I cut my teeth as a north Idaho kayaker spending tons of time in Riggins in late summers back when Mill wave, Gold's, and Cat's Paw would attract a lineup of over 30 yahoos at at time. It's been probably 10 or 12 years since I've been down that way, and now I have a family and inexplicably want to rent a raft and go back for a mellow float.
I want to float down to the Riggins boat ramp from somewhere upstream. Looking to put in Saturday morning, with a midway camp spot somewhere in between on Saturday night, with our shuttle car parked at our camp. I'd then reset the shuttle car down to city park on Sunday morning and float the rest of the way down to that... but I have a lot of questions:
My first idea was to float from Spring Bar and camp just below Cat's Paw. But thinking about it more, that seems like a pretty short trip. And I've also been told that maybe access to the river-right road to cat's paw is now gated off?
For a longer trip, what other raft access points are there upstream of Spring Bar?
It looks like about 25-30 river miles from the Carey Creek boat ramp down to Riggins. Is this something that is a reasonable trip in two days on the water?
I was thinking maybe camping at Ruby Rapids, on that beach among those huge boulders there. So that's like 15 miles from Carey Creek on Saturday and 10 miles to Riggins on Sunday.
What's the typical miles-per-hour I can expect?
What are the fire regulations around that area at this time? (Can we have a camp fire? Do I need a fire pan?)
Is Spring Bar the only public bathroom upstream of town?
Are the bat-cave hotsprings up the trail across from French Creek still a thing?
Are any surf waves going to be in?
Thanks for any info/help/advice.
I want to float down to the Riggins boat ramp from somewhere upstream. Looking to put in Saturday morning, with a midway camp spot somewhere in between on Saturday night, with our shuttle car parked at our camp. I'd then reset the shuttle car down to city park on Sunday morning and float the rest of the way down to that... but I have a lot of questions:
My first idea was to float from Spring Bar and camp just below Cat's Paw. But thinking about it more, that seems like a pretty short trip. And I've also been told that maybe access to the river-right road to cat's paw is now gated off?
For a longer trip, what other raft access points are there upstream of Spring Bar?
It looks like about 25-30 river miles from the Carey Creek boat ramp down to Riggins. Is this something that is a reasonable trip in two days on the water?
I was thinking maybe camping at Ruby Rapids, on that beach among those huge boulders there. So that's like 15 miles from Carey Creek on Saturday and 10 miles to Riggins on Sunday.
What's the typical miles-per-hour I can expect?
What are the fire regulations around that area at this time? (Can we have a camp fire? Do I need a fire pan?)
Is Spring Bar the only public bathroom upstream of town?
Are the bat-cave hotsprings up the trail across from French Creek still a thing?
Are any surf waves going to be in?
Thanks for any info/help/advice.