# Lower Owyhee Tow/paddle out?



## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

Its a long haul. I did it once. We brought a 5 hp motor and mounted it on a cat boat and used it as a tug to pull a 16", 14' raft and 16' cat with 8 ppl a 2 dogs. I wouldn't do it again.


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## roundboater (Sep 24, 2010)

*Shuttle Co*

We did a Rome to Birch Creek in March 3 yrs ago. Decent road but small creek crossings coming out of the canyon. Doable as long as the weather behaves. Otherwise it's Owyhee Gumbo. These guys are doing shuttles: 541-586-2548 Jack. 541-586-2865 Corey. They are based out of Jordan Valley. If you can do the trip it's well worth it! Brian


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

*Owyhee*

BLM says current all the way to Leslie Gulch


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## oarboatman (Jul 20, 2006)

Hydromet Pacific Northwest Region | Bureau of Reclamation


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## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

I just did Rome to Leslie Gulch and took out this past Monday, current all the way to LG. We did not use any motor or tow and simply rowed. Blessed with a slight downstream wind to no wind at times. Strong Upstream winds would drastically change things or a rise in the reservoir pool height. 
I thought LG was worth it just for the geology, such a beautiful extension.


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## Mattchu (May 29, 2015)

Rd01,

How many days did it take you and was there any carnage?


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## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

4 days for us Thurs-Mon. Camped at Greeley on the last night and made it all the way to LG and that was after a side hike, hot springs stop x2 and ranch stop. And still made it to LG by 2pm. No carnage.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

Rd01,

Good to hear about the stretch out to Leslie. Reservoir levels seem to be rising about a foot every day though. Did you use a shuttle service or self shuttle?


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## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

It seems that the lake would be rising quite a bit especially with the bump in flow, which likely wont slow much though the next week. 

I used Eva's son, Joe for shuttle service: 541.568.2352
He does everything from Three Forks down and use Ken Haylett for the upper. 
I would always pay for shuttle service there, time is too precious.


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## Willie 1.5 (Jul 9, 2013)

> Camped at Greeley on the last night and made it all the way to LG and that was after a side hike, hot springs stop x2 and ranch stop. And still made it to LG by 2pm. No carnage.


Could you clarify a couple of points for me?
Roughly what was your schedule that last day?
It looks like you stopped in two different hot springs below Greeley. Blackrocks and... the only other one I know in that stretch is under water at these flows. 

As a sad side note to the Owyhee, the Bighorn population is undergoing a massive pneumonia die-off. With an estimated 60% loss in a Oct flyover. According to a personal conversation with a ODF&W employee.


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## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

Willie 1.5 
the last day we left Greeley at 8AM, stopped at the other hot springs that was actually not under water, hiked up the slot canyon, rowed to Griffith Homestead, hiked around and took pics, another quick stop at the island water wheel, then stopped again at Black Rocks. We reached Leslie Gulch by 2:30 and were leaving by 3pm. 

Very sad to hear about the Bighorn population.


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## Willyoung (Nov 2, 2015)

Just got off the river, and we had about 4 miles of reservoir to paddle across to get to Leslie Gulch. I think the water level needs to be several feet below Leslie Gulch for there to be flow all of the way. Fortunately we had a tail wind!


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## Mattchu (May 29, 2015)

Is Leslie gulch inside a wilderness area or surrounded by private ranches ? I've driven there once a long time ago. Is it illegal to take motorcycles or quads to where the river flows into the reservoir? Not understanding the need to get to Leslie gulch. Thanks.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

The water level is about at the bottom of the ramp now. Back when folks were floating with river current all the way the reservoir was 15 to 20 feet lowerhttp://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/ramps/owyhee/owyhee.html


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

What were people paying for shuttle services this season? Considering an IK trip next week.


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## Willyoung (Nov 2, 2015)

We paid $160/car to get them shuttled from Rome to Leslie Gulch. We used Owyhee River Shuttles.


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## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

$160 to LG from Rome


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

$160 to Birch Creek. Used Owyhee River Shuttles as well.


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## Idaho (Nov 23, 2013)

Any thoughts on how much longer this will be running above 800 Cfs? ( have friends wanting to float May 9th . . . ) 16 ft and 13 ft rafts


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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

I would guess not much longer. The snow is disappearing fast. 
Snotel map 
Snotel table


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

should be down around 90 cfs by the end of the week, I am headed there tomorrow. No need for other parties to launch the rest of the year, way too low for enjoyment.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Mattchu said:


> Is Leslie gulch inside a wilderness area or surrounded by private ranches ? I've driven there once a long time ago. Is it illegal to take motorcycles or quads to where the river flows into the reservoir? Not understanding the need to get to Leslie gulch. Thanks.


We saw quads as soon as we hit the reservoir.


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## mrbaum (Feb 20, 2015)

Putting on on pronto here , lord be willing and the crick rise, anybody take out at birch crick this year yet? We are ruminating over it....


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## 6FEETandRISING (Feb 15, 2012)

mrbaum said:


> Putting on on pronto here , lord be willing and the crick rise, anybody take out at birch crick this year yet? We are ruminating over it....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


I took out at Birch on 4/3/16. Road was kinda shitty, my trailer got beat up pretty good. I think it was more the shuttle driver than my driving, or so I'd like to think. I've done both, with the reservoir rising, I would look at Birch, but if you have to compete for the ramp it is pretty small, so plan ahead. We got lucky and a group cleared out right as we were coming in, and the same when we were leaving another group was coming down.


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## landslide (Dec 20, 2014)

*Share a shuttle?*

I'm launching from Rome on a solo kayak self-support run on Tuesday or Wednesday (April 26 or 27) and taking out 6 to 8 days later at either Birch or Leslie Gulch. In other words, I'm really flexible about the length of the trip and where I take out. My preference is to take out at Leslie Gulch on Monday May 2, give or take a day or two.

If you have room on your trailer or roof rack for a kayak and room for a passenger in your vehicle, I'd be happy to pay a full-share of the shuttle costs (i.e.; shuttle driver, tip, and gas.)

I will leave my car at Rome. If you're heading the other direction after we get back to the highway from the river, just let me off in some small town and I'll hitch back to Rome to get my car.

Thanks!


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Any idea what is causing recent spike? Don't know area well enough to know if its rain related, rain on snow or higher elevation melt-off? Still debating some options and its a strong contender.


Phillip


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## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

The spike is due to the recent rains.. We took off on Monday and had a great trip.. Had one terrible windy day and some pretty bad wind on the last day, we where glad to be almost to the takeout when is started really picking up. There is twice as much water now lol.


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## powbum (Apr 15, 2016)

Where did you takeout? We're considering a May 8 launch with the rise in water? Is the lake pretty full by this time of year? Based on some earlier post, sounds like taking out at Birch Creek is more of a headache than it's worth. Never been down there so any beta helpful. 


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## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

We took out at birch creek. Taking out at Leslie gulch would have been a nightmare with the wind we had. The flat water had whitecaps and with the lake level there is a lot of it... we timed it really well and just pulled up and unpacked boats... we where pulling out before the next group showed up.. we camped at morcum so it gave everyone below us around Greely to clear out and all the camps above us had to deal with nuisance. 

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## Wavester (Jul 2, 2010)

Took out at Leslie Gulch April 23rd, there is at least 8 miles of lake to get to the takeout. Probably more as the lake fills up, it would be a long day if you didn't have a motor.


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## powbum (Apr 15, 2016)

Thanks for the info. Will most likely take out at Birch Creek and move slower on the trip to maximize time. Chao.


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