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Post by davidjeffrey on Mar 3, 2011 19:41:23 GMT -5
I've read a few reports on running the narrows of the Nashwaak, but all I've found are carnage stories.
Even some face to face conversations I've had about this stretch of river are all similar stories of busted canoes and bruises.
And, most of the stories seem to be dated back a few years.
Has anyone ran this recently? It can't be as bad as the stories I've read and heard, although I do remember seeing huge cement blocks in the river at low water. They were looking mean and ready to eat a boat in a hurry.
Does anyone have any recent stories? Photos?
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Post by dbradford on Mar 9, 2011 18:26:21 GMT -5
David, where did you see the huge cement blocks? Was this above the Narrow's bridge? You know I want to run this stretch...just say when  |
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Post by Ken Corbett on Mar 9, 2011 20:57:22 GMT -5
The Narrows is as bad as folks say it is. There were dams there in the log driving days, and the rocks were pushed by dozers into jumbles, so there's no logical path through the rock piles. There is one monster rock at the bottom that has claimed many boats. It was in 1977 that I wiped out there, but it seems like yesterday. The most recent visit to the Narrows was by our very own Mitchell Amos. He talks about it and had pictures at www.nanookofthenashwaak.com/mitchellnash.shtml. He didn't run them, though. He and his friend flipped just downstream of them, however. The best rapids are from the Big Basin Pool, at the foot of the Narrows, down to the Valley Forest Products Bridge. I've run them several times, there were haystacks in high water, and good rock-dodging in medium water. At low water, they nearly killed me, what with all the dragging in the rock gardens. |
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Post by mitchell on Mar 10, 2011 7:41:51 GMT -5
I imagine you guys could run them in your ww kayaks. Its a fairly long rapid....about 500 m or so. There are plenty of large holes with little or no room around them. It all depends how high the water is I guess. I hope to run this section of the river this spring as well. Its a nice overnight trip from Gorbys Gulch to Stanley.
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Post by Ken Corbett on Mar 10, 2011 12:20:10 GMT -5
Imagine .... I'd leave it at that. I don't enjoy disagreeing with my good and wise friend Mitchell, but I advise folks to carry around this drop. The canoe crusher evilly placed in the throat of this rockpile just before the entry into the pool (Big Basin) cannot, in my opinion, be dodged. A thorough scout of the drop should convince even the most reckless daredevils. I'll say no more.
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Post by liquidmonkey on Mar 10, 2011 14:47:08 GMT -5
Dave, I know you're thinking ww boats and that should be no problem. Canoe would be much, much more difficult. It's been a while since I've been up there and it was before I started kayaking but looking back, they'd be OK in a ww boat.
Cheers
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Post by tickles on Mar 10, 2011 15:39:48 GMT -5
Last time I was up there it looked like there was a line river left. But I balled out and carried. I really was not in the right boat for this rapid.
I don't remember much for holes at the top and besides it is narrow and the current would just push you out.
Don't put to much stock in my words as I have very little experience:).
Probably the more water the better, more between you and the rocks:)
I'll probably carry next time as well, I'd rather run miles of river than just one drop..
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