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Upper Rauma
The Rauma and kayaking in Norway. Daniel Brasuell and bagels. Professional kayakers and gopro selfies. Some things are inseparable in
our mental imagery. As circumstances dictate, we're headed from the Driva to the Rauma after a rainy nights
camp.
Yet we are not going not the classic
section that comes to mind. It's far too high with the recent rainfall.
Instead, we'll run the Upper Rauma. The Upper Rauma? I have not even
heard of it, but as we set shuttle on the road it looks good; classic
pool drop character. Really more like lake to drop character. The flats
are completely still and long, but the rapids look big enough to make
up for any flat.
Manu Koehler in the first notable rapid.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Reiner Glanz resurfacing from the first hole in the first rapid. Game on.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
The first rapid has a significant
pothole feature. My initial reaction is to portage. That's the great
thing about traveling and seeing new things. It can make you think
differently. Of course the rock in Norway isn't like the slippery
smooth granite of California. Perhaps potholes are not as nasty here?
Watching Reiner and Manu run it sell me on the drop, it seems to go
better than it looks. While Manu and Reiner charge left on the lead in,
Rok and I choose to go right, using a pillow on the wall to move us
left of the pothole.
Reiner Glanz paddling hard to get around the pothole.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Manu on the same.
Sony A7, Pentax 28mm f/3.5
Drizzle keeps the camera in the
waterproof case for all but the largest rapids. Reiner Glanz at the
entrance to "Mini Huka".
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Reiner Glanz, "Mini Huka"
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
The Upper Rauma is the rare river that
pulls off being roadside with an easy shuttle, yet the road is not
intrusive at all. The thick, luxuriant forest shields the river, after
the first two rapids we can't tell the road anywhere nearby. When
combined with the rain and big volume, it feels quite remote.
Rok Sribar scouting some heavy water on the Upper Rauma.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
We scout nearly every rapid, as there is nothing mellow in here at this flow. Each rapid is big, yet goes better than it looks. Perhaps that's the nature of Norway or perhaps we are just lucky today, because it looks like there are plenty of holes to surf.
Manu Koehler. This rapid was strange, a big lateral curler that wanted to push you into what looked to be a shallow rock on the left. Go too far right and into a big hole, so it's a chaotic mess of threading the needle.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Reiner Glanz boofing through the curler.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
The curler has a nice long, splashy run
out. Of all the rapids on the run, this would be the one not to swim.
Eventually it bends around and ends in a long pool, which in turn leads
to our take out before the river enters another gorge.
Liquid sunshine while Reiner Glanz attempts to get the shuttle started.
Sony A7, Nikon 105mm f/2.5
Put In and Take out Via Google Maps.
