I've run this rapid quite a few times. If I was going to give any advice it would be this. Bring your boat to a dead stop before you enter the point of no return at the top of the rapid. When you enter, if you are moving slower than the current. Your chances of success are really high. If you enter at the speed of the current or faster. Your chances of ending up broached are really high. That being said. Even though Blossom Bar is a class 4 rapid. The crux move is a simple class 3 maneuver.
All those rafts had their noses pointed waaaaay too far left as they approached the rock garden, and that put at least the oared rafts going down backwards. I was always taught to keep my raft nose less than 45 degrees left of the rock garden, then pull my butt into the big center boulder and swing my nose into the first drop. The third raft managed the swing, but they lost a lot of their momentum by starting so far left.
How's the right line? I hadn't seen any video until my group ran it back in June at 4700 CFS. I assume it shuts down as the flow drops: ua-cam.com/video/K5GwprVIFSk/v-deo.html
I had 3 kids my wife and way too much gear, so I had them walk it while I ran through. Probably not necessary, but not that bad a scramble through the rocks. Someone had drowned that year a few weeks earlier, so ....
I've run this rapid quite a few times. If I was going to give any advice it would be this.
Bring your boat to a dead stop before you enter the point of no return at the top of the rapid. When you enter, if you are moving slower than the current. Your chances of success are really high. If you enter at the speed of the current or faster. Your chances of ending up broached are really high.
That being said. Even though Blossom Bar is a class 4 rapid. The crux move is a simple class 3 maneuver.
Great lines, good times, hard to beat sunshine on the Rogue.
I still think you (Zach) have one of the cleanest blossom runs/vids on UA-cam tho.
Thanks!
How about a review on the new line of SOTAR rafts. The rogue series. Really wondering what kind of difference the mesh floor makes.
All those rafts had their noses pointed waaaaay too far left as they approached the rock garden, and that put at least the oared rafts going down backwards. I was always taught to keep my raft nose less than 45 degrees left of the rock garden, then pull my butt into the big center boulder and swing my nose into the first drop. The third raft managed the swing, but they lost a lot of their momentum by starting so far left.
That being said, Blossom bar and I played bumper cars my first time at the oars
I would suggest learning to row at 90 degrees or even with your stern downstream to break lateral waves and strong eddy lines
Good runs, the right side is great!
Without risk, what’s the point?
Do you go off of the Grants pass guage or Agness for flow?
Grants Pass
How's the right line? I hadn't seen any video until my group ran it back in June at 4700 CFS. I assume it shuts down as the flow drops: ua-cam.com/video/K5GwprVIFSk/v-deo.html
The right line is actually pretty cool. I've taken an 18' gear boat there as low as 3000.
I had 3 kids my wife and way too much gear, so I had them walk it while I ran through. Probably not necessary, but not that bad a scramble through the rocks. Someone had drowned that year a few weeks earlier, so ....
That looked like Tate on the oar-paddle combo.
Yep