Whitewater Forum: Grand Canyon Rapid Diagrams

Grand Canyon Rapid Diagrams

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URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11364
Printed Date: 08 Jun 2025 at 1:56pm

Topic: Grand Canyon Rapid Diagrams

Posted By: mazama
Subject: Grand Canyon Rapid Diagrams
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 4:55pm

Anyone remember the name of the books that have the actual drawn diagrams for the rapids?

Seems kinda silly in retrospect, but I've got a group of friends headed down without much canyon experience and it sure is a PITA to scout all the little ones.

Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 7:09pm

For the most part there all big water v slicks down the middle with the exception of a couple.

you want the Tom Martin rivermaps waterproof mapbook which is the best for mile by mile topo maps with mileage, camps, and hikes. It's by far the best mile by mile map with camps which is have the battle of keeping your trip in order. It also has great rapid descriptions. You will scout the BIG ones but most of the beta from the book you need it gives you like start right end left which is pretty standard for non technical big water class III-IV beta.

heres a link http://www.amazon.com/Colorado-River-Grand-Canyon-RiverMaps/dp/B002BZT46S/ref=pd_sim_b_2 - http://www.amazon.com/Colorado-River-Grand-Canyon-RiverMaps/dp/B002BZT46S/ref=pd_sim_b_2 or NWOC sells this book at there store. I suggest keeping our small kayak shops in town in business and buying it from them.

Cheers !!

Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 7:27pm

house rocks be right of the huge hole at the bottom. don't fu*k up in bedrock, again be right. If you're in a kayak though left is no problem. uhhhhh what are some other big ones? be left at the top of both matkat and havasu if you don't want to miss them. Like fluid said, pretty much right down the middle. follow the bubble line on lava falls.

Posted By: mazama
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 9:15pm

thanks fluid - that is a great book.

Again, last time I was there we had a book with drawn diagrams that was a big help. If anybody knows the name it would be a big help.

Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 10:44pm

http://store.allaboutrivers.com/river-guide-books/arizona-river-guide-books/Guide-to-the-Colorado-River-in-Grand-Canyon-C125-i62.html

Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2011 at 10:48pm

rats. meant to post this, - http://www.rrfw.org/RaftingGrandCanyon/Rapids

if you're unsure about the drops scout...

Posted By: Camrun
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2011 at 9:57am

Best single guide ever... Elegant in its simplicity. May be out of print, call stores in Flag, they will know this book.

Colorado River briefs for a trip through the Grand Canyon
compiled by Linda Lou Lindemann ; illustrated by Dan K. Lindemann.

Posted By: mazama
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2011 at 11:30am

THANK YOU CAMRUN!!!

Thats exactly what I was trying to find for my friends.

Posted By: po_standish
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2011 at 7:44am

Books are great, but on our trip a no-nothing rapid on day two (I think) flipped our only experienced rafter in a private trip. Our water level was different than what the description was based on, the rafter put too much stock in the guide book and his own recollection, and since it was a no-nothing rapid in or around the roaring 20's the guide didn't have info on different water levels.

So, 1) be prepared for a raft flip! That was our first flip in a mostly inexperienced rafting group. Flip lines with everyone hands-on would've been best, but we got all fancy with z-drags and wasted time and energy.

2) if you have kayakers who can read water make sure to always lead with one or two ahead of the rafts to point out unanticipated holes.

Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2011 at 8:47am

my point from before... the river is the book, read it !!!! and being a kayaker and a rafter you usually have a better vantage point standing on your cooler in a raft than you do in a kayak. So just being good at reading a river in general is better than looking at diagrams in a book from 1970 or following kayakers which won't help in a raft when they make last minute moves to avoid holes. at that point in a raft its too late. rafts and kayaks are different crafts and whitewater is read and described differently depending on your perspective and experience.

the river is the book.. read it.

Posted By: po_standish
Date Posted: 16 Nov 2011 at 9:47am

The Martin book is an awesome read while in the canyon. We had a kayaker paddle with it in their lap under their skirt and pulling it out in the flats to read interesting sections aloud while floating the flats. Fluid is correct on all counts though I didn't mean to imply that rafters should blindly follow kayakers into rapids--that would work out very poorly for the raft!

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