Double Dip Rapid (Class III) - Bighorn sheep canyon

It’s easy to overlook the class III rapid known as Double Dip since the first of the two drops or ‘dips’ is actually quite gentle. The second dip, however, will nearly always pack a punch and jostle a crew no matter how well prepared they are for the hit!

In this rapid the Arkansas River is forced to the right side of the channel due to a few large boulders blocking the river left side. So much water is pushed to the right side that a reactionary wave comes off the right shoreline where the biggest drop occurs. All of this combines to form a punchy hit at every river flow, catching crews off guard at times. Guides routinely T-up or set their rafts perpendicular to this big hit which makes for a larger feeling hit, but also keeps the raft in control immediately following the sizeable wave. It’s a short rapid, but always a fun one to see on the Bighorn Sheep Canyon trip.