[Jdsampsonite]

Not my best job but hope you enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEyTrBnUr8Y&t=5s

 

[cupido76]

Man, that looked like a spicy run and some semi-controlled chaos! Awesome!!

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Yeah it was a more eventful day one than I have had. The flip on Gruman had a 70 year old on his first trip. Then he got rescued into the other boat and thrown out on the left run of Mother rock before we grabbed him. He was only doing the day run luckily because I don't think he would have wanted to go on.

 

[matt man]

That was awesome Jd!
Glad your swimmer ended up alright!
We took out on the 1st and missed the high flows on the upper, but luckily got them for the lower canyons, wholly crap, what a kick in the Pants!!
Great job on the video!!
Got to get my act together, editing my go pro footage now......

Hey how was that eddy bellow Quartzite for you guys? I edyied out there, and that was was one STICKY ass eddy!

 

[cupido76]

Yeah it was a more eventful day one than I have had. The flip on Gruman had a 70 year old on his first trip. Then he got rescued into the other boat and thrown out on the left run of Mother rock before we grabbed him. He was only doing the day run luckily because I don't think he would have wanted to go on.

On my Grand trip in 2015 the oldest guy on the trip was about 75 and he flipped once and swam one or two other times too... But he was locked in for the full 19 days.

He was definitely feeling his age by the end of the trip.

 

[AZ93]

I enjoyed your video. This is a great treasure here in Arizona.

 

[Jdsampsonite]

I was worried that at the higher flows the eddy wouldn't be there but no problem with that. We had to really pull to get out of it.

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Cupido
I bet he was feeling his age by the end. Good for him though, I hope I'm still going out at that age.

 

[raymo]

Thank you, Jdsampsonite. I have never run the Upper Salt river, that is a great video. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed it.

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Raymo glad you enjoyed it. Its an awesome trip that I would recommend doing. Only problem is it doesn't always flow. This year has been great so far.

 

[raftus]

Thanks for the video, we launch on Friday!


Question: In all of my swiftwater rescue training we were taught to go after swimmers aggressively (as long as you don't become a victim yourself), especially if they are downstream of the lead boat (swimmers drift downstream faster than rafts, especially at higher flows). In this video a couple of rafts seem not to take action to recover a downstream swimmer. Why did you guys chose the course of action that you did?

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Well a couple things happened pretty quickly.

The flipped boat was the second boat in the group. There was 2 people in that boat. Son and father (70). With a kayak up there as well. The first thing they tried to do was recover the boat and get it to the side. With the higher flow the eddy there was non existent and they were pushed right along. With mother rock coming quickly they pulled the father in. At this point they could have pulled the father out a minute quicker than they did, rather than worrying about the boat. The son didn't want to get out he wanted to rescue his boat. If had a flip line he probably could have flipped it in the water since he only had a cooler because he was only doing the day trip. I'm not sure if he had one. I carry one in my life jacket pocket. Son abandoned his boat right before mother rock and swam to river right to get out of rapid. To late for a boat to help him. Son gets to shore on river right after this. Fathers new boat with 3 people decides to run left side of Mother rock. I said run right to them and he said you can go either way. I thought he was mad but maybe he knew something I didnt but I wasn't going that way. He runs left and all three get thrown out. It takes me a moment before I realize they went in. The guy rowing climbs back into the boat but his left oar mount got twisted and he had one functioning oar. That's why he ran right on Overboard. The rear boat collected one passenger and a kayak grabbed the father and brought him to us. I had gotten over to river right in the slower water so we wouldn't be washed into overboard and so we would be going slow enough for them to catch up to us to pull him in.

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Forgot a good part of the story. The Raft just kept going. We thought he was going to have to go on the through trip with us. Luckily a guide was looking out at the river and saw it coming. Without a life jacket on jumps out into the river and swims over to get it and drags it back. Flips the raft and when we thank him for getting the raft and flipping it over. He says he had to flip it so he could get to the beer in the cooler.

 

[pwolfehagen]

Well done on the video. I really need to get the documentation thing nailed. We must have crossed paths with you at some point. We launched afternoon of the 28th and took out about noon on the 3rd. I was running a blue 18’ NRS with two kids on board. Was a great run. Rowdy fun at those flows.

 

[cupido76]

Forgot a good part of the story. The Raft just kept going. We thought he was going to have to go on the through trip with us. Luckily a guide was looking out at the river and saw it coming. Without a life jacket on jumps out into the river and swims over to get it and drags it back. Flips the raft and when we thank him for getting the raft and flipping it over. He says he had to flip it so he could get to the beer in the cooler.

Wow... What a stoke of luck he was there to catch th boat!

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Pwolf I remember seeing the boat with 2 kids on it. We were at the exit at that time as well. I was in the 16' lite blue raft. Most people were parked on the left side of the dock but we were on the right side. I had 2 guys in the front, I had on a green round rim hat with a cloth coming down in back over my neck. With a helmet over it. We were camped at **** creek the last day. I was down by the mud helping everyone pack up at the exit.

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Cupid. Yes he was really lucky, even at second camp that water was moving. The next slow spot in the river wasn't for quite awhile. Maybe bellow white rock in that granite gorge it gets slow for a bit.

 

[Boise48]

GREAT FILM, thanks!
I really enjoyrd it!

We have a 19-March Permit.

Any advice?
Which needed scouting ?

Craig W.
Boise

 

[Jdsampsonite]

Ledges there is a big hole in the middle of the river at the top that can be avoided on river right. We scouted Blackrock its an easy scout and easy to get to on river right. How I run it is I put the but of my boat towards the right wall and stay right into the little eddy and then just sneak by the right rock ledge sticking out. Quick back stroke once past it and pivot with the right oar to hit the right side head on.
I ran the right side of Eye of the needle without scouting. Easy scout on river left if you want to. I've never had problems running the eye and I've done it all my other trips. Even in the 9' boat r2 style at 2700 I ran it with no problems. I'm curious if anyone else has had problems there.
Quartzsite run the left, most flips happen on the right. Just hug the left wall and you will be fine. If you have a flip it will push you into eddy on left so you can recover. I don't scout it because it's not an easy scout left run above 1400 has treated me well.

Pinball and Maze stay on your toes. Be right of the hole at the top of the Maze and stay right. I had 7 minutes there once that I won't forget a few years ago. This is the toughest section in my opinion because there is no time to recover if you mess up. **** creek is my favorite for last day camps.

Not in order but hope that helps. Have a great trip.

 

[Boise48]

JD:

Folks,

My group for the 19th decided not to go due to water level.

If you or competent folks you know, want to go on the 19th, on this very short notice, I would still go...I have a 16' Avon SB and lots of gear.

Or I would transfer the permit, but I don't know the rules about that...

Craig Watts
Boise