It is the most beautiful place in the world they said......
Canoes are the right vessels they said......
There are only a few low class rapids they said.....
The hard part is Friday, everything else will be a breeze they said.....
They, are Anthony, Doug, Brandon and Matt, the four original trailblazers who navigated Smoke Hole Canyon 20 years ago, and They were were only right about one thing; it was in fact the most beautiful place in the world. What they were wrong about was the following: Canoes were the wrong vessels, unless you know what you are doing, and don't have too much weight and gear, take a raft. The rapids are not much more than a level III, but when the river is high and running fast, they test you with every paddle stroke. The hard part is the entire river, even when you think the big rapid is behind you, there is another completely different one ahead of you with its own unique challenges.
20 Guys set out on the Journey and 20 Guys made it back, that was a blessing. We each had varying levels of hypothermia, and a significant number of bruises, bumps and scratches, but nothing broken thank God. The only thing that seemed unrepairable was Andy and Dagz Banana Boat which looked like it had been in a Canoe Cage fight and lost in a 5 round blood bath.
Our camp site and the hikes around the area left us with a lasting impression of why the beauty of Smoke Hole Canyon just might be worth dumping your canoe 8 times and risking your life to see it.
Enjoy!
