To Hell(gate) and Back

Jill's Journal: With a name like Hellgate, it’s bound to be an adventure. And it was! Today was all about pure fun for all of us. Here we’re just getting started on a jetboat adventure, not long before we all got drenched (over and over and over again). Our family is in the very back row. Rob’s in the orange cap, I’m to the left in the black t-shirt, and the girls are sandwiched between us.

We boarded a jetboat, passing first under the Caveman Bridge to leave town, for 36 miles of a wild and wonderful, roller coaster-like ride on the Rogue River. These boats dash through the water, careening first right, then left, then back again, at a top speed of about 45mph. They can stop on a dime, which dips the bow and lifts the stern, sending a wave of water crashing over all occupants. And you’d better hold on tight, because these jetboats can also spin in a dizzying 360 degrees.

Here’s Erika and Madelyn after the first of many sprays of water. You know it’s going to be fun (and wet) when you’re warned Hellgate Jetboats isn’t liable for any damage to cell phones, cameras, etc. They warn men to wear baseball caps backward or preferably tie them on. Same with glasses. Happily, as crazy as the ride feels, it’s also nice and safe, so small children do just fine. Even so, we kept them in the middle of the boat and held onto them good and tight!

The captain of the boat gets a windshield and windshield wipers, if that gives any indication of what a wet ride it is.

And did I mention the scenery is magnificent? Hollywood has discovered it too. This is where “The River Wild” with Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon was filmed, as was “Rooster Cogburn” with John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn. Matt Dillon also escaped a gang here in “Gunsmoke.”

That’s a bald eagle in the treetop. We’ve never seen one in the wild before – awesome. We also saw a red-tailed hawk, ospreys, turkey vultures, and deer on the ride.

That narrow part we’re about to enter is the official entrance to Hellgate Canyon.

Simply stunning.

It just keeps getting better and better.

This was hilarious…there’s a friendly rivalry between the jetboats and the rafters. Several rafts full of cheerily-inebriated folks had massive water guns waiting for us. They lined up on both sides of the canyon to pelt us with streams of water. We cheered heartily as our boat captain returned the favor with a nice wave of water. Too fun!

The high winds from speeding along dried us quickly each time. Here’s a happy family. Well, all except for one of us, who can get a little temperamental when there’s a camera pointed her way.

But she had a ball too. Here she is three seconds later.

One last shot of that lovely Caveman Bridge upon our return.

And three little girls, drying out from the river water and remembering how much fun they had going to hell(gate) and back.