Eagle River - New Rocks at Trestle

Andy H. · 05-09-2005

I've heard that a couple of big boulders have fallen into the top of Trestle Rapid, just above Wolcott on the Eagle. I haven't had a chance to scout it yet but some others I was boating with this weekend did & said that its going to be a sqeeze at the top. Anyone else got beta?

Thanks,

--Andy

Showboat · 05-09-2005

Ive seen the rocks,, and took a few pictures of them while I was there, they shouldnt be a problem for kayaks,, will be interesting to see what they do for the rafts though. If you want me to send you the pics just shoot me your email address.

tboe101 · 05-09-2005

The new boulder is going to create a fairly significant new hazzard for the rafts. It's no big deal now but runoff hasn't started either. It will probably catch strainers, form a huge hole behind it, and form one hell of a reflex wave which will shove a raft onto the right bank. Not to mention by blocking the channel it will raise the water level under the bridge. We used to run it comercially up to 7 feet or so on the Dowd Chute gague. We may have to pull off that section sooner now. Scouting will be mandatory until we all get used to it.
I always thought we needed more class 4/5 water on the Eagle--guess we go it unless the rock moves.

WhiteLightning · 05-20-2005

I ran it on Wednesday evening, but it was my first time, so I don't know what it is used to look like. I was in my 13ft raft. There was a sieve river left immediately under the trestle, but wasn't really an issue because it was before the action starts. Like I said, I never ran it before, but scouted and ran. I started river right in the waves, moved left and snuck by some really big irregular breaking waves, then was about to get eaten from the left, so finished up in the center. It actually went pretty smoothly, except the last hole caught me by suprise! I might be through again this weekend, I'll try to pay better attention and get some better beta. Water has come up at least a foot, so I will re-scout.

When I got done, I thought it was one hell of a class III, I would have given it maybe a IV or IV- or something, but what do I know? I just know that it would be a long unfriendly swim through there.

Jack Bombardier · 05-26-2005

I ran Trestle on Saturday in my 14 cataraft with the flow about 2500-2600 and it was no problem. I had to remove the rear thigh brace (its a fishing rig) to pass under. As we squeezed under to the left side of the right-hand bridge abutment the current swung my stern around and messed with my ferry angle, so be ready for that! The waves immediately below the bridge are great fun but you definitely want to come out from under the bridge with the right angle set up, there's not much room to turn it around if you're not pointed where you want to be!

WhiteLightning · 06-20-2005

Looks like most of the aforementioned rocks have washed out. The rapid is pretty user-friendly, I think moreso with higher water too. Still think it would be a long swim...especially for the PFD-less fishermen I have seen going through.