# Montana Whitewater in the Summer??



## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

uh oh.


----------



## @llie (Feb 10, 2009)

what?? will i miss spring creekin season completely?


----------



## mouflon (Jan 24, 2009)

Your first order of business should be to find out when the Bigfork Whitewater Festival will be. It used to be the 3rd weekend in May. The run is only 1 mile, but it's great fun (classIV), the town is awesome, and the festival was always well-run when I lived there. It's about 100 miles north of Missoula on the Swan R.
Farther north is the MF Flathead. The easily accessible sections are adjacent to Glacier NP. Definitely worth the drive. Stay in West Glacier and make a weekend out of it.
You'll also want to get on the Lochsa (ID). Lots of Missoulians head over there. There is a great boating community in Missoula - it should be pretty easy to find people to go with. 
The Yaak is also great, but it's a LONG drive from Missoula. Same goes for the Kootenai. If you can find responsible paddlers to go with (not guaranteed in Missoula!) you should go check out these 2 on a long weekend.
The Clark Fork runs through Missoula and has some good class III near Alberton Gorge. This is runnable year-round. There is also a playspot in town (Brennan's wave) that wasn't there when I was, so I can't comment directly, but I've heard people say it's fun.
Late summer try to get on the Flathead right below the dam (Buffalo Rapid). Class III through indian land - get a permit.
Hope this helps. I'm sure you'll love Missoula, even off the river.


----------



## @llie (Feb 10, 2009)

Really appreciate the info - Thanks much!!


----------



## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

I said uh oh cause there is a guy on here from Montuck who does not like anyone asking about Montuck and you seemed to have done zero research before posting.


----------



## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Yeah, that guy is a total loser, I'm sure he'll show up though.

Great boating community, hit the shop "edge of the world" when you get here to hook up with yakkers. Definitely hit the gorge on the clark fork, and you'll want to get hooked up with the kayakers run which is much shorter than the full run, and cuts out the flat water and hardly any rapids. Rafts can't do it because of the take out and put in. There's 2 class IV- rapids, depending on the water, and it is fun, but a total zoo in the hot summer days. It will likely run until August if the water is good. Early season many consider it a bit funky, weird, powerful hydraulics as a lot of water is pushed through some skinny spots, strainers and big sucking holes. Outfitters usually don't run it above 25K, FWIW. The blackfoot is a nice float, class II, III-, fun with families and dogs. Put in at sperry grade or russel gates and go all the way down to River Bend. The rapid above roundup bridge and the rapids below, are very fun and you'll miss the upper one if you put in on the bridge.

The Lochsa is a big deal, lots of Class IV one after another, but it's next to a highway so you can bail if you want to. 6 ft and above it is very pushy, below that it is a bit more friendly, but never easy. It runs May - late June, then disappears.

There's also the MF of the Flathead up by Columbia falls which can be done multi day.

There's a rodeo on the gorge in the summer, and memorial is a big deal on the Lochsa.

Head down to Bozeman and there's other fun stuff too, some pretty big.

Quite easy to hook up with people, especially in a yak, hang out at the put in until you find some friendly folks. 

There's some creeking, but I have no idea since I'm a rafter.

Have fun! It's a great place to end up.


----------



## progers (Jan 27, 2004)

Missoula is a boating town, so you'll have no problems! May through august is a good time to be around. It'll be super easy for you to meet up with people in town. Just go to Brenan's (the man made playwave in the center of town). As far as creeking goes, the bitterroot range is your local, and has alright stuff. Probably the most fun is Kootani creek, super fun, but super short. Bear creek is good, but a bit of pick and choose due to the wood factor, maybe it's been cleaned out?, but Missoulians are notorious for not keeping up on the wood removal of there local runs. Lost horse creek is decent, and worth checking out. The others in the range aren't classics, but take a look if you want an adventure with a bit of mank and wood danger kinda stuff, such as Fred Burr creek. Trout creek is a bit further, and is good, worth checking out. For one of the best creeks in the United States come down towards Bozeman and run Big Timber Creek! 

Hope this helps!


----------



## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

progers I will be moving up that way in end of may june sometime. i was planning a trip this weekend is the galletin running?


----------



## northfwestg (Feb 23, 2006)

*upside downkreekboat*

OK here we go again about this montana whitewater stuff, as far as paddling goes it looks as if you didnt do your research, shamefull in a world of such free info, second this info is prized and valued, we cant just hand it to you,RESPECT YOU KNOW, im gonna be mellow on this post but the KOOTENAI will rock your mittens, if you like undercut, its there, maby you can hook up with ihowemt and run the falls in her raft, she seems to be the rubber goddess. good luck, maby check out ouzel creek in bozangelas


----------



## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

northfwestg said:


> but the KOOTENAI will rock your mittens, if you like undercut, its there, maby you can hook up with ihowemt and run the falls in her raft, she seems to be the rubber goddess. good luck, maby check out ouzel creek in bozangelas


Watch out for even more yahoos this summer hitting "the gauntlet", there's a story in the Missoulian today that says kootenai is one of the most threatened places, on the "have to see list", and it notes that it was "the gauntlet" in Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon's top performances in "The River Wild". Actually, the woman that did the rowing is now almost paralyzed, a spinal infection or something. She also ran the grand, in the winter, with 2 other women, on river boards, self-supported. AND filmed a documentary of it. Pretty rockin, she's a REAL rubber goddess.

I also forgot to mention that upper Main salmon (no permit needed), but a bit of a drive.

High water here is usually June, moving more towards early June and end of May every year.


----------



## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

*Montana Wawa, cont.*

I'm wondering about the Yellowstone, Gardiner to Chico Hot Springs. The wolf-goddess has a conference at Chico in late May, so I'll probably ride along and float every day. 

Checked the commercial websites— looks like rocky class II. When I did a Google Earth scout, it looks like there's one big constricted drop in Yankee Jim Canyon, maybe with a parking lot above. Is that like the Death Ledge in Snake River Canyon? 

Mostly, I'm trying to decide whether to take the small 13-ft. cat, which is good for me & the doggo, but a bit overloaded when the wolf-goddess joins us. Or the 15-ft. Weapon of Doom.


----------



## freexbiker (Jul 18, 2005)

If I am not mistaken I think thats a very popular fishing stretch. Other than that I couldn't tell ya. I'll ask somebody that guided around that area and see if he has any beta for ya.


----------



## northfwestg (Feb 23, 2006)

*whdoho*

id stick to idaho


----------



## cbcboat (Jan 26, 2009)

Alberton Gorge flows and has good play all year, Lochsa still runs in June, and past the Lochsa is SF CLearwater-couple different runs on it, also Lolo Cr. is over there. As mentioned the Yaak, its beautiful and a hand full of creeks in northern Idaho, near the Yaak. Quake Lake on the Madison also runs in the summer, and Beartrap a little lower on the Madison. Montana has plenty of water in the summer. Brennans wave in Downtown Missoula is on everyday, and of course the rumor of putting in another play wave in Missoula about a mile above Brennans at another diversion weir.


----------



## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Yankee jim is a runnable fun bigish water section, maybe some of the folks from down in that area will post, as I've never been there. I think it is a short whitewater section, and quite flat after that. But the valley is stunning, and would be a nice mellow dog float.


----------



## freexbiker (Jul 18, 2005)

Chip I talked to a Buddy that used to guide down there. He said that its about 2-3 and then the big rapid in Yankee jim. He said its about a high IV Low V depending on the level. BUT he said he ran drift boats through it so it must not be too bad.
I'm thinking its probably a Mid IV. I've learned that fishing river ratings are way higher than whitewater ratings.
He also said that the section you are looking at is alot farther down river from yankee jim. 
You might work on put ins and take outs.
I would take the Weapon of doom.

Thats all he said about the area. 
Luke
Oh and please don't shoot the messenger if I got something wrong...


----------



## shortbus (Jun 22, 2006)

*Yankee Jim*

Hey Chip, 

The sections of river from Gardiner down are very nice indeed. The first section starts literally on the border of Yellowstone Park, right in the town of Gardiner and goes down to the corwin springs area, mostly class II but in May, the Yellowstone will be pumping, so maybe more like class III. Then there's a few miles of flatwater until Yankee Jim canyon starts. Its not too long, maybe 3.5-4 miles total, but really pretty and good class III whitewater, esp. in May, with the one III+ rapid whose name currently escapes me but can be found on the American whitewater site. Then, you still have probably 18-20 miles until you get to the area of Pray, MT, where Chico hot Springs is located. Nevertheless, Chico would be an awesome place to base yourself out of for that time. You may also look at a section of River just upriver from Livingston, its definitely a necked-down canon, but I don't know how it runs when the water is high, or if there's access, but it looks promising and is visible from the highway to road scout. Have fun!


----------



## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

¡Muchas gracias, viejos! 

Thanks for the insights. I had it scoped as two day-trips, one from Gardiner to/through Yankee Jim Canyon and the other a scenic drift from thence to the Chico area. 

Looks like the Weapon of Doom is the ticket, since I would like to give that V-thumper in Yankee Jim Canyon a go. Might leave the doggo at the Hot Springs that day, since she's never taken an involuntary swim (and I hate to shake her faith in me). 

* @llie*— not trying to jack your thread, so let me shift the focus of interest to the Gallatin River, which is nearer to Missoula and famous for mellow class II runs. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


----------



## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

gallatin is near bozeman. the alberton gorge is near missoula


----------



## northfwestg (Feb 23, 2006)

*allie are you ok, now go home*

well now that we have exposed most of our rivers in montana to you and the world, lets shut this thread down, allie reply with a thanks and stay away from this poverty ridden syphilitic militarized shit kickin superfund totally fucked state called mantana, aka HAIRY PALMS NUFF SAID ,danger


----------



## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

What a complete, and utter loser this guy is. @llie, don't let this guy deter you, most boaters are a very welcoming group, in Montana and everywhere else. You won't have a hard time hooking up with other yakkers. Start at Brennan's wave, and edge of the world, and you'll find some fun people to boat with. Missoula's a college town, and a very progressive town. If you run into dopes like this guy, just turn your back and find someone else to put your energies and friendship into.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the "wild mile" up by big fork on the Swan river. It runs not very often, and is very short, but according to yakkers, it is a hoot.

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/swan-river-montana-beta-20143.html


----------



## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

caspermike said:


> gallatin is near bozeman. the alberton gorge is near missoula


Cheese Whiz, Mike! Nearer means closer than something else. Bozeman is nearer to Missoula than the Yellowstone River, and so is the Gallatin. 

Can we agree on that?


----------



## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

That is, specifically, the Yellowstone River between Gardiner and Yankee Jim Canyon.


----------



## D. Hippie (Feb 18, 2008)

First of all, pencil in a weekend at the Lochsa. Above 10k it gets pretty big (last year it hit 25k!) but just hook up with someone who knows the river. There are always people from Mizzou over there. Memorial day weekend gets pretty crazy so if you're going that weekend get there early and get a campsite. 

Brennan's is always worth an afternoon play session, although it can get crowded. During the day on a weekday, much less so.

However, I grew up in Bozeman so I know that area a little better. 

The gallatin and the mad mile is the main run in the area. Mostly class 3, but house rock and the mad mile turn to a 4 to 4- as the water goes up due to its continuous nature, but nothing a solid paddler can't handle. This run is super fun. 1200 to 1500 is the best play, and over 3000 gets fast and fun. I would scout house rock on the way to the put in.

As far as the yellowstone goes, the gardiner section is probably the best. Decent play, and nothing over class 3. 

Yankee Jim Canyon has 3 major rapids. We were there in late may last year and park-and-played in the biggest rapid at a feature called the boat eater. Surfs pretty well, and arial tricks are a go. All the rapids are straightforward though. It's all class 3, although I haven't been there during peak in a while. 

As for creeking, I would talk to the guys at the Northern Lights Trading Company Boating Store (the Barn).

I know everyone seems to love Big Timber Creek, but I've never been up there. From the videos I've seen, it looks pretty gnarly.

Hope that helps. Mizzou is a cool ass town with super cool people.


----------

