Upset Rapid is one heck of a ride. Upset Rapid is at river mile 150 on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, just above Havasu Creek. It has an interesting story behind how it got its frightening name. Upset was named in 1923 after brave lead boatman Emery Kolb flipped here in a small wooden boat. Emery Kolb was part of the 1923 Birdseye Expedition. The expedition was organized by the U.S. Geological Survey to make a new map of the Grand Canyon, which up until this point had not been properly mapped, let alone well-explored. Emery was chosen for this trip because of his knowledge of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon – even though he hadn’t run many trips through the place.
Upset Rapid is rated about an 8 on the 1-10 scale used in Grand Canyon. It is a fun and wet ride. You’ll encounter this rapid if you take one of Grand Canyon Whitewater’s Full or Lower Canyon rafting trips.
Make sure to hold on tight as your boatmen guide you through and keep your eyes open for the large hole at the bottom of the rapid!
Photo: “Emery Kolb in Upset Rapid only a couple of seconds before he capsized during 1923 Birdseye Expedition”
Photo courtesy of Huntington Digital Library: http://hdl.huntington.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16003coll5/id/22015/rec/14