NCR: Owyhee River

[gapertimmy]

Not Climbing Related (but could be for someone who enjoys Oregon Adventure Climbing)... but I thought we could use some positive stoke here in the Oregon forum.

 

Last May I had the distinct pleasure of spending 4 days on the Owhyee River in Eastern Oregon. My good friend Justin Wellman runs Owyhee River Expeditions and invited me along on the trip, and it was simply amazing.

 

The Owyhee is perhaps one of the most wild-scenic places in all of Oregon... for that matter the Pacific Northwest. The geology of the gorge is rather diverse from 200+ foot basalt walls to Smiff-esque tuft outcrops.

 

Though the river isn't as gnar as some others in Oregon, the beauty of this trip is hard to beat:

 

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For more info on the Owyhee, check out Justin's Owhyee River website:

http://www.raft-the-owyhee.com/

[Couloir]

Thanks Timmy! That was indeed a great diversion.

[JayB]

Very much looking forward to paddling that when I finish my sentence out here. Had my eye on that one for a while.

[shapp]

Timmy, actually depending on the flow and what stretch you are floating it is very gnar, and the remoteness makes it almost top gnar for conventional raft trips in oregon

[gapertimmy]

shapp, we put in at rome, and yes there is gnar to be had on the river, and definately you are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out there.

 

I wouldn't really call it a conventional raft trip. It's way to plab for that.

 

JayB if you are looking for a cool group to go with, drop me a PT as May gets closer and get some!

[JayB]

I would love to partake, but I'll still be serving my sentence on the East Coast at that point. The pain, the pain.....

[ZimZam]

Nice! Thanks Mr. T-may.

[shapp]

Hey Timmay,

 

when I say conventional, I mean where you can drive up and launch a regular sized raft with rowing frame/gear, as opposed to hikikng in with a one man IK or alpaca, for example the Illinois River stuff.

 

Cheers,

[ClimbingCowboy]

Thanks also G-Timmy!!!! With a crappy day outside, presents left to buy'n'wrap, coffee cup empty....Just what I needed. Always meant to make it to that part of the world when I lived in Stumptown. Try a trip on the John Day out of Twinkenham sometime if you really want to get away. It's about another hour from Smith.

[Crevasse]

The trip down from Three Forks to Rome is an even wilder and more remote.

[corvallisclimb]

I had the pleasue of working on a fire at the Hole in the Ground this year. From what I could see there was miles and miles of smith tuff. It was great to have the perspective of looking down into the canyon, but I sure would have rather been down there rolling over in an IK or something. If your ever driving down 95 take a detour the Jordan Craters if youve got time... remote Oregon at its best.