Quartzite Falls
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Gauge Conditions
Photo
Description
Quartzite Falls was once the bane of Salt raft trips, a challenging class V rapid. At almost all flows it involved a half day portage and difficult rope work. Those days are gone becuase the falls, as they existed, were destroyed with dyanamite that was used to blow the lower lip off the falls. The rapid is now an easier class IV rapid with a small but shallow hole at the base on river right that can still flip a loaded raft. This once infamous rapid is still one of the "big drops" on the Salt. The traditional scout is reached by stopping well upstream of the rapid and hiking up to the ridge on river left. It's hard to get a good perspective on the drop from this view. Depending on flows, those with good boat control and eddy catching skills can also potentially land just above the drop on river right. A run down the left is possible but a standard line is center right. If you do this line you need to pivot your boat to square up to the lateral that comes in from the right. This lateral can easily flip a loaded raft and you have a short recovery pool before you reach Corkscrew which is another class IV drop just downstream.
Location
Other Rapids on This Run (20)
Waterfall
V
Playspot
III
Playspot
III
Rapid
III
Playspot
III
Playspot
III
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
American Whitewater