# Summer Free



## lama (Dec 30, 2003)

This is a first for me: I have the entire summer off and the means to travel but I have no idea where to go and what to do. In a perfect world, I would like to find a pretty and centralized place to rent a house or apartment, but with great access to amazing boating, biking and hiking - enough to keep me busy all summer long. If you were in my shoes, where would you go?


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

Somewhere in Idaho???


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## fella (Jul 29, 2008)

*BC*

Whistler/Squamish
or
Bellingham, WA
or
Hood River


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## quinoa (Jul 5, 2009)

Aspen has it all.


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

jump on a grand trip.


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## wfsmith (Mar 23, 2011)

*Salida*

without a doubt


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## Mark the dude (Mar 18, 2005)

Julesburg. Definitely Julesburg.


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## lama (Dec 30, 2003)

Mark the dude said:


> Julesburg. Definitely Julesburg.


Thanks Mark the Dude, that is really helpful. Definitely helpful.


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## Mark the dude (Mar 18, 2005)

Seriously though I would go with BV or Salida.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

I am rather partial to BV, but we have the Arkansas with Granite, Pine Creek, Numbers, Fractions, Milk Run (for beginners), and Browns, as well as one of the best playparks in the Rockies all within 15 miles. Drive a little further and you have class V creeking on Clear Creek and Lake Creek.

We have 2 wilderness areas within a few short miles (Collegiate Peaks and Buffalo Peaks) with great hiking and backpacking as well as a handful of very good mtn bike trails.... although the better biking is 30 minutes away near Salida.

With the serious lack of water we are going to have this summer though you may want to look into the pacific northwest...


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

California, Hood River, Idaho, Mexico and BC should all be on the table. Do some research and figure out what works best. I did a vacation like this in the middle of a move and just parked all my belongs in a storage unit for cheap. I had some shelves and anything I wanted to access was easily available with less camping/roadworthy items packed away in the back. Then I traveled in the local area with a "homebase" near the storage unit. Way cheaper than rent, and since my car living arrangement was comfy I never felt the need for anything more.


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

The Ark would be fine most years but avoid CO in general this summer, go somewhere like McCall Idaho, BC, Hood River, etc. Look at who will have water then go there.


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## BarryDingle (Mar 13, 2008)

Bellingham. BC right out your back door. Mt baker. Ridiculous amount of biking...Galbraith,Whistler,Squamish. Right on the coast...San Juan islands. I love Colorado but there's so much more out there.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

#1 check snow pack

#2 drive to area with the greatest snowpack

#3 go kayaking

#4 set up tent

#5 make peanut butter and jelly sandwich 

#6 repeat


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Central Idaho would normally be a good call and their are the dam releases to feed the Payette and elsewhere, but I don't our snowpack is great. We are 10 to 30% behind last year. Still lots of fun to be had and the weather ( unless everything is burning) is pretty awesome most of the time.


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## SummitSurfer (Jun 23, 2010)

Salida/Buena Vista "everything"


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

It is criminal to suggest he live in Salida/BV with the snowpack that the ark drainage has right now. 

The PNW - specifically Washington - has a strong snow pack. Go there till the water is gone then head north to BC. Go to Cali if their snowpack improves. CO is not the place to be this year.


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## southbound (May 20, 2008)

If I were looking for a summer rental near outdoor fun I'd want it to be somewhere cool, for like the rest of the time. Salida/BV is a cool area, is Idaho cool? Jackson area was OK but too touristy. Bozeman looked fun just passing through. BC and No Cal could be good.


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## Anchorless (Aug 3, 2010)

Bankssssssssssssssssssssssss.


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## JHimick (May 12, 2006)

I can't believe some have suggested BV/Salida is the tits. It's criminal to suggest based on the number of tourists and gapers alone, never mind the snowpack. They're cool towns but Carbondale offers way more options for boating: Crystal, Yule Creek, Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, Lime Creek, Colorado... and that's all within about a 45 minute radius.


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## pilom (Dec 28, 2010)

For the summer, the Mid-Atlantic and SE are very nice. 

Reliable flows from March through October in WV, PA, MD:
Cheat River
Yough River (Upper has 3 releases a week all summer, Lower runs everyday and has an 18 footer in town)
Gauley: runnable most of summer and late summer has awesome releases

Great climbing in Coopers Rock State Park and Summersville.

No real 14ers but some awesome boating that runs all the time and gets really really good anytime it rains.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

JHimick said:


> I can't believe some have suggested BV/Salida is the tits. It's criminal to suggest based on the number of tourists and gapers alone, never mind the snowpack. They're cool towns but Carbondale offers way more options for boating: Crystal, Yule Creek, Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, Lime Creek, Colorado... and that's all within about a 45 minute radius.


Everything I listed for BV is within a 15-20 minute drive. If you up that to aprox. 45 minutes you can include Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Royal Gorge, Elevenmile Canyon on the South Platte, Tenmile/Snake/Blue in Summit and the Taylor. Not to mention you can be on the Roaring Fork or in the Crested Butte area in a little over an hour via Independence/Cottonwood Passes. Oh yeah, you can also include Eagle Source, Gilman Gorge and Dowd Chute in the aprox. 1 hr drive category....

You may not have as many tourists in Carbondale, but you have to deal with the snobby high class Roaring Fork Valley residents that surround the Aspen area..... besides, neither one will have enough water to warrant it as a serious paddling destination this summer. 

Stick with Pac NW or BC for water this year.


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## lama (Dec 30, 2003)

*Looking at the NorthWest*

I suppose I should have started this discussion by saying that Colorado is really not on the top of my list. If I look at the Pacific Northwest as many of you mentioned, where specifically should I focus my search? I've looked into Hood River, but the prices there are a bit steep. Coeur d'Alene seems promising, although the boating options there seem a bit slim. Does anyone have any experience living on the Southern Oregon coast? Someone mentioned Bellingham and I'm looking into that as well. I've also looked into Banff and Whistler, but it seems that my wallet is not deep enough to afford even the smallest apartment. I wonder, what is Bozeman like in the summer? Any other suggestions?


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Bozeman is a great place to live for a number of reasons that may or may not apply. We have great hiking which also involves Grizzly Bears. The following have a great reputation but I don't participate: Mountain Biking, Climbing, Fly Fishing. The whitewater is fun but not as densely packed as many areas in CO, but we actually have water. Most runs you will have to yourself all day, but you also can't rely on showing up to the take-out for a pickup crew. If you plan on mixing your recreation time across multiple sports it's great. If you plan to mostly kayak and dabble in other things I would think about other spots. 

The town chills out in the summer but the surrounding area gets more traffic with people coming/going to yellowstone. It's not the zoo that Jackson is, but something to be aware of. More importantly the rental market is pretty rough. ~92% are filled and finding affordable, reasonable housing in town isn't an easy task. If you live out of town things improve to a degree.


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## fella (Jul 29, 2008)

*Here's an idea*

Use your prospective rent money to buy a camper trailer.

$3 large will get you a nice rig that you can likely resell in the fall for slightly less.

This way you are mobile, if you go to OR for a month, then decide to check out the ID scene, you're good!


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

lama said:


> If you were in my shoes, where would you go?


Hood River OR!!! Idaho sucks! Way easier to find room mates, job, and the season is longer. Plus Idaho is full of fat girls. That's no s#!t. You'll starve in Idaho right now and be lucky to find any work at all. Idaho has one of the lowest min wages and high cost of living in hidden indirect costs. CDA, not!! After the 4 of july everything is too low. In the long run hood is cheaper simply cuz you can get a job for $10/hr. Good luck finding that in Idaho. 

PS: I lived in cda until 2007.

Now if your a trust funder, go to Cascade ID.


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## boogercookie (Feb 18, 2011)

If you come to Oregon for the summer stick to the cascades. The coast rivers are all dried up by June. South coast is sweet in the rainy season though.


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## BarryDingle (Mar 13, 2008)

I visited Hood River last month for the first time,I gotta say I was a bit let down. I'm sure(hopefully) its a little more fun in summer though. The town itself seemed a little boring and a bit pricey. Bham seems way more energetic. More restaurants,more people,more hot college girls,awesome downtown. I wish I could live there,but can't. So I just visit often. I know Hood river is a cool town(in summer) but I would choose Bham over HR any day. No disrespect to you Hood rats. The biking alone,is enough reason to move to Bellingham. Bend sounds,and looks cool,but i haven't been so I can't comment. 

Missoula and Bozeman Get a vote too.


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## montuckyhuck (Mar 14, 2010)

BarryDingle said:


> Missoula and Bozeman Get a vote too.


Missoulas boating is damn good but really spread out. All the creeking is dry by June /July. The Clark Fork is fun class III play, but is a 40 min drive from town. Kootanai Creek/ Bear Creek are the closest and most quality creeks and are both 35-45 min away. Within 1.5 hour radius you get prospect creek, boulder creek, N.F. blackfoot, trout creek, and the Lochsa which does count for alot. A bit further (2-3 hours) and you get some of the best wilderness runs in the nation like the Salmon, Forks of the Salmon, Selway. Also in the 2-3 hour range you pick up the Yaak, Kootanai River, upper Dearborn, secret 50'er, some possible first d action, N Idaho, Mesa, Bozeman, etc.. but if your looking to stay in one place skip the Zoo. The biking is kinda weak too.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Move to Cascade. Don't have to worry about hot college girls or girls at all for that matter. 

Got the Payettes, Little Salmon just over the hill. Just over the hill from the SF Salmon which shouldn't be too scary this year and all of it's connected upper tribs. Plus a ton of other more esoteric stuff. And some of it dam released for later in the year. 

Or McCall just a little further up valley. 

I have to say the most fun I had over there was living in my van. Yeah down by the river. I would go to Yellow Pine for a week, then the upper Payette and all it's hot springs. Then over to the Cabarton and the NF/Staircase section of the Payette for a week. Then up to the Little Salmon. Drop over to the Headwaters Salmon for some spankin Yankee Fork action and some roadside surfing with hot springs. Oh...the Murtaugh is running .... down to the snake for some big horizon lines and look at and shit myself on the Cauldron Linn move over a bit for the Milner Mile. 

If you have the cajones for that - I don't. 

For hiking and biking some of the Sawtooths and White Clouds can't be beat for hiking. the White Clouds have some world class single track. But that's all I know. I love it here but I am old and set in my ways and don't like rain. FWIW.


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## BarryDingle (Mar 13, 2008)

He's talkin about summertime,Jer! It doesnt rain in the summer out here. That's when this place is at its finest....and when it's dumping all winter. The other 9 months is what sucks. Seriously,fuck the rain. I hate it. I'm over it. And I'll be moving back to CO eventually. But WA is unbelievably beautiful in summer. The Olympics Mtns,rain forest,san juan islands,Vancouver island,Cascades,North Cascades Natl Park....this is a fun argument

I've always wanted to try out McCall too. Idaho(central Idaho) is the tits,but I think we all know that. Except on Sunday's when everything shuts down for the Lord. That blows. I could def spend a summer on the Payettes....soakin it up in the hot springs with my lady. That hot spring waterfall that's on the canyon run of the SF payette is probably one of my favorite spots in the west. 

Damn,when is summer going to come.


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## Anchorless (Aug 3, 2010)

Idaho's great when it's not burning down. The fire on the Payettes started because of some asshats at Skinnydipper Hot Springs (not those on the SF Payette). They've since "closed" Skinnydipper... insomuch as they can.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Anchorless said:


> Idaho's great when it's not burning down. The fire on the Payettes started because of some asshats at Skinnydipper Hot Springs (not those on the SF Payette). They've since "closed" Skinnydipper... insomuch as they can.


Are those the ones up behind Garden Valley? Went there once and it was a nice spring but absolutely trashed. Asshole, ******* Idahoans anyway. Well that could be me, but I don't litter. 

DingleBarry -
If you are hanging around Bham you should look up a buddy of mine. Think he goes by Tripple on here. 

PM me about May 14. I have a feeling it will be low key, not like some of the shit shows I have involved with. Marsh Creek baby.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

carvedog said:


> For hiking and biking some of the Sawtooths and White Clouds can't be beat for hiking. the White Clouds have some world class single track. But that's all I know. I love it here but I am old and set in my ways and don't like rain. FWIW.


Don't forget all the hotsprings for hiking and biking. I'd move to Cascaide right now if I could find work!


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Maybe take 3-4 weeks each in 3-4 spots, depending on their snowmelt cycles. I'd hit up Idaho, Hood River, Squamish, Leavenworth, Cali and Colorado. Take advantage of the rare confluence of time and money to take a bunch of multi-day trips too.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I don't know what the whitewater is like, but the sea kayaking, mountain biking, and hiking would be stellar in the Bellingham/Vancouver BC area. I wouldn't want to live out there, but it would be a kickass summer.

I like Glenn's suggestion of a storage unit and living in your car.
Park the car and take your sea kayak on the ferry out and live in the San Juans for a couple weeks. Swing through this area and I'll loan you a sea kayak for the summer. Leave me a minimal deposit and promise to post lots of pics.

Victoria, BC and the Gulf Islands would also be worth checking out.


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## Mikkel (Mar 13, 2009)

If your looking at Canada, I would check out Golden over Banff, less touristy so it should be less expensive, it has the Kicking Horse which has good water all year round and it's a little more central to the good paddling in Eastern BC, Revy , Fernie ect ... Alberta starts to dry up by late July and August in a normal year, but in Golden you could still do trips into Alberta in the spring.

I would also look at Squamish over Whistler, you would likely be able to find something much cheaper and it's still close to all the good boating, Pemberton would be another option.

Both areas have good boatingyear round but there tends to be more boating partner options in Whistler/Squamish. Hope that helps


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## JustinJam (Mar 18, 2009)

*same boat 2nd half of summer*

So I have a bIt of the same issue. I have a freeish summer, although June thru mid July is ccommitted to big rafting trips (mfs and grand..super excited). I really am looking for a location to sit my ass down and solidify my kayaking skills (I raft and ik ). My original destination idea was the BV area with the ww parks w easier runs to practice on. Flows look like they'll be tough mid July thru August. Any for the late summer?


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

JustinJam said:


> So I have a bIt of the same issue. I have a freeish summer, although June thru mid July is ccommitted to big rafting trips (mfs and grand..super excited). I really am looking for a location to sit my ass down and solidify my kayaking skills (I raft and ik ). My original destination idea was the BV area with the ww parks w easier runs to practice on. Flows look like they'll be tough mid July thru August. Any for the late summer?


Things can certainly still change, especially since it's still snowing around here....but with the way things currently sit we will likely see a dam release flow of around 350-400 cfs at Buena Vista from July 1st to August 15th. Not much water, but more than last year and more than most other drainages in the state will have at that time of the season.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

OP, most of the Western US isn't going to have that much water this year. If your goal is whitewater primarily, I'd start checking the snowpack/rainfall in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, China and Russia... among other places. 

When I was in high school I turned down a summer job guiding rafts in Costa Rica to compete in the kayaking competitions around Colorado. I like to pretend I don't have any regrets in my life, but damn that would have been sweet. If you have the time and money, go further than America.


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## Mikkel (Mar 13, 2009)

BC snowpack is looking pretty average, River Forecast Centre – Environment – Province of British Columbia

Even in a low snowack year there are runs that are too high until September or October so there is always something to paddle.


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## JustinJam (Mar 18, 2009)

*same boat*

I meant to say...any ideas for a late summer beginner kayak area? Pacific nw ?


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## rivh2o (Jan 17, 2013)

Idaho for sure. Start in Banks and go east up to Lowman for the south fork Payette, go north up hwy 55 to boat the north fork payette, further north for the Lochsa and Clearwater rivs, best thing about Idaho are all the many hot springs and rivs in-between, in early June there usually will be a lot of rain so be prepared and plan on soaking if it does rain, hiking and biking is great also.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

why not save your rent money and just drive around and travel and get it all just saying thats what i would do if i was you! if you go the funds dont stay in one place thats a waste


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

caspermike said:


> why not save your rent money and just drive around and travel and get it all just saying thats what i would do if i was you! if you go the funds dont stay in one place thats a waste


This. Put the rent money into a sweet camp setup, then start south and work your way north.


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