175 Miles on The Forks of the Salmon

Hey there boys and girls,


We here at into the outside would like to issue a very sincere apology for our recent lack of blogging personality. Matt's been changing the world in Africa, Jacobs's been managing field burns on the weekends for his job, and I just haven't felt to love as of late. Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure what's happened this summer. In comparison to years prior, we've really struggled this summer getting missions to come together. McCoy creek came and went, shortly followed by the clear fork cowlitz. Before too long the Ohane and the Grand Canyon of the Elwha had both come in and promptly dropped out. We've all been so busy with our own shenanigans that most of our creaking plans have gone by the way side. We have generally failed this summer when it's come to 'shredding the gnar.' Alas.


That being said, I did start my 2014 summer off on the right foot. That proverbial foot was planted in the heart of Idaho for 10 days at the end of June with some fine folks. Disclaimer: For you visual learners out there, I've littered this text heavy post with lifestyle shots from the adventure.

Some of the crew mugging at Dagger Falls

The first leg of our trip started coming together all the way back in February when I managed to pull a June 21st permit for the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Salmon. I hadn't been so lucky in the last few years so I quickly put out the word and began to assemble a stellar group of individuals to tackle the 100 mile section. There already exists a trip report on here from our high water 2011 excursion, so I'll keep this fairly short, but that's not any nock on our 2014 trip. We opted to take 6 days this time and pretty much brought everything besides the kitchen sink.. With multiple gear rafts, plenty of eager kayakers anxious to pull their weight, and amazing weather, the middle fork was smooth like butter. I opted to row a raft on this trip, which allowed me to really take in the beauty of the canyon (with a beer in hand.) there was a lot less stress than last time with the moderate water level and every day was more fun than the previous. A particular high light for me was hiking 3 miles up Big Creek and play boating down the big water steep creek to the confluence. I got to practice my high bracing!

The Line-up at the Middle Fork 'get-in'

Every nigh we were treated to amazing meals and tasty beverages. Each campsite was great in its own way, even though we kinda struck out in the camp site allocation process. And we even got some great play boating in at the marble creek wave. The middle fork never disappoints!

Big Snag? Or Polly Lake?

After we finished up with the middle fork, myself, Dan, Jarred, and Jesse loaded up the ol' subby and headed for the small hamlet of Yellowpine, ID. Picking up my buddy Nick from Colorado along the way, we pulled into "town" around 1am before bedding down for the evening. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse at this point and the "30percent chance of rain" that was forecasted reared it's ugly head with 100% ferocity.. We woke up the next morning to rain showers and temps in the 50s. We helped ourselves to a good ol fashion country breakfast in "down town" yellow pine before loading up the kayaks and embarking on the second leg of our Idaho World Tour. The plan was to take 3 days to self support the East Fork South Fork Salmon (EFSF, 18 miles?) down to the confluence with the South Fork proper, then boat the classic multiday section of the SF before tackling the 25 mile paddle out on the main Salmon. All together, we had lined up a 75 mile section to accomplish.

Living the Good Life

Pulled Pork and Cold Beer Amongst the Pines

Although I don't have any stills from the white water portion of this trip, I still wanted to put together a report for the soul purpose of adding my endorsement to this section of river. The EFSF and the South Fork are incredibly classic sections of white water. At the level we had (4ft) I never felt that creek got any harder than 4+, but it maintained itself at that level for miles on end. Big crashing waves for days on end. This section is rightfully labeled as one of the better self support runs in the country and I'm stoked to have finally checked it out for myself.

A Couple First Time Bootie Drinkers

The highlight rapid for me is the first of the big drops on the South Fork, Devils Creek. The rapid required a strong move from left to right through some diagonal holes to avoid and nasty bit on the bottom left of the drop. Everyone came through just fine and the move wasn't overly difficult, but man was it fun!

Typical Scene on the MFS

After finding a choice campsite on river left (approx 12 miles into the SF) we caught a few hours of sunshine, between the rain storms, and cozyed up with a bottle of crown royal for a damp, cold Idaho evening. The next morning we awoke to consistent rain storms and wet gear. Having only brought dry tops along, we made the call to push for the take out that day, rather than spending a 2nd night out in the cold. The 2nd day on the river started with a bang. Just like day 1, endless miles of big water class 4 with some pusher stuff mixed in. We scouted a few times here and there, but everything was boat scoutable for the most part. Seriously, 1/2 mile long class 4+ big water boulder gardens! Does it get any better?

The Thriving Metropolis of Yellowpine, ID

Loading up for our self support leg.

The Sun did break through once , providing just enough time to dry some gear and snap this pic.

We were all a little bummed to see the SF come to an end at the confluence with the main salmon. After eating a hearty lunch at the confluence camp and waving at the passing multiday raft trips, we started the 25 mile slog down to the vinegar creek take out. This section was really pretty horrible. In the future, a second bottle of liquor or perhaps bribing your way onto jet boat might be more ideal. That being said, we made the best of the afternoon and knocked out the miles in just over 3.5 hours.


Alas, our trip had come to end. We loaded up the rig and headed into Riggins where we promptly gorged ourselves on ribs and Idaho Microbrews before getting a few miles of the drive home under our belts.


Both the middle fork and the SF combo was an amazing way to kick off my summer. I was stoked to get so many great days on the water with some many excellent friends and family. Thank you all for making it such an amazing time. It was so great, I may just have to head back to Idaho this Labor Day for another classic weekend on the NF payette. But I suppose that's a story for another time. For now, I just need to get to work on figuring out how to make this bliss last forever.


Catch y'all in the next eddy,

Nate

Intro to Whitewater Kayaking for Women

Into the Outside is happy to support such a cool event in the state of Oregon. Tell your friends!

From event organizer Cait Towse:

"Hey ladies!! Have you been wanting to try out whitewater kayaking but never had the gear or pals to get out with? Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe will be hosting SheJumps.org Intro to Whitewater Kayaking for Woman this month. You will go from ground zero to paddling whitewater in the course of the weekend, covering all the basic skills, and hanging out with some great women. It will be a great opportunity. I encourage you to come out and give this wonderful sport a try."

Exploratory close to home

   as told by Jeff Compton

      Upper Siouxon creek is a tributary to the north fork of the Lewis river about  an hour from Portland Oregon. Despite commonly having enough water to paddle, great class IV whitewater, beautiful old growth forest and being close to paddling epicenters, this delightful creek has only seen a handful of descents in the decade since the first descent.

     Scott Michael and myself set our sites on it based on the oregonkayaking.net description from the first descent at very low water. They gave an estimate for what a better flow might be and described miles of bedrock drops.  Supposedly there is a 2.5 mile hike from the top accessed by difficult to find and possibly 4wd logging roads or you can hike the whole thing from the bottom. It was rumored to be five miles. The only other info we could find was that a group had tried to hike up from the bottom and tired before they got to the good stuff.

   We decided to hike from the bottom. The take out is easy to find and it is a nice trail. Unfortunately we discovered, via the signs along the trail, that the hike is closer to seven miles, possibly more. It did allow us to check out some of the larger drops and where to portage them before putting on. We put in at the confluence of Siouxon and Calamity creeks. They were each too small to float on their own, but formed a creek just perfect for an IK. What we found were quite a few nice class IV bedrock drops, a twenty foot waterfall, two larger cascades that we portaged, and enough wood to keep us on our toes. We both swam at the bottom of the twenty footer at the beginning, but it was too good to pass up. Overall the trip was good, especially knowing that the work involved keeps most paddlers from ever running this stretch.



Upper Siouxon creek from Scott Michael on Vimeo.

PNW Winter Synopsis

Eric Adsit made a synopsis in numbers of this year in kayaking around the PNW.  Matt and I get a mention for a trip to Eagle Creek earlier this year.   Check out the other neat accomplishments in his article.

Grand Union Falls - Eagle Creek, OR

Article - http://www.canoekayak.com/pacific-northwest-winter-for-the-ages

Rock Creek Recon: C & K version

Photo: Keel Brightman

Ryan and Keel did a good job recounting our foray into the headwaters of Rock Creek in the Columbia Gorge for Canoe and Kayak magazine.  Apparently some of it is in the physical magazine for the June issue as well.

http://www.canoekayak.com/travel/rock-creek-recon/

Is it all just a cheap thrill, or so-called adrenaline rush?  Does it have a deeper purpose and meaning? It feels deeper to me.  It gives me something to dream about when I'm stuck in the mundane moments of life.  Something to remember that took everything I had in me to accomplish.  A rich sense of camaraderie and friendship that lasts a lifetime.  This time we experienced it on Upper Rock Creek.

   ~Keel Brightman



Blog write up of the trip here.

Little White Salmon River

Photo: Matt King


BETA

Stream: One of, if not the, quintessential class V backyard run in the world.  It can be paddled 365 days a year (about half those days is it flowing at it's prime), and has non-stop action the whole way with easy access and proximity to Hood River and Portland.

Most people's first trip down consists of following a guide down, if levels are below 3' you can figure it out yourself without undue consternation.  People building their skill set often ask how they know they are ready to run the Little White their first time.  The closest I can get to an answer is this:  When your boat does whatever you want it to, whenever you want it to, you are ready.  Another way of putting it is; you will know when you are ready.

The following beta relates to flows between 2.5'-3.5', the most common level for people who are stepping up to the Little White.  It gets run much higher, and the river does increase notably in difficulty. It also gets run down to about 1', but it's a different river at those levels.

The run starts with 1/4 mile of warm up before reaching Gettin' Busy, marked as of the last decade by a log jam that needs to be portaged left.  Gettin' Busy is a half mile long boulder garden.  This rapid is fast paced and many a first timer has exclaimed how surprised they are to be out of breath!  Kayaking is not often this cardiovascular.  The more you run the Little White, the more you learn to use the water instead of fight it.  While things come at you fast, typically the line is where the current is.  

Gettin' Busy ends in exceptional form at Boulder Sluice, one of the best drops on the run.  This 8' boof should be run off the peak of the launch pad at the lip or just to the left of it.  The first couple times I ran it my peripheral sensors were concerned I would hit the rock it the landing, but it's never happened to me.  While some people splat the rock, it is rare for someone in a creek boat to even touch it, let alone land or piton on it.

Boulder Sluice

                                                                                        Photo: Matt King

Downstream is some easier boogie before the river spreads out at Eye of the Needle, and stays that way to Island.  If you are showing yourself down this section is worth scouting, if you are following someone there is no need to have this part memorized.

At the Island, be ready to check out the rapid called Island.  Some years the rapid can be snuck to the right of island, but I have found it easier to portage left than bother with that.  The main line down the middle probably causes more problems for experienced Little White boaters than any other rapid on the run, but the consequences are justified towards pain over hypoxia relative to other rapids on the run.

Downstream the boulders start to give way to ledges, the first few are read and run, eventually leading to Sacriledge.  Sacriledge is to be taken seriously, this story is not the only close call that cave has produced.  Tentative first timers should run far left, nose pointed downstream.  As you get more comfortable, a fun boof option in the middle may be more appealing.

Sacriledge

 Nate Merrill

Photo: Matt King

A short bit of boogie leads to Double Drop, which can be scouted right if you are boating cautiously.  Beware sticky holes in the center of both ledges.  

Just downstream is one of the few inconsequential and named rapids on the Little White, Typewriter.  Drive center to right, a hydraulic breaking right to left at the bottom can take you for a fun ride (it doesn't hold boaters).

Some bouldery rapids continue downstream, leading to another island at Enchanted Forest.  Left of the island is a series of low angle slides (but has wood as of 2017), right is a bouldery rapid that can be read and run.

When the currents converge at the end of Enchanted Forest, get ready to eddy out and scout S-Turn in less than 100 yards.  This 10' waterfall offers a fun boof at the top, but demands much respect.  The second ledge is tricky, and the run out feeds under the downstream wall, there has been a fatality here.  Boaters often choose to run right-right to remove the thread of the cave.  


                Anna Herring taking the right-right line, this photo is taken from the roof of the cave.

Photo: Matt King

More read and run continue, the next named rapid is Backender.  This rapid has two short ledges, back to back.  The second one can flip boaters end over end, but is not sticky.

Some more boogie leads to Bowey's Hotel, where a busy lead in ends in a riverwide ledge.  The left side is sticky, the right side is easy.  If you are not following someone, and flows are low you can scout this one from the left.  You know you are there when there is yet another island, with a log extending into the right channel (circa 2018).

The next rapid downstream is Wishbone, a 20' waterfall.  If levels are 2.5' or above, the easiest line is about 6" off the left bank at the lip. If it is below 2.5' you will have to go center, but at those flows you can scout from the left just below Bowey's.  Or go center at any level if you want to feel the force of the Little White.  The right channel has been run, but it is not common.


                                                Lucas Glick, feeling the power.

Photo: Matt King

There is a big pool below Wishbone, the water exits into The Gorge/AKA The Squeezes.  This is worth a look from the left bank your first time down, if you look close you can see the horizon at Horseshoe downstream, the most common spot to cause trouble for boaters stepping up to the Little White. 

The Gorge can be entered right or left, then there are two holes to punch, center or center-left is where both flush best.  In the squirrelly water downstream, you must set up for Horseshoe.  Horseshoe should be run far right, but don't drive right too early.  If you go over in the right spot (the right side) with a strong right stroke the hydraulic is not hard to clear, if you do anything else, it is hard to clear.  This is a good place to be bold, and paddle aggressively.


Beatdown on the Little White Salmon from Nate Pfeifer on Vimeo.



The next horizon line is Stovepipe, scout and portage left or right (left is less hassle if you portage).  There are two lines at medium flow, right or main.  The main line is clean down to about 2.7' when it starts landing on a shelf/pothole.  The right side offers a great boof at the top, with a run-out.  The right side closes off/dries out around 2.5'.

One short and easy rapid leads to Contemplation Canyon, a short section of flat water during which the upcoming Spirit Falls is often contemplated.  More class III-IV boogie continues until the river bends right and over Spirit Falls around a semi-blind turn.  If levels are around 3' or less I like scouting/portaging left, but as levels rise a log jam downstream of the launch point can get hard to avoid for portagers.

The walk on the right side is starting to experience erosion with the influx of boaters running the Little White, and people hiking into Spirit for photos in recent years.

There have even been a handful of raft descents of Spirit Falls, Iv'e only heard of one where both paddlers stayed in the boat.  

Photo: Paul Thomson

Spirit Falls is a powerful drop and should be taken seriously.  It can hand out scary beat-downs, and has broken more backs than any other waterfall I am aware of.  Then just below is Chaos, a powerful ledge that has also handed out a lot of beat-downs.  Despite the hazards, Spirit Falls is an attention-grabbing, aesthetic drop that is as culturally significant to kayakers as it gets.  If you could plant the feeling of your first time in the pool below Spirit to a non-kayaker, for many boaters it would be as close as it gets to answering the question "why do you kayak?".  This drop fully lives up to it's reputation and deserves all the attention it gets, truly a contender for one of the more special places a kayaker can visit along the beaten path. That said, while many young kayakers run Spirit every lap (and sometimes more), it's also a drop that many "experienced" kayakers portage most of the time.  One of your runs over Spirit is going to be your last one, don't make it the one that compromises your back.    Scout, set safety, make good decisions.  For the easiest way to set safety at Chaos, portage right, the trail returns to the river just below Chaos.

                                          The right side of Chaos used to be considered extremely dangerous and paddlers tried to make a move to the left channel.  A transition of perspective occurred in the 20-teens and nowadays it's nearly 50/50 (and increasing yearly) that people go for the right side line.  Safety can be set by portagers or probers on the right from where this photo is taken.

Right line at Chaos

Photo: Matt King

Downstream are two channels, the left one ends in a log jam that has taken a life.  The right channel is easy.

Some class IV leads to the gauge (on the left in a pool) and Master Blaster.  Master Blaster is typically run left through some hydraulics, the last one can mess with you.  There are some other lines center and right, the rapid can be scouted right.

Master Blaster is the end of the class V, and it's now acceptable to let your guard down a bit.  Everything except the dams is read and run class II-III with some fun eddies to catch.  There are three low head dams, if you go off the top of them pointed straight downstream you may piton, if you are not pointed downstream when you land the hydraulic may hold you.  The higher the level, the stickier the holes at the base.  If you have made it this far, you will have no trouble sorting them out.

Landing off the last dam, you will find yourself in Drano Reservoir and it's really time to celebrate!  It's about 300 yards of flat water down to where the cars are parked.





  
Flows:  There is not an online gauge, but if you are on Facebook you can get a pretty good idea what is going on out there.  It can be run nearly every day of the year, but the majority of first time runs are done in April/May.

There is a gauge of the staff variety.  The friendliest first time flows are 3.0-3.5'.  A half foot in either direction of that is still in, and an additional half a foot past that is getting into the extreme's of what your typical boater will enjoy.  Yet another half foot beyond that in either direction and it's really not the Little White as the general kayaker population understands it anymore, but something else.

The definitive gauge is near the end of the run, just above Master Blaster on the left.  There is also a correlation gauge at the top of the run that is close to correct, enough so that you can at least have an idea of what you are getting into for the day.

The Little White is usually at the good first time flows of 3.0-3.5' in April/May.   By August, it is usually class IV.  The guys pushing the upper limits run it after heavy rains in the Winter and Spring.

Below are some videos from various flows.

At about 1.5'

Low Water Little White from Rogue Specimens on Vimeo.

At about 3'

Little white salmon from Difficult E on Vimeo.

At 5.4'

Access:  Bring some dollar bills for the bridge crossings.

The take out is just outside the gates for the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery (45.718726, -121.646259)

To get to the put in return to highway 14 and turn right (west).   0.6 miles later turn right onto Cook-Underwood Rd.  6.6 miles later you will cross over the bridge at the put in (45.779941, -121.628540).

One last video from Taylor Hazen.   It could be said the epicenter for the bro-brah culture in kayaking is Hood River and even more specifically the Little White Salmon River.  The humorous intro to this video nods to that.




Enjoy

Video from Worlds

Emile created this video from his trip down to Reno for the Squirt boat world championship.  Its a good one, take a look!



Worlds from Difficult E on Vimeo.