Coming in waves: Snowpack in Idaho expected to fuel more whitewater fun

The weather’s recent turn from a winter hangover to typical-Northwest-July-type temperatures in the 80s has turned on the spigot for area rivers as a healthy snowpack in Idaho is expected to fuel extra chances to experience whitewater adventures from Spokane to western Montana.

As of Friday morning, the Spokane River was flowing about 20,500 cubic feet per second and the whitewater season has begun for Wiley E. Waters Whitewater Adventures of Spokane.

“Right now we are seeing a huge increase in the river’s flow due to those high temperatures we had last week,” owner Josh Flanagan said. “Depending on what happens with the weather will determine if we see another secondary runoff or whether we’ll see a slow decline in the rivers.”

For the rafting industry, the slow runoff option is optimal because it can lengthen the season and give whitewater enthusiasts more chances to experience the river and guides more chances to book more clients.

Most of the local whitewater starts as snow in the mountains of Idaho. The long, cold winter has produced an above-average snowpack nearly everywhere in Idaho.

Flanagan offers guided whitewater trips in rafts that can take six to eight people on the Spokane River as long as the big water lasts. While the huge water is roaring , the best time for Spokane River’s unique rock fixtures come when the flow drops between 15,000 and 8,000 cubic-feet-per second.

“Above 15,000, it washes out a lot of the stuff we can play in,” he said. “It’s still technically whitewater rafting, but there is not as much play whitewater rafting, to be honest.”

The season in Spokane tends to run until July or August before Wiley E. Waters sends its guides to the Clark Fork, which tends to have bigger flows for longer. The guide service also offers “scenic” trips on the Spokane River after the flow drops below 5,000 CFS.

“We do have a lot of bigger groups and recurring customers for the Clark Fork trips, and weekends tend to fill up faster,” he said. “We try to keep a few trips available. But we want people to book a week or two before their trip so they have a better chance of getting it.

Snowpack levels range from about 110% of the 30-year average in the Clearwater River Basin to 120% in the Salmon River Basin, to a huge 285% of normal in the Owyhee River Basin in southern Idaho, according to Natural Resources Conservation Service Snow Survey measurements.

All that snow means opportunities several rivers within a few hours’ drive of Spokane.

Coeur d’Alene-based ROW Adventures has some limited August openings on the Middle Fork River, and it has plenty of open seats on Hells Canyon and Lower Salmon trips, Johan Grubb, vice president of ROW told the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.

“Those bookings are down so we have lots of available dates for those trips,” Grubb said.

ROW also is booking Owyhee River trips. On the Lower Salmon, a trip ROW calls “Salmon River Canyons,” they promote “Family Magic” trips, where a River Jester keeps kids entertained in camp while the parents can kick back and perhaps sip on a cocktail.

Most Middle Fork and Main Salmon outfitters are sold out for 2023 and booking trips for 2024 or 2025, officials said in the news release.

Salmon River jet boat tours will begin about mid-June to July, said Richard Friend, owner of River Adventures.

On the Salmon, guides take customers from the Vinegar Creek boat ramp to Buckskin Bill’s ranch or Campbell’s Ferry, deep inside the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

Day trip outfitters on the Lochsa River and Payette River also expected a strong season.

Wayne Fairchild, with Lewis & Clark Adventures, said the cold wet spring in 2022 caused several trips to be canceled on the Lochsa because of high waterflows. This year, with the snowpack at about average, the Lochsa should provide more opportunities if it melts slowly and evenly, Fairchild said.

Lewis & Clark also offers hiking and biking trips on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail on the north side of the Lochsa River canyon, Main Salmon River of No Return section trips and canoe trips on the Missouri River.

In North Idaho, Aaron Gordon with Long Drift Outfitters in Sandpoint, said he is expecting a better season in 2023 with more favorable water levels than the high water they had last year on the Kootenai River.

Snowpack levels in the Idaho Panhandle Basin were about 90% of normal. That should provide plenty of water on the big Kootenai River.

Long Drift offers scenic float trips, fishing trips and day trips on the Kootenai River, east of Bonners Ferry.

Anglers have a chance for redband rainbow and cutthroat trout.

“It’s a big beautiful river,” Gordon told the guide association. “The fishing is good, too.”