Lyre

A group of three of us set out to check out the Lyre and see if we thought it was worth running. After some scouting and a drone flight, we determined that there would indeed be at least a few portages, but it didn't look 'full of wood' and decided to drop in. We estimated the flow to be about 500-600cfs.

Although the trail down to the river below the Falls was pretty good, finding an adequate put-in below the Falls was somewhat of a challenge. We eventually figured it out on a small ledge large enough to lower one boat at a time.

After a few class III/IV- rapids about 1/4 of the way down, the first significant hazard was a longer rapid (IV+/V?) that led into a log jam that is not going anywhere anytime soon. After catching a hairy eddy on the left about half-way down the rapid, we portaged river left. This involved scrambling up a cliff, lining the boats up, and then carrying back down below the wood. Running this rapid without scouting would be very hazardous.

We ended up portaging 7 times total, most of which were short and relatively easy, other than the one described above and 2 more larger log jams, one of which was easy to go right over the top of and the last one was also a bit of a chore in a flater section, easiest on the right. There was some good quality whitewater and drops mixed in, and a beautiful gorge. Not something any of us said we wanted to do agian next weekend, but could go back again!