Idaho 4 Rivers lotto-Successful!

[Conundrum]

June 27th Middle Fork launch. That is all.

[skifishbum]

I'd just like to point out I'm an asshole my wifes a whiney bitch and my dog is ill behaved.
I'll make all others in your party seem better
Count me in if your looking to fill spots

[Norseman]

Dang, just got my "failed to draw" email.

[cmsummit]

May 29th Middle Fork launch!!!! My buddy pulled the permit, he's gotten it twice in the last 5 years now. It will be my first time down the MF. I cannot wait.

[Bunion 2020]

June 15th launch. Trip number 47.


Norseman, if you want a spot its all yours, along with the family of course.

Tye!!!!! Ya in?

I will be rowing my 14 foot raft.

[Norseman]

Man, I'd sure love to come along! I've been on the lower (unpermitted) section 3 times but never up on the Middle or Main.

Bunion, PM me if you're serious about the invite...

[Fenris]

I'm trying to watch how the season is going and possibly sneaking in an early trip. Unless I did a wicked fast trip at the very beginning of permit season I wouldn't make it back East in time for work, so why rush and why play the lotto in that case.

[HotCarl]

May 29th Middle Fork launch!!!! My buddy pulled the permit, he's gotten it twice in the last 5 years now. It will be my first time down the MF. I cannot wait.

Nice! You're launchin on my birthday. Have a blast. My girlfriend won our Middle Fork launch--June 23rd!!! The MF two years in a row! And i never thought i'd get on it.

[danadog]

Buddy scored big!!!!!!
Ida-Ho we are headed your way again this year.
Snake launch June 10th
Middle Fork launch June 17th

[powder_prophet]

May 29th Middle Fork launch!!!! My buddy pulled the permit, he's gotten it twice in the last 5 years now. It will be my first time down the MF. I cannot wait.

Dang, it'll be huge that early. Hold on!!!!!!

No luck on the Salmon, but heading down Hell's on May 20th. May sneak onto a salmon trip later int he summer, I've got some schemes...

[splat]

Suhweeet for everyone who's going. I envy you all.

[Flowtorch]

I'm with Carl, goin back to idaho for back2back Middle Forkin! Stoked to run Bear Valley Creek this time instead of Marsh. Hope to carry up and run some BigCreek too. Planning on hitting Payettes or Lochsa when were done. Freakin loves me some Idaho.

[Conundrum]

Dang, it'll be huge that early. Hold on!!!!!!

...

Pretty lousy snowpack this year. Unless things pick up, it probably won't be that big.

[splat]

I'm with Carl, goin back to idaho for back2back Middle Forkin! Stoked to run Bear Valley Creek this time instead of Marsh. Hope to carry up and run some BigCreek too. Planning on hitting Payettes or Lochsa when were done. Freakin loves me some Idaho.

You gotta draw to do the Lochsa these days?
Any of you guys done the St. Joe? It's small but fun.

[Conundrum]

No permits on the Lochsa. Just have to hit the flows right.

[Flowtorch]

You gotta draw to do the Lochsa these days?

Huh?

Never done the St. Joe. Wasn't really on my radar until you mentioned it and i looked it up. Looks good, I'll have to add that to my long list of shit to do in Idaho. Only boating I've done in ID is S. Payette Canyon run, MiddleFork>Main Salmon and Marsh. Slowly chippin away at that place.

Looking forward to the Lochsa, hope flows are still decent after our MF trip..june30'ish??? Lookin at you, Carvedog. The above comment doesn't inspire confidence but what kind of base flows do you need for the Lochsa,anyone?

[RootSkier]

Looking forward to the Lochsa, hope flows are still decent after our MF trip..june30'ish??? Lookin at you, Carvedog. The above comment doesn't inspire confidence but what kind of base flows do you need for the Lochsa,anyone?

Not looking good this year for late June. We are around 50% snowpack up north.

The Lochsa has good playboating starting around 3500, but "classic" flows start in the 6000ish range for the lower, IMO. It starts to wash out around 15K but is still fun with hudge waves. The upper is best between 12 and 18K and never really washes out...wicked huge holes and long ass rapids at high flows on the upper.

However, if you guys are bringing creek boats, there might still be some good creeking in late June if we get some rain.

The St. Joe is a fun river and has some good tributaries, too.

Here is Slate Creek which dumps into the St. Joe below the Tumbledown section.



Here is Big Sands, highest elevation Lochsa tributary, when the Lochsa was around 3900.







Upper Fish Creek into the Lochsa is a good run if the Lochsa is still kickin above 4000ish or so (but it really depends):



Also, on the Selway shuttle, you drive right past these Bitterroot Creeks (three different runs here) that, in an average year, are usually prime in late June:

[Flowtorch]

Nice, thanks for the Idaho inspirado. Big Sands sounds like the business. That fish creek has been on my mind before, guessin that thing will probably be kicked by early july ya think? Those pics get me so stoked, was looking at lelands page last night too, he's got some great tr's.

St. Joe has been tagged for future fun.

[skifishbum]

I don't suppose adding marginal rowing skills to my resume above will garner any invites
I'm working on a spring float on the Smith in MT. if anybodies interested.

[carvedog]

Huh?

Never done the St. Joe. Wasn't really on my radar until you mentioned it and i looked it up. Looks good, I'll have to add that to my long list of shit to do in Idaho. Only boating I've done in ID is S. Payette Canyon run, MiddleFork>Main Salmon and Marsh. Slowly chippin away at that place.

Looking forward to the Lochsa, hope flows are still decent after our MF trip..june30'ish??? Lookin at you, Carvedog. The above comment doesn't inspire confidence but what kind of base flows do you need for the Lochsa,anyone?

I would expect medium to low flows around the state after your trip. So maybe you should come playboat before. Root really knows the northern rivers and can advise flows up there before better than I. I did get a chance to join a late may Selway. Perhaps. I think this one will peak mid May or earlier this year.

I would be surprised if the MF is over 3 feet by the time you guys put on. And that starts to get pretty bony on Bear and Marsh.
By comparison last year was around 5 feet.
Doable for sure, but no hot sauce on those enchiladas. There is a great ( I've heard) hot spring right above the confluence of Marsh and Bear Valley. That might be worth doing an overnighter just to check out the spring and the canyon.

I'll PM Hot as I had another idear too.......

[RTR]

Nate, you need to switch dates with my buddy (he drew in mid-August ) Or, you can just invite me

I REALLY hope this changes, though... Low Snow Pack graphic of Idaho

The aforementioned buddy of mine drew a MF permit for the middle of August. The only reason I'm wanting to go is for the fishing, but I'm not even sure where you have to put-in at the time of the year, given this year's dry trend.

In the particular, I have my sights set on Sheep Creek, and the Bruneau basin snowpack isn't looking too wonderful, either.

[carvedog]

......Stoked to run Bear Valley Creek this time instead of Marsh

you will be walking Bear Valley Flow. Sorry to be the pessimist here. We are at about 50% of average according to Abromovich who knows his stuff. He will be posting recession graphs in a couple of weeks or so.

http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/news/new...upply0310.html

The aforementioned buddy of mine drew a MF permit for the middle of August. The only reason I'm wanting to go is for the fishing, but I'm not even sure where you have to put-in at the time of the year, given this year's dry trend.

In the particular, I have my sights set on Sheep Creek, and the Bruneau basin snowpack isn't looking too wonderful, either.

Sheep and the Bruneau are likely to be running for only a few days at best is my guess. Not that I know shitall about it, but man this doesn't look great.

You will be able to launch off the top in August. We did at 1.ridiculous and still made it down. Fly gear in to Indian. I mean fly beer in to Indian. You can have 1,000 to 1,500 lbs flown in for around $400 to $700 vs flying in the whole trip ( depending on size) at $2k to $3k or more.

Go off the top light and you will be fine or at least most seem to figure it out.

[danadog]

From the Idaho yahoo group

"FYI

We updated the Year | Season | Recession graphs on this page. In some of the previous graphs, we used 2005 as comparison flow year because of snow, but May rains changed the whole water supply picture, we’ll see what May brings this year or not……

http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/wat.../peakflow.html



Ron"

[Flowtorch]

Thanks dogs!

Bummer. Didn't have my heart set on the class 3 gnar, woulda been nice to see a different creek though. Keepin fingers crossed. Yo Jer, you dont think we'll have to do a fly-in with our date do ya? I wouldnt imagine but you know far more than I. Talkin about maybe some Payette action while were there now. Maybe even some N. Fk Payette

[carvedog]

Thanks dogs!

Bummer. Didn't have my heart set on the class 3 gnar, woulda been nice to see a different creek though. Keepin fingers crossed. Yo Jer, you dont think we'll have to do a fly-in with our date do ya? I wouldnt imagine but you know far more than I. Talkin about maybe some Payette action while were there now. Maybe even some N. Fk Payette

Payettes should be good. They will be storing water up at Deadwood though more than likely but there will be still be decent flows.

No fly in necessary. You guys didn't look that heavy last year. The first five miles can be kind of a beatup as it gets below 2.5. There is still some force to the water but the land mines ( rocks ) are still everywhere. When it gets below two feet the velocity starts to go down so you bounce off stuff instead of wrapping. Some of the biggest asswhippins I have had are between 2 and 2.5.
Hope you don't have that but......

On the plus side you have potential for some epic fishing. As soon as the water starts to clear, slow and pool more it seems the like the fish really come hard to large anythings. Hoppers, big stimmies, stoneflies, madam x, beetles, and then you will have the usual caddis and adams stuff that will work early and late too.