Comments on: Adventures on the Russell Fork http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/ Brian K. Patton’s personal weblog, discussing politics, NASCAR, & other random issues. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:09:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Guy http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-213866 Thu, 26 Jul 2007 02:55:47 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-213866 I ran the Russell Fork about 8 years ago (the whole thing). It is NO PLACE FOR BEGINNERS!! Two friends and I went, but we had all run the Gauley several times, including the Marathon (Upper and Lower in one day) and the Upper Yough. Even with that, we had one guy get washed out of the raft in the middle of Triple Drop. We saw one raft come through a rapid, empty and upside down, followed shortly by the people who had been in it, swimming the rapid (that whole raft was crewed by professional guides). I have wanted to go back for the last couple of years, but I never seem to have time and money at the same time. Always either one or the other. The other two guys are not interested in running it again. Also, last year (when I had money and before I ran out of time) I started calling around and there are not many companies that run the whole river. At least one had stopped running it when one of their guides drown. If you can find one, plan on around $200 for this trip. Run some other big rivers before you consider running the big rapids on the Russell Fork. I ran the Russell Fork about 8 years ago (the whole thing). It is NO PLACE FOR BEGINNERS!! Two friends and I went, but we had all run the Gauley several times, including the Marathon (Upper and Lower in one day) and the Upper Yough.

Even with that, we had one guy get washed out of the raft in the middle of Triple Drop. We saw one raft come through a rapid, empty and upside down, followed shortly by the people who had been in it, swimming the rapid (that whole raft was crewed by professional guides).

I have wanted to go back for the last couple of years, but I never seem to have time and money at the same time. Always either one or the other. The other two guys are not interested in running it again.

Also, last year (when I had money and before I ran out of time) I started calling around and there are not many companies that run the whole river. At least one had stopped running it when one of their guides drown. If you can find one, plan on around $200 for this trip.

Run some other big rivers before you consider running the big rapids on the Russell Fork.

]]> by: Brian Patton » I survived! http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-83462 Mon, 09 Oct 2006 22:04:39 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-83462 [...] The rafting trip went great and was no where near as death-defying as I had first expected. The main reason for that is we put in at the Dam and took out at the Garden Hole, just above the really big and bad rapids (commonly known as the “Gorge”). [...] […] The rafting trip went great and was no where near as death-defying as I had first expected. The main reason for that is we put in at the Dam and took out at the Garden Hole, just above the really big and bad rapids (commonly known as the “Gorge”). […]

]]> by: NStanley http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-83408 Mon, 09 Oct 2006 21:02:46 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-83408 Be careful...have fun..and hope you can tread water....:) Be careful…have fun..and hope you can tread water….:)

]]> by: Liberal Pi http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82556 Sat, 07 Oct 2006 05:58:05 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82556 Best of luck, have fun, and be careful. Best of luck, have fun, and be careful.

]]> by: badrose http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82494 Sat, 07 Oct 2006 04:21:11 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82494 Best advice: Stay in the raft. Unless it's capsized. Best advice: Stay in the raft. Unless it’s capsized.

]]> by: Talbert http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82456 Sat, 07 Oct 2006 03:08:45 +0000 http://brianpatton.org/2006/10/06/adventures-on-the-russell-fork/#comment-82456 Good luck on your trip. I hope that you have a wounderful time I'm sure that you will. Best of luck and be careful. Good luck on your trip. I hope that you have a wounderful time I’m sure that you will. Best of luck and be careful.

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