We have hiked up this river two ways; up the trail and up the river. I think that straight up the river right side is best but it requires that you head back down the road with your boat and then jump the bear fence. On the way up the river you can scout what you will be running so there is an added bonus. Continue up the river until you get to a point where the boulder garden is super steep and looks like hell. This is the first major drop, I think that it is called Spinus Fractus. There are some rapid above it but they do not justify the extra hike. Hiking up the trail and cutting over to the river is the second way to the put in but it sucks, you will have to walk longer and do a lot of gnarly bush whacking.

The Fun: Spinus Fractus is super insane; there is wood, pin spots and ugliness everywhere. We put in below here and headed down towards Ramscabble. This rapid is 4 plus and blasts through a boulder garden on its way to easier 3 plus water that lasts for a kilometer. You will enter a canyon for about 350 meters and then you will see a horizon line that signals Jugbuster Falls. Get out and scout this one.

After Jugbuster, which can be portaged on river right you will have to keep your eyes peeled for a river wide log jam. If you walk the short canyon after Jugbuster you willnot have to worry about it and can seal launch in just above Railslide. This drop is super fun on the right. To get out of the pool below you will have to paddle through the end of the falls in a tight pinch. Next on the list is the Gripper, beware of the hole at the bottom. Slide your way through the Gripper and then into the Mini-Gripper. From here you will paddle some class 3 until you see a sharp left right before Slam Dunk, a 5+ to 6+ drop into a swirling bowl followed by a nasty log sieved slot. You can walk this on the right. From here down the action is slim and the river eases to the road.

Sean Allen.