Rapids

From Rafting Grand Canyon

This page is for discussing the various rapids in Grand Canyon and how to navigate them.

The first thing to remember in Grand Canyon is you have the ability to scout almost every rapid you will run, with few exceptions.

The second thing to remember is everything changes! Water levels change throughout the day, changing available runs in the rapids. Side streams flash, rearranging the rocks in a rapid. When in doubt, stop, get out of your boat, and scout it out!

The photo on the right is of a river runner scouting Upset Rapid. Having a plan for what you expect to do in a rapid is a very good idea.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some videos to show the real things:

Here's a fantastic YouTube video from 2007, put together by Duwain Whitis of RiverMaps, called Carnage at Lava Falls. Hang On!

Here's another YouTube video from the summer of 2000, of House Rock, Kwagunt, Hance, Horn Creek, Granite, Deubendorff and Lava Falls all at 8,000 cfs (low water), also from Duwain Whitis.

Here's a great YouTube video from the summer of 1999, of House Rock, Horn Creek, Granite, Hermit, Crystal, and Lava Falls (Left Run) put together by Duwain Whitis of RiverMaps. The flow was 15,000 to 19,000 cfs.

Here's a link to some more videos by Shane Rasmussen, of Badger, Granite, Hance, Upset and Lava.

Ok, so let's look at some specific rapids. Remember, scout it out, and things change!

House Rock Rapid at river mile 17.1 is a rapid worth the scout. The run is a cross river ferry to the right, moving to river right to bypass a large hole on river left. If you scout this rapid on the left, you exit the shore going right. If you scout from the right, you must exit the shore pulling upstream to river left, then turn and start pulling to river right. So, you might want to consider scouting this one on the left.

Sometimes we wonder how we made it through such rapids like House Rock!

So, what about that sleeper rapid? How about something simple like Twenty Three Mile (Indian Dick) Rapid. Check out this photo of a 16 ft self bailer doing the side roll flip in Indian Dick. Note the easy left run. It's possible this flip could have been avoided if the rapid had been scouted.

Here's a bird's eye view of 75 Mile. To avoid the holes down the middle and on the right, one can go down the left side with a downstream ferry to the left at the top. There are holes all through this rapid, but by looking downstream and identifying hazards ahead of time, you can miss them.

Here's an upstream view of Crystal Rapid at river mile 98.8. Sometimes you will need to think about what's immediately downstream of the rapid you are running. As this photo shows, if you run right in Crystal, try to stay way right. If you go left in Crystal, try to stay way left. If you end up in the middle of the river in Crystal, beware the Rock Garden, clearly seen in this photo. Go right or left, but don't attempt to go right down the middle.

Here's a view of Bedrock Rapid at 131 mile, as seen from about a quarter mile upstream. The flow is low, maybe 7,000cfs. Note the rocks on river right. The run on this day was just left of the right shore rocks, then a pull into the right channel. You really don't want to go left at Bedrock.

There were three gents in this boat at the start of this Bedrock run. Not making the right cut, the boat rolls steeply in the hole/eddy fence at the top of the left run. One swimmer is quickly flushed out, as is the boat and now two passengers, right side up!

Here is a good left run at Upset Rapid at river mile 150.2. If you try the right run at Upset, stay Right! If you go left, stay left!

Here's a photo of Pearce Ferry Rapid. This rapid is located at about river mile 280.8. You will encounter this rapid after about 30 miles of fast moving flat water. Scouting is recommended on river left.

Click here to return to The Trip page.