# Bad Week at Blossom Bar!



## The Mogur (Mar 1, 2010)

Two more people have died in the last week in separate accidents at Blossom Bar on the Rogue River. On Sept 2, a drift boater got stuck broadside against the picket fence. He apparently drowned as a result of enganglement with a rope he was attempting to swim to shore. The second accident apparently happened yesterday (Sept 7). Both victims were 68 year old men, and are said to have been experienced boaters.

Does anyone know the total number of people who have died at Blossom Bar? In Grand Canyon, Crystal is known as the "deadliest rapid on the river," with a total of 5 deaths. I'm sure that Blossom has taken many more than that--there have been 4 deaths in Blossom Bar in just since the 2008 season; and I can remember several others over the years.

Is it possible that Blossom has become more dangerous? Sure, the flow is well above average for this time of year, but it is by no means anything that would be considered "high water."


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

I wonder if these guys got out more than once a year. Flow is only 2100 CFS, so that's out for me.


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## Katboater (Apr 21, 2009)

From what I have heard, the first guy with the driftboat didn't have a PFD on and the second guy went into the water and may have had a heart attack. Second hand info, but doesn't appear either were caught in the strainer that killed the two ladies a couple years ago. FWIW


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## Wavester (Jul 2, 2010)

*Blossom*

Sad and my heart goes out to the families involved. I heard that everyone involved was wearing a PFD. The consequences in Blossom are pretty severe, it's a bad place to wrap. Pretty straight forward rapid IF you make the entrance move. And I agree there has been a lot more water pushing through there this summer then normal but in some ways it is easier because there is less chance you will get hung up on a rock after the beaver chute. I have noticed a little harder pull into the entrance eddy then is normal for this time of year. 

Crystal has mostly lost it's teeth since the the mid 90's or so, it used to be the most technical big rapid in the GC and one of the worst I ever had the pleasure to row in the 80's and early 90's, but since then it's pretty easy to cheat imho.


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## grant green (Sep 1, 2010)

I see the drift boat got caught on the fence. Does anyone know where the other boat flipped? I'll be on the Rogue in 2 weeks and it would be nice to have a little scouting report.


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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

*Blossom drownings*

Second drowning in 5 days on Rogue River claims Eugene man in southern Oregon | OregonLive.com


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## The Mogur (Mar 1, 2010)

grant green said:


> I see the drift boat got caught on the fence. Does anyone know where the other boat flipped? I'll be on the Rogue in 2 weeks and it would be nice to have a little scouting report.


The Oregonian said that the second accident happened on "the north side" of the river, meaning river right. But it didn't indicate whether that was at the top of the rapid, the middle, or the lower. When I was there in mid-July, there actually was a run down the right, but I really doubt that it could be open at this water level. Still, a video on YouTube shot shortly after the first accident shows someone starting on the far left, making the eddy turn to the center chute and then going to the right side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LqNWCR_niY&feature=related 
That move is always possible, but is not the conventional route, which goes to the left of the VW rock.

One thing the YouTube video does illustrate very well is the need to make your eddy turn from the left-side entry early and strong. Timing is everything. If you're a second or two late making the cut, you'll end up where the drift boat is. 

Another thing that it illustrates is the need to HIGH SIDE! I always make a point of reminding my passenges to be ready to go to the high side as soon as it looks like we might broadside a rock (or drift boat). But the two guys on the blue raft stay put as if their butts were glued to the seats, even as their raft goes over.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Wow we did this a week earlier and i remember there was a lot more water present. The current at the top seemed a lot calmer, was pretty easy to do the pull into the eddy with my 18' leopard and 4 addn passengers

I always hug the shallows near the big rocks in river center so i know the pull into the eddy before center chute wont be against a strong current

I wonder at what point the government will consider removing a large rock or two to provide a safe channel passage (like fish ladder at Rainey)


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## Duce (Sep 5, 2011)

Above 2k you can just hug near the horn and basically float straight into the eddy above the fence. The old school route is runnng far left and making the pull into the eddy, and then left of VW at the bottom (which in low water you have to do). Lately once I pass the fence into the chute I pull right into the "exit slot". 

High water above 3 1/2 makes the pull left of VW a mother which I am sure many of you have noticed. Sad to hear about the loss of life this year (RIP).


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

I wound up running it the main chute quite well other than bumping into the VW at the end of the run. The current was pushing me down the channel to the right and I bumped off the rock just prior to the VW. This turned my boat just enough and there was an "oshit" decision at the last second. This caused me to spin and hit into the nose of the VW, but current and rowing pushed my right corner along the left edge of it (although the boat did seem to dive on the left side a bit). I did have a ton of gear on my cat and had four passengers and two of their inflatable craft on board (nobody wanted to run it in a ducky). I was never worried of anything catastrophic through the run, just tired from fighting the current at that point of the run (and the day), and a my guard was down a bit after getting through the treacherous parts.

I could easily see if someone doesn't get the timing right at the top they could be screwed.


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Watching the video is mesmerizing. What a pair of numbnuts (the guys who just sat there in this video, not the guys who were the main topic previously).


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## The Mogur (Mar 1, 2010)

Avatard said:


> I wonder at what point the government will consider removing a large rock or two to provide a safe channel passage.


Blossom Bar was extensively blasted in the 1930s and 1940s by Glen Wooldridge and other early guides, using dynamite provided by the Forest Service. The rapid was completely impassable before they blasted it out. Glen always said that he had wanted to work on it some more, but in about 1949 the government decided to prohibit further blasting.

I'd say that the chances of any change in that policy are nil.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

I was aware that it was half finished. I just wonder at what point enough people die before they realize its a problem. I guess 4000 died in the middle east before they realized their mistake


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## pretender (Dec 23, 2008)

I wonder at what point the government will consider removing a large rock or two to provide a safe channel passage (like fish ladder at Rainey)[/QUOTE]

You're kidding, right?
There's some murky waters mixed in and under those words.
At what point is safe enough? Blast Blossom Bar into a risk free class 2? The Green Wall scares me, should we blast it to make it easier?
Or maybe let the government stop people with-out the necessary skills or equipment from floating the river?
Or...educate people as to what the risks are and let them decide to take them or not and then accept responsibility for their decision.
Yes, Blossom stands out as the only mandatory rapid on the run with obvious consequences (sometimes deadly) at normal flows and is run by lots of fairly inexperienced people and that's a serious consideration into making the rapid easier/safer but...no!


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok skills test at first rapids past graves and chopper evac/fine if you fail


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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

Duce said:


> The old school route is runnng far left and making the pull into the eddy.


That makes me old school (approaching 100 trips since 1978). The second boat in the video clearly illustrates how not to do it. Instead start on left side of the entry tongue, make a couple of pulls on the oars to build momentum to the right before you get to the eddy. Similar to how downhill ski racers initiate their turn before they get to the gate.


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## Dirk Williams (Aug 24, 2011)

*Left Right down the center routes*

We've run left in high water Right in high water and old school in decent flows, In 1991 I tried backing an 18 foot Aire into the old school slot. Being the trip trash hauler I was way way heavy and missed spinnin my nose around by inches. 

I breech pinned the cat on the rocks for about 40 minutes. The big ass 26 in tubes kept me above water and eventually I was able to rotate off the rocks via a reverse pull of my right oar.

A few years back we were about an hour behind someone who got trashed in coffeepot and didn't make it. That shit sucks. 

If I can't die in bed after a kick ass evening of great sex with some smoken hot young snapper, then lord please let me "go" rafting, or doing something I truly love doing.

Peace.
Dirk


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## malloypc (Jun 6, 2009)

Just got off the river yesterday.
The two bodies were recovered last Wednesday, the day before we launched.
According to the ranger at Rand, the driftboater f'd up by wrapping a rope around his arm while trying to recover the boat - totally avoidable.
When we ran Blossom Saturday, the boat was still perched behind the fence. I may have some pictures my passengers took while we went by.


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## Wounded Knee (Jul 5, 2011)

This is tragic. One of the victims was Bill Martindale - a long-time client and friend who just retired last year as director of construction for McCormick & Schmicks.


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## Ladderboy (Feb 21, 2011)

Just got off the water yesterday. The drift boat is now floating between two rocks in the picked fence. The boat has moved from other pictures I saw of the boat. It is not in the way of any moves you need to make to have a good run. It now looks like it could be taken out from photo eddy.


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