"Tom McCloud" wrote in message ...
Paul, I did a section of the Red Deer, at lower water, but do
not know the names of any of the rapids. Can you post enough detail
so I know what section this story is about, and whether I've seen some
of the same section or river? I remember a riverwide ledge, which is
the only one we bank-scouted prior to running. Possibly the one you
call Gooseberry? A smallish river, clear water, very pretty in
places. Saw lots of wildlife, elk, wolf. Tom McCloud

The Red Deer has many sections. The parts of interest to whitewater paddlers are all upstream of Sundre. The main section starts
where the Forestry Trunk Road crosses the river, at Mountain Aire Lodge. (AFAIK, that's the only currently existing bridge upstream
of Sundre.) Various take-outs are used. Gooseberry is the only significant river wide ledge on the main run. If you did the lower
section, near Coal Camp, there's a rapid called double ledge which is also significant--the river is much narrower and constricted.
I doubt anyone would see that section on the same run as Gooseberry--or it would be a very long day! At lower water, none of the
other rapids really have any significance. There might be a hole at the bottom of Big Rock (which is the first "real" rapid), but
it's probably playable.

Low water (depending on who you talk to) is anything below about 50 cms--I know people who are happy to run it at 30, but that seems
a waste of time to me. High water is anything over 80 or so cms. That day it was over 100 cms. (The year before, a group paddled
it over 200 cms, experiencing severe carnage...)

-Paul