Boulder Gulch

This long rapid includes three distinct drops plus plenty of boulder garden action packed together in continuous flow. It is full of sieves and undercut boulders.

Run the full length of the rapid on the river left side of the channel, and don't be tempted by potential sneak routes on the right or middle: they get congested and sieve out. Scouting the full length of the rapid is a challenge but can be done on river right. It's never a bad idea to check the first ledge for wood before paddling into the drop. Much of the North Fork watershed has burned in recent years and there is an increased amount of wood moving now. The scouting eddy is on river right following The Pinch and just above the first ledge in Boulder Gulch. The other two distinct drops in the rapid can be boat-scouted to a modest degree but still have blind horizons. Drone scouting is useful here and can be done from the road during shuttle.

The first ledge has a sticky hole at medium and high flows (named Mary's Hole for Mary DeRiemer's epic sidesurf in the 90s). Point straight ahead or slightly right as you vigorously launch the lip: do not point left toward the rock wall.

The second distinct drop is a double-drop with current pushing to the right. Quickly move left upon landing to avoid undercut boulders on the right. There is a large eddy on the left that's great for re-grouping and admiring the bouldery scenery.

The third distinct drop is usually launched off the middle or just right of middle.

The action continues for a good distance before the rapid finally ends in a long pool.

Boulder Gulch Rapid is also known as Nine Mile Rapid (Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School staff's preferred name) or, far less commonly as Devious (the name Lars Holbek gave the already-named drop the one time he paddled it).

If needed, there is an overgrown double track trail on river right that connects to Sawyers Bar Road just upstream of the 9-mile marker. The trail is hard to find at river level but is marked with a brown numbered sign up on the road. To portage the rapid, do so entirely on the river right shore and expect it to take some time.