The End of the Canadian Backcountry

Kara Sahagian

9/16/17

Our morning started out on our own on the beach of Glassy Falls. I was hesitant to climb out of our tent due to the bear noises we heard not that long ago. I peaked my head out and saw that the coast was clear. Austin and I paved the way as navigation boat. We crossed several rock gardens to which we found ourselves getting stuck many times of these shallow rocks. Our distance grew shorter and we could now see the start of our third and last class 1 rapid for the day. Austin in the stern and I in the bow, slapped our paddles together in readiness to take on this rapid. The excitement in our eyes dimmed out as the view of a rock straight ahead quickly took its place. I had never drew right and yelled, “right!” so hard and loud in my life. As Austin drew right instead of ruttering, we flipped over the rock and landed in the water. The cold water shocked our bodies right away. We gathered our gear and boat then our loving ECOEEians gave us their dry gloves and we set out for Mattice once again. Arriving rather late and cold, we changed and ate at Tim Horton’s where I ate real food to which my mouth watered in abundance from. It was so strange seeing cars, people, my face, and toilets. It is crazy how only a month without all these things seems like a piece of heaven. I am both happy and sad that the Canadian backcountry is behind us. It will forever hold a place in my heart. It is, in fact, where I became a rapid junkie. #ISurvivedTheClass1