Sidewinder is not a rapid I like. A technically difficult line leads directly into a dangerous, intimidating undercut rock. All the water flows exactly where you don’t want to be. I’ve yet to run this rapid.
Wednesday we had a nice juicy flow on the White Salmon River. Chuck Taylor decided to give Sidewinder a go. I took photos standing next to the crux move of the rapid.
Chuck entered, subbed out, lost speed and slammed into the undercut. For 10-15 seconds he was pinned against the rock, head underwater. Stunned, I stopped taking photos as my heart stood still. Then Chuck pealed himself out of his kayak and was swept downstream. His kayak followed a minute and half later.
That was one of the most frightening things I’ve seen in a while. I’m not running Sidewinder any time soon.
Starting off well
Losing momentum is not good
Headed towards the undercut
Scary as hell
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Things I don’t like to see
Sidewinder is not a rapid I like. A technically difficult line leads directly into a dangerous, intimidating undercut rock. All the water flows exactly where you don’t want to be. I’ve yet to run this rapid.
Wednesday we had a nice juicy flow on the White Salmon River. Chuck Taylor decided to give Sidewinder a go. I took photos standing next to the crux move of the rapid.
Chuck entered, subbed out, lost speed and slammed into the undercut. For 10-15 seconds he was pinned against the rock, head underwater. Stunned, I stopped taking photos as my heart stood still. Then Chuck pealed himself out of his kayak and was swept downstream. His kayak followed a minute and half later.
That was one of the most frightening things I’ve seen in a while. I’m not running Sidewinder any time soon.
Starting off well
Losing momentum is not good
Headed towards the undercut