Hollywood

  After Corner Rapid is Hollywood. Named for Hollywood Cemetery which overlooks this area from the north. This rapid is the best known rapid and is often debated for classification. At higher water there are large keeper holes, lower levels increase the chance of hitting rocks if upside-down.

 To scout Hollywood get out at the Grateful Dead Rock on the right about 100ft below the bottom ledge of Corner rapid. This is the best place to scout, with easy access to the pathway on Belle Isle.

There are three parts of Hollywood, Entrance, Hollywood drop, and the runout.

To run Hollywood’s entrance, ferry out to the main current and look for the line between two holes named Flipper and another named Stripper.  On the right there is a good 360 hole that is best at 5.6, be careful, if you flip the feature is very rocky and you do not want to swim over Hollywood drop.

After entrance Paddle back to the right. Follow current and look for a tall standing wave and go straight for the peak. Use a left angle and continue paddling left to avoid Washing Machine, a meaty hole in front of the large rock on the bottom right of the initial drop. Continue working left in the runout. Depending on the level, there may be a large standing wave after the first drop or smaller ledges broken with small pour-overs. The runout is fast-moving water, but there is a recovery eddy on the left to set up for your options below.

At high water (above 7) The moves between striper flipper and Hollywood become very big and pushy. Swims at these levels are very long and dangerous. At these levels, boaters must have a bombproof roll as well as experience on big water.

Below Hollywood

The runoff below Hollywood is class II+ boogie water at normal levels. Above 7ft there is a nice boof rock on the right/center side, called Launch Rock / 747 / Bradshaw's Rock. Again, get the bow up because the pour-over boof rock is backed up by a submerged rock. At levels below 5ft, a river wide pipe becomes visible and presents a hazard just before the flat water and is best run toward river right over the concrete pipe supports. At higher water, many holes develop in this area.