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Show PAGE 26 THE ZEPHYR AUGUST 89 Womam of this River by John Weisheit Georgia Clark (White) Is an enigma to Whitewater rafting who lives and works with us today. Working actively on rivers since 1945, this spry woman of 78 personally leads and guides nine Grand Canyon river trips during a typical summer season. Every other weekend at the boat ramp at Lee's Ferry In Arizona, she Is as common a wonder as the area. Georgle loves Lees Ferry and enjoys the boatpeople who also come to rig their boats, whether they be private or commercial. This Is why I enjoy Georgle; she considers those of us (who are In reality river babes) equals, as we rig our boats with electrical hook-u-ps for pumps to Inflate the boats in a broiling sun. For her, the only common denominator is the broiling sun. It takes only a day to rig a boat, but Georgle does It in parts of three days and It Is quite IntentlonaL She savors every hour, sipping a beer now and then while talking to a potential customer and swapping stories with the boatpeople she knows and cares for ... stories she has enjoyed for 44 years. Georgle started her river running career In our canyon country to help remedy the death of her daughter, Sommona Rose. Sommona was killed in an automobile related accident while they were enjoying a bicycle holiday from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Though Georgle still grieves for Sommona, her loss was eventually eased by a growing and appreciative love for wilderness and river adventure. Georgle's first river experience was with a man named Harry Aleson who was intrigued with the Idea of successfully completing an power boat run In the Grand Canyon. . Apparently Harry was also Interested In the feasibility of floating the Colorado by swimming should there be an accident; a river trip was soon planned with his fellow hiking Sierra Club member, Georgle White. In 1945, during spring run-o- ff from Diamond Creek In western Grand Canyon (actually they hiked upstream several miles for their up-ri- Later In her career as a guide, she tried new and different river running Ideas that lead to what Is now known as the triple-r- ig were rowing and ig. . (G for Georgle.) Georgles triple-ri- gs Three boats were tied rigs of lengths from 15 to 18 feet together, with an upstream and a downstream oarsman angling for G-r- ver wearing only lifejackets and with food stored In waterproof containers, they swam the rapids of the Lower Granite Gorge Into Lake Mead. It was quite an endeavor according to their Journals as they nearly drowned In the whirlpools and eddy lines of the flood waters. Georgles first rafting experience was again with her friend, Harry Aleson, In a 12 foot World War II assault craft known as a seven-ma-n. They launched on a late October trip In 1947 that took two weeks from Green River, Utah, to Hites Crossing (now submerged by the upper waters of Lake Powell). It was a successful but cold trip and Harry, to the disappointment of Georgle, left an Inscription that Is still easily found across from Capsize rapid on the right bank of Cataract Canyon. In July of 1952, with her friend Elgin Pierce, she did her first Grand Canyon river rafting trip in a 15 foot World War II assault boat known as a ten-mElgin and Georgle had their fun with a rapid known as Hance. Losing an oar at the start of the rapid and with Elgin pitched out of the boat, Georgle managed as best as she could but was soon In the water as well, with a flipped boat They spent the night recovering food from their overturned boat And In the morning, they flipped the boat back over and continued. It turned out to be a successful Journey. put-l-n,) . an. SPRINT SALVAGE 981 e. holyoak In 259-851- 7 r ask for jerry we pick up your junk or you can deliver quotes given on salvage complete radiator service Georgle White (Clark), In Glen Canyon, 1959. position sideways through the rapids. Most times there also was a motorman in the middle of the three boats to assist with placement In rapids and guiding In the flat water. The is the biggest inflatable on earth and to some people it Is offensive. There is, however, beauty In the beast The but with pontoons In lengths of Is a boat like the triple-r- ig 33 to 37 feet The middle pontoon Is a 37 footer and houses a modest 25 h.p. Johnson motor. With these boating Innovations, Georgle pioneered commercial river rafting In rubber boats as we know It today. Besides the Green and Colorado rivers, she has piloted trips In the Pacific Northwest Canada, Alaska and Latin America. As I mentioned, there Is beauty In the beast that Is made of Would three pontoons 27 feet wide and 37 feet long. The flucwith In the Grand Canyon you be able to drive such a craft tuating flows from 3000 to 30,000 cfs at the age of 78 years and think it not challenging? My friend If you dont, youre not the boatman or boatwoman you claim to be. Georgle J arid that is why I admire her so. G-- rlg G-- rig G-r- ig. John Weisheit Is a river guide and the manager of Descent River Expeditions. |