Hells Canyon

 In continuance of my quest to explore as many multi-day trips as I can squeeze in, I headed to Hells Canyon this August.

The Fleet

Put In

 Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America, bordering NE Oregon and W Idaho as well as the largest tributary of the Columbia River.

Soaking up the Morning Sunshine        

A Couple of Onlookers

Rachel and Jess killing it on the NRS Big Baron and NRS Big Earl

The canyon was beautiful and the rapids were nothing to shrug about either, leaving me wondering why it has taken me so long to get there.

Shane taking in the scenery

Kate in Wild Sheep rapid on the Big Earl

One of the many awesome rapids

With a great crew, Gladiator theme night, a couple of SUPs, and a flabongo, there was not a dull moment to be had!

Beating the Low Water Blues

Every year around this time the same problem arises....low water.  This leaves us with a couple of options,  stick to the stand-by runs and try our best to find every line we can, take a bit of a drive to catch the Ohanapecosh and Cispus Rivers, or hit up the good ol' Washington summertime classic - the Lower Wind.

Jessica Farrell getting started on the Lower Wind

Rachel Crowder in High Bridge Rapid

Kate at Beyond Limits

Brian Zabel making it a little more exciting

The beauty of the Lower Wind is that it is close and short so can be done before or after work.  It also offers a great mixture of boulder gardens, ledges, and waterfalls.  It is a perfect low stress training ground for the fall rainy season.

Joe Stumpfel finishing up The Flume

Checking out the first falls at Shipherds

Joe styling the first falls

Jessica on the second falls at Shipherds

Joe finishing up the third falls

If none of these options are doing it for you, perhaps you should spice things up by attempting a new craft...which is exactly what we did.  We declared last Saturday "Canoe Appreciation Day" and took 4 tandem canoes to the Klickitat River.  Of the eight of us, three were experienced canoeists.

Mike and Stephanie Glass getting the feel of it
Photo Credit:  Tom Slye

Nick and I loving every minute
Photo Credit:  Tom Slye

Rachel Crowder and Joe Stumpfel looking like pros
Photo Credit:  Tom Slye

Brian Zabel and Shalynn Lathrop cruising into Ishy Pishy
Photo Credit:  Tom Slye

Success!!
Photo Credit:  Tom Slye

 By the end of the day our faces and stomachs hurt from all the smiles and giggles.  The day was deemed a success as we were all reminded that we can always learn more from and about the river.

Middle Fork of the Salmon - Round 2

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, or the River of No Return, is a 100 mile stretch of beauty in the Frank Church Wilderness.  It is the second largest protected wilderness in the contiguous US.

Middle Fork Salmon River, ID

After a wild, high water trip in 2010, I was determined to make it back this year.  I was bummed when I found out that I didn't win a permit in the lottery, but that was quickly remedied when I got an invite from Carrie Horner (BAMF extraordinaire) for the exact date that I had applied for!! As an added bonus, the fancy new cataraft I had ordered from my friends at NRS arrived less than a week before launch and I knew this would be a great opportunity to learn from one of the best...Carrie herself!

Madness at Boundary Creek

Madonna's First Rapid, Velvet Falls!

Learning From the Best - Carrie "BAMF" Horner

Ready To Fly Solo

I was giddy with excitement as we packed and loaded, with sunshine, perfect flows, and an awesome crew were in the forecast.

Yeeeee!

Our Awesome Crew

Everything turned out as planned this time, with six wonderful days of whitewater, hotsprings, fishing, wildlife, pictographs, and unbelievable scenery.  

Pistol Creek Rapid

Sunflower Hot Springs

Nick, Master Fisherman!

Big Horns!! 

Pictographs

Pretty View :)

Our Trip Sponsor....Amnesia Brewing! Yummy!

 I loved every second of this trip...what an amazing river!!  I'm already planning my return....

Drew's White River Birthday

Typically when I think of high canyon walls rising straight from the river, continous whitewater in a remote setting, and white sandy beaches with the smell of Juniper’s in the air I think of the classic multi-day runs of Idaho or Utah. However, the run that I’ve just described is only an hour away from my hometown of Hood River, OR. The White River in Oregon tumbles off the eastern flanks of Mount Hood before draining into the popular Deschutes River. Recieving it’s name from the silt that gathers in it’s glacial waters the White River has been in my thoughts for a few years. Christie and I decided to check it out for my birthday this year and we were pleasantly surprised. The whitewater was continuous enough to keep us entertained and the scenery was surreal. We decided to make the most of our weekend and spent the night half way down this 23 mile stretch.

The first day consisted of fun rapids the entire way in an intimate forest. After about 12 miles the forest peeled back and towering walls of basalt emerged from the river. As soon as we saw a big sandy beach we decided to have our birthday celebration. We set up camp, had a few cocktails, and enjoyed the afternoon sun. When the sun dissappeared behind the canyon wall we started a fire and cooked up a tasty meal that we let digest while watching the stars illimunate the desert sky.

The morning brought blue skies and a day on the river to be remembered. Floating by sandy beaches, caves, and springs along with a collection of hawks, butterflies, and bear our cameras were getting a workout. After a couple of serene hours the canyon walls tapered off and the whitewater resumed. Just three miles below our takeout lies the infamous White River Falls State Park, aka Celestial Falls. This impressive waterfall plunges ninety feet over a basalt shelf before falling again fourty-five feet into an amphitheater-like pool and yet another twenty feet just downstream! Needless to say we enjoyed our weekend and started off my new year in good fashion!

Cheers,
Drew Eastman