July 22, 2014
| Reporter | Bryan Foster |
FLAT WATER. Ok, I said it. There is way more flat water here than you might expect for a river with such whitewater fame. Regardless, with the limited access at steiger's bridge, this is the way to see some great whitewater, and get some paddle fitness in.
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First things first, the put in is at a 90 degree left bend in Underwood rd/FR481 where a small grass area for parking cars and an ATV trail over a berm is. Do not try the short cut through on the forest road West, you will end up meeting locked gates, instead head back out to Hwy 28.
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For the first part there is a bunch of flat water intermingled with rapids. When ever you see an island with substantial gradient that you can't see down, hop out and scout.
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The first big rapid is Minnewawa Falls, there is a nice class III- drop just before it which is marked by a rocky island splitting the river. Minnewawa is split by an island as well, with most of the water moving down the right channel. The right channel proceeds thought a constriction of bedrock and then drops a few feet into a fast moving wave/hole followed closely by a second 5ft green tough drop into another wave/hole with a large pool with waves and buggy water directly after the drop. The left channel has a single drop which may offer a few lines at higher levels.
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A little more flat water, then another rocky outcropping splits the current. Shortly after this the river gradient picks up the pace with the majority of the water moving down to the right. There are a number of eddies on the right shore to catch to get out and scout Nimikon Falls. This falls has a left line which is a series of wave holes and smaller drops and a right line with a steeper drop into a pool. There is a small fraction of water that takes a left line around the island which might offer another drop to consider a carry up, because there is a lot of flat water after this.
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Now for more of the endless flat water, until Steiger's rd bridge. The pace picks up from there, and you are now in the middle section.