C-Forum

....no worries, there's not a floater out there just somebody with selective phone answering syndrome,..so anyways... just looking for some patient paddlers in so. oregon or no. cali, that i can tag along with come spring-ish ness,
IF this is the wrong place to post this pleeze just advize me , don't ridicule me i dont think i can take the rejection!
c~*

http://www.l-ccc.org/
Lower Columbia Canoe Club, Milkman and a couple others I think are members. Check these guys out, looks like a high quality crew! Look that club up on youtube for some awesome vids (of look in the video section here for Milkman's vids..)

Welcome!

hey, I get up to the smith sometimes. just got back from t-day weekend up there.
if you ever come down into norcal let me know.

The Lower Columbia Canoe Club is the club for open boaters and C1ers in Oregon. Most trips are close to Portland, but we do get down to the North Umpqua and other southern rivers from time to time. We also have some members in Ashland and Klamath Falls that could be looking to do some local runs in S. Oregon. You can shoot me an email at president@l-ccc.org to get a free copy of the Dec newsletter.

Also check the Williamette Canoe & Kayak Club. There were some C-boaters and OC 1 paddlers there.

thx for all your responses i wil check all this out and larry i would love to do the smith , will keep in touch
c~*

cool.
maybe over the new years weekend..

What section of the Smith?

Carol

First time we did SF Smith, didn't know about the trail! This was @ 1992 at Stephen Bridge

[img]http://images.myphotoalbum.com/r/ra/rap ... .sized.jpg[/img]

great pic, , and good ? ,larry what section you have in mind?

north fork south fork middle fork patricks creek..etc. etc.
the great thing about that area is there's almost always a run or two that's in, unless it's 40 K at jed smith. then you may have to wait a day for the water to drop.
If it's low water, then the south fork and oregon hole gorges are fun.
At medium-high flows, everything goes, but my fav is the it's north fork! big and fluffy.

Back in 1993, we did the Gasquet ran at 10,700 CFS, paddling a Dagger Dimension. This was measured when the old gauge was at the confluence with the North Fork. This was the first year of the State of Jefferson downriver race and slalom course, and we were part of the safety sweep.

The following day after the slalom race, (which was held at the put in for the South Fork gorge), we ran the South Fork above the gorge. No notes on what the flow was, but I would speculate approximately 6000 CFS at the old gauge. Just above Surprise, we were full of water, stalled on the eddy line, and almost ran it backwards.

As we were watching the slalom race, my stern paddler proposed! Three Dimensions and 17 years later, we're still happily paddling together.

Needless to say the Smith River holds a very special place in my heart. But, I don't think I would paddle the Smith at those flows now.

Carol

what a beautiful story, , so if you all come up with a date let me kno,
i dont mean to flake out buti cant be sure, abt having the time free around the holiday, about getting hold of a dry suit, (i do not own one, yet) and about whether it is within my skill level, ...if you do the nf run you mentioned what class is it mostly and ,,,:) how technical? i really DO want to do this river, but, i really dont want to ruin any bodies day by attempting something i'm not ready for..christy~*

I was probably there in '93 as well (thanksgiving weekend) I remember that slalom course gave me mixed feelings.. as I was heading into the gorge for my first ever class five (at the time it was "easy" class five) run, I tried to run the gates and missed half of them .
NOT very confidence inspiring.. but it shows how challenging slalom is.

The North Fork is (unless it a real high flow) all class 3+ with a few easy fours. It's not (unless it's real low) technical at all. Big fat lines. There are some big wave trains that are just a hoot. At med/high flows, all you have to do is stay out of the massive holes, but like I said, there are big lines around 'em and it's pretty easy. If you're confident in 3+ it's a good one for you. Definately need to dress warm!

kanukyotee,

Are you comfortable paddling the Mckinsey or Umpqua Rivers? I feel that the South Fork of the Smith above the gorge, would be more difficult than these two rivers. The Gasquet run probably a notch down, but the North Fork a notch above. And the water is very cold.

I have never done the North Fork, that it is a complete wilderness run, it's a place where you would not want to get into trouble, or change your mind after you started. Probably similar to the Illinois River in terms of being remote.

Also, as Larry stated, the Smith Rivers can come up over 20,000 and more CFS in less than 12 hours. So paying attention to the weather forecast is very important if you're arriving from out of the area.

But, my thoughts and opinions come from a tandem paddler perspective, not a little solo play boat.

Carol