SOUTH FORK SALMON trip?

[Faucet Butt]

Originally Posted by mania

that is a lot lower than when i ran it. people are smiling even. they would not be smiling at 4.5.

Yeah- 4.5' is approaching vomit-while scouting-level.

I was w/Mania a few years back in my 16' cat and got my ass handed to me more than once. Woody, remote, beautiful-no one around.

Prior to running it I had several years experience on the Upper Animas-I'm glad I did...at medium to high flow, it's a pretty tough run.

[mania]

Originally Posted by Faucet Butt

Yeah- 4.5' is approaching vomit-while scouting-level.

I clearly remember when scouting fall creek you said "I feel sick". I felt the same way but tried to hide it.

[lhowemt]

We did it this past july at 4.2' supposedly a high 4.2 from other folks that have run it a lot. But that is critical, as others say, you're running a river formed basically by 3 coming together and only one has a gauge. LOVED it, as josh says, can't wait to do it again this summer. I am really glad i had done a bunch of class v stuff for a couple of years before that. I would not want to try to step up from class iv to that river. Zach at nwr put together a cool rafting progression list, check it out and where it falls compared to others.

[dgosn]

This is #1 on the list for summer, though I prefer my vomiting to happen due to the whiskeypus.

[Favre]

Only time I ever ran it was in 2006. It was almost 7 feet on the guage (6.75 ft)

At those flows, rafting it would have been a death wish. As I understand it, most rafters would want to be there under 4.5 feet. It was full on class 5, kayaker only whitewater.

We put in at 1:30pm and made it to the take-out that night as the sun set. 53 Miles in a day.

At these gigantic flows, the Stikine veterans and best big water paddlers seek to run laps on the South Salmon (sometimes including the Secesh.)

Cheers! It's beautiful there..

-Micah Kneidl

[Kilroy]

Originally Posted by 6FEETandRISING

This is a flickr photo set from Northwest Raft Company, with some awesome photos of the SFS.

South Fork of the Salmon - a set on Flickr

Those were some truly awesome pictures, thanks for sharing!

[6FEETandRISING]

Originally Posted by lhowemt

We did it this past july at 4.2' supposedly a high 4.2 from other folks that have run it a lot. But that is critical, as others say, you're running a river formed basically by 3 coming together and only one has a gauge. LOVED it, as josh says, can't wait to do it again this summer. I am really glad i had done a bunch of class v stuff for a couple of years before that. I would not want to try to step up from class iv to that river. Zach at nwr put together a cool rafting progression list, check it out and where it falls compared to others.

Would you mind offering up some more of your trip info. Like, what kind of boats did you guys take in there? How many days did you spend floating the SFS? Do you have any photos, fall creek maybe?

[raftus]

I'm thinking that Mania and Faucet Butt must of had a very different 4.5 from the 4.2 that lhowemt had - or is the river that different with only .3 of increased gauge height? I'm not sure how to reconcile "Yeah- 4.5' is approaching vomit-while scouting-level." (especially from someone like Mania) and "LOVED it, as josh says, can't wait to do it again this summer." Did I miss something?
This has been on my list for a few years as well now. Thanks to everyone for the beta.

[mania]

Like Laura says only one of three rivers has the gauge so you really don't know. it was full of monster holes when I ran it in mid-June one year. raftus lets you and me an dgosn and faucet head up there around July 4.

[idahofloater]

OP, I run the SF almost every year, we ran it last year @ 3.8 and 2.9. We run a 14' Vangaurd SB with two paddlers up front and 9' sticks on the frame and packed ultra lite. That was tight on the river. But I really don't think you would want to be on the river with a 14' boat @ 3.5+ without an experienced paddle crew. Ya kinda need someone who can get out of the boat fast, high side, and push off rocks. And you don't want to get turned in a 14' boat. The second boat was 13' aire cat used as a lead boat. We wrapped the aire boat on the 3.8 run! 2.9 is waaay different than 3.8. I wouldn't call the SF a "scary run" (even at 4.5) cuz you can make the pull outs easy enought, but I was gripped for sure. I have never been on over 4.6'. I think Secesh (spelling) was more intense. Anyway, study the shit out of the river maps, make a plan, take a GPS, and assign a crew paddler to keep track of the features and GPS location. Scout more than you think you should. Who ever sits on the sticks will be battling all day. So, be fired up for that. We spend one nite on the SF and fly out at mackey. Usually just below wolf creek.