Deschutes drifts

[Jennie@ifish]

White horse rapids... Tell me stories!
What is the name of that rock? "OH SH*@ Rock?" :smile:
Is that what it is REALLY called?
Who has dumped here? Anyone?
I want to hear about it! I've never been!
Jen

[24 on/ 48 off]

Ahhh, yes. Whitehorse rapids. And yes, that is the name of the rock. Two more rocks have names: Spray rock and House rock.

The common story is this: The boater misses the cut at Spray rock, hits Oh s__t rock then swims to, and climbs aboard House rock.

Everybody should scout this one, regardless if they have run it 5 times, or 500 times. Things change. Rocks move, smashed up boats block channel and trees snag.

Still, the entire rapid is considered two miles long. It's quite a rush!

Oh, and some excellent redside flyfishing along that stretch.


--spud-- :smile:

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: 24 on/ 48 off ]</p>

[blackdog]

Went through Whitehorse for the first time last summer. What a rush. Scouting from the high bank makes the first part with the rock you speak of look fairly impressive. However, when you are actually in your boat, and all you can hear is the roar of the river and can't see a thing because it drops so far so fast that you can't see past the initial lip, it is a whole different story. I have never experienced a bigger rush in my entire life. I entered too far to the left which put me on a direct collision course with *hit Rock. Trying to get my heavy drift boat, loaded with probably too much gear, to maneuver back away was a nightmare. I didn't think I was going to be able to pull away in time and the rock actually disappeared underneath the bow of my boat. Luckily, with the cushion of water on the rock, and one last power stroke on the oars, I was able to pull away. After that, all you have to worry about are the huge standing waves waiting for you. Keep it straight and you live to tell, sideways and you're screwed. I picked up my crew after this and thought I had survived, only to find out that I had another mile and a half of constantly being on the oars until the big eddy where we finally rested. Needless to say, I was thankfull for the rest and for the cold beer that awaited me here. The 20" redside I managed to land there helped as well. :grin:

[Jennie@ifish]

I've NEVER fished the Deschutes, and dang.... I want to SO badly!
Bill was telling me about drifting the upper Wilson, above the Minefield, above everything!--with Dudley Nelson.
I love hearing about close calls. I'm sick, I know! It gives me a rush, though, to think of facing a wall of water, thinking I'm going to die, and then... throught the wall!!! THE THRILL OF LIVING AGAIN! AH!
Jen

[Pete]

White horse, Buckskin Mary, Box Car, Oak Springs .... there are lots of fun ones ... and then there are the hot springs .... and then there are the rattle snakes, scorpions and poison oak ... if the sun and wind don't get you! The river is always a challenge, but thankfully it's never bitten me. But, oh, the memories!

One of my favorite memories is of watching an unstaked dome tent lift vertically 50 feet into the sky, then took a left turn over the alders and was last seen tumbling upstream around a corner! Sure glad it wasn't my tent! Then there was the time we set up a lean-to; staked the back end down and put aluminum tent posts under the front corners and roped them down. We set up our chairs under the tarp, started in on the G&Ts and then a gust of wind lifted the tarp and turned the tent post into a spear which went right through my upper lip! OUCH!

And then there's camping in late summer and watching the Pleides meteor showers ... or the low level jet fighter training runs up the canyon ...

.... there's just nothing like the smell of the sage, the Nootka roses and false orange in the early summer!

[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: Pete ]</p>

[Phish_on]

Deschutes very dangerous, yes. Many hazards. A few tiny fish here and there.

MMM hmmm yeah

(I want to die there, since it's only a half-step to Heaven)

[Pitch Pocket]

I've been studying the Deschutes lately. Has anyone jetted upriver from the mouth? I've been up a few times with a guide, but want to try my hand next summer with my sled. Is it that tough? Anyone else interested in learning to jet the lower river to Macks Canyon?

[Carver_OR]

Sjp...Better take a week off to memorize the lower river. Its not a river that is easy to read.

Oh lets go over their and fish..wham you hit a shelf. I've seen that happen so many times and yes to me also. As you know its a river that you have to concentrate 110 percent of the time. You'll save a lot of money and worry if you go with a guide. Most all the power boats even the guides hit a rock or two so if you don't mind taking a chance it the river for you.

Hooks sharp?
Pat

[24 on/ 48 off]

My dad thought he'd learn the lower Deschutes in his sled. He made it SUCCESSFULLY up the river 7 times, however he only made it back down SUCCESSFULLY 6 times. $2400.00 later, he had a new pump on his sled.

He since retired from trying again.

--spud-- :smile:

[HOGTIDE]

I just posted on the 'Spooky Deschutes Boat Rides' thread, before reading here. I think Carver-Or and several other folks have the same feelings about the big 'D' that I do.

[Fish Hunter]

Guess I have to learn the hard way about most things . Why should the Deschutes be a exception?
I am looking forward to running my jet on the Deschutes next summer. If the White River isnt blowing out the main river it shouldn't be a problem. I've run Macks to the mouth in a driftboat a few times with no problems and I've hiked and waded much of that water. If you scout the tough rapids out especially going down stream the jet will draft less water than a loaded driftboat. The basalt shelves on that river could get ya if your not paying attention.

Last spring I saw a super trick v8 jet 22' custom paint, all the options, being delivered at North River -Clackamas. In custom letters on the back it read:

"WOT ROCK"

too funny.

[Pitch Pocket]

The reason I haven't tried it yet is because I know it is tough. The class 4 rapids look pretty hairy. Even some of the class 3's would make sweat form on my upper lip. However, I watched with envy at a guy with his sled and tent at riverside about 15 miles up. 100 degrees, wading wet, hooking summer runs. I could go for that. I know it's hard, but what a spot. It would be interesting to hear about other peoples learning curve on that river.

[rags]

Now your talking about my all time favorite river. I've driftboated from Warm Springs to Troutcreek many times for Mr. Redside. Great fishing. Easy water. Also have boated from Macks Canyon to the mouth many times. Great Steelhead fishing. Would love to try Troutcreek to Maupin. Would be fun to get an Ifish group together next summer. Have never run Whitehorse but would like to try it. I haven't been down the lower part in a long time and wonder where the new rapid "Washout" is located? Anyone know? Have you run it and what is it like?

[ssteelheadsteve]

If you jet the Deschutes plan on crashing.You Will.If you can't afford to crash stay off.

[24 on/ 48 off]

Washout is nine miles up from the mouth- just above Klone.

If you run it in a sled, go river right. If you run it in a DB, run river left. STAY OUT of the MONSTER hole in the middle.

--spud-- :smile:

[Rauly]

There are only two types of people that run the Deschutes. Those that have hit rocks and those that will. I have run the river in a sled since 1978 and had a pretty good teacher.(Jim Conway) I have hit twice, both times I was lucky and didn't do any major damage. My recomendation to anyone that wants to learn the river is go with a guide or very experienced Deschutes boatman at least 20 times then have them get in your boat with you to help you line up for every thing. It's not like running the Clackamas. Trust Me.

[STGRule]

Just to add to the excitement, you have to watch for fishermen floating down the same water you need to be in supported by their trusty float tubes. Low in he water and usually in camo tubes. Yippee :shocked: