What was the river condition when they reached it?

• A. The river was low
• B. The river was high and strong
• C. The river had frozen
• D. The river was calm

Answer: (B)

River conditions control risk in wilderness travel and the feasibility of moving forward. When they reached the river, it was high and strong—a swollen, fast-moving current driven by snowmelt and recent rain. That combination makes crossing dangerous or impossible, shaping their decisions and increasing the tension of the moment. If the river had been low or calm, crossing might have been feasible and the outcome different; a frozen or still river would present a different risk entirely, but the high, powerful river here explains why they could not continue as planned and foreshadows the isolation that follows.