Kayakers Steve Fisher and Pat Keller discuss dealing with the worst drought in recorded memory. Their goal is to run a slide called Graceland in preparation for the Merced River in Yosemite. Sponsored by Jeep Renegade.
"Professional stunt. Do not attempt." ...unless you're another professional or at least a very good non-pro. I ran this thing and it was at the same time the most fun thing I've ever run, and the most terrifying thing I've ever run. You have to stay upright or you'll sandpaper your face right off. If you think you'd enjoy getting a facial with a belt sander, then by all means, roll right over. Another hazardous thing about this run is that water cavitation over many years drilled a hole through the rock near the bottom of the slide over to the right, and if you hit it, you will get very badly messed up and possibly even die. You get going quite fast on the way down, and the sudden stop you'd experience if you hit that hole... well, try your luck kissing a tractor-trailer rig in oncoming traffic on the Interstate. Getting bounced by an angry street gang is likely to end better. It looks like a water slide, but it's not a water slide. Just know that if you're not a very experienced kayaker and a very strong paddler that you will probably see a white light on the way down, and the next thing you'll see are your ancestors.
