The Clyde Eddy Party »
In 1927, the Clyde Eddy party; a group of college students, a black bear cub named Cataract, and an Airedale mix named Rags, are credited as the first river expedition to run the rapid. River running in the late 19th and early 20th centuries often consisted of portaging or lining boats around the biggest rapids. During this formative era of river running, boaters had not yet honed the confidence necessary to run many rapids. Also, the river gear of the day, including boats, were not near as durable as they have now become. Mistakes and unforeseen consequences in rapids, often led to dire situations. Because of these realities, Clyde Eddy insisted on portaging his boats and gear around Badger Creek, believing instead the rapid was the notorious Soap Creek. Later that day, the group ran Soap Creek without incident. It wasn’t until the party was further downstream that Eddy realized his error of judgement, and that his expedition was in fact the first to run Soap Creek.