2nd Canyon

Canyon Creek meets with East Fork just below the first canyon and adds at least fifty percent more water to the flow. This, combined with the sudden nature of the class IV+, second canyon creates markedly more difficult rapids than you encountered in the class IV, first canyon. It may not seem that half a class rating would be much increase in difficulty, but you may be surprised. About half way between the first two canyons there is a river level gauge stuck to a rock wall on the left. It will tell you how high the water level is, but from my experience it shows about an inch more water than the official gauge. From the first take-out (second put-in?) it is about thirty to forty five minutes to the start of the second canyon, which is introduced by Boston Bar. You can recognize this area by the 70 foot high bank of gravel on the left just before the river sweeps to the left and starts dropping rapidly. Just around that corner there is a small eddy on the left that you can pull into as you screw up your courage for the first two drops. There is a trail heading up from here to an unofficial camping area. From this eddy you can just see the entrance to the canyon but you can get a much better view of drops one & two by walking down from an eddy on the right about 30 yards above the first drop. You can also scout this from river left by hiking down from Boston Bar, but the view is better from river right.

Let's take a close look at a map of the area.

First map of Canyon 2

Like I said for the first canyon maps, the arrows on the ovals represent the direction of rowing, not where the front of the boat is, or even the direction that the boat is moving. When the arrow is pointed upstream, you are to row that way to slow your descent and often to maneuver to one side of the stream. When the arrow is pointed downstream, you are to push the boat downstream to gain momentum.

As you pull back into the river it picks up speed as it looses elevation rapidly. Then plunges over a river wide ledge drop called Pearly Gates. I often run this to the right of center at low water but on the left there is a safer tongue, especially for high water. Just make sure you are powering forward fast and your boat is running straight ahead. My cataraft completely submerges in here if I run to the right at higher flows. I have no idea what will happen to you, but I would like to watch. Quickly now. Get back in your seat. You don't have any control when you're laying down there, and...

The Nozzle comes quick, and with only a very short break that I use to move river right, although I have seen others stay to the left for the entrance. This section is also called C Drop. As Sixmile drops go it's pretty straight forward for a raft but it is enlivened by large holes and the narrowing chute it runs through. It is much more difficult in a kayak because of the side waves and conflicting currents. From whatever side you enter this, you will probably be ejected toward the left wall as you exit, so be prepared to hit the brakes and move right. several of my passengers have been overcome by a sudden urge to swim this section. I've even done it myself. While I would never recommend this, there is a nice eddy on the left at the bottom to haul people back aboard, and it does provide a convenient place to demonstrate the necessity of hanging on when riding atop a cataraft.

You can access this eddy via a trail from mile 3.3 on the Hope Road. You can find the trail-head at the first gravel pull-out past the large paved pull-out for Boston Bar. It's an easy walk to the creek and the scenery is awesome.