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Gråura section of the Driva
Northern Norway, well it will have to
wait for another year. There is too much rain and snow on the way. All
the rivers are too high. We turn back and head to central Norway, not
sure what we'll run. Manu pulls up a guide on his computer and it's
decided that the Gråura section of the Driva River is what we'll
do today. None in our group have done it. At put in the whole river
squeezes through a six foot wide chasm, an incredible sight. We're not
really sure what the volume is but guess that it's somewhere between
4,000cfs and 6,000cfs. The book says optimal flows are between 900 and
1,600. This should be interesting. It also says that a "sensible"
maximum is to stay under 5,600cfs even if you're very experienced. Manu
was an Olympic athlete and loves big water, so he is sure it will be
fine; it's just class IV at regular levels.
Leaving the Fort outside Trondheim
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Rok Sribar with a face showing that the warm up is rather full on.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
It's a nice sized hole leading into the chasm, Manu Koehler squeezes by.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Manu heading into the squeeze. What a
place. Hard to believe a river this big fits through here, yet it's
actually pretty mellow, despite how it looks.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Looking back upstream as we drop into the gorge. Looks like what happens downstream is all mandatory.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Rok Sribar heads into the first long rapid. It's big and only marginally in controll for all of us.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Manu Koehler falls out and follows Rok Sribar through what ended up being about half a kilometer of routing.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
We cruise downstream with agressive boat
scouting, only getting out one more time to scout a rapid. What we love
about this run is that it's unusual for Norway. We're in a deep gorge
that feels incredibly remote. This wouldn't be a good run to hike out
of. Further down we scout the last time, the center
line is probably ok, or maybe it's a big hole? Unable to tell, we
decide to play it safe and run the far left channel, sneaking the big
center hole.
Rok Sribar
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
From here on down it was nice boogie and no stress. Reiner Glanz.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
We're just not used to the endless
daylight; getting off a river as quickly as possible is in our blood,
and despite all the fantastic rapids on the Driva, only a handful of
photographs. Still, we are elated by the day, agreeing that it's a fine
section of river, and truly classic at these flows. Smiles all around,
the paddle out is fast and soon enough we're looking for a campground
with showers.
A gentleman's room indeed.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Put In and Take out Via Google Maps.
