[glenn]

What do you consider the most classic rivers in N. America? Totally subjective but I'm trying to get a game plan together for the next 5 years of paddling. I would be interested in hearing about any grade whitewater but I'm personally only up for IV-V paddling on the upper end of the scale. I will probably focus my efforts in PNW, ID, CA but I've got some interest in Canada and Mexico as well.

 

[Schutzie]

#1 Dolores in South Western Colorado
#2 Grand Canyon (duh)
#3 North Platte -Northgate canyon at flood

 

[smauk2]

Little White Salmon, White Salmon, Eagle Creek, Canyon Creek, The Rogue, Celestial falls. PAC NW is awesome.

 

[glenn]

Might be good to give your criteria for classic as well. I'm surprised at a few picks already.

 

[yak1]

The Big South Fork of the Poudre

 

[paulk]

Kind of depends on your definition of classic. Personal? Well known? Scenary? Most of my experience is in CO but I'll lend my favorites up to IV-V

Class III-IV day stretch
South Payette, ID
Lochsa, ID
Stevens Down Poudre above 4 feet, CO

Class III-IV multiday
Cataract, UT
Middle and Main salmon, ID
Selway?- never done this, ID
Grand Canyon, AZ

Class IV-Vish
Upper Animas, CO
Gore, CO
Bailey, CO
OBJ, CO
Poudre Gnarrows, CO
Clear Creek, CO (~1000)
Wind, WA
Canyon Creek, WA
E fork Lewis, WA
Farmlands, WA
Green Truss, WA
Opal Creek, OR


Want to do:
Middle fork feather (multi), CA IV-V
Cal-Salmon, CA IV-V
Skykomish, WA III
North Fork Payette, ID V
South Salmon (multi) IV-V
Jarbidge/Bruneau
Selway, ID
Gauley, WV

BC- all of it
CA-granite Road trip
Futaleufu
Pucon, Chile

Too many more to add, good start though

 

[jmack]

I'll put in a vote for the Middle Fork Feather (CA). Pretty much the pinnacle of IV-V overnighters. 49-B on the S. Yuba is one of the best day IV-V runs I have done. The Northern Sierra has lots of other great options in that range: Mill Creek, Deer Creek, Butte Creek, N. Yuba, Giant Gap.

The Columbia River Gorge is the other obvious choice, with Canyon Creek and the Farmlands/Green Truss being world class IV-V.

As far as Colorado goes, the Big South (Poudre) is the best IV-V run in the state.

 

[Villainista]

Forks of the Kern
Giant Gap, N Fork American
Cal –Salmon
Garlic Falls, Upper Kings
And the run to top all runs: The Mighty South Fork American!!
A true California Classic !!!

 

[[email protected]]

Day runs: Big south, gore at 2500, 49-b on s yuba is some of the best 4-5 anywhere, south silver, middle kaweah, cal salmon, white salmon, rogers creek, calahan, upper cheakamus

Over nighters: hellsgate on tonto, black canyon, devils canyon of middle feather (the best 4-5 overnighter around), south salmon (not at high water), upper cherry and s merced if you walk some stuff,

Ultra classic class 3 trips: grand canyon, salmon drainage, selway, jarbidge bruneau, salt, owayhee, and if you find yourself in alaska the tatsashini or alsek are hard to beat

 

[TheFlophouse]

I will let you borrow this Glenn, if you don't already have it. It should provide a lot to think about...

The River Gypsies Guide to North America on sale for only $19.95!

-Zak

 

[fiya79]

I like that the Selway made it on a class III list and a class V list

 

[DoStep]

The Arkansas has 100 miles of varying difficulty between Granite and Canon City. About half is class iii and up, the other half about class iii and below. Pine creek, numbers, brown's, and royal gorge are the former, a short stretch below Buena vista and from Salida to the entry to royal gorge is the latter, More or less.

 

[glenn]

I've got the book but they don't do much to sort the classics from the standards if I remember correctly. Mostly I want to hear the impressions of the buzzards on what the most classic runs are.

 

[colorado_steve]

lower dolores and westwater canyon get my votes

 

[Roy]

The Embudo needs to be in there for a classic V day trip, and while I haven't done it, the Clark's Fork Box has gotta make the list for classic V multi-day.

 

[LSB]

Upper Gauley... If we're considering that side of the country to be part of N. America

 

[Fuzzy]

#'s above 4'

 

[k2andcannoli]

Upper Gauley... If we're considering that side of the country to be part of N. America

Since were considering WV, The New River is certainly a classic.

 

[Katboater]

Illinois River in Southern Oregon, South Fork of the Salmon in Idaho

 

[bigben]

x2 for the salt.
cataract's gotta be on the list somewhere!!