I would be honored to join your party and go along. Pardon the regression, but this is too cool for school. What kind of water are you talking about for high water. The Guadalupe in Texas normally ran at about 2500 cps, flood stage was 5000 cps. When it was that high and the moon was out, we would run at midnight in intertubes. The bridges and the rapids were underwater and so if was a 30 minute trip to go about five miles. Of course we did it a bunch of times during daylight hours so we would know what was in front of us at night. Clear sky bright moon, you couls almost read the paper by the light of the moon. In Taos, normal was about 1500-2500 cps. One night we heard an outrageous roar. The next morning the BLM Ranger told us that about 2 am the river crested at 15,000 cps, the highest in recorded history. We got on the river that morning at 7500 cps. IN the box, the rapids were under water, but new ones were in place as holes where the rocks were now underwater, if they had not been moved. In the easy training run, the Pilar run along side the highway, we found some of the biggest holes we had ever seen. Swallowing 24 foot boats that had 24" tubes. The water in the boats, these were not self bailers, would be 6-8' deep in the boat and we were at the total mercy of the current. Tons of water in the boat and killing ourselves trying to bail. This would be about 1980. There were some guides who never got back on the river again after that day. I am quite certain the authorities will not allow these sort of adventures any more. I know the BLM and the county sheriffs have to go out of their way to protect us from ourselves, regardless of our experience level. But I ramble too much. These are stories for around a campfire or the night after a good day of flying rockets, camped out at Pawnee North.

hijackers 🙂

Well Bear, it's not my permit or I would ask you along. We're expecting based on CBRFC forecasts that things will be in the 30,000 - 60,000 cfs range. Most stuff will be washed out, but the 4 major rapids (Steer Ridge, Joe Hutch Canyon, Three Fords and Coal Creek to be Grand Canyon or Cataract canyon sized with 8-16' waves. Believe me, I'll be taking pictures. I've done this stretch about 24 or 25 times over the last 25 years and it is one of my favorites. Biggest problem will be that we'll probably only be on the river 2 hours a day and have to take layovers in order not to flush through in less than 4 days.

Sorry for the hijack - River Running actually beats Rocketry as my favorite activity and I had no idea we had other boaters amongst us rocket geeks. BEAR, contact me offline at wbmussel@indra.com and we can continue the river geek conversation.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled forum thread.