# Death at Blossom Barr



## BryanS.

Yesterday a 58 year old man from N.C. died at Blossom Barr. No name or details as of yet.


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## Wadeinthewater

From the Eugene Register Guard

S. Carolina man dies rafting on Rogue

GOLD BEACH — A South Carolina man died after falling into the Rogue River when his raft got stuck in a rapid.

Curry County Sheriff John Bishop said Monday that he was waiting for the body to be examined by the medical examiner to know whether the man drowned or died of a medical issue.

Steven D. Hoyer, 57 of Spartanburg, S.C., died Friday at Blossom Bar, a Class IV rapid in the wild section of the popular whitewater river.

Bishop said Hoyer was wearing a life jacket and a helmet as he tried to free his raft from a line of rocks known as the Picket Fence.

He initially told others along the river he was fine, but was not conscious when people got to him at the bottom of the rapid.


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## solboater

Actually happened on Friday July 12th, 2013.


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## BryanS.

The news channel here sucks.


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## Soup76

Sad. Does anyone know what the level was on Friday?


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## solboater

About 1,700 cfs at Blossom on Friday.


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## Junk Show Tours

I've boated with Steve, he was a very competent boater, loved being on the river and was great to hang out with in camp. He will be missed.


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## Soup76

I wondered.... While I have no clue what happened here, I have ran Blossom at around 1800 cfs and the eddy at the top gets almost non existant. It's been a few years but I have actually ran right of everything before after scouting it at about this level. Seems like just about every time I hear of something bad happening there the level is a just a few clicks below 2000 cfs.


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## Aerocam

*Photos NOT from accident*

Here's some shots of Blossom from the week before the death. Same level. Slots get smaller but current slows a bit. Lots of undercuts. 

Even the best boaters can get in trouble. My condolences to friends and family.


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## oregonrafting

Aerocam said:


> Here's some shots of Blossom from the week before the death. Same level. Slots get smaller but current slows a bit. Lots of undercuts.
> 
> Even the best boaters can get in trouble. My condolences to friends and family.


Aerocam - It's not my intention to hijack this thread, but I just have the need to say that the picture you posted of the kid standing on the picket fence freaks me out. That's just the wrong place for a kid to be. If that was my kid, I'd think I'd be way more concerned about getting him/her out of that situation, and less concerned about my wrapped boat. 

Blossom sucks. I was there 5 days prior to the recent death. I never feel good when I row through that section. Too many souls are lost there, and it's tough for me to not dwell on the fact that the river is non-partial. We tend to believe we are close to nature when we're on the river. ...Nature is heartless, and this is obstacle is nothing a wake-up call to that fact. 

I'd like to raise a symbolic beer to the latest victim - May your next river trip be as endless as you want it to be, and the days long and sunny.


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## bucketboater

oregonrafting said:


> Aerocam - It's not my intention to hijack this thread, but I just have the need to say that the picture you posted of the kid standing on the picket fence freaks me out. That's just the wrong place for a kid to be. If that was my kid, I'd think I'd be way more concerned about getting him/her out of that situation, and less concerned about my wrapped boat.
> 
> 
> Blossom sucks. I was there 5 days prior to the recent death. I never feel good when I row through that section. Too many souls are lost there, and it's tough for me to not dwell on the fact that the river is non-partial. We tend to believe we are close to nature when we're on the river. ...Nature is heartless, and this is obstacle is nothing a wake-up call to that fact.
> 
> I'd like to raise a symbolic beer to the latest victim - May your next river trip be as endless as you want it to be, and the days long and sunny.[/Q
> 
> Couldn't disagree more with this post except for the last paragraph. There were no fatalities through blossom from 97-07 . In the last six years theres been six. Something needs to change and its not the rapid


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## old boater

*Steve,I will miss you*

Yo hound dog. Be at peace. XXOO Mark & Judi, Say hi to IndiJack


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## oregonrafting

bucketboater said:


> Something needs to change and its not the rapid


 Do you have suggestions?


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## Learch

There is always a risk to this sport, and to one degree or another, it's part of what draws us to it. Every time we set out on a trip down the river, there is a risk that we have taken. The next time I am there, I'll think about all who have died there, weigh the risk, and set forth. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.


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## kazak4x4

We don't do River Running for a safe theme park experience and we all understand the risk we take. Life is too short to play this game safe. My approach is to have the best pfd cinched tight on my family, throw rope near by and a very high life insurance in case the river gods decide to end it early. 

I don't know Steve, but will definitely raise a beer in his name on my next trip. I'm sure Steve is running class 5 endless rivers by now, it's the ones who stay behind, the family, that suffer. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, not an easy task to undertake.


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## rwhyman

*Sad news*

Steve was a great guy. Always had a smile, on the river and off. I ran many trips with him and he was fun to be around. Great boater. He was a Colorado guy until he got a job transfer to SC in the last couple of years.

Peace Brother, I'm goin' miss ya.


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## rivers2run

I have been running Blossom for 26 years it's my back yard river, and honestly I think the rapid has changed. When I was running it in the 80s and 90s the biggest issue was to catch the eddy. If you made the eddy you generally missed the fence unless bumped a rock and bounced into it. There was much more time to run the Beaver slide to chute and use only a stroke or 2. Late in the 90s I think it changed and now you have to make the eddy and move fairly aggressively towards the chute. My friends have been running for about 30 years and they have noticed the same thing. I remember teaching people to catch the eddy take a moment to get oriented and head towards the chute. I would never tell someone that now. I personally think it changed after the flood in 1998. I think there is more water running laterally through the beaver slide. I would be curious has anyone else noticed a change.


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## oregonrafting

I think if anything, there is less water running through the pour-over because more water runs over the picket fence. It seems there is less flow to where you need to go, so you have to work harder to get there.


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## rivers2run

Yeah I do believe there is more running over the picket fence, before you head into the chute. We maybe calling things slightly different. I call the beaver slide the area right after the eddy and just before the chute next to the picket fence. I was curious if any longer time Rogue rowers have noticed it.


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## oregonrafting

Yeah, dat. :mrgreen:
...It could be because we are just getting old. Before my dad died, he used to comment about cars on the freeway: "They never used to drive so fast!".


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## Wadeinthewater

In the late 70s the fence consisted of more rocks and it looked more like a fence. On my first trip there were three drift boats wrapped on the fence. The rocks moved some time ago allowing more water to go along the left bank. I would guess more may have moved since then.


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## 90Duck

*photos?*

It would be interesting to see photos from previous decades to compare to today. I've probably run it 30 times or so starting in the early '90s and it does seem like it has changed some, but it is tough to put my finger on it. I'm never sure if it is just different water levels that change the eddies or rocks moving around.

On a side note, I just finished reading A River to Run, Glen Wooldridge's biography. He was still alive in the early '80s when the book was published, and he was lamenting not finishing the job (blasting) to make it safer than it is. I hadn't realized until reading that book that the channel he tried to clear with dynamite ran down the left side, but rocks rolled back into it from the canyon wall forcing the move back to center that exists today. It is certainly not intuitive at all, and apparently is kind of an accident/compromise.

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating blasting anything, but Blossom in it's pre-dynamite configuration was not runnable at all except at very high flows.


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## Wadeinthewater

90Duck said:


> It would be interesting to see photos from previous decades to compare to today.


I copied this photo from the Quinn, Quinn, King guide book (1979). It shows the rocks that aren't there anymore.


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## 90Duck

That is a great comparison with the photo posted by aerocam from nearly the same angle. Those rocks you've circled are nowhere to be seen in the more recent photo, and you can really see how much current is now flowing down the left bank. Kind of confirms my suspicion that it actually has been getting more difficult over time.

rwhyman, thanks for posting the picture of Steve. It brings it home to see the picture of someone's friend who is now gone rather than just the cold description from the newspaper. So sorry for your loss and for that of Steve's family and other friends.


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## rivers2run

You really have to make that move quickly if you have not run that rapid before it takes a bit to fully understand exactly where you need to go. The scout view is not the same as the river view. As a result even boaters with good skills have trouble. There is no reason for anyone to get too smug about Blossom Bar. Condolences to Steve's family.


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## Learch

My 3 third time down was this May, first time for me rowing a raft through it. I made the first eddy and move, and it was tight in a 14. I did not miss the second "decision" boulder below, and really rookie moved it and broad sided it. Somehow I didn't get stuck or flip. I knew I screwed up. It took my rowing confidence down a notch or 2. 
The time before that I was in a Momentum Harrier (Big IK) with my wife, it was at about 5000 cfs. That run was easy, but the rapid was extremely intimidating with a lot of the boulders either covered or barely sticking out. 
The first time I was 13 and a passenger, I hardly remember my Dad rowing us through it. I made a big mistake last time, it was the only time I didn't scout it first. I'll never repeat that mistake.


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## Joe W

Another person apparently perished in Blossom Bar, my sympathies to family and friends.

Blossom Bar claims another victim | MailTribune.com


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## carvedog

Dammit. That stinks.


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## Wadeinthewater

Learch said:


> I made a big mistake last time, it was the only time I didn't scout it first. I'll never repeat that mistake.


I've run Blossom close to 100 times and I still scout.


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## 90Duck

*Why does it seem to happen in waves?*

Could it have something to do with certain water levels increasing the difficulty? I wonder if the USFS or any other agency has tried to graph flows with the fatalaties to see if the dots can be connected to identify a particularly hazardous flow level. If there is a connection, perhaps dam releases at Lost Creek could be adjusted to avoid those levels if possible.

Blossom should always be scouted, if for no other reason than there are often boats stuck in there that can't be seen from above. Floating into an active rescue/recovery would be especially bad.

A very sad day (week) for the rafting "family".


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## Soup76

90Duck said:


> Could it have something to do with certain water levels increasing the difficulty?


 
Yes. I mentioned earlier in this thread that at around 1800 cfs the top eddy (that is very helpful in making the move around the fence) gets extremely tough to catch. Odds are if you fly past the eddy, your hitting the fence somewhere.

The second in week. Wow... Very sad.


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## rivers2run

It is interesting Blossom was high for this time of year in 2008 we had more water. There were 3 deaths in quick order, they said the higher water in August confused people. I'm trying to remember flows but it was over 2000. USGS Current Conditions for USGS 14361500 ROGUE RIVER AT GRANTS PASS, OR I am not sure it correlates with water level. I think Blossom is harder than it used to be and it surprises people, and I have run well over 70 times.


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## Wadeinthewater

90Duck said:


> I wonder if the USFS or any other agency has tried to graph flows with the fatalaties to see if the dots can be connected to identify a particularly hazardous flow level. If there is a connection, perhaps dam releases at Lost Creek could be adjusted to avoid those levels if possible.


 
As mentioned in the previous post, the flow was higher than average in 2008. It is below average this year.


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## orto11

90Duck said:


> Could it have something to do with certain water levels increasing the difficulty? I wonder if the USFS or any other agency has tried to graph flows with the fatalaties to see if the dots can be connected to identify a particularly hazardous flow level. If there is a connection, perhaps dam releases at Lost Creek could be adjusted to avoid those levels if possible.
> 
> Blossom should always be scouted, if for no other reason than there are often boats stuck in there that can't be seen from above. Floating into an active rescue/recovery would be especially bad.
> 
> A very sad day (week) for the rafting "family".



I sure hope it hasn't come to trying to dumb down the river to meet peoples skill , worst idea ever. Oh and the big Rio got another one today, this time from washington state. Carefull the ol Rogue is hungry this year. I remember getting off that river once and going to a little bar down the road. There was an Indian fellow in there with a cowboy hat and he told us. "Foreigners beware in the years after the big moon the river will become hungry and take what is not native to it. Of course we thought he was a drunk but who knows now. If you aren't a native to the area best be turning in permits?


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## Soup76

The army corp of engineers released this on May 31st regarding the lower water flow this year.

Corps expects lower Rogue water levels this summer > Portland District > Portland District News Releases

The news release above this one on their site was posted a couple of days ago and says something like 'water level is good for fish, hard for boaters'.


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## 90Duck

Dumb down the river? That boat's already launched long ago with the blasting of channels and the installation of a big dam upstream. I'm not advocating making it any dumber. Just saying that if there is a correlation of flows between, say, 1400 and 1800 and a large number of fatalities, that would be a good thing to know for all of us, river runners and river managers alike. I know from numerous fall trips that at flows closer to 1000 cfs Blossom is one hell of a lot easier than it was last week at 1500, and from spring trips it is a lot easier at 4000 or so when you can just run down the right side and avoid the picket fence altogether. Somewhere in between there it becomes a really nasty and unforgiving SOB.


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## TriBri1

90Duck said:


> it is a lot easier at 4000 or so when you can just run down the right side and avoid the picket fence altogether. Somewhere in between there it becomes a really nasty and unforgiving SOB.


At 4000 you still need to run the picket fence. I don't believe the right side starts to become runable until 8000-9000 cfs at which point the wave rock becomes a pounding hole. I have run the classic down the shoot line down to about 1200cfs. My anxiety is always high running through this rapid.

I was told to always avoid the eddy on river right because there is a line of rocks at the top. if you hit a rock, you lose your angle with little time to recover to get around the picket fence. My plan A is to start on river left and pull for dear life after you drop in on the tongue, then pull like hell with a left angle away from the picket fence. I have kissed it twice, last time a little harder than I prefer.

There is a plan B move which really sucks so much I don't even like to think of it as an option. If you find yourself heading into the picket fence, pull like hell tot he left bank. There is a chute that will lodge you fairly comfortable between the shore and a big rock. It is fairly easy to get a rope to you and z-drag your boat up. From that point a second boat can eddy out behind the picket fence and with a second rope you can ferry the boat across the current and out of harms way. The safe rescue setup takes about 45 minutes. Our last two trips one boat got stuck over there each time. Prior tot hat we have never had an issue. It could be attributed to the line getting harder or just dumb luck.


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## rivers2run

I run right at about 4,000-5,000, I think it is easier than the conventional route.


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## malloypc

We ran Blossom last Saturday - unaware of the previous day's fatality.
I clipped the last rock of the fence and went down the chute backwards, getting stuck for a while on a rock below. 
Two others in my group got pined on the fence - one was bumped off by another boat. 
To free the other, the guys flipped the raft over and jumped on the upside-down raft. 
First time I've seen boaters on a flipped boat with dry hair!

Here's a video link, reportedly of the Friday boat pin and its salvage (RIP Steve):
Rescue at Blossom Bar Rogue River 2013 - YouTube 



Soup76 said:


> ... The news release above this one on their site was posted a couple of days ago and says something like 'water level is *good for fish*, hard for boaters'.


Not so sure about the good for fish part - there were many bloated dead salmon throughout the river, very unusual for this early in the summer. 
Water temps are getting quite high:


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## cataraftgirl

I've only done the Rogue once, in 2011. Flow was 4500-500cfs. I just watched the video I shot from my boat to refresh my memory. I had an idea of what I wanted to do at Blossam Bar, but did not execute it. I ran left at the picket fence. I actually didn't even see the fence at all. It was completely covered, and I didn't bump anything as I went through. After that I worked my way through the big boulders down the left center area without any problem. I truly never even saw a "fence" at all on that left side. There was a lot of current going down the left, and try as I might, I couldn't get over to the right quick enough. I did see some rocks on the right hand end of the fence, and knew I'd never get over in time, so I just went left and it turned out fine. Guess my guardian angel was sitting on my shoulder that day. Scouting and watching videos of people running that rapid do not do it justice. My condolences to the family & friends of those who perished.


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## hand8272

I knew Steve from Walla Walla who past away on Wednesday, he was a great husband, father and man. All of us should remember that rivers are to be respected. Things can change in a heartbeat and never be the same. God bless his family and be safe on the river.


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## OldandBitter

I have not been on the Rouge but I have been following this thread. It is so sad when we lose a members of our community. Hopefully this photo will help boaters like myself who would love to run this river understand the difficulties and hazards associated with running this rapid. Be safe.


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## studytime

My Humble opinion. 

There are a few reasons why there are so many problems at this rapid.

1. You actually have to fight the current. It takes muscles and power. A lot of rowers are not ready for that. Especially on day 2 or 3.
2. There isnt really a way to use the river to get you in the correct spot. The small eddy behind the big rock is very small. You can use that but its not a lot of help in a big boat where half your boat is actually still in the downstream current. 
3. People are rowing heavy boats full of gear. Heavy boats full of gear are affected by the current much more than lighter boats.
4. Many people that row this river are not very experienced at rowing technical rivers that require precise moves. Because Blossom Bar is the only rapid on the Rogue that requires any sort of skill to navigate a lot of people dont consider the Rogue a difficult river. Unless you take the middle chute at Rainey. That takes moves but the cosequences are not as harsh. 
5. The consequences of missing such a precise move are very bad. 

Some solutions. 

It actually might be a good idea to have two bow paddlers to add power to your back stroke of you think you might not have the power to make the move. 

If somebody in your group is a very good rower. Consider having them row your boat through. 

Consider taking less crap. People carry so much shit these days. 

Really stop and pay attention to this rapid. Treat it like a ClassV rapid. The consequences are certainly ClassV


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## oregonrafting

mar008609 said:


> I have not been on the Rouge but I have been following this thread. It is so sad when we lose a members of our community. Hopefully this photo will help boaters like myself who would love to run this river understand the difficulties and hazards associated with running this rapid. Be safe.


mar008609, FYI: The picture you have shown of Blossom is a pieced-together panorama, which has pieces missing and wrong pieces morphed-together. I would not display this, as it could be misleading to people.


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## Wadeinthewater

TriBri1 said:


> My plan A is to start on river left and pull for dear life after you drop in on the tongue, then pull like hell with a left angle away from the picket fence.


Many of the people I see get it trouble start either on the right side or the center of the tongue and try to move right into the eddy after they are part way down. TriBri nailed it. Start way left and be moving right as you drop down the tongue above the fence. A couple of strokes and you will be in the eddy. Think about how a skier goes around a gate or a race car driver makes a corner. They initiate the turn long before they get to the gate or corner. 



studytime said:


> If somebody in your group is a very good rower. Consider having them row your boat through.
> Consider taking less crap. People carry so much shit these days.
> Really stop and pay attention to this rapid. Treat it like a ClassV rapid. The consequences are certainly ClassV


All great suggestions, especially the first and third.



studytime said:


> It actually might be a good idea to have two bow paddlers to add power to your back stroke of you think you might not have the power to make the move


Probably a good idea in most cases unless you have a bow paddler like this guy. Start watching at about the 11 1/2 minute mark. No help


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## orto11

Wadeinthewater said:


> Many of the people I see get it trouble start either on the right side or the center of the tongue and try to move right into the eddy after they are part way down. TriBri nailed it. Start way left and be moving right as you drop down the tongue above the fence. A couple of strokes and you will be in the eddy. Think about how a skier goes around a gate or a race car driver makes a corner. They initiate the turn long before they get to the gate or corner.
> 
> 
> 
> All great suggestions, especially the first and third.
> 
> 
> 
> Probably a good idea in most cases unless you have a bow paddler like this guy. Start watching at about the 11 1/2 minute mark. No help


Wow most of those people have no business being on that river bouncing through like that. It is obvious they can't calculate the moves or read water. If you are out of control,you are beyond your skill level plain and simple you are asking for tragedy.


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## cataraftgirl

orto11 said:


> Wow most of those people have no business being on that river bouncing through like that. It is obvious they can't calculate the moves or read water. If you are out of control,you are beyond your skill level plain and simple you are asking for tragedy.


Maybe they're all from Colorado. You know.....crappy boats, crappy frames, no skills. 
Just kidding. They all seemed to get down in one manner or another. Not perfect by any means, but very few of us make perfect runs 100% of the time. There in lies the challenge of river running.


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## TriBri1

cataraftgirl said:


> Maybe they're all from Colorado. You know.....crappy boats, crappy frames, no skills.
> Just kidding. They all seemed to get down in one manner or another. Not perfect by any means, but very few of us make perfect runs 100% of the time. There in lies the challenge of river running.


The video made me realize how forgiving the rapid really is. I have seen myself take a few of those crappy lines and pinball down after the picket fence.


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## OldandBitter

oregonrafting said:


> mar008609, FYI: The picture you have shown of Blossom is a pieced-together panorama, which has pieces missing and wrong pieces morphed-together. I would not display this, as it could be misleading to people.


http://youtu.be/yJ8TJtyNXbs Found this view on YouTube at 1900 cfs. Sorry about any confusion I may have caused, it was certainly not my intent.


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## OldandBitter

I've spent the morning looking at video on this rapid. That first move would keep me up at night. An inch too far left or a missed stroke could be catastrophic. I have the utmost respect for those of you who run this river, you've got skills.


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## oregonrafting

This is the best perspective of Blossom. It shows all of the problem spots. Andrew's Run in Blossom Bar - YouTube


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## Kilroy

I'm hearing both men died of heart attacks. Can anyone confirm? 

Bad week for heart failures, coincidentally both being at the same location...


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## Junk Show Tours

I understand that to be the case for Steve Hoyer.


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## malloypc

Kilroy said:


> I'm hearing both men died of heart attacks. Can anyone confirm?


Glad we carry an AED on our trips...

From Heart attacks blamed for Rogue River deaths | MailTribune.com :


*Heart attacks blamed for Rogue River deaths*

By Mark Freeman
Mail Tribune
July 23, 2013 2:00 AM
GOLD BEACH — Two men who died this month after rafting accidents five days apart in the Rogue River's remote Blossom Bar were killed by heart attacks and not drownings, the Curry County Sheriff's Department said Monday.

Medical examiner reports that the "stress of the events" of crashing rafts at the rapid's infamous "Picket Fence" set of rocks and getting knocked into the Class IV rapid contributed to their deaths, the Sheriff's Department announced.

Steven D. Hoyer, 57, of Spartanburg, S.C., was wearing a life jacket and helmet when rafters pulled his body from the river downstream of Blossom Bar on July 12. He was alone in his raft trying to free it from the Picket Fence when he somehow was thrown into the river.

Five days later, Steven Boyd, 66, from Walla Walla, Wash., apparently struck his head on a rock when he and two others were pitched into Rogue at the Picket Fence. Boyd and two others in the raft were wearing life jackets and the other two survived with minor injuries.
In both fatalities, the men were pulled from the river unconscious.

Blossom Bar, the signature rapid of the Rogue's Wild and Scenic section, is about 52 miles east of Gold Beach.
The thrill of negotiating a raft, driftboat or kayak through the multi-maneuver Blossom Bar draws experienced floaters from all corners of the country.

However, the rapid also has earned the dubious distinction as the most dangerous within the 34-mile, three- to four-day float through the Wild and Scenic section.


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## rafter30

I was staying at Paradise for a lay over day when Steve passed away. A Jerry's jet boat driver was in a private jet boat on his day off and was at Volkswagen rock when Steve came floating down. The driver pulled him from the river, onto a rock, and his two companions started CPR while the driver came to Paradise for help. One person from my group is a life flight nurse from Bend and was taken within minutes to the seen where they picked up Steve and continued to do CPR for 45 minutes until they met the ambulance at Foster Bar. While I didn't know Steve personally I had spoken to him on the river the day before and he was very relaxed. My group helped Diane, Steve's girl friend, and her sister and husband back to Foster bar the next day. 

I've spoken to Diane since, and was told by her, that through an autopsy was performed on Steve and he died instantly of major heart attack. She said had been suffering from heart issues for a while. It made happy to know he went quick and doing what he loved.


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## BarryDingle

Wow,I finally checked in on this thread only to find out that my ol buddy Steve died. I invited him on a MF permit once,after meeting him on a Yampa trip. He was always just a laid back,super nice guy that wanted to boat. I'll never forget the pile of gear on his boat for our MF trip. He and Diane and their dog were continuing on down the Main by themselves. That guy LOVED rivers. As cliche as it sounds, I'm almost certain that this is how he would want to go. RIP buddy


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## Hyside51

Steve was on my MF trip a few years ago and met DiAnn on that trip. Steve had invited me to go on this fateful trip...How I wish I could have gone...maybe the dynamics would have been different. He loved the river and lived his passion. There will be a celebration of his legacy in Denver on August 3rd at AAA Inflatables at 5pm. My condolences to DiAnn with his family and friends. RIP my friend.


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## Timothy468

*Is that video really him?*

There was a video posted in this thread, and I wondered if it really showed the person it purports to show. I was left confused as to where or how he had died - from that video. And, it did not seem to fit with the reported facts in the news (alone on his boat and then somehow lost - with no mention of a rescue attempt).

I came here looking to see if anyone knew about that or not.

As for Blossom Bar, I agree with those who note a change in the rapid over time. When I started guiding, I started on the Rogue, and running Blossom simply required that you start far left, develop momentum to the right, catch the eddy and head into the chute. It seemed that the biggest risk was in mis-timing one or two pulls and not noticing and hence hitting the second rock (sort of in the eddy) and getting spun into the picket fence.

This year, we scouted it a long time (this was a few days before Steve died) and I finally asked my brother to row my empty boat for me. My shoulder hurt, and I felt queasy in the 100 degree heat. My ego did not like it one bit, but the way the water was going, it just looked like a LOT more water was running through the picket fence than I remember. He said that his boat (fully loaded) was the hardest he has ever had to pull to make a move in his life (and he has WAY more experience than most rafters), and that my boat was much easier as it was lighter.

My big brother started rowing for ARTA in the 60's and I started in the 70's and we have gone rafting whenever we could, like many others, ever since.

I does occur to me, that in my late 50's and with many of our ilk now looking like "Q-tips" , that we might need to attend to our heart health a bit better. I very much agree with the ideas shared earlier - lighter loads (i.e. water purifier instead of many, many gallons of water), humility (asking for help when we need it - that was really hard for me to do!), and having a turbo-charger in the form of two paddlers up front is a great idea too.

This rapid is tough and I was dumbfounded that a single guy with his two sons was going to run it without scouting it the day we went through. As it is, he let his 15 year old son paddle an inflatable kayak through since he was "experienced".

As my brother said that day after we got through, "If you get through and nobody was hurt, and you didn't lose any stuff, it was a perfect run".

Tim


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## solboater

Tim, 
I saw that video as well and can confirm that it was of this unfortunate incident. I did not know Steve, may he rest in peace, and I don't know the poster, but I came through Blossom moments after this unfortunate situation. I did assist in getting gear back to the rescue party and re-flipping the boat and thus can confirm. As stated by the coroner Steve died of a heart attack, which after watching the video I would assume happened while swimming the middle or lower part of Blossom. Hope this helps in your understanding. 
To anyone else involved may you be at peace as well.


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## Timothy468

Thanks for the information. A PM also told me more details of that day (only a few days after we went through).

Time for this "experienced rafter" to go get a check up and strongly consider adding an AED to our expedition medical kit.

Tim


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