Nelson's Other Brush with Death on the Colorado River

[DrW]

the bended raft became a giant sling and shot me in the air. I landed into the roiling rapids of the river. I had a hard time coming up. Each time I tried to find air, I hit the underside of the raft. My family couldn't see me, but I could hear them shouting ...

I finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water.

That’s uncanny. I had the exact same experience on the Snake river, that I’ve posted online over the years. I wonder if his speech writers troll online forums for material?

- Doc

My only experience in Hell's canyon was in a jet boat. Our three youngest had a never to be repeated rafting experience on the Zambezi River, though, while my wife an I watched from another raft. Their entire raft, and all aboard, went under in the roil of a rapid known as the 'Overland Truck Eater'. About two seconds later the raft, sans everyone but the guide, shot out of the water with most of it clearing the surface two or three feet. After what seemed like a long time, the helmet covered heads of the teenage crew bobbed one by one above the surface. All six were eventually pulled back into the raft, no doubt to the disappointment of the small crocodiles watching from the shallows.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I was terrified

Like the woman across the way on his flight that nearly went down? He wasn't secure in his faith?

Oh, man. Great point.

- Doc

[Dr Moore]

Lava Falls
https://www.advantagegrandcanyon.com/lava-falls/

Class 10 rapids. "If you manage to make a clean pass, the run through Lava Falls will only take between 10 and 12 seconds. "

Anyway, what kind of inexperienced fraidy-cat takes their 7 year old through that?

What year would this have been, if his (presumably from context) youngest daughter was 7?

And... with or without a guide? This part reads like he had a guide.

When I saw what was ahead, I immediately asked to beach the raft

Who besides a guide could he have "asked" to beach the raft?

If with a guide, then he's really over-embellishing his role in safety. Guides would have had that covered, and in that case Nelson was simply being an over-cautious paranoid client.

If no guide, then who was he ordering around to beach the raft? And what was he doing running down class 10 rapids with a 7 year old while evidently being so inexperienced as to have been tossed from the raft because he held onto his family rather than holding onto safety grabs or ropes (and encouraging his family to do the same to begin with)?

[Gadianton]

If no guide, then who was he ordering around to beach the raft? And what was he doing running down class 10 rapids with a 7 year old while evidently being so inexperienced as to have been tossed from the raft because he held onto his family rather than holding onto safety grabs or ropes (and encouraging his family to do the same to begin with)?

great point about the guide. But if there were a guide, then why did his family pull him back in rather than the guide?

[Tom]

I've checked with the major Colorado River running guides in business in 1972. They've either tossed their records or have no record of a large family named Nelson taking a trip in 1972. Knowing that some businesses take photos at Horn Creek, I also asked them to check for negatives of a middle-aged man flying through the air at the spot that summer. Nothing.

Another version of the story indicates that they left their four-month-old son behind: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... d?lang=eng.

[Gadianton]

some random information, sorry for lack of sources, just copy/paste:

May 27, 2020 — A difficulty rating of Class 10 on the 1-10 Grand Canyon scale (Class V on the international scale of river difficulty),

Class II–III or III–IV rapids are an excellent place to start with older, adventurous children, though many operators require a minimum age of 12 for Class IV. Do not embark on a Class IV+ rapids trip unless you are confident that your children will cope should they be flung from the boat and swept downstream away from you. Class V rapids can be dangerous and generally require experience.

Generally speaking, kids under 12 are best suited for trips up to Class III.

Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE). Earlier this year, we had one passenger named Laura but a different last name. Our minimum age for our Grand Canyon trips is 12 years old and we do not take a lot of children on our expeditions.

Class IV - Difficult. Long and powerful rapids and standing waves; souse holes and boiling eddies. Powerful and precise maneuvering required. Visual inspection mandatory. Cannot be run in canoes unless the craft is decked or properlyequipped with flotation bags. Advance preparations for possible rescue work important.
Class V - Extremely difficult. Long and violent rapids that follow each other almost without interruption. River filled with obstructions. Big drops and violent currents. Extremely steep gradient. Even reconnoitering may be difficult. Rescue preparations mandatory. Can be run only by top experts in specially equipped whitewater canoes, decked craft, and kayaks.

https://paddling.com/learn/classificati ... -canoeists

[Symmachus]

Another brush with death? Jesus, that guy's had more close encounters than John Dehlin.

[Dr Moore]

So this story may be more about an irresponsible dad putting his kids in harms way, rather than some emulation worthy leadership lesson about rushing a family councils in the midst of danger. Good lesson.

[Dr LOD]

Sheesh, they take normal semi exiting life experiences and turn them into a religious experience. Man if I ever make it to that level in church leadership I could bend a whole bunch of fun stories stories of my younger adventurous days into a faith promoting rumor.

I did almost the same thing when I was fourteen but on the Green River. Except I did exactly what the guide told us to to in that situation. I have the impression that most of guys in church leadership don't really get out and actually do things. And are overly risk adverse.

[Dr Moore]

Right?!?!

It's like, let's take a family vacation to Tehran for some sun and exposure to other cultures. Experience harassment on day 1 while out for dinner at a local restaurant. Ask the family to hold an emergency family council about staying in the safety of the hotel. Boom - excellent story about holding to the iron rod and staying in the boat. Give me a break with this rafting story.