GALICE- Settlers called it the River of the Rogues, after the American
Indians they fought in the 1800s. Today its just a different kind of rogue
- roughhousing with boaters on one of Americas premier whitewater rivers.
Ferron Mayfield of Ferrons Fun Trips made his first river trip with the Boy
Scouts in 1969, and has been a professional guide on the Rogue River for 33 years.
That was the influence of Evel - Evel Knievel, that is, Mayfield says of
his reasons for picking the Rogue. His brother, Darryl, was on hand in
1974 when Knievel tried to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in a steam-powered,
rocket like contraption.
People from Grants Pass also were there to witness the crash (Knievel
escaped with minor injuries) and got to talking with Darryl about the money
he could make as a guide on the Rogue. He went for it, and so did Ferron after
college.
In 1981, Darryl drowned at Rainie Falls. The story is a little confused,
whether he had a life jacket on, Ferron says. In any case, he apparently
got caught in the powerful currents there below the falls.
In better days, Ferron was in on the filming of a TV movie called "Pile up
on the Rogue" - actually "Killing at Hells Gate". A boat that was not part
of the production came through, then another and another, and they piled
one on top of the other like pancakes on the same rock.
The river was full of people and gear. One of the groups was San Francisco
firefighters or somebody, and they were all rescuin everybody Ferron muses.
It all worked out fine, but it was quite a lurid scene.
He has boated everything from the Colorado River to the Biobio in Chile, the
Usumacinta on the border between Guatemala and Mexico, and the Shotover in New
Zealand.
A few tips from Ferron and other sources for first-time rafters on the Rogue:
Safety
It helps to be in good shape. Navigating a rapid or swimming out of trouble
requires some strength and stamina.
Respect the river. Currents can be strong even in areas that seem calm.
State law requires children 12 and under to wear a life vest. Common sense
requires everybody else to wear one. Putting on a vest in an emergency is
about as realistic as trying to buckle up half a second before a car crash.
Go with someone who knows the river. You could get in big trouble trying to
navigate a rapid you didn't anticipate. Maps are available from outfitters and
others, but the river can change radically with the water level.
The Rogue is well staggered for training. The upper part in the Gold Hill and
Grants Pass areas is mild. The middle, from Hog Creek to Grave Creek, is more
intense, and the lower part, with Rainie Falls and similarly notorious Blossom
Bar, is for experienced rafters only.
Rapids are rated for difficulty, from little Class I riffles to Class VI monsters.
Mayfield advises beginners to avoid anything over Class II. Rainie is Class
V and Blossom is IV to V.
Keep arms and legs inside the bus. A loaded-up raft flying down a rapid could
easily smash a hand or a foot against a rock.
If youre bringing small children, take a guided trip on a mild part of the river.
In the space of two months in 2008, Blossom drowned three adults, and two
of them were wearing life jackets.
If you fall out of the raft, don't panic and don't fight the current. Get into a
semi-prone position with your feet in front of you, to use as shock absorbers.
Go with the flow until you can find a nice, calm place to swim out.
Avoid fallen trees at all cost. You could easily get snagged underwater.
Big rocks can make the river flow backward into holes that trap boats. It may
take some rocking and paddling back and forth to free the raft, or hauling out
by rope in extreme cases. If you get dumped out in a hole, remember the drill:
Dont panic. Let the river carry you out.
Most accidents happen getting on or off the boat. Expect some motion, and
slippery rocks.
Don't drink. Alcohol, hot sun and bobbing boats are a dangerous combination. If
you're navigating a rapid or suddenly pitched into the water, drunk is the
last thing you want to be.
If you're going with an outfitter, ask how much experience your guide has.
Things to bring and wear
Bottled water. Rivers contain organisms that may make you sick.
Sunblock, insect repellent, something to cover your head and a cell phone,
although it wont have much range at river level in the mountains.
Consider a helmet, especially if you’re going to be on big water.
Wear wool, nylon, polypropylene or other materials that shed water. Avoid cottons.
Soggy jeans can chill you and weigh you down in an emergency.
Bring a windbreaker, too. Even on warm days, it can be cool at river level. Canvas
tennis shoes are also recommended, and you may want to wear a long-sleeved shirt
to avoid sunburn.
General
Best weather for rafting the Rogue is generally early July through early September.
Rafts are available for rent from local commercial outfitters. The smaller the
boat, the more likely it is to flip. Dont get in over your head.
May 15 through Oct. 15, the lower section of the river requires a permit from the U.S.
Bureau of Land Management. For more details, go to www.blm.gov or call the
BLM at 541-479-3735.
By Howard Huntington of the Daily Courier
Today our day trippers ranged in age from 6 years old to 80 years old. The elder recounted to Ferron her experience when she was 10 years and Pearl Harbor was bombed in front of her eyes. She had more life experience to offer than the history of the Rogue River that Ferron recounted. She admired the tapestry of greens which will slowly disappear as temperatures rise to over 90 degrees in the Rogue Valley the next couple of days.
With rising gas costs we decided to purchase this great Forester. We think it will work well for shuttling our small Rogue River Wild and Scenic rentals. If it's a cool shuttle over Bear Camp, the seats are heated!
