Soldier Creek - Red Narrows

Description

I ran Soldier Creek just above the Red Narrows down to Thistle Slide, about 8 or so miles during the early run-off of 09. It was flowing at about 200 cfs. At that level it is III+ rapids inside the narrows that were awesome. Minus the foliage issues, One of my favorate class III micro creeks I've encountered in the county. There was a river wide log just above the narrows with a easy portage if your alert. It's right next to a small weather station with a solar panel on the right side of the road as your heading towards Price. In the narrows, the river is often squeezed between the railroad and the mountain. It kind of reminds me of the rapid on the Spanish Fork. Other places, it is just a forested mini gorge with large red conglomerate boulders along the banks and in the creek and simular to Lower Sixth Water. It has a lot of low foliage to boat through and some limbo logs within the rapids. But there are a few steep rapids, small laterals and wave trains, chutes, and a boof where the river runs over a ledge forming a curtain. To the left of it, the water exits a small seive and crashes into the hole making it look pretty violent, and a two seconds below it is a limbo log. All of these rapids are in a creek about about 10-15 feet wide at most. I would take-out at a low foot bridge just below the narrows, giving you about a 4 mile run; there is public access for fisherman on private property there. Below, the creek becomes mostly flat, but with a few class II rapids, meandering among willows, a class VI swamp, and some fences around blind corners; got caught off-guard by one. I never thought of a PFD and winter paddling gloves as armor but they saved me from at the least stiches and a tetnous shot. I'd guess I'd rate the Narrows as class IV at high water because of the low foliage in the midst of the rapids. But if they were trimmed, or lower water, I'd give it a class III+ rating. You would want to scout it from the railroad tracks first, and be aware of trains. You would be surprised how fast they can come on you. Drains into Spanish Fork.