Due to the longest and heavest snow fall in europe this winter for at least 20 years. The rivers are running at super high levels,unlike in previous years it would take a minimum of 3 good days of 30+ degrees heat to bring up the high alpine runs to a sporty level. The issue wIth this season is the fact that the runs are often to high.

But this is a refreshing change and is making us more proactive in the fact we are now having to venture further a field to new runs.

With the rafting season starting slowly we all have still plenty of time and energy.( but very little money)

the main focus has been in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland known as Tessin this is a european hotspot known for runs such as the Versazca,and Canobino, but armed with some local knowledge the tributries of the main runs offer some great granite bedrock slides and large clean runnable drops.

 After a nite in the bar dicussing the next trip we came to the conclusion that we would head to a river called the Averserheine on the San Bernadino pass,with only short write ups in any guidebook of the river we had no idea what to expect.  We set off ,on reaching the valley we were concerned that the whole river right bank was a sheer 800m sheer cliff so decesion was oh well. theres always the left to escape. Having been in this position before it was decided a first aid kit ,wrap kit and fire starting material would be a good idea not forgeting the tabac of course!

After a plesent run of 1km or so we hit the entry to the gorge the whole river sumped under a 500m wide lavina (an avalance accross the river) as we hike over  it.we relise there would be more, due to the fact the snow just could not hang on to the sheer wall to our right after  2 more lavina portages we set off from a small eddy Jarrod, first headed round what looked like a no sweat corner i followed to see jarrod franticly signaling me to join him in a small micro eddy as i did i grabbed the cockpit of his boat edging mine towards him to stay in the eddy. As i glanced over my sholder there was a large horizon line with yet another lavina 10m down stream as we where now both stuck and despately blowing on our whistles to gain dannys attention he was our only hope as he was still in a position to exit his boat l up stream,The last thing we needed to see was him venture round the corner(fuckin idiot) sorry danny.

So now all 3 of us where stuck with jarrod loosing his kiwi grip a decseion had to be made the phone was in the back of a kayak so calling the helecopter was not an option what seemed like hours passed in minutes and the the kiwi piped up im fuckin goin with out any disscussin jarrod head off the middle of the drop we waited in angst to see the outcome after a few seconds he appeared on the left side armed with a throw bag a signaling to make a boof in the middle i peeled out headed over the 7m verical cauldron drop followed by idiot number 3 after all having a large arrgument followed by silence we carry over the next snow bridge to be confronted with another tight canyon we make the descion  to call it a day after 2 hours of climbing we reach the road.

looking back it seems funny but this was one of mine, and all concerned "close call moments" all esculating from 1 small wrong decsion as all accidents/fatalaties do. With  perversrhein behind us we have now all been paddleing  pretty much fullltime for the last 6 weeks and are feeling physicly/mentaly/ and piss fit.  Here are some pics from off our outings isonere, upper canobino,medesbach & averserhiene

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