About Ramshorn Rapid
Ramshorn Rapid dramatically changed in 2022 when the creek flashed and pushed debris and even a bridge into the river. At the time, this had made the river impassable, and the USFS was requiring trips to start below Ramshorn at Indian Creek or further downstream. Today, the river is now passable but the debris is still settling meaning it will continue to change as we make our way through the summer.
Former Ramshorn Rapid description
If you look carefully, you’ll notice there’s a small creek that enters on the left at the top of this rapid, and at the bottom, a different, much larger, and easier to spot creek. The first creek is unnamed, and the bottom, larger creek is Ramshorn Creek, which the rapid gets its name. Ramshorn is a short Class III that gives you a headsup that Hell’s Half Mile is just downstream. A left wall squeezes the river at this rapid, which at low flows, means you need to carefully thread the line between the left wall and center rocks. These rocks can wrap or flip you if you are unlucky enough to run into them. At higher flows, these rocks become holes and waves.
In 2013, a massive manhunt ended near Morehead Lake, one of the sources for Ramshorn Creek, which is ~1.5 miles away from Ramshorn Rapid. An estimated 150 FBI agents and an additional 100 law enforcement agents reportedly swarmed the area where they rescued the kidnapped woman and shot and killed her captor.
