This is NOT a comprehensive list of the rapids on this reach. We could use some help here. If you know names, have locations (coordinates), or can provide more detailed descriptions for any of the rapids on this reach, we would appreciate your input! Add a comment or report, or email the StreamTeam member for this reach.

Steve runs Hail Mary

Steve runs Hail Mary

Photo of Steve Arnold by Mike Croak taken 05/04/08 @ 8'

"Hail Mary" is broken down into three pitches. The first pitch starts with a jumbled slide into a nearly 90-degree left turn, followed by a sequence of holes and waves.

A short pool brings you to the second pitch: A rocky protuberance separates the flow (at low-to-moderate levels, anyway). To the right, water flows over a shallow shelf and dumps into a wrapping hole (the current from the left line). To the left, a sweet slide accelerates you into the flow dropping in from the right, then (with little pause) accelerates you toward a pretty good sized hole, with diagonal 'feeder waves' funneling you into the maw. Punch the hole hard, angled left to catch the left eddy, or you will be fed (by the outflow) right into an undercut wall.

A longer let-up precedes the final pitch. The jagged rock of the riverbed 'humps' down the middle of this pitch. To the left, water spills into a nasty, narrow crease. (You DON'T want to be anywhere near this!) With adequate water, the most opted for route is more-or-less down the center, but more often when I've been there (with low-to-moderate flows), the preferred route has been well to the right. A short initial ledge drops you into a short pool. Sliding out of there, you grunge down toward a wall of rock (right shore), to be diverted sharply to your left. You do your best to avoid banging paddle or right elbow on the wall (or worse, being flipped) as you head toward the hole formed where currents converge (from the left-side slot) as they (hopefully) spit you out downstream.

A great combo drop comes as the river swings to the left. The entrance slides and trips across some ledge/waves, runs headlong toward a large boulder (river-left), then pools briefly before sliding down more medium-angle slides, through a few good wave/holes, before calming a bit below. Don't let up too soon! There is another good combo which follows!

Bubblebath

Bubblebath

Photo of Evan St. Peter by Nate Alwine taken 04/03/05 @ 8.2-8.3

(Map location very approximate)

After a pretty fair relatively flat stretch (maybe a half-mile), this single ledge drop is encountered. The approach is generally quite straight-forward, and there is a good pool below, so this may be a simple drop. However, at good flows, the hole at the base can be quite aggressive, so the recommended line is often a boof on river-right.

Silver Bullet

Silver Bullet

Photo of Evan St. Peter by Nate Alwine taken 04/03/05 @ 8.2-8.3

This is some serious gradient that you will want to take a good look at. As soon as you see the first 'cabin' (house) on the right, get out to scout the whole section. At low-to-moderate flows, you can easily break it down into three or more distinct pitches, each of which is not that difficult. However, taking the whole sequence together (as will be the case at higher flows), it is a huge chunk of gradient to navigate.