# Boater dies in Hance



## sarahkonamojo (May 20, 2004)

Sorry to hear this.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Condolences to the friends and family. Rest in peace Mary!


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## DidNotWinLottery (Mar 6, 2018)

That is sad. I wonder if there are statistics being kept rapid specific. I feel like Hance has taken a lot of lives lately. Someone died just days after I passed through lasted summer. That right side seems to fool a lot of people, and even when there is not a death on the right side, the stories of EPIC carnage are enough to keep me closer to the duck pond.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

DidNotWinLottery said:


> That is sad. I wonder if there are statistics being kept rapid specific. I feel like Hance has taken a lot of lives lately. Someone died just days after I passed through lasted summer. That right side seems to fool a lot of people, and even when there is not a death on the right side, the stories of EPIC carnage are enough to keep me closer to the duck pond.


They do keep stats per rapid, but as my NPS friend told me, they aren't available to the public, and are only separated by commercial trip / private trip. No causation or anything. Hance has always been the hardest rapid for me, hands down. I know folks are tuned to Lava, but in Hance, you actually have some control over your destiny, in Lava, you enter, and the river does to you what the river wants, you have almost no control over anything past the ledge hole. Personally, I've always stayed closer to the duck pond too, but I've always had shitty runs thru it, all but one I stayed in the boat the entire time, but the last one the hole at bottom left swam me in my Dory..


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## DidNotWinLottery (Mar 6, 2018)

Not one of my group made the duck pond last year, possibly not enough current. But just getting near it seams to put you in the safe zone. Lava was easy for us and we were like, "That's it", then we came across a totally wrecked group ahead of us on the beach, lol. Ridiculous the stats are not public.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

DidNotWinLottery said:


> Not one of my group made the duck pond last year, possibly not enough current. But just getting near it seams to put you in the safe zone. Lava was easy for us and we were like, "That's it", then we came across a totally wrecked group ahead of us on the beach, lol. Ridiculous the stats are not public.


My last trip, we did Crystal, (on the left) and found out later down the river that the 2 previous groups had stacked one boat on top of the other, on Big Red. 6 boats, wrapped from 2 separate trips. Chopper time... We thought we had heard choppers from the previous night's camp, but weren't sure. Turns out we were right. 

From what I was told, they aren't public for the same reason a lot of things aren't public. Nobody has asked for them, and the NPS sees no reason to share something that someone could twist and turn and use against them for their own personal reason just cause. I'm sure you could do a FOIA request if you really wanted them, but remember there are people out there like Tom Martin that have their own personal agenda, Tom has never met a statistic that he hasn't cherry picked facts from, and twisted around in ways nobody thought possible, to further said agenda. Trips wreck, both private and commercial, it's a fact of life running rivers, any river. I'm not sure what purpose would be served by making such information publicly available.


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

MNichols said:


> From what I was told, they aren't public for the same reason a lot of things aren't public. Nobody has asked for them, and the NPS sees no reason to share something that someone could twist and turn and use against them for their own personal reason just cause. I'm sure you could do a FOIA request if you really wanted them, but remember there are people out there like Tom Martin that have their own personal agenda, Tom has never met a statistic that he hasn't cherry picked facts from, and twisted around in ways nobody thought possible, to further said agenda. Trips wreck, both private and commercial, it's a fact of life running rivers, any river. I'm not sure what purpose would be served by making such information publicly available.


'Lies, damn lies and statistics' - yep everybody uses statistics for their own purposes, that's what they're for. Tom Martin's knack as a lightning rod is what amazes me - he must be doing something right.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Infidien said:


> 'Lies, damn lies and statistics' - yep everybody uses statistics for their own purposes, that's what they're for. Tom Martin's knack as a lightning rod is what amazes me - he must be doing something right.


Shame his energy couldn't be channeled into something productive...


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

MNichols said:


> Shame his energy couldn't be channeled into something productive...


As these forums more than adequately demonstrate, depends on your perspective...


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Infidien said:


> As these forums more than adequately demonstrate, depends on your perspective...


Good point


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Peace and comfort to the family and friends of Mary Kelley
Good journey, Mary


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## nolichuck (Mar 11, 2010)

Prior to the flash flood in 2012 there was a sweet tongue at the top center of Hance that allowed one to hit the duck pond fairly easily. The last time I ran it (2016) it would have been very difficult to hit the duck pond. I avoid the right side.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Hance is the rapid where all the right is big holes right? The "land of giants"?? Never even been to Arizona...Old girl went out giving it the onion!! Gotta say iam glad she was there at her age but saddened that the river is just so dangerous and unforgiving all the time. I used to hate when people said ,"he went doing what he loved" allways thought ,"no he fell off a damn mountain and iam sure it was freaking terrifying. " but I must say as I get older iam just hoping I have the opportunity to even be there at that age. Or anywhere for that matter but hells yes to floating the grand canyon into your golden years! Damn the torpedoes! Any of you guys in your 70's? 80's?


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## sarahkonamojo (May 20, 2004)

Good source of river mishaps including the Grand Canyon is Charlie Walbridge. AW Accident Report |


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

yup, still doing the rafting / canoe deal at 80 plus.
Do not do the long trips and no more grand canyon trips for sure.
Still good on things like San Juan, Deso Gray, Smith, Ark easier runs etc etc
A lot more cautious because injuries no longer heal fast.
Still boatin but balance and endurance just not there like it used to be.
Fun factor is where it should be and is still getting better.

Back in the early 2000's I was gear boating in my 18 ft Aire Cat for a kayakers permit.
Hit the duck pond, peeled out and made a easy left center run.
I had put on neoprene shorts and a dry top as I was a bit nervous having camped on river left and looked at Hance way more than I should have.

Anyway, hit the bottom, waved at the kayakers and started taking off the neoprene down to shorts and cotton tee shirt as it was a hot morning.

I had stuck the oars under the seat, got the PFD off and on, took off the neoprene shorts and was looking down to find the oar handles and start rowing.

Instantly way up in the air wondering what happened, the big cat had run into a hole I some how forgot about and centered. Came down felt ok. looked for my kayak buds but they were watching the next gear boat's run. looked around and saw my cat maybe 20 yards away right side up. Thought to self well I will just swim over grab that front rail and enjoy the run. I reached the cat and grabbed the cross bar. Went to sleep. Woke up on another gear boat wrapped in fleece with a RN doing her best to wake me up. I had went to sleep from hypo thermia, My fellow gear boater caught up, hit me with his throw bag, no answer from me, he did his best to keep us out of trouble till the kayakers got there and got me on his raft. Bottom line, not sure if that hidden hole is still there but it sure gave me a whupping that day. And, long swims in the canyon in cotton tee shirt and shorts can end in disaster. i had a great team there and am thankful for that.

Lesson learned and shared gents and ladies. Do not start your Hance Run celebration till you are well clear and down in the run out.


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## DidNotWinLottery (Mar 6, 2018)

I have head that before, I guess its called Son of Hance. But yes, Hance is one of a number of rapids where you just cannot be in a certain place, in this case right with out facing severe consequences,


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

https://azdailysun.com/news/local/one-dead-in-boating-accident-on-colorado-river/article_ecc1e593-e564-585e-87be-032404c8db8a.html



Saw this yesterday, another sad event. RIP and hope the trip heals.


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