See this thread. Consensus is no on rafts unless it is small with good paddlers (Puma, etc...) and yet, still nobody has said they have actually done it:
San Rafael Little Grand Canyon
San Rafael Little Grand Canyon
Raft on San Rafael?
Anyone taken a 14-16 foot paddle raft on the San Rafael? Normally, this would be a crazy thought, but it's flowing at about 500 cfs (need 150 for a canoe). We're thinking about floating it this weekend, but have a few kids that might enjoy a paddle raft more than being stuck in a ducky. If this is stupid and we'll regret it forever, let me know.
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I rafted the San Rafael years ago in a rented raft. Was flowing less than 100 cfs. We were young and stupid. Basically took the rafts for a walk. 500 should go IMO.
I'll be there in my mini max. I'm not worried about the flows. But a 14-16 foot boat is going to be like driving a semi down an alleyway. You'll have enough water for it, but it'd be easier in a smaller craft.
We ran it a couple of weeks ago at 90 cfs in a 12’ otter. We R2’d it and went super light with just enough gear for an overnight. We hung up a few times but it was easy to jump off and drag a few feet to get back into deep enough water. At 500 cfs I would think you would have plenty of water to float a 14’ lightly loaded boat.
I ran it 4 years ago at the 380-ish cfs level in a ducky. But I made special note that a small raft like a puma or super puma would be just fine, and I keep considering doing it this year. I have a lot of experience running small side channels of rivers, so the thought of doing it was appealing. However, for those who are not used to continual maneuvering in narrow tight spaces, they might not enjoy doing it. But definitely enough to float a small raft and should be fun
Watch out for strainers, there were 2 or 3 last time I went, and though not difficult to miss, newbies could get into trouble if caught unawares. When I did it, we went only 100 yards before the first bend and log jam, where a 20-something year old with no PFD had pinned a rental Aire ducky deep under the log jam. He was just sitting there on top of the log jam with no idea what to do. I got him to shore, unpinned his ducky and got him on his way, with a gentle reminder that as one who has done some of the biggest whitewater in the west, I always wear a PFD even on very small river like the San Rafael.
Watch out for strainers, there were 2 or 3 last time I went, and though not difficult to miss, newbies could get into trouble if caught unawares. When I did it, we went only 100 yards before the first bend and log jam, where a 20-something year old with no PFD had pinned a rental Aire ducky deep under the log jam. He was just sitting there on top of the log jam with no idea what to do. I got him to shore, unpinned his ducky and got him on his way, with a gentle reminder that as one who has done some of the biggest whitewater in the west, I always wear a PFD even on very small river like the San Rafael.
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