Hakatai Rapid approached with a gentle but steady rush, where the river funneled into a broad wave train scattered with submerged rocks and swirling boils. From upstream, the water shimmered in the afternoon light, its surface textured with ripples and soft eddies that hinted at the forces underneath. We guided the dory smoothly into the current, the boat picking up speed as it glided into a series of low, rolling waves.
Serpentine Rapid came into view as the river narrowed and twisted sharply between sculpted rock walls, the current gathering speed as it funneled into a tight, winding channel. From upstream, we could see the water bending gracefully but powerfully, with waves stacking up along the bends and dark boils swirling in the eddies at the edges. We slipped the dory into the main flow, immediately feeling the boat surge forward as the current wrapped around the first curve.
Sapphire Rapid greeted us with a shimmering, lively stretch of river where the current gathered speed and danced through a series of smooth waves and scattered rocks. From upstream, the water sparkled under the midday sun, casting flashes of light that rippled across the canyon walls. We guided the dory into the main flow, feeling the boat accelerate into a rolling sequence of wave trains that lifted and dropped us in a steady rhythm.
Crystal Rapid announced itself with a deep, growling roar that echoed powerfully through the narrow canyon as we approached. We pulled into the scout eddy on river right and climbed up the rocky bank to get a better look. From the overlook, the scene below was both mesmerizing and sobering. A steep tongue of water plunged into a chaotic landscape of surging waves, powerful laterals, and the infamous mid-river hole that churned dark and heavy at the heart of the rapid.
Hermit Rapid revealed itself with a wide, glassy tongue that plunged directly into one of the biggest wave trains we had seen so far. From our vantage upstream, the horizon dipped sharply and a line of massive, evenly spaced waves marched down the center of the river like a set of rolling hills frozen in motion. We guided the dory straight down the tongue, the current pulling us faster and faster until the bow climbed steeply up the face of the first towering wave.
Zoroaster Rapid unfolded as a long, wave-filled run where the river stretched wide and the current braided around scattered rocks and submerged ledges. From above, we could see a broad tongue of smooth water feeding into a line of rolling, glassy waves that shimmered in the midday light. We steered the dory into the main channel, letting the current gather us up and carry us into the first set of standing waves. The boat rose and fell rhythmically, the bow cutting cleanly through each crest and sending cool sprays of water drifting across the deck.
Horn Creek Rapid loomed ahead with a deep, throaty roar that echoed off the narrow canyon walls and signaled one of the bigger drops of this stretch. The river funneled tightly between sheer cliffs, and the horizon line disappeared sharply as the current gathered speed and power. We lined up the dory carefully for the narrow chute on the right, knowing that precision mattered here. As we dropped in, a towering wave rose quickly in front of us, lifting the bow high before slamming us into a deep trough where cold water exploded over the deck and drenched us from head to toe.
Grapevine Rapid came into view with a sprawling spread of waves and powerful currents braided across a wide section of the river. As we approached, the current accelerated and split around a series of boulders and submerged rocks that sculpted multiple lines through the rapid. We aimed the dory into the main left run, where a set of steep, frothing waves stacked tightly together. The bow lifted sharply over the first crest and then plunged into a deep trough, sending a cold sheet of water surging over the front and splashing across our laps.
Sockdolager Rapid announced itself with the deep, steady roar of big water echoing off the canyon walls long before we could see it clearly. As we approached, the river dropped into a wide, turbulent chute where powerful standing waves marched across the channel in bold, rolling sets. The horizon line dipped sharply and the dory surged forward, catching the first crest with a dramatic lift that sent the bow skyward before plunging us deep into the following trough.
75 Mile Rapid came into view as a short, punchy run tucked along a bend where the river narrowed and the current gathered its force. From upstream, we could see a tight line of waves breaking sharply across the main channel, their white crests standing out against the deep green water. As we guided the dory into position, the pace of the river quickened and the boat responded eagerly, slipping into the first wave with a crisp lift of the bow.