# Low Water Selway



## flat_side_down (Sep 1, 2011)

Just got a last minute Selway launch for July 27. With this water level how light do I need to pack - backpacking dehydrated food ? Also we are a family of 5, how big a raft can I get away with? I own a 16 foot rig that I love but am considering renting a 13 foot , not sure how to fit all 5 of us in that size though. I am expecting to get out and drag off some rocks but don't want misery.
Looking forward to getting on this run. Lots of previous experience rowing.


----------



## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

People do it all the time in 16' boats, but not this guy. I really don't think a 13 would be any better. IMHO, a 16" boat gets down low water just as good as anything. And you have more square footage to distribute the load. I'd invest in some really really good water shoes and plan for long slow days on the water. Its a great kayak run this time of year and I've done the august thing a few times. I hate to say this,,,, but if your not following someone who knows the lines, plan on some extra unplanned misery..


----------



## Duckins (Nov 7, 2008)

FSD, it was a low snow year in the Clearwater drainage. It was 0.7' at Paradise today, which is lower than most anyone would take even a small raft down. Unfortunately, I think you should give up the permit or go light in a kayak or packraft. 

We just did it July 15-20, launching at 1.1'. We took 14-15' boats. It was very challenging with the low water even at 1.1'.


----------



## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

If I had to choose between taking five people in a raft at this flow or backpacking the trail that follows the river, I'd leave the boat at home and go for a hike.

If you can split the load into a couple of boats, do it but know you are still in for some tugging.


----------



## MountainMedic (Apr 24, 2010)

*Duckies?*

Since you were already planning to maybe rent a boat anyway, why not rent/beg/borrow a bunch of duckies, go backpack light, and have a true family adventure!


----------



## kwagunt2001 (Jun 9, 2008)

*Ladle .8*

This might help. Last year July 26. 12' Boat. .8 @ Paradise.


----------



## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

5 people in a 16' boat on a low water Selway is a very bad idea. Put everyone in IKs and have them help get the big boat unstuck all day long. Also, worth mentioning is that the gauge at paradise was destroyed by a tree about 2 years ago. So any readings in the last couple of years are well off what is historically accurate.


----------



## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

Riverwild said:


> Also, worth mentioning is that the gauge at paradise was destroyed by a tree about 2 years ago. So any readings in the last couple of years are well off what is historically accurate.


so is current 1ft lower or higher than the previous 1ft?


----------



## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

I don't really have the answer to that question. But looking at the photo above of Ladle that .8' seems like more water than I remember at .8' back in 2013. We had to go far left because the traditional shot in the bottom right of the photo was totally closed out.


----------



## Duckins (Nov 7, 2008)

When we launched July 15th and looked at the "new" gauge. It was pretty mobile and was at 1.45' at 7am, but the USFS spreadsheet reads 1.1' for that day. I've been meaning to call the WF Rangers to ask about it. In any case I wouldn't advise rafting the Selway now.


----------



## Raft Dad (Jan 20, 2017)

*Be patient Grasshopper.....*

Al, unless you're going to IK or packraft it as this level i suggest holding out till you can get a permit when theres a decent flow.Yes they are hard to get but not impossible and it is so worth it when it's running higher....Gather up your Canmore homeboys at permit time and carpet bomb the lottery application.


----------



## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

I was on a trip that launched at really low water...... like under 1' on the stick. We had loaded 14' rafts and didn't listen to the ranger about dropping some weight before we launched. (many cases of beer per raft). We drug our rafts down 3 miles the first day, 4 miles the second day and passed our planned first night camp on the third day. Once we got to Moose Creek we were able to stay in our rafts more, but we still did a lot of walking and dragging. It was a very long drag and float that I wouldn't do again in anything bigger than a ducky.

If you do go at low water, get some of those fishing boots with felt soles. The rocks are incredibly slippery.


----------



## Keriray (Jul 5, 2013)

Have done it 2x at low water, 1' or less in pack cats and kayaks self support. Would not do it in a raft. We ran Ladle down River Left. Pack Cats make it easy to "Flintstone" the boats down.


----------



## Chief Niwot (Oct 13, 2003)

We had a July 21st put-on date this year at .8'. We had 1-13'/3-14' rafts, and 2-18' Cats  and they were loaded. Luckily, we had an army of kayaks and canoers to help. Ping pong and Ladle were just crazy, but we got the rafts through it.

I did a video of the trip. I could have made a 2 hour video of stuck rafts.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGE...XMs-EdGqXxgW398xeA_4AuJ0VeIcMQ9Q4zs6sTUc8HmCU

It was a cool trip, but rafters all agreed they would probably not do it again at that level in anything bigger then a 13'.


----------



## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

The problem on our trip at 1.0’, IIRC, wasn’t just getting stuck in the usual areas such as Pong Pong, etc. For most of those, we just got out and pushed until clear. It was the sudden necessity to take line B or C after a raft in front got stuck. This lead to some interesting moments is places such as No Slouch and Osprey. Ladle was interesting. We took a far right route as we didn’t want to deal with someone getting stuck down one of the middle lines, with no easy way to get to them. Jim’s Ck was great, but at any lower flow it seems the rock we just cleared or rubbed would become a much bigger issue. Finally, Wolf Ck looked bad, but wasn’t much IF you made the right to left move. NOT interested in that in lower levels.


----------

