Paddle the Middle Fork Boise, Upper South Fork Payette or Arrowrock to stay cool

Middle Fork Boise River upstream of Arrowrock (courtesy John Keys)

Middle Fork Boise (courtesy John Keys) 

Swirley Canyon on the South Fork Payette River would be a good alternative to Cabarton this weekend. 

Upper South Fork Payette River near Grand Jean hot springs 

Hi all,

It's been piping hot this week in the Boise Valley, and if you were thinking about trying to head out of town into the mountains this weekend, you might want to head toward Idaho City, Lowman or Stanley given the uncertain nature of Idaho 55 with the Mile Marker 73 wildfire burning next to the highway.

Check the ITD 511 site for the latest conditions. As of Thursday afternoon, ID 55 was limited to one lane with a pilot car. You can only imagine what kind of traffic back-up that might look like on Friday or this weekend. If you're heading for McCall, U.S. 95 was closed as of Thursday night in the Midvale area because of the Keithly wildfire ... geez!

Cascade Raft & Kayak is hosting a live music event tomorrow at 5 p.m. with Bread and Circus at their boating headquarters, so watch their Facebook page for the latest on highway conditions as well. If they get ID 55 opened up to two lanes, you could go raft/kayak the Payette River in the afternoon and then hang out for the live music event afterward.

Given the potential traffic snafu on ID 55, I'm recommending three paddling trips that are accessible via Idaho 21 ... these trips would be doable for folks who have inflatable kayaks, rafts, SUPs, sit-on-top hardshell kayaks or whatever craft might be suitable.

1. Float the Upper Payette River from the Tenmile trailhead area to Helende Campground, upstream of Lowman. This is a Class 2 flatwater run with rocks to dodge and small rapids. This would be a 5-mile trip. This section would be challenging for experienced whitewater SUP paddlers but probably doable. Do a road scout and see what you think.

2. Drive up to Arrowrock Reservoir, find a spot to hang out by the water, put up your sun tarp, and go paddling in the reservoir. A good truck works great for driving down to the reservoir's edge, and there are some camping spots along the Middle Fork road. Take ID 21 to the Spring Shores/Middle Fork Road and drive up-canyon to Arrowrock and find your spot from there. Any flatwater craft would work on Arrowrock, plus motorboats of course.

3. Drive up the Middle Fork Road past Arrowrock to Troutdale Campground or any other spot of your choosing, and float the lower section of the Middle Fork Boise River. This is a mostly Class 2 flatwater run with rocks to dodge and small rapids. A group of people I know ran this section last week and had enough water flow (450 cfs today) to make it through in hard-shell kayaks and inflatable kayaks. Strong SUP paddlers might want to try it. 

There you have it! A couple of other suggestions:

• Swirly Canyon or the Main Payette would be good alternatives to floating Cabarton, since that super-popular section is closed because of a wildfire. But you might have to drive there via Lowman. 
• Hiking to Jenny Lake would be a good call this weekend for a cool-off location close to home. 

Have fun! 

- SS 

South Fork Payette River "Canyon" section is a must-do trip to cool off from the heat in August

Blackadar Rapids (courtesy Cascade Raft & Kayak)

Lone Pine Rapids! (courtesy Cascade Raft & Kayak)

Kayaker doing otter start below Big Falls (courtesy Payette River Co.)

Hi all,

Well, it's been stinkin' hot in the Boise Valley with temps in the high 90s or around 100, so we have to find ways to cool off. Last week, I recommended heading into high mountains of the Sawtooth Range to explore high mountain lakes and climb peaks.

This week, I'm recommending a raft trip on the "Canyon" section of the South Fork of the Payette River.  As I noted in my guidebook, Paddling the Payette, the South Fork Canyon "is the most challenging Class 4 section in the Payette River Basin. Get ready for an action-packed adventure." It's a total hoot!



Thanks for the cool vid Mica!
Idaho Whitewater Unlimited puts it this way: "This is the biggest, baddest river section we have to offer. Not intended for scared-ee cats, this segment of the South Fork will immerse you in the wild action of Gateway, Blackadar, Lone Pine, Little Falls and Surprise Rapids, to name a few. View the power of Big Falls (a 35-foot drop and mandatory portage) and soak up the warmth of Pine Flats Hot Springs ...."

Cascade Raft and Kayak: "Get wet and wild as you plummet 13 miles down one of the West's most magnificent river corridors. The steep drops, towering canyon walls and clear water make this the legendary crown jewel of continuous Class 4 rapids."

The low-water run in Little Falls (courtesy Payette River Co.)

I've always felt that the South Fork Canyon section is the highest quality day trip in the state of Idaho because of the solitude, hot springs, non-stop whitewater action, wildlife (seen mink, black bear and deer in the canyon), and the whole experience of doing the portage around Big Falls. After the day is over, you feel like you've had so much fun, the only way to top it off is to plan a big BBQ with your floating buddies, sip favorite beverages and swap stories about the day.

Now is a great time to float the South Fork canyon because:
1. There's still plenty of water to do so, but river flows will decrease as the month progresses, so the sooner the better. The canyon was running more than 1,200 cfs as of today, combining South Fork flows (690 cfs) with releases from Deadwood Dam (600 cfs).
2. It's hot, and the guaranteed cold waters of the South Fork, coming directly out of the Sawtooth Wilderness and the Deadwood River, will keep you plenty cool during the float trip.
3. It's a ton of fun with a great group of friends, family or work-mates. Paddle boat crews must work as a team to negotiate the rapids successfully.

People with their own raft may know about the South Fork Canyon, but a surprising number of private boaters haven't gone there before. The best thing is to go with someone who knows the lines in the many rapids in the 12-mile canyon and has the extra-long rope for portaging boats around the falls. Private boaters with catarafts should have enough helpers to carry the heavy crafts around the falls. Light-weight 14-foot paddle rafts are ideal. It's also a great trip for advanced kayakers.

If you don't have your own boat, you can book a trip with one of four outfitters who run the South Fork Canyon. All of these companies know their stuff and have excellent guides. Generally it costs about $100 for a canyon trip, including a hearty lunch. Check with the outfitters on any group rates or special deals.

The outfitters are Cascade Raft and Kayak, Bear Valley River Company, Idaho Whitewater Unlimited and the Payette River Company. Because of the challenging whitewater, kids need to be 12 or over to participate.

If you try the "Canyon" reach on your own, remember that the rapids are "pushy" - flips, pins and swims are always possible, and you should be ready to deal with any kind of mishap. I remember losing my entire paddle crew from the sheer jolt of crashing through Blackadar Rapids, and I barely caught the chicken line (rope around the outside edge of a raft) with one hand on the way out, held onto my paddle with the other hand, climbed quickly back into the boat, and pulled everyone in as fast as I could before we came to the next drop immediately around the next bend. Safety kayakers are really helpful to rescue any swimmers along the way.

The South Fork Canyon chapter in Paddling the Payette has a mile-by-mile description of the trip and a detailed map. You can buy the paddling trip for 99 cents on my web site. Laminated maps cost $2.95 each.

If you can't make time for a full-day canyon run, and you are thirsting for some high adventure, think about doing the Lower South Fork and Main Payette as an alternative. All of the outfitters mentioned above do this trip as well.

Have fun and stay cool!

Also ... in case you haven't heard about Idaho's new mountain bike license plate, check out this segment on the Green Room about the cool plate. Geoff Baker and I talk about the plate's benefits for our multi-use trails in Idaho. The segment aired last Monday on The River, 94.9 FM.
- SS