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1st time running Radium-advice

3K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Osseous 
#1 ·
MB!

Going to attempt the out of Radium for my fist time and though the Yarmony rapid Sat 7/30/16.

Any advice with the flows at this time of year is much appreciated! How to run and what to look out for etc..

Thanks for the insights!


Scott Taylor

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#2 ·
Yarmony's pretty straight forward at around 1000cfs. It's the second rapid in that canyon.
As the river turns left, there's a big round rock right-of-center at the very top of the rapid. Go left of it. The funnest wave is just left of that rock, but it can be skirted by going a little farther left. Make sure you hit that wave straight on, tho.
Couple small rocks to dodge in the middle of the rapid, as it's turning back to the right.
Then ride out the wavetrain at the bottom, just left of center, making sure you don't hit the rocks coming off the left shore or the left side cliff at the bottom of the rapid. The water tries to push you onto that left shore a little bit.
The rest of the canyon is easy, read and run.

I'm the head boatman for a rafting company running pumphouse. We do a bathroom break at Radium everyday around 1130am.
If you're nervous about it, you're welcome to follow us down, if the timing works for you.
Just look for a fat guy with a big red beard on red Achilles rafts, usually at the upper launch site.

Good luck, and have fun!!!!
 
#4 ·
Also be warned that this run has become quite popular, so saturday's particularly during summer break, tend to be quite busy.
If we get a good winter, it can become rather big in the spring, especially for newer boaters( like upwards of 5,000 c.f.s. or so?) and both Yarmony, and needles eye, up stream, tend to spend a lot of time newer boaters, as flows rise above 5 grand, with fast cold swims.

Pretty easy level this time of year, though.

Awesome of Big Ben to offer that! Part of what's RIGHT, with the Buzz.
 
#5 ·
Yay Ben!

Another note for you on top of the good advice you've already gotten-

You'll know you are approaching Yarmony well in advance by watching for the big square rock on river right. It looks like a UPS truck sitting on the bank. When you float past that rock be set up on river left. As you pass the large rock that forms the gut, start moving right to avoid the magnetic left bank at the end of the rapid.

Don't sweat it- it's an easy rapid if you follow those steps. I've done it at 10k- and it's an impreasive curling wave at those levels.

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