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| by Aaron Riding June 10-18, 2007 |
Here is a DESCRIPTION (storyline) submitted by Aaron Riding, of their 1st descent. This
descent marked the last section of Tonto Creek to be run. Their epic descent was in
January of 2005.
Description of Run: (This description is based on Observations in January 2005 and could
change with various water levels, and not to be used as a guide. Use your head).
We launched about 3 miles north of highway 260 after we scouted an 8-10 footer, and
determined that it would go. We continued until we found a location that provided us with
easy access to the river and the ability to get the truck off of the road. Estimating the flow
to be about 800cfs we began the descent down river. With a few eddies, snap decisions
had to be made by each paddler as to the best way to maneuver thru holes and around
foliage. These obstacles created a technical run for the first ¼ mile.
I ran the first waterfall with a messed up boof resulting in a side surf in at the bottom of the
drop. I then waited until Betsy ran the drop and she penciled in pushing me from the seam,
but taking a nasty shot to the ribs. Ryan ran the drop with no carnage. Followed by Jim,
going deep, resulting in a damaged bow from a hard piton on the bottom. After regrouping
in an eddy below we began working our way down to the 260 Bridge.
The water from the fall to the bridge was mostly class 4-with large holes and foliage
overhanging the banks. A swim in this section would most likely be a painful experience
since eddies were few and far between. The lack of eddies resulted in the spacing out of
our group were we could only keep line of sight with one, sometimes two, of the other
paddlers. The leaders would pull out in four boat eddies and we verified everyone was
comfortable with the pushiness of the water and the required quick decisions. For the run to
this point rating is 4 to 4+. Leaving the bridge, the river began to run behind houses on
either side of the river. There are a couple of large holesthat should be avoided. These are
visible during a read and run section. Here is a great spot to pull out if you're not feeling on
your game, because the river only gets worse before it gets better. After passing a large
barn like structure the river makes a bend to the right. Right after the slight bend to the right
there is a river wide 4’ drop. The line on this is on river left; the right side of this is runnable
with a boof but the recirculation is enough that an unclean boof could result in a nasty swim.
Working your way thru town the trees start to close in a bit; it is important to note that this is
where the timber will begin to factor into the run.
The river conditions are similar to the ones upstream of here for the next mile or two. The
river will again make a turn to the right against a sloping granite bank on the left, is a good
spot to scout the next drop. This drop should have a sneak route on the left in to a pool or
the hero route would be to split the two boulders and punching the hole. We all took the
sneak. Here is when the gradient really begins to factor into the run.
100yds from this drop the river all pillows up against a rock and then another resulting in a
dynamic swirling eddy, while scouting this it is a good idea to scout the water fall which is
only another 100yds from this eddy. Portage potential is on the left prior to this drop, or
powering into a micro eddy on the side of the swirling eddy. There is a trail on top of the
ridge that makes the hike a pleasant one for the scout/portage. The waterfall is clean on a
left of center line, but scout prior to running. There is a medium calm after the waterfall to
regroup. Meet up with other parties down stream on the left side of the river. According to
some hikers that we met there is also a trail on the right side.
There is more hole / tree dodging in the next couple of miles with a few nice bed rock
rapids. To keep youentertained until the junction of Christopher creek. Don’t become too
complacent as to what the river is doing there is still one more 4+/5-box to go. This
entrance begins as the river bends slightly to the right then back to the left against a granite
cliff face. After running this rapid there is a line through the large trees on the right that
proved to be best line. The left will go if the paddler is working hard back to the right after
clearing the trees (avoid the hole on the far left side there is a mostly submerged tree/log
sticking across the hole. There are two 6 foot drops following the section of trees. The
gorge has to be boat scouted unless running the left line. Personally I would not try to ferry
across after a scout, due to dangerous large strainers. There is a portage around this box
on river left side that goes up and over the ridge on river left.
Warning if you start into the box you have to paddle the box there is no portage possibility
until after the third drop.
By running the line on the right thru the trees you can see the first of a series of five drops.
The first two are straight forward. The third drop is the trickiest of the box. Doing a post run
scout, the drop is safest to run on the right because the left is undercut behind the fall; a
good boof works here. A surging eddy is to the right after this drop. The first paddler can
run the drop and work out of their boat to the top of the rock to be a safety for the others
here. Also, from the top of this rock the group can see the entrance to the next drop. To
see the end of the box requires scaling the wall away from the river. This will take about an
hour to scout and return.
The next drop is formed where the river all washes into a wall to the right of a boulder. Ride
the cushion and be careful of the bubbling/ surging water after the drop. The next drop is
soft on the right side of the hole. Any paddlers portaging can be met up on river left after
this drop. After this there are 2 low water crossings (fords) to be careful of. For the first
there is a sneak on river left. The second is runnable on the right. At certain flows this one
may not be runnable; scout while doing shuttle. Takeout after the second crossing.
descent marked the last section of Tonto Creek to be run. Their epic descent was in
January of 2005.
Description of Run: (This description is based on Observations in January 2005 and could
change with various water levels, and not to be used as a guide. Use your head).
We launched about 3 miles north of highway 260 after we scouted an 8-10 footer, and
determined that it would go. We continued until we found a location that provided us with
easy access to the river and the ability to get the truck off of the road. Estimating the flow
to be about 800cfs we began the descent down river. With a few eddies, snap decisions
had to be made by each paddler as to the best way to maneuver thru holes and around
foliage. These obstacles created a technical run for the first ¼ mile.
I ran the first waterfall with a messed up boof resulting in a side surf in at the bottom of the
drop. I then waited until Betsy ran the drop and she penciled in pushing me from the seam,
but taking a nasty shot to the ribs. Ryan ran the drop with no carnage. Followed by Jim,
going deep, resulting in a damaged bow from a hard piton on the bottom. After regrouping
in an eddy below we began working our way down to the 260 Bridge.
The water from the fall to the bridge was mostly class 4-with large holes and foliage
overhanging the banks. A swim in this section would most likely be a painful experience
since eddies were few and far between. The lack of eddies resulted in the spacing out of
our group were we could only keep line of sight with one, sometimes two, of the other
paddlers. The leaders would pull out in four boat eddies and we verified everyone was
comfortable with the pushiness of the water and the required quick decisions. For the run to
this point rating is 4 to 4+. Leaving the bridge, the river began to run behind houses on
either side of the river. There are a couple of large holesthat should be avoided. These are
visible during a read and run section. Here is a great spot to pull out if you're not feeling on
your game, because the river only gets worse before it gets better. After passing a large
barn like structure the river makes a bend to the right. Right after the slight bend to the right
there is a river wide 4’ drop. The line on this is on river left; the right side of this is runnable
with a boof but the recirculation is enough that an unclean boof could result in a nasty swim.
Working your way thru town the trees start to close in a bit; it is important to note that this is
where the timber will begin to factor into the run.
The river conditions are similar to the ones upstream of here for the next mile or two. The
river will again make a turn to the right against a sloping granite bank on the left, is a good
spot to scout the next drop. This drop should have a sneak route on the left in to a pool or
the hero route would be to split the two boulders and punching the hole. We all took the
sneak. Here is when the gradient really begins to factor into the run.
100yds from this drop the river all pillows up against a rock and then another resulting in a
dynamic swirling eddy, while scouting this it is a good idea to scout the water fall which is
only another 100yds from this eddy. Portage potential is on the left prior to this drop, or
powering into a micro eddy on the side of the swirling eddy. There is a trail on top of the
ridge that makes the hike a pleasant one for the scout/portage. The waterfall is clean on a
left of center line, but scout prior to running. There is a medium calm after the waterfall to
regroup. Meet up with other parties down stream on the left side of the river. According to
some hikers that we met there is also a trail on the right side.
There is more hole / tree dodging in the next couple of miles with a few nice bed rock
rapids. To keep youentertained until the junction of Christopher creek. Don’t become too
complacent as to what the river is doing there is still one more 4+/5-box to go. This
entrance begins as the river bends slightly to the right then back to the left against a granite
cliff face. After running this rapid there is a line through the large trees on the right that
proved to be best line. The left will go if the paddler is working hard back to the right after
clearing the trees (avoid the hole on the far left side there is a mostly submerged tree/log
sticking across the hole. There are two 6 foot drops following the section of trees. The
gorge has to be boat scouted unless running the left line. Personally I would not try to ferry
across after a scout, due to dangerous large strainers. There is a portage around this box
on river left side that goes up and over the ridge on river left.
Warning if you start into the box you have to paddle the box there is no portage possibility
until after the third drop.
By running the line on the right thru the trees you can see the first of a series of five drops.
The first two are straight forward. The third drop is the trickiest of the box. Doing a post run
scout, the drop is safest to run on the right because the left is undercut behind the fall; a
good boof works here. A surging eddy is to the right after this drop. The first paddler can
run the drop and work out of their boat to the top of the rock to be a safety for the others
here. Also, from the top of this rock the group can see the entrance to the next drop. To
see the end of the box requires scaling the wall away from the river. This will take about an
hour to scout and return.
The next drop is formed where the river all washes into a wall to the right of a boulder. Ride
the cushion and be careful of the bubbling/ surging water after the drop. The next drop is
soft on the right side of the hole. Any paddlers portaging can be met up on river left after
this drop. After this there are 2 low water crossings (fords) to be careful of. For the first
there is a sneak on river left. The second is runnable on the right. At certain flows this one
may not be runnable; scout while doing shuttle. Takeout after the second crossing.
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