DESTINATION Generic 177 Photosets
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| Lower Owyhee Packraft Course, OR | |
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| | Lower Owyhee Packraft Course, OR | | | |
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Lower Owyhee Packraft Course, OR
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| Kayak | 40.00 Miles |
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| | Kayak | 40.00 Miles | 5 Days | | |
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| no partners | | Lower Owyhee Trip
After months of preparation, our launch date finally came. We dropped off the support raft at the typical put-in at Rome. Then we drove off into the Oregon desert. We started hiking amongst the sagebrush. Peoples’ loads looked extraordinary. Our gear was enough for hiking, Packrafting, and camping for 5 days. We were attending a 5-day Packraft Expedition Course.
After a couple miles of hiking we arrived at the Owyhee River. We exploded our packs and then started to assemble the gear in the long dry bags that go into the alpacka rafts. You have to evenly distribute the load between the two bags. I shimmied the bags inside the tubes of my raft and attached them so they would not shift. Then I stuffed my hiking poles and a few other things into my backpack and put it in the boat. I zipped up the boat and then used the bag to inflate it. I put my snacks and ditties into my bow bag. I attached my throw bag and my water bottle to the bow. Success I was packed. Next I birthed myself into my dry suit and put on my shoes. I was ready to go!
My team was first for leader roles. We decided we go about 4-7 miles. We knew there were 4 designated camps and 4 other groups that launched that day. It was possible that the first ones would be taken and we’d have to press on.
We practiced falling out of our boats and self rescuing. While I wasn’t rushing down a rapid, it was quite different then my last practice attempt on flat water.
We informed all the teams that we’d get going and then eddy out. We practiced this a few times as we went through riffles. Then we came upon some rapids and we scouted the first one from an eddy and decided our line. Aced it! We got out for Long Sweet water rapid and scouted it by climbing up on a Talus slope. Then we returned and told our team what the plan was. I led the girls and Riley ( instructor) through the line! So far so good. Then I saw Dan (instructor) pointing for me to go hard right. I paddled and glanced at the hole I was avoiding. We learned that a couple of the guys in the group ahead of us had swam that hole.
Another one we got out because we realized we couldn’t really see what was happening. Good thing we did because the right side was a bubbling cauldron of hell, well I mean a lateral coming off a rock would have pushed us into a hole had we gotten too far to the right. Our line seemed complicated but we slipped between a couple rocks and then followed the left shore. Aced it again!
At Upset rapid, I had just got to an eddy and was just catching my breath when Simon said swimmer. So I went to try to help. I paddled over and got the raft so Andrew could beach whale himself up. He was almost back on the raft when it flipped again. Then I realized I was in trouble and next thing I knew I was swimming. I grasped my paddle like my life depended on it. I put my feet out front and tried to float it out. The rapids continued, I was heading toward something that was not an eddy. So I clung to my paddle for dear life and finally I saw Jim on the shore. I was close so I tried to paddle myself without a boat into the eddy but it didn’t seem to successful. Jim threw the throw bag but It was just a few inches shut. Trying to swim with a paddle seemed to hold me back. But finally I was in the eddy and could rest.
After swimming I was cold. So I did several squats and ate a snack to warm up. We still had at least two miles to camp. I was ready. We past the first camp because someone was there. Then we found another camp. To my pleasure, there was grass instead of sand to lay my cowboy camp out.
After dinner, we made our leader plans for the next half day. Then we headed to bed. Pooped and happy!
Day 2 was a good day, even though I swam. There was a rock submerged in a small rapid that I didn’t see and went over. Swimming didn’t seem nearly as bad as it had the day before. My biggest accomplishment was Artillery Rapid. I was scared but I also knew I was out here to be able to run class 3 rapids. I knew I would be out of my comfort zone. Riley saw I was scared and asked if I wanted to portage but I refused. He then asked if I wanted to follow him and I said yes. We first had to ferry across the river to avoid the right channel and get to the left one. Then the plan was to stay in the middle of that channel. At the bottom where the two Channels came together the right channel was pushing really hard into the my line. I practiced paddling like I was taught and managed to successfully get through! Today we had a lot of time in flat water which was good to have some relaxed time. The day before had seemed like I was always having to pay attention and it was exhausting
I realized that my left arm which had been tender the day before was pretty swollen. When I released my paddle it hurt pretty bad. I’m hoping in the morning it is better. Martina was pretty sure that it’s tendinitis from holding onto the paddle.
Day 3. In the morning some of us woke up to do a hike a 7 AM. We checked out the route up Lambert Dome even though we knew we couldn’t complete the hike the allotted time.
After the hike and breakfast, we had some instruction on outfitting our boats, zipper maintenance, and patching. Then we started out for the day.
We went through several rapids without much issues. We were definitely showing improvement from previous days.
At Dog Leg we pulled over to scout into some reeds. There was two big channels and we could see we didn’t want to take the close one. We finally realized we could go scout from a ridge on the right. Three went to scout and they were able to describe the route. I was still nervous so I followed Riley through and felt really good about it and it looked like what was described.
Whistling Bird is a class 4 rapid on the map. When we scouted it we could see why. There was a pillar laying up against the wall at an angle and it created a sieve. The right line through the rapid could carry a Packraft through the sieve which likely would result in serious consequences. Pinned boat, entrapment, etc. There was a line we could see in the right (towards middle) channel that closely followed a line created by boulders but at the end it could push the boater into the sieve. The far left side had numerous rocks and a hole. We stood looking at rapid for a long time. Pretty early on I announced my decision to portage. The risk was too great for me. Riley pulled out his phone and used a GAR tool. When we finished assessing the situation using the right line as the example. It showed as red. Everyone agreed they would not do that line. Then we ferried across the river to look at the other side. Those of us who were portaging were going to set safety. 4 in the water in our boats and someone with a throw line. Finally after a total of two hours the first group came down thru the boulder line avoiding the big hole. They aced it! Then the second group came down a short while later. Again, they all succeeded. They reported it was easier than it looked. Afterwards, we found out campsite on a nice flat pasture, complete with cow pies. We went for a short hike to get a view before dinner. We could see up and down the river. What a beautiful view!
Day 4 we were on the river just after 9. The goal was to paddle about 15 miles. When we got to Montgomery rapid, I saw that it was a long one and felt that one wrong move could be catestrophic for me. I choose to portage. Since my wrist was really tender, I asked to throw my boat in our support raft while I walked. So my boat got to do the rapid! The gang that paddled all got through with flying colors.
Nuanance rapid was one that had a lot of rocks and a hole. At first I thought I should portage. But after I while I decided to go ahead and try for it. I managed to get through without any issues! I was stoked.
Then in an unnamed rapid, I went over a rock and couldn’t correct in time. I was swimming. But a teammate was right there. I said, ‘take my paddle!’ And then we both flipped my boat and I got in! That was way better then swimming the rest of the rapid.
The day didn’t seem so long, we even got to camp by about 4:30. Not a bad run!
With a low of 22 degrees, boat shoes were frozen solid on Day 5. Dunking them in the cold river was the only option of getting our feet inside. We were all eager to get ready this morning, some people got up 2.5 hrs before the departure time to get ready.
The paddle to the take out was uneventful. We practiced a few things as we went. Our leaders for the day all flipped their boats at the same time so we had one last chance to practice rescuing each other. At the take out we had to put all our gear back into our backpacks to load into a truck. Learned a trick to make my boat even smaller when packed up!
Overall, this was one of the best courses I’ve ever took. In the weeks leading up to the trip, the instructors went over how to plan a paddling trip. We looked at the watershed snowpack and river gauges. We examined maps to plan the hike in. We discussed packing lists. Then in the class we learned about setting safety, Rescuing each other from our boats, reading the water, and leading each other. And the main thing I wanted to accomplish was solidifying my paddling in rapids. The two day class I took last summer wasn’t enough time to practice and become competent. Five days was perfect!
Random notes:
I rented a Packraft from Backcountry Packraft Rentals because the more advanced one I ordered wouldn’t be ready in time. They ship to you before your start date and you ship back using enclosed label the day after your trip. The rental included the two internal dry bags. Great service! I would definitely rent from them again. I rented a Classic with internal storage and self bailing.
Patches on the inside of the Packraft is not helpful. The material inside the boat is not sealed. Only the outside is sealed. Put tyvex tape inside then aqua seal FD on the outside. Let cure overnight. If you tyvex on the outside in the field you need to repair at home. Flex tape is a good repair tape. You can’t put tyvex on top of leaky old aqua seal patching.
Perimeter line on both ends good for flipping the boat and using to pull oneself back into the boat. Have short tail for docking.
Choosing a channel - Lose elevation as quickly as you can. The higher route will be shallow and rocky.
Wave trains and holes are at conflict with each other. If there is a wave train then there isn’t likely a hole.
Use locking carabiners, the non locking are an entrapment hazard.
Neoprene socks over the dry suit to protect the dry suit footies. |
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