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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on June 27, 2010 at 7:31am

Are you running a covered , ie Briggs style dory? What is your experience with big water? The first day's rapids are big with the ability to fill your boat. Have you done any searches on Google or looked at any information from the Bureau of Land Management? It is a beautiful place, can have big water and some difficult rapids as well as lots of flat calm water in between.

Good luck on your research!

Happy Waves to You!

Rick Newman

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Permalink Reply by Chris Patterson on June 28, 2010 at 10:03am

Thanks for the reply Rick.

My Google searches have taken me to the different whitewater companies that run rafts through the canyon. I have a few maps from those searches. What I could not get was a sense of how big the water really is.

If you are talking covered, Brigg's style dories, then that is bigger than I am ready for. I have tons of drift boat rowing experience having been a guide when I was younger. My whitewater experience is mostly in rafts though (Snake River below Jackson, Upper Salmon, Lochsa). I am currently building two Rapid Robert and my boys and I would like to explore more of the Snake. From your brief description it sound like this section needs a bigger boat.

Thanks again!

Chris

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on July 1, 2010 at 6:01pm

You are welcome Chris. Where is your home base? There are a variety of rivers in the Northeast corner of Oregon that are great for what you want to do. I used to take lots of folks on three and even five day trips on the Grand Ronde. with you experience it is a easy river to row and the fishing can be good too. One thing we always found was rattlesnakes at almost every place we stopped. However a stick would help them relocate, usually into the river so they could swim to a new beach. I did not feel any need to kill them as the were the residents and we were the visitors. With that being said you need to remember that we were floating in the early 1980's and the area has been "discovered".

I have done a canoe trip on the John Day and rafted the Deshutes. We didn't have a guide book and ran it blind, with scouting when we thought it necessary. (Greg Hatten, if you read this we blindly went through the rapid where your recent trip had problems!) Again both of these rivers have been discovered too. I found a link for the Snake River with a map and rapid ratings: http://www.fs.fed.us/hellscanyon/things_to_see_and_do/snake_river/b...

I haven't looked at the Internet for details on the Oregon rivers but the BLM has jurisdiction over the lands they run through. If you have more questions, you know where to find me!

Happy Waves to You;

Rick Newman

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Permalink Reply by Chris Patterson on July 2, 2010 at 1:20pm

Thanks again Rick. I had found that link as well and found it very helpful.

I live just east of Burley, Idaho and own a home right on the banks of the Snake. The river here is more slow flowing lake than river but it does have excellent smallmouth bass fishing. I have to head northeast to get more trout friendly water.

Since we live on the Snake it holds an attraction. I think we are going to start up at Jackson Lake dam and just start floating section after section. A week here and a week there (and three portages around dams) and we should be able to float all the way back home. Then we can head west to Oregon if we feel like keeping it going. That should give me and the boys something to remember!

The first boat is maybe two weeks from being ready for the water. That is exciting.

Chris

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on July 2, 2010 at 3:29pm

Good luck! As I have been writing for awhile on these pages I am very close to starting my boat. Something about installing a new garage door and a new dishwasher have caused a slowdown. The garage is almost clear of items and room is now available in the shed for the things that still need to be moved. Time to order the epoxy and move the last items. Then the kit awaits! I hope to be ready for the fall fishing season!

Rick Newman

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