Last time I was at Disneyland, I wasn't asked to sign a waiver that
stated I understood that I might die which I had to do even on the South
Fork American.

Maybe I was good at picking companies (the now defunct Chili Bar Outdoor
Company) but all the times I have been with them (5) we were given a
good and serious safety talk and every guest's PFD was hand checked by a
guide. We were told how to high side and the guide gave a couple of high
side drills to make sure we were awake. In springtime water, a light
boat or boat with dubious paddlers was given an extra guide (I assume a
recent grad of guide school who hadn't solo'd yet. When I went on the
North Fork American Chamberlain Falls (an honest IV?) The Safety talk
was twice as long. As far as I know everyone had been on at least one
other raft trip. Instead of just mentioning swimming for yourself, it
was emphasized that we had to be ready look after ourselves if we were
in the water and couldn't see the guide. Before we shoved, off the lead
guide looked everyone in the eye to look for anyone who wasn't ready.
In the water, before the real stuff came up (which happens pretty quick
on the NF) we had to spin the boat and practice up and down ferrys until
the guide was happy with the paddling. Even though I had been on the SF
3 times, my weak back paddle was addressed and corrected. I remember
well his line when I queried him about how hard he worked us upstream,
"In class three, there's places you don't want to swim. In class 4
there's places *I* don't want to swim."

I still managed to fall out when we hit the eddy line at the bottom of
Chamberlain Falls which I suppose is a lot better than falling out at
the top.

We did a raft surf at the last real rapid on that run--I want to
remember it was called "staircase". We were bow upstream and I was a bow
paddler. That was an amazing experience/feeling; one of the highlights
of my outdoor life which includes many years of skiing and surfing.


Aww, Damn! Now I'm starting to wish I hadn't let the summer get away
without putting the daughter in the car and doing a American River trip.
(eight hours each way)

Kurt