# New feature Big Drop 2?



## mrbaum (Feb 20, 2015)

Hey knuckleheads 
OARs is reporting a new feature in big drop 2 , anybody been down there to see it? Any body report on that? it can't be as bad as the claw but this sure is exciting !

https://www.oars.com/blog/best-whitewater-rafting-2016/


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## Rivertrash (Jul 15, 2011)

Well, I shall find out soon, my daughters launched on Cataract Saturday, so hopefully I can report back soon.


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## DoubleYouEss (Oct 4, 2011)

There was nothing of note when I was there last month...


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

But they also say this.....so it makes me a little dubious of the marketing hype. Especially with the intense warm weather we are having now and the MF running 6K currently. 

" We won’t see epic high water levels, but people can anticipate big rides on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon during the month of June and into July when the water levels will be at their highest."

I have a really hard time believing there will be a "big ride" in July. Maybe early June to mid June.....


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

We'll be paddling the flat water from Moab to Spanish Bottom in 2 weeks. I've been watching the water levels and they've about doubled in the past week. Now it's heading gradually downward again. An early "mini peak" bump I guess, as normal peak for the Green and Colorado is usually mid May. We got a lot of snow in Utah up until the beginning of Feb. but then it dropped off significantly. A few rain/snow days here and there since then, but lots of 70 degree sunny days lately.


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## Matty (May 13, 2004)

They are forecasting several feet of snow in the next week here at the Colorado headwaters. 

I don't think the heavy stuff is gonna come down for quite a while. 
~Carl Spackler


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## azpowell (Aug 14, 2014)

the spike we saw on the Colorado was from the Gunnison and San Miguel, right now they are trending down, but the Yampa is looking like it is headed up! over 1k a day....


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## Tom Martin (Dec 5, 2004)

Friends ran Cat last week. They didn't scout BD 2, and saw no changes. FYI, yours, tom


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## Rivertrash (Jul 15, 2011)

My daughters just took off on Saturday, and even though it was their first time down catatract, the two people in their party that had been down it before, said it looked pretty similar as past trips, but there could have possibly been another rock in the left have of the river in Big Drop 2.


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## Mtr.btn.sob (Apr 22, 2016)

I can confirm the new feature in BD2. At 10k it formed a hole above "the mother in law" it will be fun to see how it changes the entrance to the tailwaves in two and a half as the water rises.


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## sealion (Oct 13, 2008)

motor boatin sob was probably down there about the same time as me. We ran it on the 24th of April at about 11k I would say, a fairly soft level for Cat. As one Navtec guide said, "You might want to take a look, it could get in the way" in reference to the new rock at 2 1/2

So here is the scoop- First of all, "mother in law"- what the fuck is that? It rhymes with 'Claw' and for some reason people are calling the 'Claw' the 'Mother in Law'. Any way, it is all part of 2 and a half. I wouldn't say there is something new in 2, I would say there is something new in 2 1/2. A rock rolled in from above on river right- from way above- you can see fresh scars from way up on the right. Anyway, there is a rock above the Claw on the right, so the window below 2 is slightly more constricted than it was. If you are running left to right at 2, coming in below the marker and heading right, there is less room to get right of the Claw. At 11k-ish we all had good row runs, but you if you don't, and you don't get as right as you wanted, you'll want to watch where you are heading and maybe consider going left of it all in 2 1/2. The Claw area is bigger than before with the new guard rock/hole above it.

I agree with motor boatin sob, it will be interesting to see what it does to the already constricted tailwaves of 2 1/2- they were huge at 20,000 before, with the new rock, ???. In the 40's they were really big as well. I haven't seen it over 45 since the Claw appeared. 

It used to be there was 2, and 3, and the tailwaves(2 1/2) were just a place to bail your boat out or start watching for your run through 3, but now, 2 1/2 is a thing. Maybe 2 1/2 should be called the 'Mother in Law' and it has parts like 'The Claw', and maybe the new rock is the 'Stepson'- that's one name we were giving it. Anyway, enjoy. I recommend a scout if you haven't seen it in a while. Just for the extra sphincter exercise, if nothing else.
The attached photo shows the Claw, way upstream you can see Niagra. The new rock isn't obvious from here, but thats what it looks like at about 11k.


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## Tyrrache (Oct 27, 2014)

I wonder how much that new rock will move at high water as well... Could be a different for every run until it settles.


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## azpowell (Aug 14, 2014)

I ran left of the claw..... wasn't my ideal line, but it was either that or stuck on the rock. I think busieing yourself getting right from the time you clear the marker rock until you are after the claw is the ticket, felt like I styled the move in bd2 only to be sucked towards the claw, and I pulled like hell. Still had to run left....


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## barry hatch (Mar 26, 2006)

Sounds like the move left of the Claw was not easy. So, were you rowing an empty cat or a raft full of gear?


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## azpowell (Aug 14, 2014)

I was rowing a heavily loaded 16' sb.... going left of the claw would have been easy, it was trying go to get right that was rough...if I would have had some momentum to the right I think it would have been easy....


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