# Sneak on Pistol Creek..



## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

Hello everyone. I'm running the Middle Fork Salmon next week (8/2 launch). In a video I recently viewed on youtube, it stated the sneak on river right is closed on Pistol Creek. Is this true? Also, is the strainer still there between Sulpher Slide and Rams Horn? Thanks for any feedback.
Warren


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## Grifgav (Jun 20, 2011)

Have a great trip Warren! Wish I was going with you! Hope someone steps up with the beta you want.

Alan


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Yes, the river right sneak will be closed, at least do to the lower water level, that cobble bar cuts it off as the water drops.
Watch out for the fuck you rock on river left, in the main line of pistol, I ran it close to the wall in early July, and it was just stating to come out, with the f you rock just off my right tube.
Not much for scouting hear, but Pistol always seems like a good one to go take a look at, if you don’t run it to often!

A specific strainer between sulphuric and Ramshorn does not stand out in my memory, but there might be one? Plenty of new wood in the river from this spring, all over the place, so head up as always!

Also, take a look at the post that somebody started about a boat slicer down by Mallard, a couple rafts got tore up.

Have fun up there man, mfs is awesome!!


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

We just got off on 7/22 . Water level was 1.3' at the start and the right run was open when we went through. No strainers. have a good trip.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

John the welder said:


> We just got off on 7/22 . Water level was 1.3' at the start and the right run was open when we went through. No strainers. have a good trip.



Me thinks you meant 2.3'....


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## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

This will be my 12th time down the M. Fk. I ran it last year and the sneak was open, but tight. I always look at Lake Creek and Pistol. Have several newbies on this trip so it's a must. Pistol is really the only one I do scout, the rest is read and run. There was a strainer on river right per the Salmon Challis Nat Forest website that ran from river right 3/4ths the way across. I'll have to remember that about Mallard. Will hopefully be running the Main again next year.


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## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

Yeah bro, I wish you were going too. Same with Marty. I'm getting excited. I have the cooler/beer fly in coordinated. Now just a matter of buttoning up fine details.


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## slickhorn (Dec 15, 2005)

*go left!*

Shap will be along in a bit to tell you that you can station a person or two and swing boats into the right sneak at surprisingly low flows, 1.5' even. 

But let me advocate for the left run for a moment. It is a thing of beauty to run. You just put your boat on the outside bend, the water does everything for you. A little gentle work to stay just off the bank. pull the bow back right as you line up to clear the fang. It's plenty big slot and the sweeps run it so get in there!

It will look too narrow from the scout. You'll debate whether you can pull right of the fang, and sometimes people do it ok. But don't fall for it!

Don't be half-assed in your committment to stay left. When things go wrong on the left line, it's because it looked good to pull right of the fang and someone made a last minute freelance decision to try to get right. This is an illusion, a siren song. Stay strong, stay left. 

It's like a 3 stroke run, one of my favorite moves on the MF. Just how good it is will only become apparent from the boat, after it's too late to go anywhere else. 

Go left!


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## John the welder (May 2, 2009)

Yes 2.3'


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## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

Left definitely looks better than center. Did you have to shirk your oars?


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## unlucky (Sep 2, 2012)

The rangers mentioned a tree down in the water on river right below sulphur slide. It is a tall skinny tree sticking out into the river. Most all branches appeared to be missing and there was plenty of space to the left of it. I think you would have to go out of your way to get near it. 

As far as pistol goes - we ran left avoiding the rock in the center. It seems the gravel has shifted on the left a bit since I was up there 2 years ago. But the left side is the same. Cut it close to the wall and tuck your left oar. Easy


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## OregonianRG (Jun 14, 2010)

We put on July 17 at 2.28 ft. with eight boats. 6 boats ran left. Myself and another guy ran right. No problems either way. I can see how the right run will probably get too low at a lower flow.


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## UseTheSpinMove (Nov 16, 2016)

We were on the MF last week, launched at 2.3, and we could still make the sneak through the shallow gravel channel for the right side entrance to Pistol... thus completely missing the "fang" or whatever you want to call it (most of the names I have heard are not appropriate for me to type or maybe I'm too prudent)... for your launch next week, it is possible that the channel will be closed out -- but, it's possible that it could still squeak. We made it last week without getting hung up (with careful line choice between the riffles).

But, like others have said, it's not a bad idea to pull over and scout. I think it makes a lot of sense to pull over on the right side eddy just before Lake Creek and enjoy a little stroll to Pistol... it's a nice little trail and you get to look at Lake Creek anyhow. I have found that many people forget about Lake Creek... it's a significant feature, if you don't hit it right. We were able to sneak it on the left last week but that might not be in for you. Anyhow, take a walk down and see if the right sneak is still in at Pistol. I think people overestimate shallowness -- in other words, if there's a few inches of water, you can raft it! Just keep pushing forward and keep your tubes low and you can slarve over most round cobbles. And it beats tearing your floor open on the fang. 

if you do run the main left hand channel and thus find yourself trying to avoid the fang, it's easier avoided to the left (against the cliff wall) than to the right, in my opinion, even though it looks tight. 

That strainer by ramshorn that folks (and the USFS) have been mentioning is basically a non-issue. Saw it last week -- it's way over on the right side in a mellow straight section where you can see it coming... and you'll probably be drifting on the left side at that point anyhow. 

Have fun!


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## UseTheSpinMove (Nov 16, 2016)

slickhorn said:


> Shap will be along in a bit to tell you that you can station a person or two and swing boats into the right sneak at surprisingly low flows, 1.5' even.
> 
> But let me advocate for the left run for a moment. It is a thing of beauty to run. You just put your boat on the outside bend, the water does everything for you. A little gentle work to stay just off the bank. pull the bow back right as you line up to clear the fang. It's plenty big slot and the sweeps run it so get in there!
> 
> ...


This is a great description, by the way. Makes me wish I had gone left last week instead of taking the "safety" line through the right channel cobble entrance! I'll have to re-think my strategy next time...


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## MountainMedic (Apr 24, 2010)

slickhorn said:


> Shap will be along in a bit to tell you that you can station a person or two and swing boats into the right sneak at surprisingly low flows, 1.5' even.
> 
> But let me advocate for the left run for a moment. It is a thing of beauty to run. You just put your boat on the outside bend, the water does everything for you. A little gentle work to stay just off the bank. pull the bow back right as you line up to clear the fang. It's plenty big slot and the sweeps run it so get in there!
> 
> ...


This. Always go left. All the way left, right along the wall.


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## Waterhopper (Jul 3, 2017)

Left, left, left. It is a fun ride. And yes, you do have to ship your left oar. I usually ship both oars, but I try never to shirk my oars. :-D


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Waterhopper said:


> Left, left, left. It is a fun ride. And yes, you do have to ship your left oar. I usually ship both oars, but I try never to shirk my oars. :-D


Yes! I like it, go left!! More fun anyway!


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Putting together a “left run” club, by the way, partly for myself, as a goal. Left line in: Crystal, upset, Lava, etc. all the left runs that are not necessarily the normal run, I need need to do them, who else is in? What other ones should be on the list?? Regardless of river or drainage.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

matt man said:


> Putting together a “left run” club, by the way, partly for myself, as a goal. Left line in: Crystal, upset, Lava, etc. all the left runs that are not necessarily the normal run, I need need to do them, who else is in? What other ones should be on the list?? Regardless of river or drainage.


Rainey Falls


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## Panicfishwater (Apr 6, 2017)

matt man said:


> Putting together a “left run” club, by the way, partly for myself, as a goal. Left line in: Crystal, upset, Lava, etc. all the left runs that are not necessarily the normal run, I need need to do them, who else is in? What other ones should be on the list?? Regardless of river or drainage.


Bedrock...


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## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

Potato, Potaaaato. Looks like I'm going left! Will post when I get back gents. Cheers! Thank you for all of the feedback!


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Idahoan said:


> Potato, Potaaaato. Looks like I'm going left! Will post when I get back gents. Cheers! Thank you for all of the feedback!


Have fun up there man, glad ya got a trip! Sorry for the Jack...


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## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Ok, Rainey and Bedrock would both be good ones, been looking at that left run in Bedrock a few times, I would actually like to give her a try it with the Culebra...


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

matt man said:


> Putting together a “left run” club, by the way, partly for myself, as a goal. Left line in: Crystal, upset, Lava, etc. all the left runs that are not necessarily the normal run, I need need to do them, who else is in? What other ones should be on the list?? Regardless of river or drainage.


Ladle. I have run right and center. Saw someone go far left.....hmmmm.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

I've done the left line in Ladle. The entrance was super tricky and you shoot out into the large undercut boulder. In the middle we actually plugged the drop, the boat filled with water and the weight pulled us thru, the bottom was bony and we ping ponged out of it. I would recommend a boat smaller than 15'.


Left line in Double drop is something I've heard about but not done. There is a recent video on youtube of some guy going left, looks pretty wild. At 2:05 in this video.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9SKIkwjjY


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## OregonianRG (Jun 14, 2010)

There is a left cheat at Lochsa Falls. I have run it. Don't remember the flow.


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## Idahoan (Aug 18, 2013)

Ran it left w/o any issues. Wish I had been running it left all along. Thanks so much for the tips. Was a great trip. The one guy that listened to the siren song to hit the center chute snapped his new cataract oar mid shaft!


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## slickhorn (Dec 15, 2005)

Idahoan said:


> Ran it left w/o any issues. Wish I had been running it left all along. Thanks so much for the tips. Was a great trip. The one guy that listened to the siren song to hit the center chute snapped his new cataract oar mid shaft!


So glad you liked that left line! Don't listen to the sirens!!


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## 90Duck (Nov 19, 2012)

matt man said:


> Putting together a “left run” club, by the way, partly for myself, as a goal. Left line in: Crystal, upset, Lava, etc. all the left runs that are not necessarily the normal run, I need need to do them, who else is in? What other ones should be on the list?? Regardless of river or drainage.


The left run is the best run on Whitehorse on the Deschutes. The scout is on the right so everyone goes that way. Left is kind of hard to tell what is happening from the scout and the line doesn't look obvious, so it is kind of fun to surprise the hell out of people scouting when they see you way over there thinking you've screwed the pooch.


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