C-Forum

Trip leader has canceled our Desolation Canyon Trip end of June

I'm looking for information regarding the North Fork of the John Day. My understanding is that it's doable in open canoes above 2000 CFS. Anybody have any thoughts and or suggestions?

I'm also thinking about the Deschutes River. Sharer Falls to Moody. What is it like in the 6000 to 7000 CFS range? Again, open canoes with raft support.

I had earlier asked for information regarding the Owyhee, but nobody's interested in it
Again, thanks in advance for your thoughts

Carol K

NF John Day is good from 1500 and up, though I wouldn't get on it with rafts if it was 1500 and falling on the gauge. Short run--three or four nights is about the most you can stretch it, but some good hiking and beautiful ponderosa pine country.

Can't get anyone interested in the Owyhee? That's blasphemy. Stunning canyon country. Great swimming. Some excellent rapids. What's it take to light a fire under those canoes?

I don't recall the cfs but we did an early summer run on the NF John Day in open boats and it was not difficult -- maybe 2+? There are a few sharp bends but no big or extended drops. It was a nice self support trip with good primative camping and scenery.

Carol,

I just returned from a trip on the lower Owyhee (June 10 - 13). We had 4,000cfs at the put-in and 3,500cfs at the take-out. Absolutely wonderful trip. Rivals the Middlefork and Main Salmon - but different. I much prefer this outing to the Clarno to Cottonwood section of the John Day. Unfortunately, I can't speak with any experience about the Northfork of the John Day. In case you are interested, here is the link to some photos that I have just uploaded on Picasa: https://picasaweb.google.com/53kimbo/Ow ... fXT0bG4Zg#

Marc

nice pics marc. looks like a fun trip. no pictures of you playing with the scorpion? i'm schocked!

Marc,

Great pictures! Thank you so much for sharing.

So our raft support had to cancel, so we are now down to three canoes going self contained! Right now it's a race and on how quickly which river drops. I had a nice conversation with the Owyhee River ranger, Dave, and his personal guess is that by the 25th of June it will be down to 1000 CFS.

So questions: any idea how the Owyhee at that low of a flow for open boats? Loaded, too.
Drinking water. He said the main stem has a real high arsenic content, I know that there is a freshwater spring at mile 18, but what about other sources of good drinking water?

Birch creek take out: do you think a Toyota Rav4 would make it?

Thanks again for all your input,

Carol

Carol,

Ranger Dave was very informative about the river and knows something about canoeing. Dave has an MR ME and has canoed the river at 50cfs - if you can believe him. I think that he and milkman would be the best source for information about running the river at 1,000cfs. Don't forget about the links I posted in the original Owyhee thread - those individuals were running the river in canoes at 350 - 650cfs. Personally, I would love to run the river at a lower level, say 1,000 - 2,000 cfs, and plan on it in the future.

As for the Birch Creek road, all is very good dirt until you get to the canyon. There are three (?) questionable creek crossings, two of which I probably wouldn't take my RAV across -I have the sport model, which is a little bit lower than the standard model. The shuttle is about 2 hours, one way. You don't need a 4WD if the road isn't wet, as a high clearance 2WD is fine.

The Weeping wall (mile 17) is the only water source that seemed easily accessable. Not sure about that. You might check with Ranger Dave.

Sorry that I'm not more help here.

Gabe, self-portraits with scorpians are difficult. As for the river, it was a lot of fun buddy. Nothing real difficult, mostly a lot of nice class 2 water, with a couple of class 3's. Nothing more difficult than that, but loads of fun and great scenery.

Marc