Men's Do Something!!

What a time we had! 19 men set out to shoot the rapids on the six mile river on the way to Hope, Alaska. It was an exciting experience, definately one that anyone who is interested should try. Chugach Outdoor Center was the rafting company. Their guides treated us very well and the equipment we used was excellent. The day really started after we were briefed on all the rules and donned all the equipment. We were instructed on how to swim 100 yards down the six mile river to the other side. It was a bit intimidating to plunge into that frigid glacial stream when you are nice and warm and dry. However, that is when you discover how good your gear is. Mine was great, dry as a bone after my swim. At that point we broke into teams to paddle the rafts.

The first river miles are spent learning commands from your guide, "Forward 2", "Left turn", "Back 3", you get the idea. Nervousness rises as you approach the first rapids. You shoot through without a problem. Confidence swells. And so the day goes. Our raft was an exceptionally good team and that helped us out a great deal. There would be several sets of rapids to run and then beautiful periods of drifting with great scenery.

The day climaxes as you enter the "third canyon" which the guide has been building up all day. These rapids are bigger, trickier and more dangerous. Anxiety rises, confidence wanes as the sun that has been warmning you disappears behind the steep canyon walls and the roar of water fills the silence.

The third canyon is a bit more of a challenge, as one rapid in particular caused some problems for two rafts, one of which was ours. Believe it or not, this actually increases the excitement and fun. Such great laughter and team action make it such a great experience.

We all had a great day which was topped off with moose and caribou sausage on the grill. There was a lot of talk about making this an annual event, so if you missed this trip, be ready to pounce on the opportunity when it comes up again next year.