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| Access for the East Branch generally requires dragging in about a mile (depending on how 'true' your reckoning is) through the woods from the road. The early part of this run consists of easy class I-II rapids in a uniformly wide, open channel. Eventually one comes to the beginning of the real gradient, where this great set of ledges swings around a right-hand bend (shown above right). |
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| After additional scenic low grade rapids, one reaches Big Falls (scout right). A hump of rock splits the flow. The smaller left side stays high, then drops into a very shallow pool (not recommended). The larger right side drops through a couple good holes (above left), then spills down a great frothy slide into a large pool below (above right). |
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| The action subsides to scenic class I-II until the river takes a sharp left bend. Prepare to eddy out river left to scout East Branch Falls. The river is squeezed through a narrow chute dumping into a short pool, where it is immediately deflected to the right (shown above left). This spot has been known to hold wood (sometimes buried in the pool so as to be not obvious), and (even absent wood) is a fairly intimidating, tight move. Many will carry around the upper drop to put in via the pool and run the waves and ledge which follow (shown above right). |
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The put-in for the West Branch is (obviously) far easier than the East Branch. While there is additional gradient above this road crossing, my recollection is it is hardly worth the bother of the upper access. On the other hand, what better start to a run than the sweet ledge (shown above left).
Another sweet ledge drop is preceded by a low hanging footbridge (above right). |
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A great series of ledges is encountered as one drops deeper into the canyon (above left). Extreme caution is urged, as a wicked drop awaits just around the bend. A series of diagonal waves with few good eddies leads to a large irregular steep pitch (which we did not run).
Not far downstream lies Silent Falls. The river funnels over a short flume into a deep boiling pool (recommended portage.) Undercut Falls (above right) is another recommended portage, as there is great liklihood of being stuffed into and under the left undercut bank. Remaining action is significantly more manageable. |