Snake River Trip Report

by Jason Davis

Sept 13 TRR PDX Friday the 13

We launched at Hells Canyon Dam Visitor Center at 10am. The first major rapid we came across was Wild Sheep Rapid. Which reintroduced Charlie Duffy to swimming in a rapid. We also had another swimmer.

Then we came across another major rapid, Granite. Here we had another two swimmers.

We then arrived at our campsite Oregon Hole around 2 pm. Set up a good kitchen and had Chicken Curry with brownies cooked in a Dutch oven. And we were able to watch Gary catch a six-foot sturgeon.

Sept 14

We got an early start for our 17-mile paddle. Our destination being Kirkwood Ranch. Known for being a moonshine destination. This place has a historic museum and a beautiful moonshine mansion, a historic location to walk through. The destination also has flushing toilets making it a great destination.

Before lunch we navigated several named rapids like: Waterspout, Sand Creek, Bernard, and Sluice. We also had a gear boat flip twice on this stretch.

Seventeen miles later we arrived at our destination around 3pm.

One of our members reeled in a sturgeon this evening.

 

Sept 15 Layover

Today was our layover day. We bonded together as a team. We had a few clinics tying knots and first aid. Some of us hiked upwards to ten miles. We visited the moonshiner mansion. Built in 1920, a five-bedroom log cabin is considered a mansion of its time. Others went on a hike to a beautiful viewpoint “Suicide Point”.

For dinner we enjoyed steak, mashed potatoes and green beans. With strawberry shortcake and great stores for dessert.

 

Sept 16

This was our last day on the water.  Probably our quietest as well.  Not many other boaters on the water and the whitewater were easily navigable.  A few short hours later we arrived at Pittsburgh Landing.  Then we started breaking gear down and our drive to our various destinations.  

 

Summary

This was a great experience.  Many of us it was our first time.  It’s nice because it starts with a bang and the harder rapids are early on in our trip.  As the thirty-mile trip progresses the rapids will get easier.  

 

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