Staying Active

24.5 Mile Rapid followed close on the heels of its upstream neighbor, delivering another lively stretch that kept us on our toes. The river narrowed slightly here, tightening the current and stacking up a series of choppy, irregular waves. As we entered, the dory rose and dipped quickly, the boat flexing with each shift in the water beneath us. The waves slapped against the hull at sharp angles, sending bursts of cool spray across the deck and splashing against our legs. We stayed light on the oars, making quick adjustments to keep our line smooth as the current pulled us downstream.

House Rock Rapid delivered the first real surge of adrenaline on our trip down the Colorado. As the canyon walls squeezed in, the river quickened, curling sharply left and funneling us straight into a line of surging, frothy waves. A heavy lateral wave heaved in from river right, roaring as it crashed toward us. We lined up cleanly, the dory lifting high on each crest before slamming down hard into the troughs. Cold spray blasted over the bow and the smack of water echoed off the sandstone walls. We gripped tight and rode it through, hearts pounding and faces grinning.