Betsiamites River
Video: Emrick Blanchette/ Quebec Connection
Dan Munger on the Apero
You have time to catch an eddy on the right before the
next rapid. Probably best to scout most rapid if you don’t have a guide on this
run. Next you have a nice class 4 big water rapid. Scout river right. Mostly
run river left. After a bit of boogie you get to “La voisine” a little slide
class 4. Scout river left.
It get flat and
doesn’t take to long before you have a wide horizon line in front of you this
is “Les Jumelles”. There is a lot of different line choice depending on level.
Scout river left for left line vice versa for right line and there is a little
rock island in the center at low flow for the center line.
Emrick Blanchette on the ''Jumelle'' drop
“Aladin” is next after the pool. Long big rapid with a
nasty hole on the left. As been mostly ran on the right sneeking the beginning
of the rapid. Scout/walk river right.
When you see a picturesque waterfall dwindling on
river left you are at “Chute de l’amour” There is a few different line but
mostly run left or right. Scout/Walk river right.
Yet again a horizon line you’ll think “Yes another
class V”. One of the big one, quite intimidating but yet very satisfying.
Depending on level run river right all the way or enter left and ferry right.
Scout/walk river left, to walk around it there is a step of about 10ft you can
use a little birch tree as a fireman’s pole to go down and then seal launch.
Mike Roy scouting '' Just another class V
There is always a rapid you forget and end up running
blind every time. That’s what the next rapid is about. So far we ended up
running it kind of center right but who knows the right line? The hole in the
center did once make a pale swim. Ask Joel Villeneuve-Tousignant he remembers
that rapid well.
“Beau bon pas cher” is next on the list. The name
suits it well at low flow. However at higher flow this rapid is not as easy
money. Scout/walk river left.
Something big is slowly getting closer stop on the
left and scout. “Show me your anus” is a little wink to the classic rapid of
fantasy falls in California. The line is between to massive hole where the goal
is to show your ass without getting fuck. Scout/walk river left but easier to
walk river right.
The King aka François Savard at ''Show me your anus''
One of the only boulder garden rapid of the river
“Chuck’s rapid” named after Chuck The Shit
was shitting in is pants while trying to scout the rapid during our first
descent at high flow. It is quite longer than most of the rapid on the run. You
enter right making your way around the boulders and half way down you can scout
the top of the crux from river right. The move is a right to left into an eddy.
Than, left to right. It’s probably best to stop before the rapid and scout the
whole thing. You can do so by walking river left but we’ve always been too
lazy.
“Pura Vida” opened and named by our favourite Costaricain.
Don’t be fooled by its name, there is a nasty undercut on the right at the end
of the rapid. The undercut is hard to see, it doesn’t look like one but it’s
there. Scout/walk river right. You want to run the rapid after far left.
“Finally a class IV”, again named at low flows but
likely a class 5 at high flows. Start left to go right and come back left.
Don’t catch the eddy they say. Scout right walk left.
Anyone who’s seen Expedition Kayak TV Show knows we
are not good at giving name to rapids, so we reuse “V-DRIVE” for the next one. it's an iconic
rapid of the Stikine river. The Betsiamites rapid might not be as magnificent
but still, not shit. Stop on river left before it’s to late. The line is
primarily center left. Scouting is recommended. Best way to do so is to stay as
close to the riverbanks as possible without falling in. Portaging is a pain but
possible river left.
As you go around a blind corner, you want to stop in
the left eddy before next rapid.
“Made in Ecuador” is the only manky rapid of
the river. At low flows, you run river left. High flows you can sneak far left
between birch trees and boulders. Scout river left.
You shall not pass! “Saroumane” might be the most
imposing rapid of the run. It’s been run a couple times at low flows but never
at high flows. It is very easy to scout or walk on river right.
Dan Munger on the first Half of ''Saruman''
As you start to relax and think that all the big
rapids are behind, here comes “Appolo 13”. This rapid has been known to launch
people in the air out of nowhere. At this point you ran so many class V, you
just want to close your eyes and send it down the gut. Scout/walk river left
As the sun is slowly setting on the horizon after a
big day on the water, you reach “Golden hour”. The most juicy 10ft boof you can
imagine. Make sure someone scout the line so the rest of the crew can shotgun.
Just don’t mess it up because it is fabulous. You won’t forgive yourself if you
do.
Bill roosting of Golden Hour
To finish her up, why not a “Golden Shower”. You got a
nice boof in the left channel at high flows or you run river right at low
flows. After that, you can even get a full ablution by going under the yellow
curtain in the middle of the rapid.
That’s it that’s all. Now you got some boogie, a lake
to paddle and you’re at the take out’s bridge
I almost forgot, there is always a bonus rapid for the
unsatisfied: “Betsiamites Bomb”. Enjoy!
