rescue 411
RECOVERING A RUNAWAY
TOP PARK ‘N’ HUCK SPOTS
Class three
VALLEY FALLS Tygart River, WV
Check the gauge for levels ranging from 3.7 to 4.7 feet, sign in at the Valley Falls State Park office and put in. This is a two-tiered set that drops a total of 24 feet, with many possible lines depend- ing on levels. Its quick foot shuttle makes running laps easy. The falls themselves are pretty friendly but the hole at the bottom has a reputation for recirculating swimmers. Put in and take out on the right, avoiding the active rail line on the other side of the river.
YOUR RIDE Wave Sport Habitat
BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE ON THESE CLASS III WATERFALLS
TRICK OR TREAT FALLS Quyon River, QC
This forgiving waterfall is on the lower Quyon River, right before it dumps into the mighty Ottawa. Just outside of Canada’s capitol city, it offers aspiring huck- sters a friendly, seven- to 10-foot drop with no rapids downstream to worry about. There is no gauge in the area but paddlers can perfect boof strokes, landings and downriver freestyle moves at Trick or Treat from March to December.
YOUR RIDE Fluid Bazooka
BABY FALLS Upper Tellico River, TN
At lower flows—around 300 cfs—the Ledges section of the Tellico is a great training ground. You’ll have to run or portage a couple of quick ledges before arriving at Baby Falls. Eddy out on the right and scout the drop. The 14-footer is best run to the right, which will land your boat into an eddy, or boof the left side into the deep pool below. A couple of class III-IV rapids downstream can be easily portaged, or run these as well to further hone your skills.
YOUR RIDE Esquif L’Edge
When it comes to dealing with a runaway boat, think physics. I’m not talking about the space-time continuum, but simple energy and force. A boat full of water is out of con- trol: mass × force = life of its own. You can’t change the force of the river, but you can change the mass of the boat. An authorita- tive boat-over-boat to dump the water takes just 10 seconds—practice is key, which is why kayak instructors have this on lockdown. Flip the boat onto your deck, rock it back and forth just once and then flip and fire it off into the nearest eddy. This works on all but the juiciest of rivers. Tethered towing has fallen out of favor un- less the river is pretty mellow (do you really want to be tied to that sea anchor?) but you still have to get the water out first. The last option is the bow plow, but all you
can reasonably expect is to direct the energy, rather than control it. Again, think physics: set the swamped boat on a ferry angle and make the river do the work. Your job is to bump and prod it to keep the angle. If you’re downstream, you can try ramming your bow into the open cockpit and then working it to shore. Beware, though, heavy boats have a life of their own. —Jeff Jackson
YOUR GO-TO RESCUE We asked readers and Facebook fans what their go-to rescue is on the river. The results reveal the just-get-‘er-done attitude of most whitewater boaters…and the need for this column.
50 40
SHUTTLE ROUTE Take exit 137 off of I-79 and follow WV 310 south for seven miles. At the Valley Falls State Park sign, turn right and continue to the park entrance. The park is about 30 minutes south of Morgantown, WV.
SHUTTLE ROUTE Take highway 148 west out of Gatineau for about 55 kilometers (35 miles). Park on the side of the road near the bridge over the Quyon River, just past the turn off into downtown Quyon. The put-in trail is on private property so be respectful.
SHUTTLE ROUTE Take TN 165 east out of Telli- co Plains. Stay right at the first split and right again onto Tellico River Road. Cross a bridge with the 80-foot Bald River Falls on your right and the Tellico on your left. Cross a second bridge and look for a pull off on your right. This is the put-in. Take out at the bridge about a half-mile below Bald River Falls.
—Michael Mechan 30 20 10 0
www.rapidmag.com 23
Whatever the hell it takes ........46% Plow into an eddy .....................23% Pigtail tow ................................15%
Boat-over-boat and fire into an eddy .....................................15%
PHOTO: COLIN MONEYPENNY
PHOTO: RYAN CREARY
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