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Japan
2012
The Kiytotsugawa is the only river that
we've
heard a lot about. It flows through kind of the Grand Canyon of Japan.
It also gets a low of snow slides in the canyon, and snow bridges are
common. Not all are guaranteed to be runnable or portagable. Talk about
an element of the unknown. While mostly a class IV run, the Kiytotsu
Canyon also has one mandatory class V rapid with a nasty eddy hole, and
a half hour portage around a big siphon. If that's not enough to get
any kayaker excited, I don't know what is.
The river started of meandering through some beautiful easy whitewater and slowly dropped into the canyon. Just as the walls rose above the river, the scale of whitewater increased and we were running some high quality, pushy, walled out rapids. We scramble into an eddy with vertical walls on both sides. Lincoln and I ferry across to scout the infamous rapid. It's tough to get out and scout in this canyon, we have to climb out of our kayaks in a crack and keep them on rope while scouting. Thankfully all looks good, even at this fairly high flow.
The river started of meandering through some beautiful easy whitewater and slowly dropped into the canyon. Just as the walls rose above the river, the scale of whitewater increased and we were running some high quality, pushy, walled out rapids. We scramble into an eddy with vertical walls on both sides. Lincoln and I ferry across to scout the infamous rapid. It's tough to get out and scout in this canyon, we have to climb out of our kayaks in a crack and keep them on rope while scouting. Thankfully all looks good, even at this fairly high flow.
Yoshihiro Takahashi enters the crux rapid.
Each team member successfully battles
through the rapid, a few getting solid cycles in the eddy but paddle
out. It's a good thing because there is nowhere to get out downstream
and swimming is very dangerous. A few more mandatory but clean rapids
follow, one a big, blind melting move. Go fast and hope for the best.
Heath Weir and Lincoln Taylor below the toughest Kiyotsu section.
Heath Weir and Lincoln Taylor below the toughest Kiyotsu section.
No way out down here, Diane Gaydos goes
right of a ledge hole.
Briefly things open up and the
whitewater takes a step back. Open up is a relative term, hiking out
might be possible down here but it certainly would not be easy.
Soon we drop into the second section of rapids that verge on class V. A long class IV rapid leads into a couple soft holes.
Yoshi
Now it's time to portage. It's not a simple stroll, and we are covered in sweat by the end.
Lincon in the middle of it.
Downstream we rejoice seeing a nice friendly snow bridge. Always wanted to do this!
Lincon in the one of a kind Kiyotsu Canyon.
Laura Farrell heading into an ominous snow bridge.
Shannamar Dewey makes friends and take-out and learns about kimono weaving.
As a reward we take in a traditional dinner.
Team Onsen after a memorable day.
Daniel Brasuell's video from the Kiyotsugawa
On to the Shimagawa
Daniel Brasuell in the open section.
We've been waiting for a snow bridge all
day with mixed emotions. The first one doesn't look too good. The river
goes through a rapid and around a corner, all while under a snow
bridge. The only safe thing to do is portage. It takes some creative
work to get back in the river.
Soon we drop into the second section of rapids that verge on class V. A long class IV rapid leads into a couple soft holes.
Yoshi
Now it's time to portage. It's not a simple stroll, and we are covered in sweat by the end.
Lincon in the middle of it.
Downstream we rejoice seeing a nice friendly snow bridge. Always wanted to do this!
Lincon in the one of a kind Kiyotsu Canyon.
Laura Farrell heading into an ominous snow bridge.
Intimidating. No light can be seen under
the snow bridge from above. Portage options are suspect to say the
least. With a little eddy hopping the team spreads out and probes into
the darkness. All is good, a hundred yards later there is light. The
roof of the bridge is just high enough to pass through, I can reach up
and touch the ceiling.
Diane GaydosShannamar Dewey makes friends and take-out and learns about kimono weaving.
As a reward we take in a traditional dinner.
Team Onsen after a memorable day.
Daniel Brasuell's video from the Kiyotsugawa
On to the Shimagawa
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