Wooden Boat People

By McKenzieDriftBoat.com

october deso trip

'm headed down deso in oct.,launching the 10th with the woodie and wondering if anyone has any experience running that at 2000 cfs or so...I'm guessing it's doable but somewhat boney so attention at the sticks is critical....

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Permalink Reply by lhedrick on September 4, 2011 at 1:40pm

I have run Deso in Oct at 2000. That's about the cut off for dories. Keep checking the flows because this year looks good for late season flow above that. We still have 5000 so, it's looking good. On one trip we put a few holes in a wooden boat at 2000 in the run out of Joe Hutch. That was the season it flashed so most of those rocks have cleared out.

Oct. is a great time. Cold nights and nice afternoons.

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Permalink Reply by chris towles on September 4, 2011 at 7:59pm

I'm launching on the 15th also with another crew from Jackson. Our shuttle outfit predicted 3000 or more thru October. I'm wondering similarly wether to take my wood boat or not. It's got front and rear bulkheads and a drybox. I figured I could carry a cooler also. Wondering what the run is like at that level and if I would be better off throwing my drybag on a raft and just taking my playboat for a low stress trip, or wether to wing it with my wood boat. Never done deso before so not sure what to expect. Done the grand and cat so I do have an idea what desert class 3 bigwater is like.

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Permalink Reply by lhedrick on September 4, 2011 at 8:13pm

3000 will be a fine trip. Joe Hutch rapid is a class III+ , it might be a IV at 25000 but mostly a straight run down the tongue at all water levels.

I have no issue with a wood boat on Deso above 2300. If you have rowed the Grand on a cat you handle Deso at 3000 in a dory. At 2300 just try to go light.