Be aware, careful of American River's dangerous rapids

The names for the American River's rapids are a clue to their dangers: Troublemaker. Hospital Bar. Satan's Cesspool.They are not meant to strike a little fear into the rafter's heart or sensationalize the thrills of riding the rapids as if they were some amusement park's latest rollercoaster. These names are a reminder that the river commands respect. It can give you the ride of your life - but it can also take your life.Unfortunately, that statement came true last week when 27-year-old Shauna Pikul of Citrus Heights drowned in the Middle Fork of the American River, just south of Murderer's Bar.According to the Placer County Sheriff's Department, she accidently went through the rapid after falling out of her inner tube. She was not wearing a life jacket.Signs warn boaters to pull their vessels out at Mammoth Bar to avoid the "unrunnable Murderer's Bar rapid," according to the rafting Web site, www.gorp.away.com.But this particular swirling rapid is a magnet for thrill seekers. The Class V-plus rapid is a challenge to some boaters, who navigate the sharp-walled gorge and its turbulent whitewater. However, most experienced boaters will not go through it, noting the adventure is not work the risk.Although the name comes from a group of gold miners who were killed there, the rapid has claimed more than a few lives. Pikul joins 18-year-old Morgan McHugh who also drowned there in 2004.These deaths should serve as a reminder to all that the river is a serious force that should not be traversed by the unprepared or the inexperienced.Rafters and kayakers must remember as they take to the American River this summer that they can't be too careful. Always wear a life jacket. Enjoy whitewater only with an experienced river guide. Carry safety gear such as a first aid kit, throw rope, and flip line. And always take out before Murderer's Bar when on the Middle Fork.