Annual OWA/NWRA Umpqua campout and Dutch Oven Cookoff

Submitted by Steve Adams

There are no photos for this trip report.  Were you there?  Did you take photos?  Please share with vicepresident-newsletter@oregonwhitewater.org and the photos can be added to this report.

The persistent drought conditions in southern Oregon were not existent at this year’s North Fork Umpqua outing, our combined outing with NWRA club members. Rain started around 3 PM Friday and it rained ALL night, and rain stayed with us ALL of Saturday and Saturday night, with it finally becoming intermittent showers on Sunday. The good news is on the river with dry suits one barely notices this, that and the river level was the best it’s been in several years – low 2 K cfs at Boulder Flat, topping 3 K cfs after Steamboat!! 

I heard the group had a great run from Boulder Flat to Horseshoe Bend on Friday (I only “heard” because I was still driving there). The Horseshoe to Gravel Bin segment was out this year due to a log blocking a key channel. However, with such great river flows, the group decided to gun the Gravel Bin to Susan Creek section on Saturday. For some reason, with only one previous trip on this section some 10 years ago, that qualified me as having the most recent run and I was nominated as trip leader (but on that one previous trip, at least I was 100% of having not flipped! WooHoo!!). And after thoroughly reviewing the BLM river map for 15 minutes, I at least sounded like I knew the run well! …and another WooHoo!! 

I will say that at 3+ K cfs, this is an EXCELLENT run with several great rapids, fantastic wave trains, some good holes, and very limited rock dodging!!! And enough flow to push you through the quiet pools just fine. We had 10 boats (no kayakers) and 17 people for the day. In fact, with the river flow so optimum, a “decision” was made that the 12 miles run from Gravel Bin to Susan Creek just wasn’t enough… so the group pushed on another four miles to the Baker Park Picnic Ground Auxiliary Boat Ramp! Oh, and Heather wins the prize and accompanying recognition with most swims for the day (one), congrats! 

Saturday night, of course, is the legendary Dutch Oven cook-off! And an excellent variety of delicious dishes were prepared – BBQ pork, a Tagine (the first one I’ve ever seen done here!), Hungarian Goulash, Beef Pot Pie, side dishes, plus five desserts!! And plenty of food for everyone, plus seconds, and thirds! 

If you’ve never been on one of our North Fork Umpqua trips, you are truly missing out. Between one of the finest whitewater rivers in the Cascades, and a great group of people, the Dutch Oven potluck really pushes this annual trip to the top. Hope to see more of you there next year!