Hell's Canyon of the Snake River
Hell's Canyon of the Snake is a wonderful multiday whitewater trip. The Wild & Scenic section is truly wild & scenic and if you have been there and taken it in you know it is much more than just another multiday whitewater trip. Not unlike the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork Salmon, and the Wild & Scenic section of the Rogue these places hold a page in history. It can be all too easy for us to get wrapped up in the adrenaline of the whitewater and miss what is truly unique. We can easily pass through these wild canyons and never see how truly special they are. I can not catch the canyon's true beauty in these pictures, so it is up to you to go and see for yourselves and explore nature's beauty! 
After a long 7 hour drive the adventure starts here at Scotty's.
The dam is about a 30 min. drive from Scotty's
The put in, just down stream from the dam
The river was running somewhere in the 20,000-25,000cfs range which was higher than usual for this time of the year. This flow created big volume rapids, large boils and fun eddylines. Wild Sheep was the biggest on our first day and the largest of the run. We camped a little ways down stream just above Granite the second biggest rapid on the run.
Granite Rapid
Chris & Bruce Scouting Granite 
Abandoned ranches lie silent in the canyon as historical sites
The lack of play waves kept us hunting for fun eddylines and whirlpools which we found in abundance. There wasn't much in the wave of quality play waves at this flow. I would be interested in seeing it at different flows, probably lower, to see if the play improved. However on the last day I found a nice wave that was catch on the fly. On the 2nd day just before we got to camp we paddled upon a absolutely amazing whirlpool. The depression made by the swirling water was probably 3-4 feet. When we caught good whirlpools we were getting pulled down so that barely our helmets were visible. This is the best swirls I've ever played in! The whirlpools were intimidating when they opened up and swallowed you in.
The put in, just down stream from the dam
Snow on the top of the canyon 
Once on the river the scenery is amazing. Here is Willie dwarfed by the canyon walls. October usually has mild temperatures but it was a little colder than usual. You can see the snow capping the very top of the canyon rim.
The river was running somewhere in the 20,000-25,000cfs range which was higher than usual for this time of the year. This flow created big volume rapids, large boils and fun eddylines. Wild Sheep was the biggest on our first day and the largest of the run. We camped a little ways down stream just above Granite the second biggest rapid on the run.
Wild Sheep Rapid as seen from the scout on river left
A raft dwarfed in the entrance at Wild Sheep 
A oar rig engulfed by Wild Sheep
Willie in the left eddy below Wild Sheep
Looking back up at Wild Sheep and the canyon above
Camp 1: I believe this site was called Upper Granite 
Day 2 on the river started with Granite Rapid. The Green Room was not in but I heard about it. I was told the water was too high.
A oar rig engulfed by Wild Sheep
Willie in the left eddy below Wild Sheep
Looking back up at Wild Sheep and the canyon above
Camp 1: I believe this site was called Upper Granite 
Day 2 on the river started with Granite Rapid. The Green Room was not in but I heard about it. I was told the water was too high. Granite Rapid
Chris & Bruce Scouting Granite 
Abandoned ranches lie silent in the canyon as historical sites
The lack of play waves kept us hunting for fun eddylines and whirlpools which we found in abundance. There wasn't much in the wave of quality play waves at this flow. I would be interested in seeing it at different flows, probably lower, to see if the play improved. However on the last day I found a nice wave that was catch on the fly. On the 2nd day just before we got to camp we paddled upon a absolutely amazing whirlpool. The depression made by the swirling water was probably 3-4 feet. When we caught good whirlpools we were getting pulled down so that barely our helmets were visible. This is the best swirls I've ever played in! The whirlpools were intimidating when they opened up and swallowed you in.
Willie playing in one of the whirlpools created by the powerful eddy
Camp 2
Camp 3 was at Kirkwood Ranch, where there is a flush toilet! Kirkwood is only about an hour or so from the take out. There are plenty of campsites around Kirkwood ranch but it was sure nice to stay at a site with nice toilets so we didn't have to get out the groover.
We got up early packed up and made quick work of the 4 miles or so of river we had left. We arrived at the takeout and derigged the raft then prepared for the 9 hour drive. On the way out of the canyon we got some parting shots and said good bye.
We got up early packed up and made quick work of the 4 miles or so of river we had left. We arrived at the takeout and derigged the raft then prepared for the 9 hour drive. On the way out of the canyon we got some parting shots and said good bye.
The take out
Parting shots with Hell's Canyon in the background
till next time...
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