Lyre

On Jan 8th 2023, a few of us decided to see for ourselves whether the rumors were true and go for a nice paddle/walk down the Lyre. What we found surpassed expectations in terms of wood-free, high-quality whitewater, but still contained a healthy number of portages. As Sam Morrison put it, 'it wants to be good!' Putting in below the first log-choked drop by lowering boats under a vertically-pinned old growth log, we counted 7 portages total; most of them minor and with a couple that should flush or be duckable at lower water. Two of the portages were longer and more tiring. As the alpinists say, start cold (or 'comfortably cold' under your drysuit), because you're going to warm up quickly enough. If you're new to woody OP-style paddling, class V skills would be a plus. One move in particular involved a quick eddy catch after a class IV rapid into a blind left bend (scoutable on the left if you get out well above the rapid). The section directly below the most heinous of portages was the most fun, and had us all grinning from ear to ear. The Lyre is well worth the experience for anyone willing to deal with a little wood. As Korb says, '[despite how dangerous it can be], somehow it's twisting chutes through a hauntingly beautiful basalt gorge keep bringing me back.' I feel like it might be the same way for other wood-tolerating boaters out there... more so if any busy beavers decide to make it a project.