Fium Orbo (Middle)
| Stretch: | Above the lake |
| Difficulty: | Class IV to IV+ |
| Distance: | 2.6 km |
| Flows: | ~200-500 cfs (0.65 at the put-in gauge was perfect) Gauge is at the take-out for the Middle |
| Gradient: | 104 fpm average |
| Put-in: | Bridge just off of D344, 4.4 km before Ghisoni |
| Take-out: | Bridge at the top of the lake, just off of D344 |
| Shuttle: | 3.1 km, all paved |
| Season: | Spring from snowmelt/rain |
| Written: | © 2013 |
| Featured in Video A Wet State #73 and Kayak Session's Guide | |
And a huge thanks to Prijon for the boats they lent us!
Day 3:
This section of river was one of my favorites. Fun, clean, multi move rapids filled the short section of river. Bedrock was the name of the game. This section is short, just 2.6 km long. Certainly not long enough for it to be a standalone. I am not entirely sure why it is a separate run rather than just being the bottom of the Rocket Gorge Run. The only thing I can think of is perhaps this run can be run lower. I am not sure.
The rapids were mostly class IV+ with one exception that although not difficult had consequence. Something about boofing into a seam pinched between two rocks with a large deal of water coming out underneath one of those rocks. But it went very well, and would also be an easy walk if you were so inclined. The rest of the run was filled with fun bed rock rapids and a few busy boulder gardens. Good fun. I think it is fair to say that this section in total is better than the upper section, with the exception of the Rocket gorge itself. Good fun.
Finally, I apologzie for all of the GoPro and other video captures that I am pawning off as photos here... we tended to go fast on the water (putting on after 4 pm every day) and focused on taking video when we did hop out. Thanks to Darin McQuoid for his contribution of video that I took shots from.
Km 0:
- Pinch (III+). A few hundred yards below the start, you get to a small ledge with a pinch exit that is surprisingly more turbulent then you would think.
Ledge (IV+). A straight forward tight slot of a ledge on the far left... however make sure you do not mess it up and point far right as you could end up behind the curtain over there. And of course my battery died on my gopro as I entered this drop, so I have no images)
Big But Fun (IV to IV+). Drive hard over the first ledge, driving left... the hole feeds back to the right hard into an undercut. Once clear, head right and down the fun and splashy ramp.
River Militia Picture Here
- Got Narrow (IV). This was a fun rapid with a busy lead in before the river split around a boulder. Most of us boofed right which was a sticky pocket. The last few got the signal to go left which was mellow.
- Big One (V). Scout left, a shallow lead in run center to left leads you to a small eddy and the lip of a tall pinch drop that has a sieve if you plug deep enough. Ferry back out and boof the ledge on the right.
Dam (IV-). Straight forward ledge (dam) to boof, hit the pipe exit that is in the middle to easily boof over the stout hole. at some flows, folks also run down the far right side of the ledge.
Directions: Use the GPS locations to get yourself to put-in and take-out... I wasn't driving most days and do not know enough of the directions to be useful.
Take-out: Take-out was downriver at the very top of the lake, on the road that dropped down and crossed the river/lake. There was limited parking down here though.
Put-in: So we continued on from the Upper, so I did not actually use this Put-in. But it was an obvious access point off of D344 before Ghisoni where a spur road crosses the river. The gauge is also here.
HTML Comment Box is loading comments...