Lochsa Weekend Discussion Thread
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Category: General
Forum Name: Trip Discussion's
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URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4753
Printed Date: 07 Jun 2025 at 8:56am
Topic: Lochsa Weekend Discussion Thread
Posted By: tradguy2
Subject: Lochsa Weekend Discussion Thread
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2007 at 4:01pm
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This is the Lochsa Weekend discussion thread. Please post any questions below. Remember the actual Trip Details are located on the Lochsa Weekend | Trip Page Planning on heading on out to the Lochsa for some big water, play, and maybe a little crekking on Fish Creek the last weekend in April. I'm planning on leaving Friday April 27th. It is about a 7 hour drive.Tom
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Replies:
Posted By: Courtney
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2007 at 6:47pm
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How long is the drive over there from Monroe?
Courtney
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Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2007 at 8:53pm
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The 7 hours is based on the Mapquest time estimate from Seattle to Lowell so 7 is probably pretty close for Monroe. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2007 at 6:04pm
| You should be ok since your going that early, but fyi, I've heard the snowpack sucks over there and their water is starting to flow already. You want at least 5k for decent play. I think 7 or 8 was optimal. |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2007 at 9:10am
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Does anyone know if that stretch has a guage somewhere online, even if it is some other authority? James ------------- |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2007 at 9:36am
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This is the one on the AW site.
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Gauge/detail/id/5052/
------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2007 at 9:51am
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Gracisas ... Gauge is now updated and running. :)
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Posted By: hutchm
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2007 at 2:30pm
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I ran the lochsa this last week when I was in missoula. It was on the low side, but still allot of fun with one good feature called pipeline to play at. When the river really starts to flow there is play throughout the entire run.
When I ran it the internet gauge was about 5ft, and the locals told me to subtracted 2-3ft off this to get an accurate reading.
Epic river.
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Posted By: top pin
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2007 at 10:16pm
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I'll be shooting for this trip..Fun FUn.. Live here arleady Lewiston anways.. Pipeline is 117 miles from my front door.. Internet gauge is off compared to the descriptions..The bridge gause is what the locals all use.. Best place to find that is here at this website, during the main season the give daily updates.. http://nt1.adventuresports.com/aso/ASAPshowpage.asp?Client=Marty I'm half tempted to drive up there saturday for some play and maybe a run. Wish there were more boaters in the area.. Chris Lewiston, ID. |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2007 at 1:42pm
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I just poster this trip on the Idaho chapter of pp.com. (IdahoKayaker.com)
Hopefully we will get a few locals to join the trip and show us the goods on the Lochsa. I'll also try to get a few of them to come out to the PP.com ball.
So who else is coming, right now only Leif has officially joined the trip. Trust me, this river is sick and has everything. A runnable creek be the campground, big water, sick play, a technical upper section and a relatively nontechnical lower section. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2007 at 1:44pm
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I am interested but I can't commit yet.... I will most likely be a last minute join, if I can make it happen. ~J ------------- |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2007 at 1:50pm
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Come on James, you would love this river. Would Lidya come too. Gloria is coming and they might like to hang out. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Ryan
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2007 at 3:38pm
| I'm pretty sure I will go but don't want to commit yet either. I'll let you know soon. |
Posted By: Ryan
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2007 at 10:01pm
| I'm going to be out of town. Have fun! |
Posted By: munkyboat
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2007 at 6:19pm
| we hit on the Lochsa this weekend and it was a great time even at the 3500-4000 cfs range. At that level it was possible to hit a lot of the one timer no eddy service playspots. A little higher would be nice, but it still kicked ass. The weekend you guys are heading down there will be another keg or two on the way as per a Bozeman paddling party as well. syotr |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 9:02am
![]("http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/smileys/smiley20.gif") Thanks!------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 10:31am
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hey everyone
I'd really like to go! but i still have the boat, paddle, booties, ride problem... the prob is that i don't have 'em....xD
so if anyone could hook me up with some stuff that would be great. I think that I'll buy some booties and gloves before cuz I have to buy it anyways.... but I can't buy a boat or paddle cuz it is to expencive to get it over to germany when i leave....xD
so if someone could give me a ride who lives in an 30 to 45 min area around my place that would be awesome. (cuz my hostmom told me that she could give me rides if its not more than 20 to 30 min but I think i could talk her into 45)
I hope we can figure something out together cuz i really want to go!!! I've never been on a big river with a lot of water cuz we don't have so many of them in Germany..... tho i think that would be a great experience!!!!
peace ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 11:02am
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Sven, I have a boat and paddle you can use. I'm planning on leaving Kent Friday afternoon around 2. If you could meet me I'll drive you out. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 11:10am
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awesome! my school goes till 2:30 but I think I have to call in sick or leave early cuz kayaking is way more important then school (at least for me cuz the grades doesn't count for me in Germany anyways....)
Yeah I'll talk to my hostmom the first thing when I get home (O'm in school right now.....xD) oh yeah and what boat do you have that I could use? cuz I'm pretty tall with my 6"4' to 6"5'....xD ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 11:13am
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The boat is a Dagger GT 8.3. You will not be able to play in it, but you will fit in it just fine. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 11:47am
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okay I think I'll fit in it!
Now it is really important that someone has a helmet for me!!!! cya folks ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 12:59pm
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I got one.
Leif, is your rack going to be ready for the trip? ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 7:27pm
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okay i talked to my hostmom and she said its all okay and she'd give me a ride to your house, tom. one more question. where is the best place (shop) to get booties, gloves and these caps for under the helme(no clue what they're called) i tried GI joes but they dont have'em..... ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 7:38pm
Posted By: RemAcct2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 8:42pm
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Ok, a few things... 1) I thought we were leaving on Thursday to make it a 3-day weekend given the long drive...thoughts? 2) My truck rack will not be done, but there shouldn't be any problem getting 3-4 playboats and gear for 4-5 people in the truck. 3) I've got spare equipment...just PM me. And finally, 4) James - are you coming? ------------- |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 9:14pm
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Too early to tell... most likely not at this point.
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Posted By: RemAcct2
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 9:18pm
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You've got something better to do than hang out with Tom and I? :-)
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Posted By: James
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2007 at 9:22pm
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no its not that broski... joel just aint up to it.... hehehe j/k I am really trying to get fires cookin at my work and the market ain't too hot right now. So I might be working through the week and weekend next. ~J ------------- |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2007 at 10:11pm
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hey one more question.... where do we sleep? are we camping? cuz that would be an important thing to know....xD cuz i have to organize a tent.... and who much does it cost? like the place where we stay and gasmoney....
ttyl folks ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 9:19am
We are camping, and I have an old tent you can use. Man alive Sven, am I going to have to roll for you too? ![]("http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/smileys/smiley2.gif")
Seriously though Sven, I should have asked earlier, but how much experience do you have? What rivers, classes, how long have you been paddling, etc? The Lochsa is not super hard, but the water is very cold and the rapids are continuous enough that a swim at some levels could be very long. I just want to be on the safe side.
Camping will be free or pretty cheap depending on where we stay. As for gas, just pitch in what you can afford, anything will help. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: RemAcct2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 9:21am
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Ok Tom - now that you are back - what day/time are we leaving/returning?
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Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 10:05am
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hey tom
Im kayaking since 2000 so that would be bout 7 years now. I started with whitewater about 5 or 6 years ago so I have some experience. Mostly on class III rivers but we started to go on IV's 2 years ago so I have not that much experience with IV's. one of the reasons was that I couldn't roll till 2 years ago but now my roll is.... let's say okay. I can't really tell because I only had to rolle 4 times in whitewater and 2 of them in easy water cuz i started surfing and stuff....xD but I could roll all times easyly at the first try. I am not sure how it is in rivers with a lot of water because we don't have them in Germany.... but if everyone is affrait to take me to those river I'll never learn. And how I said I kayaked 3 years without knowing how to roll but I don't have that much experience with (whitewater) swimming.... if you know what i mean.... oh yeah and I like to push my limits but I know when it is too much for me! So if I realise that it is to hard for me I'm not goin on anymore I just take the boat out and wait for you guys! this way you don't have to worry about me.... tho its still up to you if you'd take me! But I really want to try a river like that! cuz as i said we don't have much of those in Europe. peace. If the text above doesn't make much sence to you just ask. I'm used to it.... ![]("smileys/smiley36.gif") ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 10:55am
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Leif - I'm plannig on leaving work around 2pm, picking up Gloria from work in Seattle around 3 and heading out from there.
Sven, I ust admit thatI am a little nervous about taking you. As you can see from the chart below, there are 20 rapids in 9 miles. All of them are class III- to IV. The rapids are not very technical but the river is very intimidating. The pictures on the AW site do not do the river justice. Is there any way you can come paddle some evening this week on something easy? It would be really useful to be able to get used to being on the water again before trying the Lochsa.
------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
![]("http://www.americanwhitewater.org/resources/images/rapid_icon_takeout.gif"){kind=icon}
Posted By: top pin
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 12:36pm
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Heres a little trip report for you guys.. At the flow this felt alot like Middle White Salmon to me at around 4ft, with maybe just a few bigger waves/drops in there. Fun flow, though little play at this level, theres some but not like when its higher water 3 to 5' on the bridge gauge..
You want a solid combat roll on here. Though its forgiving I'd not want to swim any of these drops, and the water is cold, snowmelt fun off. It is roadside though and you can scout and walk all the drops. Plus it leads up as starting easy and ending with a bang. FUN FUN, might see you guys saturday, fun times to be had..
Fish Creek was low, maybe with the warm weather this week it could be up and running well. Seemed real bony to me but I've never run it either..
Ran Lochsa yesterday at what I would call a low flow. Didnt have any rock scraping issues as it definetly had enough water for all the drops. The lines sure were different though then when it has a couple more feet.
Ran from Fish Creek to Pipeline. Some fun monster waves in mid rapids, Grim Reaper being the most technical as having to punch a funky diagonal on the lead in then hang of for some big wave 6'+.. First time I've run this section as a lead boater and having to watch for holes, read the lines etc. No flips in any of the drops first for me, though a couple trying to play on some surf waves. Overall a fun day, and I'll be headed back up again. Even at the low, there was some great rapids in there. Lots of Missoula boaters on the river, finding a shuttle at the take out was no problem thanks to them guys.. Cannot wait for memorial day, and a little more water but its coming next, this week high 60's should bring it up some.
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Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 1:14pm
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Thanks for the info. It has been a few years so my memory is a bit fuzzy but I remember that lateral on Grim Reaper, it is hard to forget. Hope top see you there. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 1:14pm
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Well reading the beta from others and now your report, I am a little bummed about the timing of this trip Trad. It looks like Pipeline the feature to behold will not be held this weekend. Correct me if I am wrong but Pipeline needs like 4ft or higher to start getting good right? Do you think there will be any destination play out there this weekend Top? ------------- |
Posted By: PowWrangler
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 1:41pm
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I've paddled in the Lochsa area a decent amount and don't know of any "destination play" right now. Personally, I would want at least 5k on the gauge to make it worth it. The creeking around there is tits (Lolo Creek, etc..), but those are still too low and who knows how much they'll run with their terrible snowpack. Sven, it's probably a crap shoot whether you would do ok or be an extreme burden on your group. I've never done it this low, but at normal flows there are some monster holes you want to avoid so being able to paddle in control in class III/IV water when needed is a good skill to have.
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Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 1:41pm
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The NOAA forecast is peridcting flows will hit 4 ft by the weekend. Also, all day wave should be in. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: top pin
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 2:58pm
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Originally posted by PowWrangler
.....................the creeking around there is tits (Lolo Creek, etc..), but those are still too low and who knows how much they'll run with their terrible snowpack. Sven, it's probably a crap shoot whether you would do ok or be an extreme burden on your group. I've never done it this low, but at normal flows there are some monster holes you want to avoid so being able to paddle in control in class III/IV water when needed is a good skill to have. Lolo is in right now running well at around 10' and its the bomb from what I hear. Thats just a step up from the level I'm comfortable with because that baby is remote.. 2000' canyon... I know its been run some in the last couple weekends.
Bring your creekers the missoula boys were running the south fork of the clearwater at med/lo flows and from what I hear those are awesome runs about 1 hour southish of Lochsa. Golden Canyon section cl V micky mouse cl IV all roadside. See awa.
Play spots would be Riggins area salmon river about 2 hours/100 miles or so south and there is almost always something in there. Depending of flow 12,000cfs is rocking for rodeo hole, and theres goulds hole and couch wave all flow dependant. I'm no expert as I've only been on cats paw wave under 10k i believe and rodeo at 12k where I watched the good guys doing front loops. I'm no expert on surf spots as I usually run rivers and try to catch a wave to front surf..
I dont know where all day wave is on the lochsa, I saw no one surfing in our run down it but we had a late start. I only saw one wave with good eddy service that I thought was surfable and I tried 2 and failed so I just kept floating downriver but I'm no surfer either, I'm happy to just front surf in my i3..
If Gran Rhonde (OR.) flows pick up to above 7k to 10k I have directions to a killer play wave 45 minutes south of Clarkston/Lewiston. .
Suppose to get warm this week so everything is going to rise up not sure about that one though.
I dont know when Pipeline comes in, it was a big green pipeline when I was on at 6' last year, yesterday it was a munchy hole that was surfable I believe but would have been tough I did not see anyone surfing there.
Memorial day weekend is usually the destination time for Lochsa, PDX brings 50 boaters over here and its crazy fun on the river..and the river is usually just peaking about then or just coming down..
Theres fun stuff but its also 7 hours so I'm not going to make the call for you guys.. Weather is supposed to be in the 60+ though.. Id be using the town of kamiah for your weather reports, Elk city is a different breed of weather patterns there..
Have fun, hoping to boat with ya..
Chris
Lewiston, ID.
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Posted By: James
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 3:10pm
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Awesome details Top... I will have to take a looksie at the schedule
for memorial day. If I don't make it on this coming weekend, I
definitly will try to make it then. J ------------- |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 3:34pm
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hey tom yeah I think im not goin then. If you are not comftible with me goin on the trip its better if im not goin! I'll go another time like memorial day. so if anyone could take me on memorial day that would be awesome that way I have more time to get used to being in a boat.... could I still get your GT and the paddle for the weekend? Cuz it would be a lot easyer to find people to go on a river if you already have a boat.... peace! ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 5:26pm
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Thanks for all the beta. I'm going reguardless of flows this weekend because I will not be able to go Memorial Day. Sven, I'd really prefer it if you could make it out sometime this week. Can you get out Wednesday or Thursday? Also, I'll still let you use my boat Memorial Day. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: RemAcct2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 5:33pm
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So, there have been quite a few "maybes", so, who all is going, and how are we going to carpool? I should be able to get 4 playboats and supplies in my rig, even though the rack isn't on yet, and I am unclear if we have enough interest in this trip to warrant two vehicles in our convoy... Thoughts? ------------- |
Posted By: Sven
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 5:37pm
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Thanks dude! do you mean goin on a river on wed/thurs or picking up the boat? cuz i donno if i can make it on a river and it's cool with me if you guys go without me. this way i'm here for my friends b-day party on friday.....xD but could I still get your boat and paddle or the weekend that you're not here or do you need the paddle as an extraone in case one brakes or somethin? i mean i might be able to get a paddle form my friend.... if i could get the gt that would be awesome cuz this way i could get used to it and go on a river or at least on a lake with a couple of friends..... I mean it's sunny out tho we'll go to the lake anyways..... ------------- I'm the new german guy and a friend of Benno |
Posted By: oopsiflipped
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 9:04pm
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Not to poop on your party, but it probably isn't worth the drive at the current level. That being said the forecast looks like good weather. |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 9:20pm
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Nice call Oops... Thanks for the heads up. I think I am leaning towards one last local weekend before I begin my spring and summer splurge. I really wanna hit the Lochsa but not at sub par flows, just like the wenatchee... that would suck to drive 7-8 hours to get to there and find no play. Originally posted by leifkirchoff So, there have been quite a few "maybes", so, who all is going Maybe you should use the dang trip planner leif.... look at the list... sven pulled out... looks like you and tom. ------------- |
Posted By: top pin
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 9:44pm
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I had to go back and read some reports of flows and pipeline. I believe your going to want flows in the 6k range for pipeline to be epic, but from boating with a friend that boated in seattle for a couple years and him talking of the what little play you have over there I believe you could find something to play on if flows get close to 5k. He was comparing a little play wave we have on a local run that doesnt break etc but he said in the Seattle area this would have 2 or 3 boats in the eddy on weekends. So comparing that I'd say theres something going on better then that somewhere on that river. Memorial day can be epic like this... Lochsa falls at 6 feet on the Lowell bridge gauge.. 10k or so I 'm not sure of cfs.. Feet on the bridge is what most use not the internet gauge that is several feet off.... http://myweb.cableone.net/cueist1/VIDEO/LochsaFalls.mov Lochsa looked nowwhere near that yesterday.. all that stuff on river left was uncovered..plus on the lead in theres a boulder sticking 2 feet out of the water about where I start to point my boat to river left. Completely different river. And like I said Salmon 2 hours south will have epic play spots in right now.. If it makes it above 12k you guys would love rodeo hole. Its a fun river either way. But I know that drive all to well.. Chris |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 10:44pm
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After a little research I realize that all the locals use the gauge on the bridge which does not correspond to the one on the NOAA site. The flows are listed at the bottom of this page: http://nt1.adventuresports.com/aso/ASAPshowpage.asp?Client=Marty by the people at the 3 rivers resort. It is pretty low now (under 3 feet)) and I think I want over 4 for this trip. Lets watch the levels and make a call later in the week. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: top pin
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 11:00pm
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THis works too... Thanks AWA and someone..../ http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Photo/detail/photoid/13210/ |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2007 at 2:02pm
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The river has come up almost 1000cfs, I doubt it will come up enough to be worthwhile by the weekend but I'll maske a final decision tomorrow. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2007 at 9:10am
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Well, it is not coming up enought. The trip is cancelled.
Let's try this trip again in a few weeks. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 12:55pm
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Ok so does anyone know what the level is right now on the Lochsa ....
It seems like it could have just gone through the roof... or maybe the
gauge is just broken.
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Posted By: Tobin
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 1:21pm
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James,, I will call a family member that lives on it, see if he has more accurate guage info.
Are you gonna come to the PBR?
------------- Sure? |
Posted By: Tobin
Date Posted: 02 May 2007 at 1:26pm
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Just got off the phone with my cousin,, it took a huge jump yesterday and last night. Their forcast is for it to plateau around 10k and come down for the weekend? ------------- Sure? |