# Boater Knocked Unconscious



## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

I figured this would've already been posted....

KO'd, rescued, and make national news.

See guide rescue unconscious rafter - CNN.com Video


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## kellip (Mar 1, 2007)

Wow! Nice job!


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## Kilroy (Oct 23, 2011)

Interesting, anybody know the river/run? It doesn't look familiar to me, and they have dry suits on it looks like too... Is it a recent video?


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## Rustie (Jun 24, 2010)

You notice he also manages to grab the paddle? Profesh.


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

Kilroy said:


> Interesting, anybody know the river/run? It doesn't look familiar to me, and they have dry suits on it looks like too... Is it a recent video?


White salmon, husum falls


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## Kilroy (Oct 23, 2011)

So CNN got it wrong, "white salmon, Oregon". 

Than never happens at cnn does it?


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

Kilroy said:


> So CNN got it wrong, "white salmon, Oregon".
> 
> Than never happens at cnn does it?


Close enough, that's a pretty standard day. It's the biggest commercially run drop in America. A constant custy ass kicking all summer long


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

See Big sandy creek, wonder falls, wv. For biggest commercially run drop in America.


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## Boofoff (Nov 22, 2012)

k2andcannoli said:


> See Big sandy creek, wonder falls, wv. For biggest commercially run drop in America.


That doesn't get commercially run


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

bucketboater said:


> Close enough, that's a pretty standard day. It's the biggest commercially run drop in America. A constant custy ass kicking all summer long


This sounds like a line that every raft company running class IV tells their customers. I wonder what it really is? Lava falls is way bigger in my mind. Gore Canyon (gore and tunnel rapids) are both bigger in my opinion. I'm not a rafter, but I have kayaked all the runs. 

Awesome save by the guide! Nice job.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm no expert on the matter, but it looks like a comparable drop to Sweet's Falls on the Upper Gauley.

Gauley River 2010 shredder flip in Sweets Falls RR - YouTube


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## Favre (Nov 17, 2010)

deepsouthpaddler - I would honestly say that Husum is one of the most violent commercially run drops on the planet. It isn't a huge drop, but I would take my grandparents down Lava Falls. I would never take them down Husum. After fifteen years of commercial guiding experience down big water Payette, I must admit I would be nervous to raft Husum.

yesimapirate - while the entrance to Sweet's is more tricky, assuming you make the move and stick the line, it is far more smooth than Husum Falls. A good guide will make it a smooth ride most of the time.

Husum is a roll of the dice. No matter how lined up you are, the possibility of an injury I believe is much higher than the two examples I mentioned. The forces that customers are vulnerable to while hitting the base of the falls are extreme.

The point I am trying to make is that Husum Falls is a concussion machine. In taking "standard lines," the collisions between bodies and the sheer violence it creates between the passengers of a raft is far above the scale of anything on the Grand Canyon, or even the Upper Gauley.

Can we get any local White Salmon guides to chime in?


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## Claytonious (Jan 17, 2008)

Favre said:


> deepsouthpaddler - I would honestly say that Husum is one of the most violent commercially run drops on the planet. It isn't a huge drop, but I would take my grandparents down Lava Falls. I would never take them down Husum. After fifteen years of commercial guiding experience down big water Payette, I must admit I would be nervous to raft Husum.
> 
> yesimapirate - while the entrance to Sweet's is more tricky, assuming you make the move and stick the line, it is far more smooth than Husum Falls. A good guide will make it a smooth ride most of the time.
> 
> ...


I have been down Husum falls many times, as a guide and kayaking. I have never been down the Gauley or down the Grand, so I can't compare. I have no idea if it is the highest vertical drop commercially run in the US, it is only about eight to ten feet, but almost totally vertical. Husum falls is a pretty straight forward class IVish drop, with class five consequences at times. I have personally been worked pretty good in that drop after flipping or falling out of a raft. One of the worst swims I have ever seen somebody take was at the bottom of Husum falls. A good friend of mine fell out of the raft I was guiding, dislocated his shoulder and got re-circulated several times. That was only one of two or three times on the water that I really thought somebody was going to die. I have flipped a raft many times going over Husum, and have seen lots of swims that make you very nervous as a commercial guide.

Good kayakers that have never done much commercial guiding can have their perception of danger skewed a bit. Think a certain rapid is easy in your kayak? OK, try it in a 14 foot raft with six older fat people that won't paddle, don't understand the dangers of whitewater, can't keep themselves in the boat, and can't self rescue.

Husum falls is trivial for a decent kayaker, and generally not that dangerous even for commercial rafting trips, but people do get thrown violently forward, and the re-circulation can be deadly at the right water level. It is one of those drops that, on a commercial rafting trip, I would usually choose to portage, because the possibility of injury is pretty high.

But it is right at the end of the trip and when you nail it and nobody is hurt, the custies are so stoked, your tip potential just went up about 50%.


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

^^ Haha sure it does bro...

The Lower Big Sandy River


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## hansvhh (Aug 15, 2007)

i would second that, first year guiding on the white salmon, and every trip down is an extremely violent, car crash type drop, and injuries happen almost every trip. Not a fun drop, even for the guide.


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## Claytonious (Jan 17, 2008)

deepsouthpaddler said:


> This sounds like a line that every raft company running class IV tells their customers. I wonder what it really is? Lava falls is way bigger in my mind. Gore Canyon (gore and tunnel rapids) are both bigger in my opinion. I'm not a rafter, but I have kayaked all the runs.
> 
> Awesome save by the guide! Nice job.


Ian you are correct. I would way rather take people over Husum falls than through Gore or over Tunnel. Husum falls is really straight forward compared to those drops. However, Gore is a class five run, and I assume that most customers on Gore are more up to the task than customers running the middle white salmon, which is mostly class III. 

Tunnel falls is actually a really good comparison to Husum Falls, they are about the same size, except Tunnel has a much trickier lead in.


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

IMO claytonious got it right IVish with V consequence . The danger lies in the shortness and steepness it seems to taco the boat making possible head injuries a higher possibility. It's one of those rapids that you walk up to and say this is it then you watch the hydraulics a bit and it gets tour attention. A must if you are in the area. Sj


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Wonder falls drop is 18ft at normal flows, thats alot for three custies and a guide in a super puma.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

I don't doubt that Husum is violent in a raft. I can see that with my own eyes. I just think its goofy to say shit like "its the biggest commercially run drop in the country", when it obviously isn't. Not a big deal though. Just your standard unsubstantiated internet BS.


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## laterwagged (Sep 29, 2011)

obviously no way to settle this type of subjective argument (conversation?) but...

There are a number of excellent guides on the MWS that also guide the rivers that you are all talking about (Specifically on the Gauley). Gianni with Wet Planet for one - said that Husum was the most punishing for a guide. 2-3 trips a day during the peak.

Many of them use the car crash analogy and talk about the fear of losing custies that have no sense of self rescue.

You can tell custies to hold tight to their paddle, but T grips fly every direction on that drop too. Nice way to lose a tooth.


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

That vest sure did work as designed. Guy was face up with the "pillow" bit supporting his head! Still, the rescuer got him in record time!


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

bucketboater said:


> Close enough, that's a pretty standard day.* It's the biggest commercially run drop in America*. A constant custy ass kicking all summer long


Someone needs to get out more


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## Grifgav (Jun 20, 2011)

only took about 7 posts for a thread showing some stout rescue work to descend into a "my falls is bigger than your falls" shitstorm...must be a low water year!


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## rocketbox (Mar 27, 2013)

laterwagged said:


> obviously no way to settle this type of subjective argument (conversation?) but...
> 
> .


True but if you ever guided on the upper animas and the white you wouldn't even consider the white in this conversation. There are some drops that would give hussam a butt kicking.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

rocketbox said:


> True but if you ever guided on the upper animas and the white you wouldn't even consider the white in this conversation. There are some drops that would give hussam a butt kicking.


True but if you ever saw my dick you wouldn't even consider the upper animas in this conversation. In independent surveys I've averaged 9/10 in "poundin' dat azz" whereas the Upper A only averages 6/10!


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Also the rescuer is a goddamn hero. No joke.


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## rocketbox (Mar 27, 2013)

glenn said:


> True but if you ever saw my dick you wouldn't even consider the upper animas in this conversation. In independent surveys I've averaged 9/10 in "poundin' dat azz" whereas the Upper A only averages 6/10!


Ugg! don't want to see your dick upper anyones animas.  I'm sure your "poundin' dat azz" rating is solid among the land of assholes  It would just have to be...


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

Raftabout Promo - Kaituna River - YouTube

nice try husum

I did destroy my buddy on husum around 4 feet. It felt bigger than tunnel. Rafting waterfalls is stupid.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

glenn said:


> True but if you ever saw my dick you wouldn't even consider the upper animas in this conversation. In independent surveys I've averaged 9/10 in "poundin' dat azz" whereas the Upper A only averages 6/10!


True but if you saw the poudre that served me coffee today you wouldn't even consider "poundin dat azz" cuz that poudre was a 10/10 and could take a pounding like nobodies azz..


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## mdignan (Dec 26, 2010)

The commercial trips portage Gore rapid, I know we did with AVA when I did it several years back. Tunnel is definitely much rowdier than Sweets, I don't know how it compares to Husum.


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

dirtbagkayaker said:


> Someone needs to get out more


Says the guy from Utah, your rivers dried up months ago. I havent missed a weekend since I hung up my skiis. I was phishing for fools last night and caught my limit. Theres way bigger rapids and maybe a drop that gets run 3 days a year, but the biggest and baddest drop still goes to husum!


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

My daughter and I ran Husum Falls on a day that all the commercials were portaging. A guide said the violent stop at the bottom resulted in too many head/face injuries. My daughter's 12' cat completely submerged in the bottom hole, then shot completely out of the water without her.
I need to find those pictures. My 16' cat did fine. I would say it is taller and a tougher swim than Tunnel Falls (but I've only swam Tunnel).


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

glenn said:


> True but if you ever saw my dick you wouldn't even consider the upper animas in this conversation. In independent surveys I've averaged 9/10 in "poundin' dat azz" whereas the Upper A only averages 6/10!


It's not usually my style, but you left me a big ass target....

I took your mom in the Upper A last night! OHHHH!!!


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

yesimapirate said:


> It's not usually my style, but you left me a big ass target....
> 
> I took your mom in the Upper A last night! OHHHH!!!


At least she's not commercial like your mom.


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## sj (Aug 13, 2004)

Before this degenerates much further a toast to the obviously competent and badass river guide.


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## BoscoBoater (Jul 11, 2006)

Guide grabs the custie and his paddle. Sweet. Saved the boss $15. Thats going above and beyond!


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## Rustie (Jun 24, 2010)

Oh c'mon. A paddle is worth much more than $15 if you need one and don't have it.


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## AirEms (Jan 16, 2011)

Cool head and situational awareness, save the dude and some river booty. Guide gets a big thumbs up!


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## tango (Feb 1, 2006)

oh shit! i love when river guides start talking... as if they know how to do anything other than drink beer, bitch, grow beards, and fuck some mediocre college slags. 

if bigger = taller, then husum is not the biggest in the US. sweet's falls and tunnel falls are each like 7 foot sloping drops, husum is probably taller. wonder falls on the big sandy is definitely taller, and gets rafted commercially. perhaps el horrendo on the russell fork is taller, but i don't know who runs that these days.

what's the steepest gradient that gets rafted commercially in the US? cherry creek? 5 falls on chattooga?

oh yeah, that was an awesome rescue. i hope the custie ponied up a couple benjamins.


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## benpetri (Jul 2, 2004)

Actually, from what I saw in the vid, I'm pretty sure he didn't give an F about the paddle. It just happened to float up there and was more in his way than anything else. The guide's mind was on the unconscious swimmer, as it should be. Props to the guide for quickly recognizing the danger and executing a good rescue!


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## nemi west (Jun 22, 2006)

k2andcannoli said:


> ^^ Haha sure it does bro...
> 
> The Lower Big Sandy River


Roger can put The Upper B on his web site if he wants...... Just cause Big Bird plucket swimmers from a Puma below Wonder that day 2 years ago doesn't mean it really gets played for pay.


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## 2kanzam (Aug 1, 2012)

k2andcannoli said:


> ^^ Haha sure it does bro...
> 
> The Lower Big Sandy River


 
That is what I was gonna say.

A Company that I think was called "Blackwater Adventures" also used to run this commercially (may have been absorbed in Precision??) When in college I would be swimming in the Big Sandy near the confluence w/ the Cheat and see these commercial trips float by and I couldn't believe they had such large boats in what looked like a creek at this point. I thought what could possibly be so fun on this river in that boat...THEN I got into rafting and found out!

BA would also run Moats Falls on the Tygart in WV. Basically a 14 foot clean vertical drop....there's some youtube vids of it somewhere, pretty crazy stuff-both of them.

Some day I wanna catch the Big Sandy Running-someday! Wanna go R2 this sucker?


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## cheim (Jan 2, 2012)

If you can get on the LBS in raft, it's a blast above 6.2. The poop chute at wonder always seemed a lot cleaner than the kayak line though, I never could get that raft boof quite right.


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## Wavester (Jul 2, 2010)

A different kind of whitewater but I'll throw my hat in the ring for one of the "toughest commercially run rivers", Cherry Creek and the upper T run.
Amazing to me that they run this commercially, they also give their clients a swim test before letting them on the river.
Cherry Creek/Upper Tuolumne with Sierra Mac River Trips - YouTube


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

nemi west said:


> Roger can put The Upper B on his web site if he wants...... Just cause Big Bird plucket swimmers from a Puma below Wonder that day 2 years ago doesn't mean it really gets played for pay.


Sure it does, when the waters there...


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

2kanzam said:


> Some day I wanna catch the Big Sandy Running-someday! Wanna go R2 this sucker?


Unless its running at Christmas it'll be awhile, im moving to nw Colorado tomorrow.


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Husum is a good time in a raft. I've guided it for non-pro trips a few times with good results so far. When the river drops below 2.5', the main commercial outfits there will start running nearly every boat down it, probably upwards of 100 boats on the weekend. The custies just come out glowing and they will talk about it when they get back to the city. 

I don't really like running it in my kayak anymore, though. It's too weird, with that bank to the left and the rocks on the right, and too punishing, with a hole that doesn't let go. It winds up being the first falls for most of the kayakers in the region, including me, but a lot of the Class V guys have stopped running it.


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## Kendi (May 15, 2009)

I ended up with a mild concussion once after a nasty swim at Husum. Still have the scrapes across the temple of my helmet from it. It can be amazing when all goes perfect but damn scary when it doesn't. Props to the guide for acting quickly.


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