East coast guy here setting up his one annual western river trip; going in mid-May.
Looks like we'll have some relative newbie paddlers along on this trip (one 14' oar rig, the rest inflatable canoes), so I'm having second thoughts about the Owyhee - don't want to set anyone up for failure and/or just a bad time.
Thinking about the Grande Ronde or Deschutes as alternates. I've run the Deschutes from Warm Springs to the Columbia, and really enjoyed it, but haven't been on the GR. I've heard the GR scenery and camps are better, but how does the whitewater compare to the Deschutes? Not a lot of detail in the threads and write-ups I've seen.
I can't give input on the GR, but the Deschutes in May can be a real crap shoot.
It can be 90° sunny and beautiful, or it can be a cold, rainy, windy, miserable SOB....
Might consider going further south
The Rogue and Klamath are likely to have more reliable weather that time of year....
There's no whitewater on the GR. It's a fast moving class II, the one class III is at the lower end just before the confluence with the Snake. Weather can be all over the place in mid May and flows could be high which makes for very fast miles. The top end is very pretty.
We have had great trips on the Rogue in mid May, often do a trip right as we get out of classes second week of May at the very beginning of permit season. Weather can be all sorts there too.
We have rafted both the GR and JD numerous times, here is my take:
Grande Ronde: go anytime before July, otherwise you will run out of water. Minam to Troy is an easy 3 or 4 day trip. Plenty of great camp spots.
John Day: beautiful river, but with a lower flow than the GR. Wind can be awful on hot days. Exceptional Bass fishing, you will catch one on every cast.
Both rivers are great if you want a casual early season trip, have new-bees or small kids in the group. We have run these in the past when its too early for the Salmon. Everyone in our neck of the woods needs to run each at least once.
Oregon State Marine Board
March 27 at 10:27 AM ·
News Release
Date: 03/27/2020
Marine Board Places Temporary Boating Restrictions on Deschutes, John Day Rivers
In response to current public health concerns, many access sites have already been closed or will be closed soon on the Deschutes and John Day Rivers. To ensure the safety of boaters, the Marine Board will be temporarily closing stretches of these waters to all boating beginning on Saturday, March 28, 2020. These restrictions are scheduled to be in place through April 30 and will protect boaters from entering a river system where the availability of access and take-out points is uncertain.
All boating activities on the Deschutes River will be restricted from the Pelton Dam (River Mile 97) to its confluence with the Columbia River near Biggs Junction. The temporary closure on the John Day River extends from the mouth of the North Fork John Day River (River Mile 184) in Kimberly, downstream to Tumwater Falls, approximately 10 miles from the Columbia River. In both rivers, both motorized and non-motorized boats will be restricted.
The Marine Board will continue to work with its partners to safeguard boaters during these challenging times. We are also committed to ensuring consistency between boating regulations and other local restrictions necessitated to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
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