The nice thing about first descents is that they can come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. A first descent does not have to be some crazy hard river in the middle of nowhere in some remote foreign country. It can be as simple as being on a river no one in your group has done before or finally checking out that creek in your backyard you’ve always wondered about. Whatever the situation is I have discovered, through trial and error, some pretty good ground rules that almost always apply when you’re out on those first d’s.

One of those rare places you only get to go if you leap a little!


Way before you go:

Know your area. This is akin to the old statement of look before you leap. Doing the appropriate research ahead of time can save you a lot of pain later. Some general guidelines are make sure everyone knows the put-in and take-out both where they are on the road, the river, and how to get between the two. You’ll also want to check maps and look for alternate routes out (trails or roads that parallel the river are also nice to know). Keep in mind that you might have to leave unexpectedly so knowing what side of the river the closest road or point of civilization is can be very good.

Get a topo map. This is always a good idea. A topo map can give you a pretty good general feel for the area and the river. It can help identify overall gradient, where the run gets really steep, and the basic characteristics of the gorge or canyon.

Know your personal limits. This is simply exercising good judgment. Remember no one knows the lines which makes this a little bit harder than your local creek you can do with your eyes shut or following someone down a run they know well. If you’re unsure just wait till the second descent, it’ll still be fun!

If your doing a personal first descent (ie nobody in your group has done the run before) much of this info can be found in a guidebook or on various internet sites such as americanwhitewater.org. You can decide how much to read about a run before you go but in general at least look at what I have mentioned above. Trust me the people on the actual first descent did☺

Before you go:

Get your gear. Lots of this is good to have no matter what but becomes a little more important when venturing into the unknown. There’s a lot of wiggle room here depending on things like the length of the run, how steep it is, how much info you really have, how remote, etc… Again use your judgment and these are things I think about bringing:

Safety gear. This includes pin kits, ropes, first aid (with a way to start a fire) etc…
Breakdown paddle
Some dry fleece
Headlamp
Extra food
Water purifying mechanism
A bit of money
Depending on the area some type of shelter (lightweight tarp or bivy)

That might seem like a lot, especially for a day run, but if I truly don’t know the river this is the minimum I will bring. Remember if you do an accidental overnight or get off at dark that headlamp and extra food will be very good.

Tell someone where you are going. This might seem trivial but it can come in very handy if you need it. Let them know the river you’re going to, the put-in, take out, and when you expect to be back.

Looking upstream during a Mexico First D!

On the river:

Time. Be aware of it. Time is usually your number one concern when you don’t have much info to go on. Most of the strategies for paddling a first descent have something to do with time or making the miles downstream. Here are a couple of things I’ve learned to help ensure your telling stories with your buddies over beers and not cuddling in the dark with no food.

Know the distance. Make sure you know how far you are kayaking (it can be a lot farther than the drive). Keep in mind you’re never moving as fast as you think you are so keep that lunch break short.

Scouting. While scouting is very important it also can take up a lot of time. Consider boat scouting or having one person get out and relay directions back when appropriate. When everyone does need to get out to scout make those decisions to walk or run as quickly as is safely possible.

Portaging. Get creative but stay smart. Often times getting a little creative on a portage can save a long slog around. I’ve jumped, lowered, belayed, and climbed around rapids. Often times staying at river level is the fastest. However take it with a grain of salt sometimes you just have to go up and over!

Paddle the pools and the class II. Dig those blades in and move yourself across the flatwater (assuming there is any), you can rest in the mellow rapids. You’ll thank yourself later for this one.

Eat and drink. When you’re working hard and out all day its important to stay fed and hydrated. Keep an eye not only on yourself but the rest of your group as well. Take those breaks when you need them.


At the end:

Celebrate! And find the next place to go.

Good luck out there and above all when you’re on a run you don’t know just remember to keep it simple and use your brain☺ Be safe!