Favorite Rivers

[boater]

Thought it was about time to do a poll.

So, what is your favorite river and why? (I love these things . . . )


Favorite River:
Upper Pemi in NH

Why:
Pretty and many different types of rapids.

Alden

[Sir Adam]

Yup, I'm biased, but the 17-18 mile trip down the Hudson Gorge has various rapids, gorgous scenery (pun intended ), wildlife (OTHER than boaters), and is not particularly crowded. It also varies dramatically throughout the year as the level changes...a nice "fun" summer run (albeit with 2 class IV's) can be a rather challenging spring or late fall run (assuming it rains...).

[dixie_boater]

The Chattooga is my favorite because of the spectacular scenery and challenging rapids. I find the Five Falls of Section IV always gets my heart pumping when I round the bend above Entrance Rapid. It is only a 1 hr and 45 minutes from my house to the Hwy 76 bridge. A free flowing, Wild and Scenic river that every open boater should paddle at least once in their lifetime!

And the locals are not nearly as bad as a certain movie made them out to be

[Jan_dettmer]

River:
...Gordon, Vanc Island

Why? Worldclass whitewater and scenery and wilderness.
It has everything. Steep bouldergardens in the upper parts, big hydraulics, full on waterfalls (highest is 22 feet) that you can walk, bedrock drops, easy waterfalls (one sometimes sends you really deep) and one solid class 4 drop that you cant walk or scout to get your heart pumping.

After a rain there are waterfalls coming into the canyon from all sides and if your lucky the sun shines and forms rainbows. Steelhead are in the pools and Bald eagels in the trees fishing for them.

Can't ask for more!

Cheers, Jan

[Jim Michaud]

The Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Need I say more?

[jennifer]

Just got a copy of Whitewater Classics by Tyler Williams that we'll have in stock soon featuring 50 of North America's best river runs picked by the continent's Leading Paddlers. Well worth a read with some great photos too. "Part guide book, part history, part story book"... features 234 color pages for $26.95.

Rivers featured include the Potomac, Kennebec, Lochsa, Ocoee, Moose, Middle Fork of the Salmon, Yough, the Arkansas, just to name a few. The rivers as seen through the eyes of paddlers like Dan Gavere, Jess Whittemore, Charlie Walbridge, Kent Ford, Risa Shimoda, Nolan Whitesell, Eric Jackson, Rob Lesser, Jon Lugbill, Davey Hearn, plus 40 more whitewater boaters!

www.daveyhearn.com
Maximum Whitewater Performance

[boater x]

so we know what davey's favorite river is (cause he's in the book) but what's yours jennifer? tacen? seu? stikine?
Alden

[willlyons]

Wow Alden, we share one of the same favorite rivers...here are some of mine,

Upper Pemi - Beautiful scenery, sweet drops, classic creeking.

Upper Kakopotahi - Super tight gorge, amazing rock walls and formations, easy access for New Zealand, killer portage

Raven Fork - I think this is anyone's favorite that paddles it. One of the most pristine places I've ever been to in the US.

Kaituna - Totally unique 'jungle' run with an awesome playhole at the takeout.

Those are just a few of my most favorite runs.

[TommyC1]

The Pork Barrel section of the Westfield in Mass.

Catch it if you can 'cause it's a fine rare thing.

Tommy

[yukon]

Yukon territory- Lapie River, med-small vloume river, runs crystal clear, starts in alpine meadows and flows through beautiful mountains. Lots of road access. Runs from grade1-3 with a Grade 5 drop yet to be run by canoe. Awesome canyons and very fun little river. We teach our big whitewater course on this river and people always learn tons. Almost always we have the river to ourselves. This great river probably only sees 50 paddlers a YEAR maybe a 100 on a busy year. Many of the spots are unnamed so we get to name the spots- Club Merganser- a great play spot, the Golden Hotel- a cliff face eddy that is much easier to check in then check out, awesome eddy line that is guaranteed to have at least 1 swimmer per run., Mud flats- great place for s-turns and jet ferries, and the Last great play wave.
I have paddled this river most in my 12 year paddle career and I LOVE the Lapie,
we even have a song that goes like this
If you are happy on the Lapie
Surf a wave!!
and lots of other courses

[cboatin]

hey will,
good to hear from you again. i didnt know youve run the pemi. isnt it cool? those first few basin drops are spectacular, then it just keeps going with total coolness. What I like is that you have to make lots of moves and go off lots of slides and 4-ft drops.

that's awesome that youve done the raven's fork. i have seen lots of it in videos. i read that allen braswell was the first guy to run Big Boy. Did you run all the drops?

Tommy, I have driven right past the Pork, but never seen enough water in there. What is a good gauge reading? I have heard nothing but tales of great beauty in there.

[Kev]

Ottawa River

[montana c-1]

Lochsa River in Idaho-
huge at high water and tight and creeky at low water need I say more?
keep paddlin
sean

[cboatin]

hey sean,
I have heard the lochsa compared to the kennebec in maine, one of my favorites. from what you say, it does sound similar. apparently the lochsa is roadside. but I have also heard a friend say she does overnight trips on it -- which section could you do that on?

ive also heard that the blackfoot has a sweet overnight class IV-V trip on it. I recall that this is the river where the nationals were just held in montana. which is the overnight section?
Alden

[TommyC1]

The Pork Barrel is very flashy and there are no gages. Unless you live out there you pretty much have to get lucky.
It's no great challenge but there's some nice features and it sure is pretty.