Beaver Creek
Monday, April 9, 2007
route:
length: 8.0km, 1 day
difficulty: intermediate
participants: Caroline Owen, Peter Farr, Stephen Farr,
report:
The weather never really warmed up as the forecast had promised, but the water level was about medium and we were raring to go. After the warm up rapids, Stephen and David decided to run the top half of Double (Triple?) Drop while Cline and I carried around. We set up with throw bags just above the second half of the rapid, but neither had any problem with their run. Following that was the traditional short carry across a narrow neck of land, then a longer flat paddle to the next set. I still have trouble with the order of the rapids, but I think that the first canyon came next. It is pretty simple and very pretty. The rest of the rapids were a blur; they come too fast to keep track, but nobody had any difficulty. We all elected to walk the fairly significant ledge/rock garden combo (I have heard if called Diamond), the rapid called Ugly and the Bridge Rapid. They are all very short carries. After Ugly (I think) is a very challeging combo move that one MUST make. A lengthy ferry across a shallow and rocky section, then a jet ferry back to river-right acoss the bottom of a strong chute, then a sneak down the right shore to skirt a large hole. This was navigated successfully by all. The final canyon is one of the best parts with a series of small eddies on each shore that allow you to scout each section from your boat; there is no getting out here. At the end of this twisty canyon is a largish drop with an ugly rock on the centre-left. Unfortunately as we headed down we realized that we had four boats but only three eddies left. As someone remarked later, it was musical eddies, but when the music stopped you had better be in one! I was the odd one out and I hesitated a little too long, hit a rock and flipped right above the chute. My swim was not nearly as long or as bad as it could have been, but it is high on my list of things not to do again. No actual damage but Cline had to fetch my boat. I had had to let go of it above the chute because it was pulling me into an ice ledge. There was one funny moment when Cline grabbed the rope attached to my bow and paddled hard to shore, only to find that the knot was not well tied and the boat was still floating downstream! Thanks to everyone for a great day on the river. | 
