This is the upper Kennebec River (The Forks, Maine). Class IV/V rapids. World class stuff.
The measured release wasn’t that high (~5000-6000 CFS at the dam), but after 3 weeks of rain, the tributaries had dumped massive amounts of water into the river, so the actual volume was much higher and the river was just NUTS!
We flipped and luckily no broken kneecaps-- tops of my feet dragged over a boulder and they looked like someone beat them with a brick, then rubbed them with sandpaper
Renton-- SWWEEETT!! I have yet to tackle ice climbing, but it’s on the list
Gem- Thanks! It’s always great to get out on the water. There are always camera folks at the big holes waiting for action. We flipped in a spot where nobody usually flips-- this year has been exceptionally dangerous because of the rains, so the camera guy at our spot had a lucky day!
Just last week, a wedding party rented a raft and they flipped about .25 mile up river from where we did in a lower class of water. The father of the bride, a medical doctor, had a heart attack in the water. When they recovered him 4 minutes later, he was dead in the water- literally.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Renton-- SWWEEETT!! I have yet to tackle ice climbing, but it’s on the list ;)[/quote]
If you ever get out this way mate give me a shout. The pic above is of Y Lliwedd in Snowdonia - the left face as you see it here is about 1,500 feet of near verticle bliss. Can only be climbed during a really good winter. It’s the reason I always have my ice tools ready to go during the winter months.
[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Renton-- SWWEEETT!! I have yet to tackle ice climbing, but it’s on the list
Gem- Thanks! It’s always great to get out on the water. There are always camera folks at the big holes waiting for action. We flipped in a spot where nobody usually flips-- this year has been exceptionally dangerous because of the rains, so the camera guy at our spot had a lucky day!
Just last week, a wedding party rented a raft and they flipped about .25 mile up river from where we did in a lower class of water. The father of the bride, a medical doctor, had a heart attack in the water. When they recovered him 4 minutes later, he was dead in the water- literally.[/quote]
wow. Sad story. I did raft once in NC. I did it solo in a little kayak type raft (rubber duckie?) It was fun and a great workout!
It’s fun, but not all that challenging from a physical perspective. Expect to get flipped a few times, though. Sometimes it hurts.[/quote]
Only the 2 in the back get a real workout from ‘peeling’ (ie dragging paddle to steer) or maneuvering. The others are really just paddling for extra speed or stability.
Indeed, it does hurt when you smash against a rock. Think about it like this-- you’re jogging at about 4-6 mph, then you slam into a concrete bench with your knee… kinda like that …
That’s always looked like fun to me. How do you get into that, assuming you don’t live next to a glacier? (meaning what kind of training is needed before going on a trip some place to do it?)
