Kilchis

I was invited to the Wilson Rendezvous hosted by Will Gehr and Teresa Gryder and we ran the Kilchis on Saturday, March 29. There is no gauge but it had been raining for a couple of days and I found out later that the Wilson gauge generally used was showing 3900 cfs; most consider 2500 on this gauge high for the Kilchis, so I've been told. Two of us walked off at the mini-gorge, myself because I had two cracks in the hull of my Jackson Karma and a canoeist because she was briefly recirculated in a significant hole. I am writing this trip report because I was not informed that this mini-gorge existed and it is not mentioned in Soggy Sneakers. The mini-gorge had probably 5 or 6 significant drops stacked inside of it, the second to last an almost river-wide ledge hole with a boat width tongue hard left. With no beta, this drop was at least class 3+ and the mini-gorge in its entirety was at least class 3+ as well, at least at this flow and with no beta. I swam this and it destroyed my Karma. Plus, this situation has largely alienated me from a significant portion of the PNW boating community. But I would rather solo anyway, especially if I am not going to get beta. Do not be lulled by the above description or the description in Soggy Sneakers! The class system is often subjective and internally inconsistent and I'm a new boater, but I have successfully ran June Creek, Bruno Mountain from Pamelia Creek, Blue River at 850 cfs, several runs with supposed class 4's, and even though I swam that mini-gorge, it rates class 4 at that flow, based on a subjective, comparative judgment. I've been down the river probably 30 times with Will and Teresa and this was an anomaly.