[pct-l] stream crossings after the high sierra

[ROYROBIN@xxxxxxx (ROYROBIN@xxxxxxx)]

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The mother of all stream "crossings" for me was the Paria River in Utah.
Probably about fifty of them before the Paria itself becomes the trail and
you wade up stream for three miles up to your waist before you get "across"

An interesting river crossing for me this year was the Kennebec on the AT.
Many on this list will no doubt be familiar with it.  Fording it would be
similar to wading the Klamath River as a shortcut into Seiad Valley on the
PCT.  People have done it but it's not recommended.

The Kennebec ferry (canoe) is an official part of the trail.  There's a white
blaze painted on the floor.  Here's a short excerpt from my 8/26/02 trail
log:

"The canoe guy finally showed up about 3:15 and got me and another hiker
across in time to pick up my box at the (Caratunk, Me) PO, barely before it
closed at 4 PM. We are warned not to try to ford the Kennebec. Several people
have been killed over the years trying it. When I got to the river there were
several gravel bars upstream that made it look like you could wade across
easily. But when we were actually crossing in the canoe an hour later, the
water was at least a foot higher and moving fast. These water releases happen
very quickly, much faster than you can wade across, so you can get caught and
swept away."