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The Guil Gorge
Paddling in the French Alps - Update from Canoe Control
by Jon Caterer
Hi everyone, just a quick update on events from the French Alps.
Tuesday (7/6/05) was an adventure to the upper section of the Veneon. This is a high alpine run fed by many glaciers. Levels for this run were excellent and it proved to be a great run of continuous grade 4+. Care should be taken on this section if water levels are up.
Wednesday (8/6/05) proved an eventful day for all of us here. The lower Guil gorge is one of those sections of river that many people have on their hit list but not many people have the opportunity to do so. The limiting factor for paddling this section is that it is directly below a barrage that can give a massive release at any time without warning. In the early 90s the barrage was opened on 5 German kayakers that were paddling in the gorge and only 2 of them survived. We had planned to run a section of the Upper Guil but on our way past we saw that gorge had water in it and when we got to the barrage we saw that it was completely empty.
There is also a lack of information available on this section of river due to the lack of people that have paddled it and the changes caused by the floods in 2000.
The warm up run in is class 3 but the river soon becomes steeper with the first class 4 rapid directly followed by a tree infested class 6 rapid. After this portage the river continues for a good distance to remain at a great continues grade 4+. Some sweet lines and the river was a perfect level for this section. The run our tapers out into class 3 before the get out.
Do not paddle this section if the Barrage is full without contacting EDF that control the releases.
Yesterday (Thursday 9/6/05) was a run on 2 of the upper gorges on the Guil. Chateau Queyras and Guardian Angel. Colder evenings recently has lead to river levels to drop over the last couple of days which made these sections a technical but fast with some siphons to avoid. The exit drop on Chateau Queyras gorge is shallow and nasty with a tree stuck in the right hand line. With the current levels Guardian Angel is on its grade of a grade 4/5 gorge.
This afternoon is looking like an adventure into the Ubaye Gorge.
There is still some high snow so warm nights and hot days will bring water levels back up.
Aviento!
Jon Caterer
Darren Joy in the Guil Gorge.
Stuart Woodward.
Ollie Vann.
Tom Hatwell.
Simon Westgarth.