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Trip Reports

THU PAD - Mather Gorge to L-10 @ 4.3 - 2 Nov 2017
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Coordinator, author: Gus Anderson - 7 Paddlers

   Sandy Beach to Lock 10, level 4.3, air temp about 75, water temp, not bad. Gus, Mark, David and Howard put in at Sandy Beach. Rocky was rockin', but a bit too high, pulsing and bouncy to get any good surfs. A beautiful fall afternoon float through Mather Gorge before meeting John, Dorcus and John at Difficult Run rapid. John had to leave after playing around at Difficult Run. We later caught up with Mike, Ben (C-1 O), and Wayne, who had also put in at Angler's but then headed downstream. Mark made a nice eddy turn to the right eddy beside the first drop in Yellow Falls, but did not lean far enough upstream and flipped over on his left and demonstrated a nice roll for the rest of us who were watching closely. Stubblefield Falls was big and bouncy but no problem. Dorcus and Gus decide to try an obscure channel off to the left just past the beltway bridge behind Plummers Island. The channel should not be attempted below 4.4 and then only with a chain saw. We got into the entrance by removing some large rocks, then had to get out of our boats and climb over a large tree across the channel, then boat-whacked our way through a thicket of tree branches, then squeezed through several tight slots with just enough water to get by and finally got to the take-out long after everyone else. Everyone agreed it was a fabulous day on the river.

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