[Wallrat]

Nobody wants to go, apparently it's too cold/low/early, and so on. Anyone interested, PM me.

 

[Riverwild]

You can do it. Ideally I would fly in if the landing strip is clear. I've had friends go in april before.

 

[nolichuck]

Nobody wants to go, apparently it's too cold/low/early, and so on. Anyone interested, PM me.

Nobody wants to go, apparently it's too cold/low/early, and so on. Anyone interested, PM me.

In my opinion you would be much better off to float the Main Salmon in April.

 

[Wallrat]

So far I’m looking at going solo, since none of my regular crew can go. That’s why I want to go earlier and get the lower levels. I’m planning on a Marsh Creek put-in. I have some concerns about Dagger...another boat there would be nice.

 

[squeaks2]

Dagger is an easy portage or run and ironically, from my perspective, the least worrisome part of putting in at marsh creek at any flow. Generally, when I get there I am relieved to know the odds drowning are waaaayyy down.

 

[Wallrat]

That’s nice to hear! Part of my cunning plan is to get there before the levels start to rise, and hopefully avoid most of the dangers of the strainers. Marsh is supposed to be bad for them. I’m not too worried about that below Boundary.

 

[squeaks2]

Ugh, I must be getting old to be joining in this discussion which is as old as time. Most years when you float in early may, you are floating through avy debris that have just blown out. From my perspective, I like coming during highwater or just after because highwater clears the avi debris that flush into marsh every year. But then again I am lazy and I also like to do 70 mile days without much paddling.

 

[Wallrat]

Well, that’s an interesting comment. This will be my first early season trip, so I’m not sure what to expect. I thought Marsh was fairly flat, and didn’t have much in the way of mountains until you got closer to Boundary. I was thinking there wouldn’t be any avalanche debris to worry about until the bottom of the run.

 

[squeaks2]

I am all for people having fun. I would expect things like this depending on snow pack.

With all this said, I have walked on ice (as the river went under it) for maybe 10 miles of the middle fork during a mid winter trip. So I am all for a suffer fest. But man, portaging a raft around what is in that photo would be soul crushing.

 

[Wallrat]

Wow. Just wow. When was that picture taken? I’m watching the snowpack, and the river levels, if it looks sketchy I’ll bail. There’s no way I want to try portaging something like that. I’d rather go do the Main.

 

[squeaks2]

I have only done the top down 10 ish times all in early to mid may. I do not think I have ever not seen the remnants of good size slides into Marsh. i.e. whole trees sticking out of 20 foot high snow banks. People here have been down way more than I have and can give you better info

 

[GeoRon]

However, self support kayaks(Katana's etc) slide real good I'd think on snow portaging avalanche debris.

On the positive side, you'd only need to plan for snow, not mixed rain-snow.

I'd love to know how it goes. I've always dreamed of being tougher than I am.

But why is this posted on Rafting Trip Planning? Kayaks Trip Planning, maybe a better posting????. Hesus, April on the MF is out of my league.

Good luck.

 

[Wallrat]

I’m not a good enough paddler to kayak the Middle, I’m planning on taking a 13’ cat. I’ll load the pin kit up bigly so I can haul it over anything like that debris pile

 

[trueblue]

you guys are nuts! where I paddle (NM,CO,AZ,UT) the avalanches happen in the mountains and the rivers happen far away down in the valleys! jeez, maybe I need to dream of being tougher too, wish I could say yes and join you in the packraft

 

[MT4Runner]

I am all for people having fun. I would expect things like this depending on snow pack.
View attachment 62167

With all this said, I have walked on ice (as the river went under it) for maybe 10 miles of the middle fork during a mid winter trip. So I am all for a suffer fest. But man, portaging a raft around what is in that photo would be soul crushing.

You're the first person who comes to mind when anyone here asks about an early early MFS!

 

[dirtbagkayaker]

Swipe left on the haters and go right for the sick stuff. I see no issues with a March Creek April 16 launch what so ever. I actually believe there is a trip report in the Buzzard archive of a solo pack rafter pictured sliding over the ice damns below loon creek. If I were to make that run, I'd bring a back up willie warmer.. JMHO.

 

[MT4Runner]

Swipe left on the haters and go right for the sick stuff. I see no issues with a March Creek April 16 launch what so ever. I actually believe there is a trip report in the Buzzard archive of a solo pack rafter pictured sliding over the ice damns below loon creek. If I were to make that run, I'd bring a back up willie warmer.. JMHO.

squeaks2 (who posted above) is that guy!

 

[dirtbagkayaker]

squeaks2 (who posted above) is that guy!

That is funny, I knew I saw a trip report back in the day. I tried to find it. All I could remember was, it looked cold,

 

[smiley_n_mt]

An image of Dagger on Aug 1 last year. My guess is the wood is still there until it gets pushed off by higher flows.

 

[ol'scruffy]

Nobody wants to go, apparently it's too cold/low/early, and so on. Anyone interested, PM me.

It is nice to know that crazy's are still out there who like portaging rafts , snow camping sucks, trying to find dry wood sucks, having sissy yakers climb up on my boat because their hands and ass are cold really sucks, just dead weight and they never contribute whiskey, beer or squat...dead weight, all of them.