Description: The Falls
On any river, one doesn’t want to miss the start of a portage. Until you’ve seen Virginia Falls one has no idea how much you don’t want to miss the start of the portage around it! I guess the good thing is that if you somehow were swept passed the “last chance”, one would be long dead before going over the actual falls. The Sluicebox would see to that.
One begins to attempt picking a route through the maelstrom, “if only that 15 foot standing wave wasn’t there…” But, alas, it is, and spouts of water are periodically shot 25 or 30 feet straight up into the air. The size of the falls is deceptive. Niagara and Horseshoe are around 170’. Virginia is 300’, plus another 60’ of drop above the main falls.
Days of Travel
2 days.
Distance
The park service was just finishing installing a new boardwalk that is amazing. Only the final drop into the canyon below the falls remains a footpath. The portage is a little shy of 1 mile in length.
Notable Features
We all agreed that we’d never seen so much water moving so quickly in so many different directions, all at once. If you are a lover of rivers, of moving water, then this is the place. One can sit for hours, transfixed at the variety movement.
Water Rating
Portage!
Other Quick Comments
Two things we would like to see changed, first, there is a two night stay rule at the falls. An additional night for unguided trips originating upriver would be most welcomed as unless you have guides doing it for you, much of one’s time is spent hauling on the portage. Second, it would be very useful if the park service would install a water point in the campground itself. The latter is a minor inconvenience, the former is a major drawback to the unguided canoeist.
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THE FALLS JOURNAL ENTRIES
Tuesday July 13, 2004
Up at about 710. It has cooled off considerably overnight. At 2100 I was on my sleeping bag in my shorts, but by morning it’s cool enough to wear a fleece. Pack up after breakfast of oatmeal squares, which, in my estimation as a camper, is probably the worst breakfast of the trip. It passes by quickly, however, and requires little clean-up. Possibly owing to this gourmet delight, we are on the river today at about 900. J is back in the raft and I paddle with M again. Pretty much all of it slow water today – easiest for M and me, with more work for K and lots more work for J at the oars.
Smoky all day. Sunny but smoke seems to absorb or deflect some of it. J sweats plenty. A few horseflies and mosquitoes on the river, and the raft seems to have a resident population of mosquitoes exhibiting great loyalty to J. Lunch is at about 1400 on the river. The two fighter craft are docked with the mother ship, and the oarsman chef serves up the gruel of the day.
Arrive at Virginia Falls at 1700. The thunder can be heard about a km up-river. Our quiet river-to-ourselves phase of the river has ended. Henceforth we will see other parties on the river. The transition from glassy-smooth quiet river flow to the chaos and rage of the rapids and falls is abrupt and astonishing. We pull our gear out, set up camp in one of the campground places, and put the canoes on racks set up for this. There are several groups camped here at the Falls. There is at least one daily flight in with the Twin Otter, and often several, this being the destination of various tour groups. We walk the boardwalk and trail set up for the portage – something like 1.3km. The boardwalk is in good shape and will save us much drudgery, as the underlying terrain is often wet or hummocky or both. Many feet would also quickly trample the vegetation. There are also trails that allow some wonderful views of the Falls, some from a distance showing a greater perspective and some literally at the water’s edge, where crashing waves shoot spray 15-20 feet straight up and it becomes clear that any canoe, kayak or raft that ventured into this maelstrom would come out at the bottom in small rounded pieces.
Takes J and me 30 minutes to walk from the base of the portage trail (below the fall) back to our camp-site. So we need to allow a good hour for a round trip with gear. Back at camp there are a few mosquitoes but not too many. There are some camp robbers, and a cadre of shameless food thieves dressed up as red squirrels. One of them scavenges M’s candy bag. Our supper tonight is a freeze-dried chicken-rice dish.
Evening – spend some hours exploring the trails around the falls. Words fail to describe the beautiful violence between rocks and water. Water churns, pounds, thunders, all close at hand. It is a marvel. For us there is the added depth of having seen this water grow from a meandering creek and beaver ponds into this muscular raging torrent. We take lots of pictures and J captures some video. But to see it firsthand is an experience you feel in your toes, in your heart, and in your soul. Let this place forever be what it is.
Camp 9 and 10 (two nights at the falls) are at 61º 36’ 25” and 125º 45’ 25”, the Virginia Falls campground.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Up at about 715. Slow morning. Cool, sunny, still some smoke. M makes pancakes again and does a fine job of it. Morning spent watching the Falls from various points, some close to the water. Lots of pictures taken. Lunch at 1330. Fortunately the rocks we stand on are made of sterner stuff. Afternoon is siesta time for J and M. K and I find ourselves individual picnic tables and have a slow read. My table initially has shade but as the sun does its particular rotation in the sky, shade moves and so, of necessity, does my table.
Slow afternoon. K and J wander off down the portage trail in search of a cart or carts to assist with portage work. The search proves fruitless, to their great frustration. Supper is Kraft dinner at about 1900. By this point the absence of cold beer is becoming a serious issue. We may have to charter in an aircraft to remedy the situation.
2000-2230 – We haul two portage loads over the trail down to the river. J and I carry the raft, fully inflated, on our shoulders. This goes ok – not super-heavy but awkward. I carry the raft’s oar-frame on the second round and the other Sherpas haul packs and assorted heavy things. Two more rounds in the morning should get us fully transferred. The evening brings some coolness, thankfully. A park range, young fella named Jathan, stops by to brief us on fires and bears. There is a fire near Figure-8 Rapids downstream but it should not be a problem. Not a lot of bear activity or bear sightings. There is continuing smoke down-river but most of this is from Yukon and AK fires. Bed at midnight… a bit tired and went through some water after sweaty work.