Turnback Canyon
| Turnback Canyon | ||
|---|---|---|
 The southern end of the Turnback Canyon from the helicopter, the key point in the middle |
||
| location | Cassiar Land District , British Columbia , Canada | |
| Waters | Alsek River | |
| Mountains | Alsek Ranges , Elias chain | |
| Geographical location | 59 ° 47 ′ N , 137 ° 55 ′ W | |
|
||
| Type | Klamm | |
| height | 270 m | |
| length | 12 km | |
| particularities | almost impassable | |
The Turnback Canyon is a canyon in the middle reaches of the Alsek River in the Canadian province of British Columbia . The pathless gorge is around 12 kilometers long and offers the most difficult, mostly impassable white water for canoeists . 300 m² of ice-cold water flows through the canyon every second, mixed with blocks of ice from the Tweedsmuir glacier , which calves into the river just above .
history
The Alsek River is pushed by the Tweedsmuir Glacier onto the steep slope of Mount Blackadar , where over time it has carved a gorge out of the rock. Already the Tlingit , the First Nations resident here , it was considered a barrier when settling the area to the north. The prospectors and prospectors who moved towards Klondike at the end of the 19th century mostly used rivers as traffic routes in the pathless wilderness. However , they failed at the Turnback Canyon and gave it its current name, which translates as "Gorge of Reversal" . Even the king salmon are unable to overcome it, which means that the Alsek, the only river in the area, does not have any salmon on its upper reaches.
wild Water
On August 25, 1971, Walt Blackadar discovered the Turnback Canyon for paddling and set a monument for himself with its first ascent. Since his paddling friends had replied that "they are not tired of life", Blackadar just sailed the river solo and caused a sensation all over North America. After he hit a block of ice in the middle of the canyon that had got stuck in a roller, his kayak leaked, and he barely escaped with his life, he wrote in his logbook:
“A tremendously terrible stretch, the worst boiling rapids a paddler can imagine, nine meters wide, two thousand cubic meters of water per second and a gradient of twenty degrees, a ride in hell. Incredible! I didn't capsize, otherwise I wouldn't be able to write these words again ... I would never repeat that, not for $ 50,000, not for all of China's tea. Listen to my words and don't be a fool. It is impassable! "
The original text is:
“One huge horrendous mile of hair (the worst foamy rapids a kayaker can imagine), 30 feet wide, 50,000 cubic feet per second and a twenty degree downgrade going like hell. Incredible! I didn't flip in that mile or I wouldn't be writing… I'll never go back, not for $ 50,000, not for all tea in China. Heed my words well and don't be a ass! It's unpaddleable! "
The next attempt by a French group resulted in a death and the survivors of the capsizing had to be rescued by helicopter.
The second visit was made in 1981 by the Bavarian “white water pope” Hans Memminger together with Mike Hierl and Klaus Streckmann. The film River of Grizzlys and Glaciers was made .
The Austrians Uschi Breithofer as well as Michael and Wolfgang Ott made the third and at the same time first ascent with a raft in 1983. They documented their trip in the award-winning film White Water, Blue Ice .
The technical difficulties of the Turnback Canyon in terms of whitewater are the enormous force of the water, coupled with the gradient and speed. The first half is a winding canal, without eddy water, but with meter-high pulsating mushrooms. It is almost never possible to unwind and tour the route in stages. The most dangerous place is in the middle of the gorge: a narrow point almost ten meters wide with a several meter high slope. The roller behind it cannot be avoided, and correctly assessing its retraction is essential for survival. The Austrians later confessed in a television interview: “Getting through this point safely was probably more luck than ability.” After that, the canyon becomes wider, reservoirs alternate with narrow passages, and the difficulties gradually decrease.
The visit is reserved for absolute specialists, even if the conditions are ideal. A previous inspection with a detailed study of the course is an essential requirement. The national park rangers generally advise against entering the Turnback Canyon .
If the Alsek River is kayak or raft, the Turnback Canyon , on the right-hand side, over moraines and the Tweedsmuir Glacier is difficult to carry around. Or you can use a helicopter to translate what needs to be arranged in Haines Junction before starting the tour .
literature
- Russ Lyman, Joe Ordonez, Mike Speaks: The Complete Guide to the Tatshenshini River including the Upper Alsek River . Cloudburst Productions, Haines, Alaska 2000, ISBN 0-9728122-1-0 (English).
Web links
- Alsek River , German-language river description.
- American Whitewater Whitewater Info: Alsek (English)
- Turnback Canyon at Natural Resources Canada
Individual evidence
- ^ Hans Memminger: River of Grizzlys and Glaciers , BR, 1982.
- ^ John Firth: Raging Alsek current can be deadly , Whitehorse Star, June 1, 1983.
- ↑ Ursula Breithofer and Wolfgang Ott: Weißes Wasser, blue ice , ORF, 1986.
- ↑ Youth magazine OKAY , ORF, July 31, 1983.