"Robins Nest"

AKA 'Bear Ledge', AKA 'Bear Falls', AKA 'The Falls'. The most difficult rapid is 'Robin's Nest' which occurs near the bottom of a river right channel formed at the split of an island. Avoid the near riverwide hole center and center right. Run this rapid mostly river left. Look for a rock* (sometimes appearing as a hump of water) that breaks this riverwide hole. The current line is to be close** to this rock, then be prepared to make a sudden move to avoid additional rocks or holes below. (There is a far right side eddy hopping line for those that like to be challenged, but this line involves clipping the right side of the upstream hole in one of the hops. On this right side line, if you don't make the move with enough power, or if you lean back, you're in for a surprise.) Today, most paddlers call this rapid 'Robins Nest', but there are older names: 'Bear Ledge', 'Bear Falls', or 'The Falls' (Thanks Lindy for the history) that locals and fishing guides use to refer to this rapid.

*This rock has been subtly changing (splitting or moving) over the last few years (2023/2024 to the present). The traditional line (Attributed to the late Gail Bradshaw) was to go slightly to the right of this rock, where there would be a tongue of green water that would get the paddler past the first big hole. With the change in the rock's position, this tongue is either gone or hard to see as you come over the horizon line. Despite this, the hole is still somewhat weaker on it's left side next to the rock if punched assertively. Use your river reading skills as you approach the top of the drop.

**Either left, right, or over a split in the rock -- but have some speed -- indecisiveness that results in sliding into the rock sideways will flip you. Should someone in your group flip, the best eddies for recovery below the rapid are to river right.