Go with the flow
River runners are banking on a wealth of spring runoff that’s finally roaring out of the region’s mountains. “The good news is that the snowpack is bigger than normal and we’ll have a longer summer season of fun water,” said Peter Grubb, owner of Coeur d’Alene-based River Odysseys West.
“What we don’t know is how it will melt. We’re crossing our fingers and hoping the weather doesn’t get hot too fast and blow out the rivers.”
The length of this week’s heat wave will be a factor.
ROW’s season was scheduled to open this weekend on Idaho’s Lochsa River, North Idaho’s premier spring fling for whitewater adrenaline junkies.
Private groups didn’t get much of a head start on the commercial groups. The Spokane-based Northwest Whitewater Association canceled its traditional late-April Lochsa trip this year because the runoff had yet to begin, the water was too low and the weather was still unpleasantly cold.
Starting this week, river levels have pushed into high levels. The NWA was warning of “crazy hydraulics” on the Spokane River at the Bowl and Pitcher area even before the heat wave hit. The group said the Lochsa is predicted to peak near record flows around the Memorial Day Weekend.
ROW and other river outfitters will shift their trips to different rivers as the runoff evolves.
“Our bread and butter continues to be the summer family camping trips on the Lower Salmon, Middle Fork Salmon and the Snake River in Hells Canyon,” Grubb said. “People tell us over and over that these are some of their most memorable family vacations.”
The Clark Fork River through Alberton Gorge is a popular summer day-trip because it’s an inexpensive opportunity to get into rapids and cool off on a hot summer day. “It’s particularly popular with people who are vacationing or visiting people in this area,” Grubb said. “Clark Fork trips start right off I-90.”
However, spring is the thrillseeker’s window for big whitewater, especially this year.
“It’s been quite a few years since we’ve been able to run trips on the Lochsa, St. Joe and Moyie all at the same time,” Grubb said.
The Moyie River east of Bonners Ferry is one of the most overlooked whitewater experiences in the region, Grubb said.
“Until the flows go down sometime in June, it has continuous Class 3 rapids for more than 12 miles from Meadow Creek Campground to the reservoir, and nine of those miles are completely away from the road,” he said.