Best Multiday Wilderness River Trips
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URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5968
Printed Date: 31 Oct 2025 at 8:10am
Topic: Best Multiday Wilderness River Trips
Posted By: huckin harms
Subject: Best Multiday Wilderness River Trips
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 5:06pm
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With chilly winter temps setting in I got to dreaming.
The following is a list of rivers chosen as being the best overnight wilderness runs in the LOWER 48 STATES.
This eliminates a great deal of other potential contenders in British Columbia, Alaska, and Mexico.
Here are a few parameters:
Logistics- must constitute minimum effort (ie. no long hikes to the putin), and ideally the run offers road access to putin/takeout. No flights in.
Runs must be at least 20 miles AND be class IV -V missions, but not exceedingly difficult in nature (V+). No float trips. Again this narrows the possible canidates ( ie no Mf Salmon, Rogue in OR, Snake Rv- Hells Canyon, Upper Cherry Creek, ect). Now I know these "limitations" are quite arbitrary, but should confine the selection to runs that offer maximum payoff in quality rapids with ease of access, permits not withstanding.
Ok, with that, here's the list, in no particular order.
1) Grand Canyon CO
2) Selway ID
3) Clarksfork of Yellowstone WY
4) SF Salmon ID
5) MF Feather Devils Canyon CA
6) NF Moke Fantasy Falls CA
7) SF Merced CA
8) Owyhee OR
9) Stillwater MT
10) Animas, CO
This is an entirely subjective list that I put together after thumbing thru several books.
SO, are there any that should be included (given the aforesaid guidelines)?
OR should any be removed from the list? I should note, regrettably, that I've not had the good fortune or opportunity to yet run any on this list. THAT will hopefully change.
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Replies:
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 5:13pm
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I have to agree on the Selway. It is the single best whitewater trip I have been on. IMHO, it is much better than the MF Salmon, which does not meet Harms criteria anyway. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: fiddleyak
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 5:38pm
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Fantasy Falls is an amazing run, but it is definitely "exceedingly difficult in nature". If it is included then Royal Gorge of NF American belongs on the list. Personally, I think not including hike-ins or hard runs on a list of "Best Multiday Wilderness River Trips" is kind of pointless. |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 7:27pm
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Hey diddle diddle I hear that fiddle Then the Lost could go up! ------------- |
Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 8:12pm
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Yo Fiddleyak
There's a couple differences b/w the Fantasy Falls run and Royal Gorge that stand out, but I won't comment on those not having run either.
I can understand your perspective, and fully realize that by excluding hike in's leaves out a good portion of the best of California whitewater, but whatever.
James,
cmon man, the Lost is a poor man's Washington wilderness river. Definitely not a top ten contender even if the road went to the put in, besides it's only 12miles long. ------------- |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 8:21pm
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ok you got me... I just wanted to say "hey diddle diddle I hear that fiddle" in context my bad ------------- |
Posted By: Fish
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 8:22pm
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One of my favorite types of boating is multiday self support. One of the best runs on that list... and there are many is the SF Salmon. It's class IV-V has great camping on sandy benches, with a small trail that paralells the river the whole way. At the confluence to the MF salmon there is a store that sells beer, as by this point if all has gone right, you should be out. one of my all time favorites! http://riverlog.blogspot.com/2005/08/south-fork-salmon.html for pics and video of past multiday low water missions here! |
Posted By: septimus prime
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 8:57pm
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Mike has started a thread I was recently thinking about only in a slightly different light. What are the bare minimums one needs for doing multi-day trips? What have you guys found to cut weight, really did not need, or have found you can use in multiple or surprising ways? ------------- Jon Shell Bee |
Posted By: franzhorner
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2007 at 10:18pm
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The Illinois?? I found that river every bit as out there feeling and beautiful as the Middle Fork of Salmon or Selway but only 30 miles and no hotsprings or Lochsa waiting at the bottom. The rapids can be stoudt and the flashy nature of the river gets you going before you get there. The green wall is a formidable rapid with some consequences especially for loaded rafts. The other rapids are great in that there are challenging lines everywhere and easy routes as well. What a great trip! ------------- MORE RAIN PLEASE |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 8:20am
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Illinois was fun... I liked it but I would not rank it super high.... The flash nature of the run sure does get everyone antsy on day 1 though!!! ------------- |
Posted By: justin
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 9:36am
| What about the Jarbridge and Bruneau in Idaho? Or are they not hard enough. |
Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 9:41am
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison River in Colorado fits most of that criteria. The portage/sieve to whitewater ratio is high enough that I never motivated for it (kinda regret it now) but it's gotta be one of the most impressive canyons in the lower 48. ------------- |
Posted By: CRG Productions
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 10:49am
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The Litte N.F. of the Clearwater in ID is a good one. No hike in, no hike out. day one portage fest
day two relaxing class 3
day three starts with a bang and doesn't let up til you get to your car.
good times! ------------- www.gorgehits.com |
Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 11:24am
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Justin,
just thumbed and skimmed the two desert runs you mentioned, both look like fun.
Dave,
talking with Fred bout the Gunny Canyon really inspired this in a way. Left it off the top due to the fact that it can be done in a day. But really should be savored with two.
Didn't know about a Little nf Clearwater, interesting.
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Posted By: CRG Productions
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 11:28am
Little N.F. Clearwater.......shuttle blows![]("http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/smileys/smiley19.gif")
do it a day in advance.
photos of the run are here...
------------- www.gorgehits.com |
Posted By: slickhorn
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 11:57am
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multiday boating -- everything else is just practice. SF Salmon Jarbidge Bruneau -- Jarbidge is IV-V, and if you want more gnar, launch on the WF Bruneau instead of the J. Illinois -- the flash is only a concern in winter. It almost always has medium flows into May, with better weather and less possibility of flashing. Gotta throw a plug in for the GC Elwha here, as well. Someone asked about packing and minimum gear ... I'm by no means a minimalist (cooler, grill, chair, etc ... ) but I would refer those interested in gear questions to some of Todd G's previous posts. for me, a minimial kit is a good light down bag, a light tarp, filter bottle, and good safety gear ![]("smileys/smiley4.gif") ------------- |
Posted By: slickhorn
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 12:07pm
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multiday boating is a mindset -- it's about getting into river time and living with the natural rythyms of daylight and water flow. I often hear people around here complain that we don't have classic multiday trips in WA. True, but we have a lot of trips that make excellent one or two night trips. a partial list: Sauk Upper Cispus Lost Humptulips Green Gorge MF Snoqualmie Upper Kalama Green Truss Wynoochee These are all runs I've overnighted on, or have camp sites dailed in for future trips. ------------- |
Posted By: jojo
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 6:39pm
| The only problem with the selway is the access. If the road is clear it is a low snow year and if the road is not clear you need rednecks with monster trucks. Don't get me wrong, driving over fifteen feet of snow in some geared down 70's Bronco is sweet, but it does cost a lot. Not really easy access. |
Posted By: jojo
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 6:51pm
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Here's two good ones. Do the middle fork of the salmon into the main salmon into the salmon river road stretch into the riggins town stretch into the lower main. It's longer than the grand canyon and with better camping. Or the green into the colorado. A group from missoula did that 1000 miles this fall and some have continued on to document where the river ends. Neither has insane gigantic rapids but both have a special place in history. Just a thought. |
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2007 at 8:10pm
| Humptulips is awsome, best gorge for intermidiates! |
Posted By: water wacko
Date Posted: 28 Dec 2015 at 6:07pm
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Have to add Bridge Creek/Stehekin to this list, at least for WA. Beautiful, remote and hot summer temps.
------------- "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman |