John Day River, whitewater raft trip

[Burnham]

Just back from a four day float. Central Oregon, basalt canyon country. One class 4 and a few class 3 rapids, but the rest is just splashes and giggles for a 14 foot raft with a rowing frame. 70 miles, three nights camping in deep backcountry.

I went with a good friend who has done this section many times...I'm a rookie but rowed a fair bit. Better at the end than the beginning .

Some pics...I didn't even try to take pictures in any real whitewater, just too wet a ride to risk the camera. So missed capturing some of the best scenery. Memories galore, though.

 

[pantheraba]

THAT is a cool trip. Great scenery. Class 3 and 4 will get your attention.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[Bermy]

Ohh, I would love to do that!
Done a little bit of whitewater in New Zealand and Alaska, camping as well would be fun.

 

[Burnham]

One more .

 

[MasterBlaster]

Did you see any river bears? I heard they are the WORST!!!

 

[Burnham]

Oh, they are! But we got super lucky and dodged that bullet .

 

[MasterBlaster]

I bet the mountain lions scared them off.

 

[Burnham]

Might be...but I'm leaning more towards the theme we established of the whole trip; "old guys rule". No cougar in it's right mind would mess with us, let alone some wimpy river bear .

Doubt it? Ask the rattlesnake I ran off from day 1 camp. He now knows fear .

 

[flushcut]

Doubt it? Ask the rattlesnake I ran off from day 1 camp. He now knows fear .

LOL that last bit is funny. Sweet trip tho!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Actually, I have no snake worries... just critters that can eat me alive.

 

[flushcut]

I am more scared of small things not to many big critters around here.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I just don't ever wanna be no critter's scat.

 

[flushcut]

Amen!

 

[squisher]

Cool trip B. I've been whitewater rafting once before and it was a blast!

 

[vharrison]

Where is Mel? I don't see her in any shots!

 

[Burnham]

Just us two boys on this one, Gigi. We talked about doing it as a foursome, adding M and his lady...we all get along very well indeed. But I'm pretty sure I'm not skilled enough to row the class 4 rapids, which would be required as we'd need two rafts. One of the class 3 is a bit of a bugger, as well.

 

[Underwor]

Went through that country in 2009. There was a nice interpretive center along there somewhere with good info about geology, fossils and such. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.