# Walking rapids on Main Salmon



## pcrawford (Apr 13, 2005)

Does anyone know if its possible to walk the larger rapids on the main salmon. Are they cliffed in? Just want to make sure that people have options to feel safe if some of the rapids have potential to flip a raft. We are an extremely experienced crew just don't know much about the main.

Thanks!


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

I never really felt walled in, but one of our group was really into photography and tried to walk down where it was possible for the bigger drops to shoot. He made them all, but I saw some sketchy rock moves and he commented a couple times he was a little nervous. I think Black Creek was the worst.

Couple good videos out there that should give you an idea of the shoreline.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

Depends on the flow you are going, if you are doing the Late June - Early August freeway, then you can run any rapids. We've done it with small kids in our boats. Black Creek would be the worst rapids and it's way not walkable. The rest are pretty much read and run and most rapids have pools at the bottom to pick stuff up. Just make sure the life jackets are tight.

If you are doing big water June trip, don't take anyone who can't self rescue.


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## El Flaco (Nov 5, 2003)

kazak4x4 said:


> Depends on the flow you are going, if you are doing the Late June - Early August freeway, then you can run any rapids. We've done it with small kids in our boats. Black Creek would be the worst rapids and it's way not walkable. The rest are pretty much read and run and most rapids have pools at the bottom to pick stuff up. Just make sure the life jackets are tight.
> 
> If you are doing big water June trip, don't take anyone who can't self rescue.


^What he said. Black Creek was the only one we bank scouted, and the only one I considered walking the kids around - I decided it was much more arduous and risky to walk; due to the steep boulders and poison ivy. Turned out to be a pretty easy move through the rapid at low flows (late July). Otherwise a competent oarsman can snake through anything, IMO.


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## kazak4x4 (May 25, 2009)

In case you are not sure, the normal run through Black Rocks is on the left channel, right through the middle of it. Make sure your kids are standing up holding the bow line and screaming on top of their lungs. The ride is that fun. Great pool at the bottom of it and a huge eddie on the right for rescue.


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## PhilipJFry (Apr 1, 2013)

if you feel the need to walk any rapids in the middle of the summer on the main.. you probably shouldn't be on the trip to begin with. the end of july last year, I laid down flat on my back in my IK and just let black creek do whatever it wanted with my IK.. I still came out right side up. and got one heck of a fun ride.


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## FlyingDutchman (Mar 25, 2014)

Walking is way more risky than running the rapids in a boat. Walking takes a lot of time and definitely increases the likelihood of getting poison ivy, finding a bee nest, crawling over rocks with rattle snakes down in the holes, and twisting an ankle. 

I have only ran the main salmon once in June 2011 at high to extreme levels. 15,500 CFS at corn creek at the start, 4 days later the river rose a couple of feet flooding some tents, and we finished the trip on 35,000 to 50,000 CFS. (60,000+ at white bird). We found most of the Rapids easy and straight forward read and run. Black creek at 15,000+ was a beautiful glassy wave train. We portaged two 14ft paddle boats around Chittam, but ran Chittam successfully with two 156R aire gear boats that were way overloaded. The portage was a dumb idea, prickly bushes and poison ivy, and one first aid due to a cut to one persons head from a branch. We had two flips during the trip goofing around in unnamed Rapids and rouge waves that appear at high water. Both rafts were righted in the middle of the river rolling over 3foot waves. 

I recommend scouting, but not walking. And bring more beer than you think. We ran low but not out. Thank god for a jet boat run to riggins the day before the river rose.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

I have run it 1st week in September. Very straight forward. Black Creek was not yet formed then. I felt like the biggest rapids were only class III. Similar in difficulty to the lower Deschutes River in Oregon. We only scouted Big Mallard, primarily because we were camped just upstream and had an evening stroll down to check it, easily boat scouted everything else. I can't see walking anything at that time of year/low flow for any reason for an experienced crew.


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