turned unearthly colors, remember the words to songs from the Wiz- did not have air bags-bummer. So, now yellow with a rose tinge. I turned and ard of Oz. our buddy was walking out of the Wild and looked for Gordon, then when I looked back That night, the Doubt Monster con- Scenic river, paddle in hand. We spent at the river, I saw what looked like a wall of quered once more, with pure thoughts, I about an hour looking for the boat water move down the gorge. There was a gratefully rested my head on my pillow at I was hungry so while we waited, I ate. I roaring sound. The wind was so strong that home and drifted to sleep... trying to remem- looked up and saw other boaters on the I leaned into a rock crevice for protection. ber if I really had seen a witch on a broom river. "So we are not the only crazy people Then it all calmed down and I could flying through the Chattooga gorge on my after all," I thought. hear another roar, like a train in the dis- way to Oz..

American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 Kayakers beg for goodies on one of Idaho's premiere multi-day whilewater challenges...

A Articles &Photos by Chuck Pezeshki Top: he wild and ~ggedride to the South Fork put-in.

We were trying to get our act together Bottom: Craig and Bart play follow that second weekend in June, but we were the leader at Devil's Creek Rapid. having problems; Idaho-kind of problems. \

Bart needed to get a sitter for his Idds. What was wrong with the sitter he usually called? She had to take her old man to court Things had gotten a little lively in the Stites bar and he had bitten the nose off some other local in a fight. "Allegedly" bitten off their nose-he hadn't had his court date yet. Craig couldn't make up his mind whether he should call A1 and his cat.-raft crew and sign onto the rafting trash's plan. That would mean suffering constant abuse regarding our choice of craft for this three day excursion, but we would be able to bum beer and leftovers from their plates. I faced my own dilemma Should I leave my fiancee for the third weekend in a row, possibly finalizing the string of failed rela- tionships that constitutes the history of our little, ragtag crew? Things started to fall together Thursday night while I was on the drive to Orofino. Bart found a sitter, Craig threw his cards in with Al, and I convinced my fiancee that this really was the last weekend for boating in Idaho, considering the drought and all. The total number going to float the South Fork of the Salmon would be nine: three kayakers and six cata-rafters. We were headed for the center of one of the wildest chunks of Idaho; the jewel in the eye of the tidy at higher water. Because of the inac- me, having Bart along definitely has its potato. cessibility, the South Fork of the Salmon at ~lussesand minuses. Bart tortures me re The South Salmon cuts a deep, granitic high water is not a river for the advanced lentlessly about my eco-wacko tendencies; canyon on the edge of the largest wilderness intermediate midlifecrisis kayaker that however, he does know the country, having complex in the lower 48 states. It is remote, crows to his buddies about flipping and roll- worked here for the past ten years. rugged and hard. If a boating party did ing up against Pillow Rock on the Gauley. Bart also knows all of the people in the screw the pooch down there- well they had It is the kind of gem were experts im- country, and figures that it is his social duty better be carrying backpacks, hiking boots mene themselves in a spectacular gorge to reacquaint himself with all of them each and two days of food. There are old mining with numerous Class IV-V rapids, rapids drive to a river. roads leading "somewhere" up on the can- that drop down to the mightiest untamed This can cause interminal delays. On yon rim, but who knows if they lead back to river in Idaho, the Main Salmon. And, on this trip we met one of Bart's old mining civilization? this trip in particular, it would offer us the buddies-a fellow by the name of Chappy. The geologic structure that the river opportunity to get drunk on someone else's "Old Chappy, he's a good old fart," Bart traverses is uplifting faster than the river is beer -the catarafters'. said. "I want to stop and just catch up a cutting down; hence, the rapids are classic, The crew that finally gathered in McCall little." Chappy used to be the mayor of steep Rocky Mountain boulder-bed rapids that late spring day was a diverse one. Bart Yellowpine, Idaho, where Bart used to formed by slides and fans from side creeks. is a geologist who used to be a miner... a work. Chappy would hand out his business The granodyarite walls close in tightly on "whole-wheat" miner. I am a professor and card, which said on one side, the river bed, creating a Venturi effect, espe- do a lot of environmental activist work. For Cha~Dv.Mayor of Yellomine

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 THE SOUTH FORK OF THE SALMON

"You'll be happy with Mayor Bart just pointed to me and said, "That course, he wasn't scared- Mugsy is a moun- Chappy!" boy right there is one of the best kayakers in tain of a man. and on the back side, Idaho," then immediately started smirking. But now he was swimming, hanging on "Please don't throw your cigarette To keep the stranger from pulling his gun, I to his cat.as it did a lawn mower imita- butts in the urinal. quickly thanked Bart for the undeserved tion on top of his head. We had to avert our Besides the mess, it makes them compliment, and changed the topic, asking gaze to keep from laughing; after all, Mugsy soggy and hard to light" about the use of a Glock 17 in the wilder- is also a sensitive guy. What a mayor of Yellowpine does is be- ness. At the bottom, Al gave Mugsy quite a yond meIdaho County has no zoning or "Rescue," he said. "If I get hurt, Ill just lecture about how to row a cataraft. building codes. Chappy had to move to shoot this in the air a couple of times and Frankly, we kayakers were worried if this Riggins after a little accident with a propane get help." tension would affect the foreign aid pm heater in his house-he filled up his living Uhhuh, sure... gram that evening. mom with the gas, then lit a match. He was We put in at 300 PM. We quickly made Mugsy finally got it together, promising blown through the door of his cabin. our way down the entrance Class III and IV A1 he wouldn't break another oar. A1 was Craig Thomas, the other kayaker in out rapids to the first biggie, called Devil's still a little upset with his boy Mugs as we party, is a 5th grade school teacher in Creek, Devil's Toe, Devil's Tooth, Devil's passed out of the gorge and down to the Orofino. One would think that this would Protruberance, or whatever part of the lunch spot, an abandoned old sawmill. make him patient. In fact, it has made him anatomy is currently causing irritation. The rafters wanted to stop here. Appar- passive-aggressive, at least since they out- Devil's Creek is a long, complex, Class V- ently, the attraction of horse poop and rust- lawed corporal punishment at the grade rapid with some ugly aspects- if you mess ing junk was just too great for our rubber- school where he teaches. Craig, however, UP. on-thebrain buddies-they couldn't wait to has taken this energy and funneled it into I ran first, tight and upright, along with beach their boats and break out the Kraft positive aspects of his life; for example, he the rest of the kayaking crew. We beached American Singles. For entertainment, Bart gets up earlier and earlier every morning. our boats below, and hiked up to watch the maimed a rattlesnake, then proceeded to Friday morning, as the ladder from his loft rafts. give me a lecture on how people and rattlers dropped perilously close to my head, I Al Hamilton was the only catarafter to just don't mix asked him why it was necessary to get up at run the hero route down the left. The rest I suggested he should become a teacher 5:00 in the morning when the drive was finessed, or ricocheted, down the sneak and philosopher, providing rational under- only three hours long, and we didn't need to route on the right. We cheered as Mugsy pinnings for his white trash, scorched earth be there until 11:00? cleared the bottom wave with no damage, campaign against the local fauna The catarafters were all associated with after all, he was canying the beer and a fine "Grandfather River is going to get you Aire Matables of Boise, ID. Al Hamilton, bottle of cheap whiskey. for killing one of his children, Bart," I said. sales manager and partner, who alternately It wasn't long until we pulled into camp "Can I borrow your river knife to saw proclaims himself as "God's gift to raftingn and the insults started flying. Al wanted us off its head, Chuck?" and "the kayaker's friend" was coordinating to wear signs saying: Back in the boats we finally arrived at with us. Chris Walker, partner and raft de- "Please don't feed the kayakers- Fall Creek Rapids, the last big Class V be- signer, who probably really is God's gift to They only become ornery and expect- fore the Main Salmon. I stood tall and ran rafting, accompanied him, along with his ant" both drops; Bart and Craig ran the top, then brother Todd, Gerry of Mile High Shuttles in Fortunately there was neither paper nor slinked down the sneak on the right. The McCall, Gail Ater and Greg "Mugsy" Patrek pen. Before long we were all drunk. Al once rafters came screaming around the corner Mugsy is a mountain of a man, which is again proclaimed himself "God's gift to raft- next, and it wasn't long until we were crack- good- he can take a lot of abuse. Al and ing" and this time we quickly agreed. We ing the celebratory, cold beer in the eddy be- Mugsy go way back; when Mugsy wants to knew that if we didn't, he would shut off our low. Even I had to admit those high perfor- go rafting, Al throws an extra cata-raft on tap. mance AIRE craft were pretty amazing- for top of the rig, retrieves his special "Mugsy" After the usual misogynist conversation rafts, that is. dry bag- containing life jacket, wetsuit, and boating nonsense, we went to bed. By the time we set camp that night drysuit and booties- and phones Mugsy with Sleep came easily as we burped beer into above the Main Salmon, we had the rafters directions to the put-in. All Mugsy has to our lifejacketdpillows. trained. We guzzled their Sam Adam and bring are his Tevas; Al gave them to him last Saturday started hot, but turned cold. Henry Weinhard's, sat in their chairs, and Christmas. One could say Al almost feels Soon Catarafkr Gail started yelling strange even ate the first round of their food. If we downright motherly towards old Mugs. obscenities in Spanish, citing his TexanJew- could have gotten their pillows, perfection We finally arrived at the put-in at 200 ish ancestry. I got into a particularly nihilis- would have been achieved. PM Friday. Up came shuffling a typical Cen- tic mood, and refused to get out of my boat We watched two bears graze across the tral Idaho denizen, sporting a pistol and a to scout. As a result we ran the second Class river from camp. Mugsy won best "ex- backpack. V, a rapid, appropriately named Surprise, panded story" award, about facing down a "So where you from?" we asked. blind. We kayakers managed to avoid the bear with a can of paint and his fists. "Delaware," he replied. "Looking for a spanking of Granddaddy South Fork, al- "Ooooh, yeah, I was gonna spray that job in the mines." though I gave a rodeuhole performance. We bear in the eyes, and then punch him in the After a while, he asked us where we cleared out to watch the raft run at the bot- nose," he slurred. "It was either him or me, were floating. tom of the drop. yeah, that bear, ooooohh.." "Down there," I gestured. Everythmg was going fine until Mugsy, The float out on the Main Salmon the "Shoot, no one goes down there," he re- who was a little rusty with the oars, entered following day was peaceful. By then, the plied. "I've seen tons of boaters, but no one the top of Surprise. He soon dropped into rafters were alternately giving us cookies to goes down there.." several big, hungry holes- sideways. Of bark like seals or shut up. Bart and I played

American Whitewater GauleyFestival 1994 the classic idiot game of trying to touch the wall in Chittam rapid. Jerry's shuttlers, Lynn and Jeannie, arrived just as we reached the take-out. More beers and salsa and dip and we knew that we had hit the mother load. After all, I reasoned, Bart WAS a miner. IF YOU ARE GOING The South Fork of the Salmon is a challenging whitewater trip for experienced boaters only. If the Upper Gauley at 2500 cfs is the top end of your ability, put your high water South Fork dreams to rest. Californians should consider it on par with the Forks of the Ken. It is not the place for an intermediate to "move upn to harder water. The first four miles are deceptively easy, but your trip could dramatically fail lower in the gorges, which are extremely difficult to exit. The South Fork is definitely a possibility for a trained paddle crew in a self-bailing raft, or one of those amazing cataraft. However, above 4 feet on the Krassel gauge, the holes get enormous and the swims would be long and icy. This is spring in Idaho, and the water is NEVER warm on the harder runs. Plan on 40-45 degree water temperature and wear a dry suit. First runs are best made at a level between 2.5'4 on the Krassel gauge. Don't be too proud to scout. The South Fork is much harder than the Middle Fork of the Salmon or most of the other popular multiday trips nearby. Experts can take some solace in the fact that the South Fork is not nearly as difficult as a Secesh or the North Fork of the Payette Topto-Bottom Run. But remember, you will

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 Idling a loaded boat. The boating season in Idaho varies dly. Usually in early June the river will be high and the pass over Lick Creek Sum- to the put-in might be closed. Call one of note of Lany LaRecco's HR 3732 Idaho Wd- outfitters to get a feel for snowpack We derness, Sustainable Forests and Communi- nt early this year due to near drought ties Act. This bill a real stinker, and would ~ditions. open most of Idaho's remaining roadless There are also problems with floating land to timber harvest and mining on the Main Salmon; after June 15 it is development.(Beware wilderness bifrom gal to be on the Main above Vinegar Western congresspeople-they are usually bek without a permit. Whatever you do, pro-industry giveaways). This bill has IYcamp on the Main without a permit. passed the House, and is moving on to the :re is still no permit required to run Senate. We can not save Idaho without your ~thFork. Refer to Greg Moore's and Don outside help! These are your lands too.. For m. 3 ...... n.. . . " &. RIVER RESCUE SAFETY OPINIONS CLASSES WORK by Charlie Walbridge LET'S STOP DOWNGRADING RIVERS! by Charlie Walbdge While hanging around with some of my paddling friends I have been surprised at their disdain I'm always surprised when otherwise occurs throughout the scale. When a class for classes in river rescue. These classes have ational expert paddlers insist on down- V is downgraded to a IV to make room for been described as "worthless" or "nerdy" by paling the rivers they run. They tell me a new, more difficult run, Class Ws, III's, people whose opinions I usually respect. Truth- c, hat the Upper Yough and Gauley aren't II's, and even I's soon follow. This lumps a fully, there are paddlers out there who don't need really" class V, and the Ocoee and large number of rivers at the bottom of the rescue classes. They paddle in groups of people loughiogheny are "really" class 11-III. They scale. Downgrading class I, 11, and 111 riv- who know their limits and seldom make mistakes. vant to reserve the term "Class V" for ex- ers poses no problems for those who Rescues, other than occasionally assisting a reme rapids at the outer limits of paddle expert-level whitewater, but the swimmer or recovering a loose boat, are ex- )addling ability. They seem to believe- that subtle differentiation needed by novices tremely rare. When something serious happens, @I& IS @I& limits are extended, all "lesser" riv- and touring users is lost. It introduces in- they have a good sense of rope dynamics and !rs ahould be downgraded. stability into a rating system which is al- river hydrology and can improvise workable tech- Consistency is important when classi- ready difficult to apply uniformly. niques on the spot. jring rivers. It really doesn't matter if you More importantly, by bunching all the But river rescue has changed a lot since the :all a river a two or a four so long as it is easier runs at the bottom of the scale, ex- days when very complex rope systems like the lone uniformly. But this has become, at perts make river classification less and Tyrolian Traverse and Telfer Lower were the )est, an elusive goal. Paddlers must less relevant to novice and intermediate main focus. Self-rescue skills like swimming and )e prepared to encounter variations in whitewater paddlers. wading are now being taught. Many paddlers, in- iver rating when they travel. A river in a Accurate ratings are also important to cluding some really good ones, are pretty helpless .@on lots of challenging whitewater and ~addlerstesting the limits of their skill. when out of their boat, so improved self rescue inumber of good paddlers will often be ?irtually all experts top out in class V, so skills can translate into added confidence on the Tated lower than a similar one in a less fine gradations within this class are impor- river. Today's river rescue courses also include well endowed part of the country. Even tant.~utnovices are also continually throw-line handling and belaying- skills which within the same area different groups may pushing their ability, and need clear and take full advantage of available terrain and man- :lassify rapids in various ways. A drop useful distinctions between grades I-III. I power. nay be overrated or underrated to im- certainly remember when these differ- River Rescue classes also cover the best ways xess other boaters, depending on local ences were important to me when, as an to use the new rescue style life vests with built-in :ustom. A guidebook author who has an inexperienced paddler, my friends and I quick-release harnesses. These new PFD's in- uneventful run will describe a river differ- used the scale to help select appropriate crease a paddler's abiity to reach out and help ?ntly from one who had a bad day on the streams to paddle. someone in trouble, but many paddlers who own water. The International Scale of River Diffi- them have no idea how they work Familiarity often makes a river seem culty was developed in the 1950's by the In some rare, but serious, mishaps, impro- easier. This has contributed to the AWA following a similar outline to a scale vised rescues do not work. Today's rescue downrating problem. When I first ran the used by rock climbers. The idea spread courses teach stabilization and snag lines. These Upper Yough my "leader" had been down rapidly around the world. Like paddlers, are real life methods of helping people who have only a few times. Today it's not uncom- climbers began to extend the limits of become pinned or trapped in inaccessible posi- mon to encounter people who have gone their sport during the 60's and 70's. But un- tions. They can be used to counter vertical pins down a difficult river dozens or even hun- like whitewater boaters, they did not and foot entrapment and require a minimum of dreds of times. The first run is always the downgrade existing climbs. They re- lightweight gear. hardest, as any first timer will attest. But sponded by dividing their "Class V" into Mechanical advantage systems like the Z good guides can make a run easier, and ten distinct classes, from 5.0-5.9. As the Drag can be set up with a few lightweight tools practice will accustom the paddler to a skills of the elite continued to improve, ad- and used to unpin boats. These systems have river's specific challenges. ditional gradations from 5.10-5.14 were es- been refined for over a decade; your chance of I always rate a river with a first timer tablished. Climbs above 5.10 are at- setting one up correctly and in a hurry without in mind- one who is running the river with- tempted only by a relative handful of prior instruction is small. Some people need out a personal guide. I also try to be con- climbers; with most activity being clus- hands-on training; others can learn from a book. servative with suggested water levels for tered in the 5.85.9 range. But everyone should familiarize themselves with first timers. It's vital to recognize the dan- Paddlers should do the same thing. these systems. ger of participating in a freewheeling high- The work of setting up the gradations A rescue class taught by an up-to-date in- water run without a thorough introduction within Class V must be done by top pad- structor can teach many helpful skills that will to a river at low flows. Like the upper lev- dlers who understand the full range of give any boater an edge in an emergency. Taking els of a \tide0 game, the fast tempo of a river difficulty. Despite this need there a course doesn't mean you should go out on the high water run is very difficult for the seems to be little interest in doing so. water looking for trouble; nobody wants to take a uninitiated to manage. It's payback time for top paddlers in- long swim or get pinned! But like a seatbelt in a The problem of downrating is by no terested in giving back to the sport. We'll car, these courses provide an extra margin of means confined to difficult whitewater, it need their help to make these changes.l safety when a bad situation arises unexpectedly.l

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 SAFETY

tion of the White Salmon River in Wash- ington State. A four-man party, composed of expert kayakers who were familiar with PRELIMINARY the river, was attempting a low-water run. The victim, Jack Kleinrnan, was a class V boater with over 14 years of experience in the U.S. and abroad. The group was making good time, por- 1994 taging several drops. The site of the accident was a narrow, zig-zag canyon containing a long Class V rapid, which the group elected to boat-scout. Jack's bow was shoved underwater, snagging a hid- ACCIDENT den log. The boat pinned vertically in a 3' pour-over. One member of the group immediately attempted a swimming rescue and made contact with the victim, but OVERVIEW could not hold on. The other two boaters exited their boats and started throwing collected and reported ropes towards Jack. They somehow man- by Charlie Walbridge aged to snag the boat and pull it free after about fifteen minutes. CPR was initiated by two of the group while a third went for help. Jack was he first accident since my last evacuated and transported to a hospital, report occurred on December 29, where CPR was discontinued after 1993, but was not reported until rewarming. early '94. The site was in Town Creek Can- Another accident saw Portland resi- yon, near Guntersvillein Northern Ala- dent Barbara Harper pinned against a log bama. Temperatures were near 50- de- on the East Fork of the Lewis River in grees and water levels were moderate. Washington. She was a strong intermedi- The group was moving well on this Class ate kayaker and very fit. About one mile If the material being sent to me is accurate, 111 creek run as they approached "The above Naked Falls the group eddied out Blockage". Known locally as Sleeping Gi- above a Class 111 drop. An 8" thick log was 1994 is shapi~gup to be a "normal" year for ant Falls, this 15+' high, unrunnable drop angled upstream, out of the water; there is completely obstructed by giant boul- was a clear route to the right. Several boat- river fatalaties despite high water in many parts of ders. ers made their run successfully. Barbara The victim, G1 paddler Dick Johnson, began her ferry but hesitated, hitting the the country. A total of 10 deaths are now in my was moving towards the final eddy in log broadside, across the cockpit of her class II+ water when he bumped a rock boat. She "bear-hugged" the log, and after files. What sets this group of fatalities apart is the and lost his ferry angle. Johnson braced, being tossed around submerged com- almost flipped, and was pushed down- pletely. surprising number that were caused by pinning in stream. Attempting to reach the eddy, he The group attempted a rescue, lower- slammed against a "guard rock" five feet ing swimmers in rescue life vests and con- unrunnable rapids, on bridge piers, or strainers. above the top of the drop and capsized. necting a line from the shore to the log. He bailed out, washed over the top drop, They made contact with the boat, but the In most cases the victims knew about the hazard and was pinned at the base. The current powerful current made attaching a line to peeled the life jacket off his body and held it impossible. The river pulled off but got into trouble anyway. I've heard rumors of him completely under water. After at- Barbara's helmet and life vest in a few tempting to locate him, the group surn- minutes, but the boat did not fold until the other fatalities and near misses and always appre- moned outside help. next day. After 40 minutes the group He was pulled from the river two days ekcted to aBandon their efforts and get off ciate letters or phone calls about them. later through a remarkable joint effort by the river before dark. Three days later a members of the Birmingham Canoe Club, rescue squad using a Tyrolean traverse a local rescue squad, and a climbing res- and a gas-powered winch pulled the log cue team. First, water was diverted from from the river and recovered the pinned the drop by felling trees and placing a boat and body. sheet of plywood into the slot above. In early April a man paddling an inflat- Next, working from a tethered raft, rescu- able kayak without a life vest or helmet ers were able to attach a line to the drowned while running Bellows Falls, a victim's body. A Zdrag was then used to huge waterfall on the Connecticut River pull him free. near a town of the same name. Another The Pacific Northwest witnessed two man drowned towards the end of the fatalties in February. The first occurred month rafting a flooded Otter Creek near on the Class V "Green Truss Bridge" Sec- Burlington. Again, PFD's and helmets

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 were absent. This information comes from or T-handles in place of a chicken line. up over the kayak's bow. Fortunately, short newspaper articles; these incidents On May 22 there was a drowning on there were no injuries. combine the timeless ingredients of inex- the Lochsa River in Idaho, which may also There was another bad pinning and perience and high water. have involved entanglement in a chicken entrapment on the Ocoee River in Tennes At about the same time 13 year old line running from bow to stern. More in- see near Double Suck in late June. The Jonathan Lapp and his partner capsized a formation about this accident is needed. rock, which is slightly undercut, was the canoe while attempting to land and por- The infamous "Mean Bridges" section site of a similar incident last year. The vic- tage a low-water bridge over Cocalico of the Poudre River near Fort Collins, tim was rescued by nearby paddlers who Creek in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Colorado, claimed the life of novice attached a rope to the bow and pulled the The bridge was completely under water, kayaker Charles Seltzer on June 4. The boat free. Jonathan apparently became pinned or bridge is extremely tricky to negotiate and Slim Ray reported the remarkable re- snagged underneath. Rescue squads with was the site of an a similar drowning a few covery of a six-year old boy following sub- heavy equipment diverted the stream, al- years ago. Portaging would have been a mersion in a 36-F river for 65 minutes following divers to recover the body hours better choice. The victim was pinned com- lowing an auto accident. He was pulled later. ' pletely under water. Even after a line was from the water with a body temperature of On April 16 a commercial raft passen- attached to the boat it took the combined only 62-F! A hearblung machine rewarmed ger died of a heart attack following a strength of thirty people to pull it free. The his blood gradually over several hours, and lengthy swim on a very cold, high water kayak had to be cut apart to remove Mr. a lengthy hospitalization followed. Now day on the popular Hudson Gorge in up Seltzer. CPR was started, and although he's back in school with no brain damage. state New York. Very little information re- there was a pulse when he was loaded I'm always looking for information garding this incident is available. onto a Life Flight helicopter, he died in the about fatalities and new-misses involving The Rio Grande River near Pilar, New hospital two days later. trained whitewater boaters. I am especially Mexico was running at 4850 cfs on June In the near-miss category a kayaker intrerested in accidents occurring after this 22, a high level. On that date Cecelia was run down by a racing powerboat report was written (in late June). Please Salazar, a private rafter, was tossed out of while attempting to gain access to sent write-ups, either your own or from her boat in the box canyon section down- Lambertville Rapids on the Lower Dela- club newletters or newspapers, to Charlie stream of the gauge. She apparently ware River near Philadelphia. The high Walbridge, AWA Safety Committee, 230 recirculated in a hole and was carried speed boat was revving up in a warm-up Penllyn Pike, Penllyn, PA 19422; or dl 215 some distance under water. Her body was area (which was not marked) when he ran 646-0157. W recovered downstream. I have no information on the run or what the level means and would appreciate help from New Mexico boaters. On May 24 Justin Sappington, a 14 Serving the year-old Boy Scout from Baltimore, Mary- land, was paddling a tandem canoe on pa~~~l~p6"9'tS Deer Creek, a class 11 run. The group en- \EDA 1 countered a cross-stream log. The group was setting up to portage when a canoe capsized. One boy was pulled to shore; the other washed into the log where he was SHOGUN - The ultimate whitewaterplay boat caught between the log and swamped ca- RIVER RUNNER Top recreational kayak noe. The scout leader managed to pry Jus- - tin free after 5-6 minutes using a fence rail RAPID - Provenfreestyle winner as a lever, then started CPR. Paramedics Still made using tough cross-linked polyethylene construction were called, and the boy was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced ------dead. Our SEDA Sea Kayak line consists of the famous Glider, Early June brought grim news from Viking, Swift, Tango and Vagabond. the Wenachee River in eastern Washing- ton. On June 4,1994, despite low flows, a Our SEDA open and decked recreational canoes are highly 38 year old man and a 12 year old boy died regarded by customers throughout the nation and Canada. when their 14' raft pinned against the bridge piers of U.S. Highway 2 during a Our SEDA accessories include Coast Guard approved lifevests, commercial trip. The two victims caught their legs in the "chicken linen, a rope top design wet suits and a comprehensive line of whitewater and strung around the outside of the boat. flatwater gear. These piers are enormous, and one of the passengers reportedly suggested to their guide that the group start paddling right Call today for our 40 page bargain-packed catalog and dealer nearest you. before impact. The cause of the accident appears to SEDA PRODUCTS, 926 Coolidge Ave., National City, CA 91950 have been a miscalculation on the part of the guide. It is worth noting that some Tel: 6191336 2444 Class V private rafters are using grab loops

American Whitewater Gauley Festival 1994 THE SAD FUTURE OF 9G?

ne of the West's most daring and from 40 feet?" "We ll..." accomplished Hair boaters "And sued the rope manufacturer for "Uummm... Ok, but we're gonna have questions the future of not having clear instructions about how to to sign an agreement before we go. You whitewater sport in a world tie the rope?" know, just so there's no problem if somewhere no one takes responsibiity for "Give me a break!" thing happens." themselves. "We're talking life-threatening idiocy "Yeah, so we're on the up and up here. You know, Darwinian selection." about things." Three friends were talking about recent "It goes way past that! What about the "Yup, it's better to make it legal." events. burglar who crashed through the skylight "Have Jack write it, he's a lawyer." "Hey, did you hear about the kayaker of the place he was burglarizing?" "Anyone here a notary? Bi? Here, who was playing right above a strainer? "Now I read about that one. Got hurt, stamp the form." Knew it was there, but went ahead any- broke a leg or something, then sued the "Great! Go by Kinko's on the way out way." owner of the building?" of town and make three copies. We'll be "Boy, that's asking for it." "The guy he wasstealing from?" set." "I'll say, and he got it. Flipped, "God, no!" "Alright!!", they all said excitedly. couldn't roll upwashed right into the log." "SOGto say it's true, my friend." "Let's go paddling!" "I remember, he got stuck in the "Yeah right, Justice will prevail." branches and drowned." "Screwed up thinking." "Then his family sued the kayak manu- "Weird shit." facturer for not having big enough cock- "Guys, I got a better one. Hear about Attention pits to get in and out of." the girl who sued Nike when she tripped They all shook their heads. over the shoelaces of her new shoes and L Whitewater "Man, that got it backwards." broke her wrist?" "Stupid." "Naah!" "Bizarre." "That's Bull!" "Hey, but what about the three guys "I tell you, it's true!" back in New England? Hear about them?" "Or the guy who came upon an acci- "Oh Yeah! Where the First Guy got dent and tried to rescue two girls out of a stuck on a rock, Second Guy tried to eddy burning car, but only got one?" out and dislocated his shoulder" "Whadda ya mean, only got one out?" "And the Third Guy lost a bunch of "He was burned badly, couldn't get the WILDSIDE IMAGES PRESENTS gear trying to get the Second Guy to second, the car was all in flames." shore!" "And?" BOB'S WHOLE VIDEO The three friends all laughed and "Get this - and I'm not making it up - Your complete guide to all the best action slapped each other on the back. the second girl's family sued him for not provided by many of the best paddlers in "What a joke! Sounds like the Key- getting her out." the GALAXY at the 1993 BOB'S HOLE stone cops in kayaks. A bunch of flailing "Christ. After he risked his life." RODEO in Oregon. geeks!" "Sort of puts it all in perspective, don't "No -that's not the point. The Second it?" SLALOM - SQUIRT and Third Guys the First! Blamed "Man, damned sued if you do, damned him for the dislocated shoulder and the sued if you don't." HOLE-RIDING lost gear." "Shit," they all said together, and Two days of head to head competition "You're kidding! While he was sitting looked at each other soberly. compacted into 55 minutes of non-stop out there broached?" "Our sport is dead." action complete with narration and music. "That's what happened. Lawyer from "Responsibility is dead." the Big City. Bullshit mentality." "Our bleeping culture is dead." TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND BRACE "Weird." "People are screwed." YOURSELF FOR A WILD RIDE!! "Funky." "To hell with all that!", one said with a "Jesus, what's paddling coming to...?" cheerful wave. "Let's go paddling!" Send $26.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling to: "It's not just kayaking. Did you hear They glanced edgily at each other - a that WILDSIDE IMAGES the one about the climber who tied in look nervously weighed unspoken GREENWOOD concerns. 8314 AVE. N. #3900 wrong, rope came loose, and he cratered SEA'ITLE, WASHINGTON 98 103

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 Hits A Home Run 1st Time At Bat

By Tom Christophm The Kennebec River Fest had been on Orrington, Maine won the Kayak Division the front page, sports page and in feature in 40.38. sections of newspapers from Portland to Hanson beat outFred Ludvig of Inset: Her Rivemess (Phyllis Horowitz) Bangor all week. WTOS Radio blasted the Houlton, Maine who actually reached the 9 airwaves throughout Maine, bringing the take-out first, a full minute ahead of Dick. watching the end of the race and newest AWA river event to the ears and But Hanson was able to exit his boat and contemplating a cold one. (photo by Doug hearts of whitewater lovers and racers. scramble up the steep take-out bank to Feick) Back: Scott Blue (foreground) and The weatherman promised a superb week- beat Fred to the finish line. Chip Cochane race to the put-in after a 200 end and most of the black flies left the Frank Mooney and his crew from yard land dash in the Taupen Canoe state, headed for Quebec two days before Crabapple Rafting beat all other teams Division. the festival. The three day weekend of the with a time of 53.35 to firmly establish rna- Festia proved that Maine is a whitewater jor bragging rights amongst the commer- We need your input!!! heaven. cial outfitters in The Forks. Crabapple We knew if we did it, THEY would Rafting runs outfitting facilities on both AMERICAN WHITE WATER come. They came by the carload, the the Kennebec and Deerfield Rivers in vanload, and even by bus. THEY came Maine and Massachusetts. Other outfitters ANNOUNCES NEW COLUMN from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylva- vowed there would be a new champion nia, Maryland, New Jersey, the Carolinas, next year. We'll see. HE DID WHAT? and even Idaho. The paddle town of The Wilderness Outfitters, host to the first Forks, Maine, made famous by whitewater AWA Kennebec River Fest, provided an Who is Bob? Why is Bob's Hole named ah rafting, now had hundreds of kayakers de- outstanding riverside site and their staff him? What about scending upon it for the Fourth of July. put every effort forward to accommodate Dudley? And who or what did he dip? Is Jared Over five hundred boaters and local AWA workers and festival vendors. In the first or last residents turned out for the first annual spite of their own busy commercial rafting name and what happened to his knee? Are Kennebec River Fest, held at Wilderness schedule they generously found time to Charlie's Choice and Outfitters. Thirty exhibitors also came to help when needed. Charlie's Washing Machine first cousins? Maine to support this first ever event. First Central Maine Power Company like- Zwick's Backender? Vernon's Folly? How DID Selectman Dan MacDonald and the VFW wise did a great job, providing the festival those rapids get their names? Inquiring minds boys from Biigham, Maine put on a killer with logistical support, advertising and want to know. Chicken barbecue, serving almost three public relations, not to mention of course Sounds liea great column in the makjng. hundred meals over the course of three extra water releases on the Dead and OK Maybe you don't want to write it. I will. hours. They also kept the burger & chip Kennebec Rivers. Talk to me. I'd like to cover one or two rapids each wagon going from noontime until the festi- There were many others that worked Me. I'm particularly interested in rapids which val closed, so nobody would go away hun- hard to make this event happen. John have names where the origins are not described in gry. Wiard, owner of Widerness Outfitters, popular guidebooks. Or even better, those stories The outfitters from RAFT MAINE kept gave us the opportunity to show what that the guidebooks got wrong... but you...youhave the beer flowing fast, enough to quench AWA could do. Russell Walters, the presi- the TRUE story. the thirst of even the driest boaters, and dent of Northern Outdoors, worked very Your stories will NOT be verified. LEGENDS the bluegrass band "Good Clean Filln pro- hard to coordinate our efforts in Maine will be GLADLY vided music throughout the evening. and acted as liaison to the RAFT MAINE accepted. Maybe we will even generate mail Even brief thundershowers didn't outfitters. Mark Ishkanian, Communica- expressing an alternate story to your story. Maybe dampen any spirits. After huddling under tions Manager of Central Maine Power, we'll publish two or three versions of the naming of vendor tents for half an hour the storm provided countless hours to keep this the same rapid and then have readers choose the passed and the show went on. event a high profile item in the Maine me- one that they think really happened. The races turned out to be exciting dia (Whoa, Joe! What's so new about that?) with nine contestants walking away with And to everyone else that helped to See you around the campfire. Ill be the one $1,800 dollars in prize money provided by give the effort a boost, many thanks! with the portable recorder taking down every Champion International. First prize in the word. Tandem Canoe Division went to Chip CHECK OUT THE BIG WAHOO SEG Cochrane and Scott Blue of Greenville, TION OF THIS ISSUE FOR TOM Joe Greiner Maine. Chip is recognized as a national CHRISTOPHER'S ACCOUNT OF A HIGH 404 Stacy Street champion in canoe poling, and finished the WATER RUN ON THE KENNEBEC DUR- Raleigh NC 27605 six-mile course in 39.24. Dick Hanson of ING THE FESTIVAL WEEKEND!I 919-834-1633

American Whitewater Gauley Festival1994 ANNUAL SOUTHWESTERN CANOE RENDEZVOUS- OCTOBER 7-99

The HOUSTON CANOE CLUB, has an- will be given in all types of paddle craft, in- TEXAS DUTCH OVEN COOK-OFF will be nounced the sixth annual SOUTHWEST- cluding: flat water canoes, white water ca- held again at this year's event, in coopera- ERN CANOE RENDEZVOUS to be held noes, sea kayaks and white water kayaks. tion with the Dutch Oven Society. October 7-9,1994. The symposium will be Major manufacturersand retailers of The HOUSTON CANOE CLUB is a held on Lake Raven at the Huntsville State canoes, kayaks and paddle sport accesso- non-profit organization whose purpose is Park, 60 miles north of Houston, Texas. ries will be on hand to display their prod- the promotion of canoe sport and is active The SOUTHWESTERN CANOE REN- ucts. This event allows the public to "test- in conservation, recreation, racing and in- DEZVOUS is the largest paddle sport show drive' any of the hundreds of types of struction. The club is celebrating its thirti- in the country. The public is invited to par- boats that will be displayed. Many manu- eth anniversary in 1994. The club is open ticipate in the many activities that include: facturers will be unveiling their newest to the public and has over two hundred clinics, workshops, on the water demos, product lines. members. exhibitions, family entertainment, compe- Regional, State and National competi- Additional information and registra- tition, raffles and an auction benefiting tions will be held, including an Interpretive tion packets can be obtained by calling the river conservation efforts. Freestyle Competition, sailing regattas and Houston Canoe Club at (713)467-8857, or Over fifty clinics will be taught by outrigger canoe mes. The TEXAS CA- by mail, P. 0. Box 925516, Houston, Texas leading instructors from all over the coun- NOE RACING ASSOCIATION, organizers 772924516.. try. Clinics will be available for beginners of the Texas Water Safari, will host other to advanced paddlers. Specific instruction classes of competition. The GREAT

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American Whitewater GauleyFestival1994 by Carla Garrison It was my favorite supermarket tabloid Fork of the Feather in the Northern Sierras. I He wanted to learn to kayak! story ever. was sleeping in a biwy sac beside a large Satisfied that Bigfoot meant me no ha,I "Bigfoot Stole My Wife!" the headline rapid; no doubt that's why I didn't hear him crawled under a deerhide and dozed off. When screamed. Below this revelation was a picture sneaking up on me. I came it was morning and Bigfoot and my of a distraught middle aged man, a logger from All of a sudden there was a terrific hulla- gear were gone. I could hear the roar of the the Pacific Northwest, who claimed that his be- baloo outside my tent; it sounded like a gang river at the base of the cliff and I quickly loved wife, Olga, had been abducted from the of bears was raiding my camp. It had been a guessed what was going on. deck of their double wide in the middle of the tough day on the river and I was in no mood That idiot is going to demolish my gear, I night by a Sasquatch. for this, so I jumped out of my sac and raged, and I barreled out of the cave and What I fancied most about this report mast grabbed my paddle and flashlight, ready to do scrambled down the talus to the river. My was that the logger had waited six weeks to tell battle with the marauders. worst fears were confirmed, Bigfoot was in my his tale. Actually, he had not taken the initia- When I got my my act together and hit my boat, about to enter a long, pushy class IV rock tive to report his wife's disappearance to any- light, I couldn't believe my eyes. No gang of garden. I yelled and waved my arms, but it was one. Neighbors had noticed that Olga, who bears was making the ruckus, it was a solitary, too late. was by all accounts a rather big, garrulous albeit gigantic, hairy creature, rummaging Let me tell you, he was quite the sight! He woman, was gone. Olga's husband only came through my boat. It was plenty big, but I was had my helmet and PFD on backwards and he up with the Bigfoot story (alibi?) when the 1e plenty mad, so I started yelling like a banshee was holding my paddle wrong. He was wob cal cops came to inquire after her where- and brandishing my paddle, determined to bling and floundering even before he hit the abouts. drive it off. first sluice. He rocketed down a big tongue of Why had he waited so long to report her To my surprise he just grunted and stared; water right into a rock, which he managed to abduction? I think he was sizing me up. All of sudden he broadside. Of course he leaned the wrong way The logger offered an explanation that cer- charged, mhedme off the ground and and flipped, careening around the boulder into tainly seemed reasonable, at least to those in threw me across his powerful shoulders. I a pourover that cartwheeled him several times. the community familiar with Olga The logger kept whacking him in the ass with my paddle When Bigfoot finally flushed out of that, he said that he hadn't been concerned, because he but I couldn't get a very good swing and it bobbed down a sizeable wave train, upside figured that the Sasquatch would soon tire of diddt slow him down a bit. Then he scooped down, floundering and flailing with his paddle, his new toy and return her to the porch. my kayak off the ground and tossed it over his apparently trying to roll. His explanation apparently satisfied the other shoulder and we were off, crashing He tumbled over a five foot ledge and local authorities, who gave up on Olga after a through the brush like some kind of super- recirculated for nearly a minute. Amazingly he brief wilderness search. And it was embraced sonic bulldozer. made no effort to abandon ship. Finally it with open arms by the publishers of the tab- I didn't know where he was taking me and kicked him loose and he drifted down into a loid, who reported, several issues later, that I didn't know how far he canied me; all I long, shallow slide. He took quite a beating Olga was still missing, and that a number of know is that I was plenty pissed. I kicked and there; I could see the boat bouncing up and other middle aged men with large garrulous clawed and gouged and bit that sucker, but it down as his head and shoulders were pum- wives had moved into the same mountain vil- got me nowhere. I have since learned that, meled by the rock Eventually he floated into lage. when it comes to behavioral modification, the pool at the bottom of the rapid, for a me Apparently they were hoping that the bigfoots are lot like most men; psychological ment there was no sign life and I figured he Sasquatch would be so delighted with Olga manipulation works better than corporal pun- was dead. Then suddenly his- I mean, my- that he would decide to start a harem ishment. paddle broke the surface and the water ex- My cousin Gary Carbon once told me that After several hours of crashing through ploded, as if a mine had gone off. This went on you can lie your way out of anything as long as the wilderness we reached a cave on the side for nearly thirty seconds, then amazingly, I you keep a straight face and stick to your alibi. of a cliff; this was Bigfoot's lair. Bigfoot don't know how, he managed to roll. When I first read this story I figured that this dumped me onto the ground like a sack of po- He had a deep gash in his head and his logger1 Olga/ Bigfoot scenario confirmed that. tatoes, then stood in the moonlight at the face was covered with blood. His knuckles Being a modem woman with an analytic mouth of the cave admiring my kayak were raw and oozing and his right shoulder and inquiring mind, I did not believe some of I had assumed that the Bigfoot that had looked like it might be dislocated. He was things I read in the National Enquirer and abducted me was the like the one that had gasping for breath and his eyes were rolled Star. I did not believe, for instance, that taken Olga- that he wanted to turn me into a back into his head. twelve of our congresspemns were aliens love slave. But as I sat watching him, caressing But in spite of all this, and this is the thing from another planet or that two newlyweds in my kayak and paddle, his eyes dancing in the that won my heart, Bigfoot was grinning from England really had tongues more than a foot moonlight, I realized that it had really been my ear to ear. At that moment he was the happi- long. And I certainly didn't believe in boat and gear he wanted. Taking me was just est Sasquatch in the world. Sasquatches and Bigfoots. an afterthought. How could I resist?" The big lug clearly Abominal men, yes. Abominal snow men, Suddenly it all became clear to me. For had heart. He certainly had the physique. He no! years this lonely critter had been peeping envi- certainly didn't have skill, but I could remedy But that was before a Bigfoot Stole My ously at the boaters running the class V rapids that. I knew right then that I was going to turn Kayak. That was before a Bigfoot Stole My not a mile from his cave. It looked like so him into a world class hair paddler. Heart! much fun that he had decided to try it for him- It happened during the second night of a self. He wanted something more than sex; three day solo expedition down the Middle Bigfoot wanted something that was thrilling. To be continued..... H

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