Spring rain revs up whitewater season

Wet spring weather has delivered whitewater river outfitters from the depths of any despair they might have had over a weak regional snowpack and short seasons.

Rivers surged last weekend, and so did the enthusiasm to run the rapids on popular whitewater destinations such as the Lochsa in Idaho along U.S. Route 12 south of Missoula.

“It’s been a crazy week, for sure,” said David “Koni” Konigsberg, director of operations for ROW Adventures in Coeur d’Alene.

“We were expecting average to medium flows around 6,000 (cubic feet per second), but going into last weekend the river spiked. We had to get the guides out to train to make sure they were all comfortable with the high water before they went out with clients.

“They were training at 20,000 cfs – which is huge –and they were having a blast. There are portions of the river we won’t run at those levels. The trips ran at 16,000-18,000, which is still big and we take extra concern for the river.

“It’s important to let the guests know what they’re in for and that the guides feel comfortable with the levels.”

Cool weather and rain have created other logistical challenges, he said Wednesday.

“We have two groups out in Hells Canyon (of the Snake River) and they’re doing fine with the big water, but the road to the take out was flooded,” Konigsberg said. “Luckily, the water is dropping and it looks like we’ll be able to pick them up. Otherwise, they’d have to float farther down toward Lewiston.”

ROW just ended its spring season on the Moyie River with plenty of water still running down the North Idaho stream.

“We’re moving to the St. Joe and things look very good,” he said. “The snow just cleared off the road over Gold Pass (from St. Regis to Red Ives).”

Konigsberg said he was pleased to see the rain soaking the ground: “This ground water will feed the streams and we expect a good season on the Lochsa at least through June and on the St. Joe into July. Then we’ll move to the Clark Fork.”

But Konigsberg, who’s in his 18th year of whitewater guiding, said he’s still smiling about last weekend’s spike in flows.

“The waves were just huge,” he said. “It makes you realize why you do what you do.”