A First Descent

Before May 31st, 1959, the Upper Yough was a line on a map, a guess in a guidebook. Three boaters changed that.

The Learning Curve

It took a decade for boaters to tame the Upper Yough.

Shootout At Sang Run

Boaters were caught between an environmental movement and a group of angry locals.

The High Water Mark

At high water, nobody makes it through Tommy's Hole unscathed.

Heinzerling

Bill Heinzerling had a really bad day on the river.

Meatcleaver

Meatcleaver was the only rapid named on the first descent, but it's a name that was forgotten soon after.

Wright’s Hole

Up until Jack's mishap at Wright's hole, a swim on the Upper Yough was really bad news.

Cheesburger Falls

Cheeseburger Falls is one of the weirder rapid names in existence.

Charlie’s Choice

Your first run down the Upper Yough probably wasn't as memorable as the one Charlie Walbridge's first run.

What Almost Wasn’t

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There were supposed to be dams at Swallow Falls and Sang Run.

Bastard Falls

Watching the other members of his group disappear over the horizon line at Gap Falls, Dan was nervous.

The Guides

As the Upper Yough grew in popularity, a new avenue opened up for the sport.

The Upper Yough Race

From the very first race, the challenge became, how in the hell do you go faster than Roger Zbel?

The Little Town In The Woods

Kendall is the name most people remember. But it wasn't the first name of the little town a few miles above Friendsville, nestled tightly between the river and its canyon walls.

Tommy’s Hole

As Tom disappeared around the corner, I doubt his group imagined what would happen next.

Rapid Names

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Boaters have been running the Upper Yough for over 60 years. Contained within that period are a myriad of stories, and a select few have given birth to rapid names.

Lost and Found

Bob Alexander put on to a rising river, and a single bad line gave the rapid a second name.