FYI, we put in a few miles above the "high bridge", just below the ranger station.  Drove right to the river.

 

 

Wood locations in the following areas.

 

1) Two logs you can see in the rapid below the bridge.  Scout carefully at the bridge.  The lower one is in the same spot as last year.  We caught the small river left eddy above the first one (hi pucker factor, must make eddy) and easily portaged over the rock and seal launched in.  Last year on the second log, we ducked under it but this year there was a lower small limb sticking out that caused issues.  Would be great if someone that went in took a saw and cut this new lower limb so we can duck it again next time (hint hint)

 

2) Avlanche river left in some calm water.  Easy to see and scout.  We were were able to go over one log weave between some branches and come out the back side.  Different flows, possible different story with going over the log. Easy to see, easy to scout but don't forget to look at the backside.  We missed seeing one log on the backside that luckily was NOT in play for us but might be at lower flows.

 

3) Avalanch and logs in the last "major" rapid.  The one that pinches down to about 4 feet wide and exits river left and has some weird currents that flip about 75% the level above.  We eddied out in a small eddy on river left and then you carry down a ways and we put back on and got to run the bottom.  Pretty easy to see from above.  Be careful if you go to that eddy, you are committed to running the bottom.  Possible portage on river right but lots of work.  Our motto was just flip and roll up!

 

4) Class III Rapid immediately after the above rapid.  The river makes a sharp right and a big log is at the bottom.  Hard to see till you are already in the rapid.  We BARELY squeezed under it on river right.  It is severly cracked in the middle and I think will flush next high water but also may move lower due to the crack.  I would DEFINATELY get eyes on this one.

 

If there is a name for the rapid #3 described above, please post.  I am zero for two runs on that rapid.  That bitch has my number.

 

 

 

Comments:

 

1) Utter Undercut is the rapid.  It is DRASTICALLY different than in that picture.  There is a big landslide on river right that has changed that rapid big time from the photo.

 

2) FYI, the warnings post in the wrong order.  The latest should post first, for example I added my post and it is at the bottom below an earlier post.  I personally think it should post the latest at the top.

 

I was in the lead.  The next guy did not get far enough left and went in the swirl.  The third guy passed him while he was in the swirl.  Thank god the last guy made it or we would have really had a sh*t show on our hands. 

 

The guy in the swirl (river right) was up right and just going around and around but in control.  I was in the eddy sarching the walls for a place to get out and maybe get a rope ready but there are none.  I peeled out in to the current and made eye contact with him as he circled, then had to go back in to the eddy.  I did this again and this time he nodded to me like I got this.  The third time he nodded again.  The fourth time I saw the nose of his boat coming out the river left side and all was good.

 

He was in there for sure between 1-2 minutes.  This guy is an east coast strong playboater so he was confortable in what was a controled eddy/pour over.  He said he was conserving his energy and evaluating his situatuation and trying to set the boat up to give it one big go to get out of there and NOT mess it up.  Luckily it worked just like he said.  A lot of other people in that situation would have paniced or tryed to immediate fight it and uselessly fatigue themselves. 

 

Also the rapid called "classic canyon" in the photos is so much fun.  Straight up smile on my face at the end.  You start into it and it just gets narrower and narrower, faster and faster and the holes get bigger and bigger.