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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 2, 2013 - 10:42pm PT
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Those that have “flipped” their raft--------and those that are going to “flip” their raft.
Despite about 400 days of whitewater rafting in the last 41 years, mostly in Idaho, but also on the Grand Canyon and other rivers in the west: I have somehow not-ever managed to “flip” my raft.
I was starting to worry that I might never have the enjoyment of “flipping” my raft, and of course at age 64: new-experiences are hard to come by.
However! Heidi & I went rafting with friends on Idaho’s Salmon River near Riggins just before Labor Day weekend.
The plan was to car-camp and raft between river-side camps with light and maneuverable rafts. We would leave camping gear at a riverside camp-spot, then raft about 15 miles down to the camp-spot, and repeat the process the next day for the end of our adventure.
We took our small sport-car raft, the Aire Puma----aka “The Toy Boat.”
Fritz, Heidi & “The Toy Boat” on a wide & calm stretch of the Salmon River. Our boat is so-small and the river so-large.
Our friends Jerry & Angie were loaned the “un-flippable” Aire Cougar, since Jerry had missed seeing a rock in a minor rapid a month earlier on an easy stretch of the Snake River. The “Toy Boat” touched the rock and emptied Jerry, Angie, & Heidi into the river, then continued on proud & upright.
Our friend Mark, who spends nearly as much time river-running as guides do, came along for leadership in his Aire Super-Puma, a slightly longer, wider, and more stable version of our “Toy-boat.” The way he rigs it also puts some weight in the boat, which makes it a bit slower, but much more stable.
Jerry & Angie with the “un-flippable” Aire Cougar. Since we bought it in 1992, it has never been “flipped” in about 300 days of white-water river-running.
Our bear-sighting was a yearling and it was pretty cute. It first moved away from us, then it hiked after us for about a quarter-mile, then jumped in the water and started swimming. We all rowed fairly hard for a while, but we never saw it again.
OK! Then we arrived at the un-named and minor rapid that I enjoyed my “first-flip” in.
The rapid with a red-arrow showing the wave that “flipped” our boat.
Two close-ups of the flip wave, with the red arrow marking the “stopper” wave. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the red arrow when I ran the rapid.
It was the best possible type of flip. We both were tossed clear of the raft, before it went all the way over, the water was deep and warm, and we were at the very last big wave in the rapid. The other two boats got to us immediately and we were soon upright and on our way.
There was a thunderstorm that arrived at about the same time, but after our swim, I didn't flinch at the brief-rain and occasional lightning.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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You are never too old to flip...Next time bring a case of ACME red arrows...
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Good flippin on yah Fritz for telling us the real deal. Just remember, you are never to young to flip out mate.
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rincon
Trad climber
SoCal
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Your boat looks way too easy to flip. It's too small to be sitting up high like that with oars.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujo de La Playa
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Damn, I was hoping to learn how to build a roof.
Hi Fritz.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2013 - 11:23pm PT
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Zbrown! Happy to have you on-board!
We saw a Bald Eagle & a bunch of young Golden Eagles, but did not get good photos.
This Mule-Deer buck was willing on a hot afternoon.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Little bitty boats flip easier.
Also those self- bailers are easier as well.
That's why I still love my 2 bucket boats especially in big water, though in super technical water it's hard to beat the self- bailers...
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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yesterday i came upon a fellow who had just executed a double endo full bore into and onto the far shore of a water & silt filled wallow ... on an atc.
it would have taken something along the lines of your stopper wave just to clean him up. thanks for such visual refreshment
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mctwisted
Trad climber
e.p.
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nice pics fritz
here's a shot of getting the gear boat righted after a nasty flip, on a grand canyon 21 day
lots of groaning to get this baby over!
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Mark Force
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
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Fritz, Congratulations on recently expanding your river experience! Hope to share the river with you someday.
Best, Mark, official member of the Grand Canyon Swim Team
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2013 - 12:39am PT
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Thanks for the photos and the stories.
Our "Toy-boat" came back to upright easily, with the help of the "flip-lines".
I have repeatedly suffered bringing a fully-loaded raft back to upright from upside-down.
I did not have good-times "re-flipping" the rafts.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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my friend Dan flipped his raft in the canyon and knocked his wife out with the oar frame, it was their Honeymoon, still married
remember to lean Into the wave, not away from it,
kayakers flip all the time, you just need to learn how to roll that raft,
winds can be fierce on the Salmon, here about rafts getting flipped while on the beach, some sail down the road a bit,
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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About time!!! What the hell were you waitng for? You're not getting any younger.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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I hope y'all hung onto yer wine glasses. I never could figure out how to
hold one and paddle a kayak at the same time. I suppose it was a good thing
I quit before the advent of 'hydration' systems.
ps
I did some kayaking in Scotland where the rivers look like they were fed
by a big scotch bottle which, in effect, they were. The first day was
quite warm by their standards (maybe 55 F!) and I was getting thirsty.
I asked my mates if it was all right to drink the water.
"Ach, mon, arrr ye daft? Of coorse it's arrright!"
And it tasted just like scotch, minus the alcohol.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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I totally thought this was going to be about KD vs Trusses.
Cool thread though!
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Cragar
Trad climber
MSLA - MT
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Ha!
Well, now you are experienced eh?!
BTW, you were our PUR rep at P-Stone back in the early 90's and you were very much appreciated with your straight forward honest approach!
.
Take Care
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Here you go, flip all you want.
Saw these folks at the confluence of the SF and Main Salmon this summer-wild rides I'll bet.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Amazingly they do.
I ask the dude (apparently the owner/designer) and he said, "well yeh, you don't want to come out."
Class 4+ through 5 in those things.
I have a suspicion that's where serious rafting is headed.
When is a flip not flip?
When it's a roll...I don't know.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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I've flipped twice, Skull in Westwater and The Tombstone right near the takeout on the Taos Box (somehow didn't flip on ski jump, but boy that one had my heart racing).
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Fun story, Fritz!
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