GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Arizona – Rafting is frequently used as a fun family adventure, with guiding companies taking guests down fairly mellow and safe routes. But the more experienced rafters on the more difficult rapids can get into some seriously hairy and dangerous situations. Take this moment with rafter Randy Hencken, who missed a turn down the Bedrock Rapid in the Grand Canyon, and wound up in a seriously sketchy area.
For boaters the meandering waters of the Colorado River as it cuts its path through the Grand Canyon, things can get hairy quick. Drowning is the fourth most common cause of death inside Grand Canyon National Park, the first being airplane and helicopter crashes, the second being falling, and the third being environmental. Over the years, around 100 people have died from drowning in the Arizona park. This includes rafters, swimmers, and people attempting to cross the river.
Bedrock Rapids is the only rapid caused by the actual river bed inside the Grand Canyon. A large rock splits the river into two, and rafters are encouraged to take the run to the right. The left, which is what Randy and Alex find themselves headed down, is full of hazards, with multiple spots where rafters could find themselves pinned or flipped.
Randy Hencken’s account of “Bedrock Rapid Carnage”:
“I don’t know why Bedrock is considered a class 7 rapid in the Grand Canyon guide book. Compared to other rapids labeled 8 and 9, Bedrock seems to have just as much – if not more – consequences when the best line is not achieved.
Bedrock is “the only rapid in the Grand Canyon caused by the actual river bed. An enormous chunk of hardened metamorphic and igneous rock splits the current in two. The best run is on the right side, which requires adept and precise handling to bring a craft around the rock and into calm water. The left side is an unforgiving place, as the river pinballs through a narrow rock studded channel.” – Western River Expeditions.
It didn’t help my nerves knowing a man had drowned here a few weeks before we found ourselves scouting the rapid. The death happened on a commercial trip, on a much larger boat operated with a motor. The lost soul was 68 years old. The accounts of his tragedy are that the boat operator missed the right channel, got washed up onto one of the rocks on the left side, wasn’t aggressive enough in getting the crew to the highside, and the boat flipped.
It also didn’t help my nerves that the Yoda of our trip – the other Boatman my age who has been down the canyon 31 times – told us a story about one of his expeditions when his friend got pinned on the “safe” right side of Bedrock, flipped his raft, hit his head against the rock and drowned. Fortunately for that soul, his friends were able to revive him and he exited the canyon by helicopter and lived to boat another day.
In my head, I had built the consequences of getting this rapid wrong to the most extreme outcome. I wasn’t the only one. While Alex and I were being held in the eddy, the rest of our crew was preparing throw-ropes and getting ready to pull us from the water. One of our women was brought to tears on our behalf.
The Bedrock excitement rattled Alex and I after the adrenaline wore off. That evening we eased our nervous systems with booze and beers. The next day we sat and discussed what had happened. I hadn’t wished to give my worries to Alex ahead of the rapid – I don’t think he knew the stories of the drownings there. Learning of them after the fact still gave him cause to worry.
But the truth is lots of boats end up on Bedrock Left. Many of them flip. Many of them don’t. Most people don’t drown. I spoke with someone from another private boat group a few days later and learned that two of their boats went left. They also escaped unscathed. One of my new favorite pastimes is watching YouTube videos under the search term “carnage bedrock rapid.”
-Randolph Hencken