# Westwater at 1800 - Recognizable?



## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

Here's the kind of thing that happens at that level in a larger boat.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


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## DanCan (Jul 22, 2011)

Greg,

Couple of questions... for the 3 of you how did you handle the groover requirement? Also, with just 3 of you only 1 extra paddle/oar was required right?

DanCan


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## Gluck (Mar 18, 2013)

DanCan:

WE handled the groover requirement with wag bags and double drybags. But the ranger had other ideas. Said a screw top or similar was required and was kind* enough to lend us one** which we threw inside one of our boats (Alpacka's CargoFly zipper boats, where we also loaded our camping gear from the night before.)

We had a pair of hand paddles as our back-up paddle. 

--Greg

*We got off to a rather surly start with the ranger as we thought we were in compliance and leaving before 8 a.m. when the office opened. This based upon our reading of the BLM website -- none of us had floated here before. Don't forget to read all the on-site posted signs which might be different than the web. And sign in! 

**We didn't use the loaner. I just sharted directly into my drysuit on Sock It To Me. But that's another story...


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## Schutzie (Feb 5, 2013)

richp said:


> Hi,
> 
> Here's the kind of thing that happens at that level in a larger boat.
> 
> ...


Uh huh. Schutzie once spent an embarrassing 20 minutes hung up on that very rock, in that very way, cause he couldn't see a spare oar jammed in the wall.


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## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

There's a large rock on river right at the top of the Room of Doom that makes a great place to tie up your boat, hang out, and watch the carnage. Many a day I've spent there with a camera in one hand and throw bag at my feet.

That Moki Mac boat in the washing machine was typical of a lot of what happened at that level. Boats would make it through the slot and then stall out -- unable to get oars in the water and pull out downstream. More than once I tossed folks a bag, and then gradually tightened my belay as the boat surged, until it finally got into the downstream current.

WW at low levels is still fun -- it's just different.

Rich Phillips


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

richp said:


> Hi,
> 
> Here's the kind of thing that happens at that level in a larger boat.
> 
> ...


In the second photo, with both rafts stuck, I'm wondering if it would have been possible to snake between, right to left, and avoid both narrow slots. That was possible when I did it last year at 2300 cfs. (water was barely pillowing up to the top of Skull rock) in a 16 ft. cat. It wasn't terribly difficult and would plan to do it again at a similar level. Does it get more difficult at lower levels? I will be down there next month. Hopefully it will come up at least 500 cfs.


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## Curtiso (May 18, 2011)

This was last year, Crystal had a fun swim between the wall and skull rock. It's weird to think that the year before we did Westwater in three hours with no motors, last year nine plus.


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## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi Gremlin,

That was an alternate route, of course. And some folks in rafts made it with quick maneuvering. Kayaks, of course, weren't having trouble anywhere.

What the pictures don't show very well are the two little, but sort of tricky, holes in the main flow, to the right of Razor Rock and above Skull Rock. The attached picture shows a sixteen footer bouncing up as it came through one of them. I've seen a boat stuck sideways there, after unsuccessfully trying to slide left on that route. After you come square through those holes, it takes a very quick strong pivot and a very hard ferry to get left of Skull Rock. 

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


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## David Spiegel (Sep 26, 2007)

Definitely looks like an awesome flow for packrafting. How is the new zipper system? I am considering getting it added to mine but I'm on the fence. Worth it?


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

I am running it this weekend and we have a lot of kids in boats. I never really scouted Skull or walked it. Isn't there a place I can pull over and unload some of the kids before running Skull?


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

*the rock to tie off and watch carnage*



richp said:


> Hi,
> 
> There's a large rock on river right at the top of the Room of Doom that makes a great place to tie up your boat, hang out, and watch the carnage. Many a day I've spent there with a camera in one hand and throw bag at my feet.
> 
> ...


Rich, I believe the rock you speak of is in the right side of this pic. Sorry, best picture I had. We tied up more in the room, and watched the carnage. For the last year, my buddy hasn't stopped talking about pulling in 5 people on one throw of the throw-bag. Boat after boat just kept flipping.

Glad Kazak's still out there. Hadn't seen anything from you in a while. Good luck with all those kids.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

Ya I've been slacking lately. Don't have many trips this year, which is a bummer. But I did build a new camera mast for my boat, so going to test it this weekend. Broke my tripod on the Main last fall


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

Kazak,
The scout eddy on the river left above skull will likely be small, but you could help the kids scramble down to the next eddy. Not "easy" - definitely scrambling, but I have seen it done.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

catwoman said:


> Kazak,
> The scout eddy on the river left above skull will likely be small, but you could help the kids scramble down to the next eddy. Not "easy" - definitely scrambling, but I have seen it done.


I am probably better off just run it with my kid than trying to walk it. Thanks for your feedback!


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

just hope the water comes up a bit towards 2200+ and you'll be gravy in skul....the rock is covered and you can go right over the top because the hole is too small to flip a raft.


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## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi Pirate,

Yup, that's the one. Gives a nice close up view of the entry, and good throw angles for the swimmers -- the current just naturally swings them into the Room for cheap harassment and eventual recovery.

Rich Phillips


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