I've been wanting to float the Owyhee for a few years, for all the usual reasons - natural beauty, reasonable rapids, and importantly, riverside hot springs. Unfortunately this year, when a few buddies finally had time in early May, lined up with a poor snowpack for eastern Oregon. Levels were 375cfs and dropping when we put in May 10.
When we got the put in, the sustained headwind made the river appeared to be flowing backwards. Paddling hard, we made it 3-4 miles downriver, to a sand bar just a night fell, where we made camp, strummed a travel guitar Patrick had brought, and drank a bit too much wine.
The next day we entered the first canyon. The prior days headwind still there, a reminder of our dependence on the natural world tolerating our presence. The forecast a few days prior had called for clear skies, but we were met with first clouds, then rain, then heavy rain, and finally hail.
We pushed through, eventually getting to our desired campground, 20mi downriver, and along the first of a couple hotsprings.
The spring was a huge moral boost after a type 2 first day. We continued downriver the next day, taking in the scenery, often in awed silence.
The rapids were not particularly challenging, but they kept us engaged with the river, and were better than I expected at the flows we had, but that said, this is a trip to do more for the views than the excitement.
We entered Iron Point canyon, at the end of day 2, ran the first few technical rapids and made camp in canyon. Admiring to soaring walls and numerous birds making their homes in the canyon walls. At one point we heard was sounds like a gunshot, only to be followed by a massive flake coming off a high point on the wall and smashing to ever small pieces as gravity took its toll.
We pulled out of the canyon and the terrain opened up before us. Another few miles of mellow rapids and we pulled into our last camp near Greeley hotspring. We caught some fish, soaked in the tub, and enjoyed the silence and beauty of our home for the evening.
Comments
Post a Comment