Middle Fork Salmon, ID

[Heidi]

Anyone done an August or low flow trip on the MFS? It's around 760cfs now and dropping daily, AW puts the low minimum at 1200, is that minimum for rafters? Looking for any information, predictions, opinions, etc...scheduled for an August 8 putin, self-supported OC1 for seven days. I can't seem to get a grasp of NOAA predictions, trends, hoping someone in the NW can shed some light. Thanks

[Oci-One Kanubi]

Heidi, the only time I ran the Middle Fork was the second week in August, 1999, putting in at Boundary Creek, and it was so scratchy our support rafts had to put on 20 miles downstream and meet us at our first campsite.

I cannot give you a volume comparison, but my log shows a reading of 2.7' at the Middle Fork Lodge. That gauge is showing 1.94' today. Unfortunately, though they report current volume and stage, the USGS is not showing a stage graph, so I cannot read off what the volume was when last the stage was 2.7'.

Good luck. I wasn't impressed by the whitewater on the Middle Fork (at that level) but the place was so beautiful -- the whole experience was so wonderful -- that I'd do it again any time I had the vacation time to spare.

O, PS, I was there that day: did Jim get a picture of me at Baby Falls, do you know?

-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty
--
Richard Hopley, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Nothing really matters except Boats, Sex, and Rock'n'Roll

[summer]

We ran it with raft support from Boundary Creek. I believe it was about 1.9 feet when we launched. Had about 13 people in kayaks and canoes and 5 people were rowing the 5 rafts and cats we had for support. First couple of days we had to help the rafts get off rocks a few times but once down to Indian Creek we were fine. Hard boaters did not have any problems.

Only know level by feet but I do not think you will have any problems running it in an OC1 self supported down to 1.5 feet.

I have not been watching the gage closely this year but I think the snow melt is about complete since they had a light snow pack year. I ran it last year in late July and it was about 2.25 feet but it was a great snow pack year. Once snow melt is complete you have the normal flow which I think is about 1.5 feet.
Brent

[Taniwha]

@ OCi-One Kanubi:

Hey Richard, I was there too (the bloke from Germany), had my camera ready and I've got one for you. Feel free to download it with a right click. If you want a high resolution version, pm me. I'll mail it.



On topic: Lots of other good runs up there in Idaho. I paddled there in August 1996 and 2004 and we had beautiful days and enough water on South Fork Payette, Snake, Salmon, North Fork Clearwater...

The 1994 edition of "Western Whitewater" says about recommended levels: 1,500 - 5,000 cfs (3.0' - 5.5')at the Middle Fork Lodge gauge (mile 34). Flows at the put-in are considerably lower. (...) When the river drops below 2.5' on the gauge (1,080 cfs), flows on the upper section are skimpy for rafts, and many parties fly in to an alternative put-in at Indian Creek (mile 25). Below 2' (690 cfs) most boaters fly in.

I don't know whether this information is still valid. As I said, the guide book is from 1994...

Whatever level you've got, Heidi, I envie you! Idaho rocks!

[Oci-One Kanubi]

What a beautiful photo: the lichen on the rock on the far bank, the glistening wet rock in the foreground, and the lovely color of the water! It's like framing a lump of coal in a platinum setting! Thanks!

The guidebook describes my experience at 2.7' on the M.F.Lodge gauge. The rafts flew in to Boundary Creek because the outfitter we had hired for support didn't believe there was enough water to put on at Indian Creek. We had a long first day to catch up with our gear!

I'd like to do that again sometime, but the last two times I've been to the Rockies I just car-camped, doing day trips in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and way-eastern Idaho. It's kinda hard for me to commit to five days on a single river with widely-spaced Class III rapids when there are so many ClassIII/IV day-trips in the Rockies.

Thanks for the picture,
-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty
--
Richard Hopley, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Nothing really matters except Boats, Sex, and Rock'n'Roll

[ChrisKelly]

I am WAY prettier.

[Taniwha]

Hey Chris,

it's not for me to decide. Let others judge:



And this was again off topic...

[JulieKeller.com]

. . . is it actual pretty or is it how well you photograph or how well the photographer captured you???

Actual pretty? The Judge wins (just personal preference)

How well you photograph? The Judge again (mostly it is about his yellow drysuit coordinating with his pretty yellow boat and the coordinating air bags)

How well the photographer captured you? Kanubi - hands down no contest - the bow out in the air about 1/3 the way down the photograph - nice waterfall flow without the boat in the middle - no distracting video cameramen.

Looking forward to padding with both of you again soon.

Julie

[Marc Evans]

Hi Heidi:

I've never run the Middle Fork, but it is not for a lack of trying to get a permit. So, you can take this information for what it is - low on actual experience. However, I live near by, so that the Main and Lower Salmon flows are quite familiar.

The entire Salmon drainage is very low for this time of year. The gauge at Middle Fork Lodge is at about 1.94 ft or 760 cfs. In a normal year it should be twice that amount on this date. Check out Grant Amaral's book, Idaho, the White Water State. He has a good description of what is possible for a LOW water run. He states that he has run the river at 1.7 feet (about 560 cfs) in a canoe, but hit more rocks in that trip than in an entire year. In addition, he says that the outfitters were having to drag rafts over the low spots.

Extrapolating the NOAA data (e.g., guessing), the Middle Fork at the lodge will be about 1.65 feet (about 500 cfs) on August 1. Hope that this helps.

Marc

[Heidi]

Thanks for all the info guys, much appreciated. To get an invite on a classic beauty, as well as the offer of a boat to borrow, is pretty special and rare best I can tell...but...much to think about.

Taniwha, your pictures are exquisite. When the picture of His Kanubic Travesty appeared it actually filled me with joy. (I was trying to find a way of saying that with out sounding corny, but it is what it is.) Chris your pic is stunning too, leaves me wondering what happened next

Dear Kanubi, I'm not sure if Jim has a shot of you. He sent me a disc with about 300 on it. I started to do a photo-log with them, but admittedly, time, blah, blah, and set that aside, one of these days I'll return to it, hopefully I'll still be able to remember names. Jim's on the Upper Yough this weekend drop him a line, he's offered to burn folks a disc.

time to go boatin', have a good one...Heidi

[Taniwha]

Hey Heidi,

if it's a borrowed boat: don't worry about the levels...

Off topic again: What happened next was this.



Nothing spectacular...

Perhaps Andrew can share his video...

And thanks for your praise, Julie and Heidi and Oci-One Kanubi and everyone I met down there in Tennessee...

[ChrisKelly]

Yes, Richard does have his bow nicely up. (mumble grumble)

Thank yew Julie and come to Colorado.

and ha ha ha to yew Miss Heidi!

Chris

[philcanoe]

did anybody actually boof the drop ???

[ChrisKelly]

On other runs I have hit the hump coming toward RL. If I do that with good speed I can get somewhat flat.

Louie got a nice launch.

Chris

[David Nickerson]

Hi Heidi,
Jim Michaud (he'll have all the info you need on levels) had us out there a bunch of years ago, and I ground a good bit into a borrowed boat in the upper stretch.

It's a beautiful trip, definitely a gem. You'll have a great time. Say hello to Marjie and Al if you see them out there.

Best,
David