Grande Ronde float trip?

It looks like we have a few interested parties.  Should we try and set a date for this? 

I'm good from tomorrow up to ORC and then until archery season

Early april allows for Steelhead retention but is a little cold at night.  May is nice and warm (mostly) but with spring rain and melt off, the water may be a bit fast and muddy.  I'm game for any of it.

I've been thinking about the problem of being picked up on the other end, there are a few shuttle options if you want to pay for somebody to either pick you up or leave your vehicle at the takeout.

I've may have a couple friends that might assist with the pickup.  I may even be able to get  a large trailer to put our gear in and haul back to the put in point. So we only need enough room for passengers. Just depends on how many of us make the float.

I'm really interested in this, and I kind of have the steelhead bug right now, so it makes me even more interested.

How cold is cold at night?  Not that I'm afraid of a little cold, just need to know if I'll be spooning with Spot or not.   

-Allen

Good chance that it would go below freezing temps.  Nothing a mummy bag can't handle, especially if your sleeping in a tent.

Looks like we'd be bunk buddies Allen. 

I'm partial to the begining of April so we can chase steelhead.

-Spot-

April has 2 weekends before the 15th (steelhead close).  5-6 and 12-13

There are currently no fishing regulation restrictions on the river except 3 fish per day limit and needing the proper tags.

April has 2 weekends before the 15th (steelhead close).  5-6 and 12-13

There are currently no fishing regulation restrictions on the river except 3 fish per day limit and needing the proper tags.

This is awesome, Steelhead in April is what I was hoping for too.  I'm pretty sure I can make either weekend work.

April 11 is my B-day...just gotta pull the B-day card, and either weekend is a go for me.

April 11 is my B-day...just gotta pull the B-day card, and either weekend is a go for me.

Ha ha ha ha Mine is the 16th and I planned on doing exactly the same thing.

-Spot-

April 11 is my B-day...just gotta pull the B-day card, and either weekend is a go for me.

Ha ha ha ha Mine is the 16th and I planned on doing exactly the same thing.

-Spot-

Ha ha ha ha Mine is in October and I planned on doing exactly the same thing.

-Allen

My only concern will be the rapids. The weather this year is is dramatically shifting towards one of the worst water years in history. How far would we have to portage? Says I with a battle cruiser/barge, Outback.

Wobbler

portage will not be an issue on this float.  The sets of rapids are really short and you could probably just wade past most of them.

the only one I'm curious about is  "Red Rock"  I've hiked past this many times.  there is a giant bolder in the middle of the river and all of the water shoots through a 15-20ft gap.  I imagine that I'll walk past it again in the next month, I'll take a picture.

My only concern will be the rapids. The weather this year is is dramatically shifting towards one of the worst water years in history. How far would we have to portage? Says I with a battle cruiser/barge, Outback.

Wobbler

I don't know this river, but it begs the question ... what kind of kayaks are appropriate for this trip?  I wouldn't have thought an Outback to be on the list.  But again, I'm running on limited knowledge here.

-Allen

I'll be taking my outback.  No mirage drive and I'll swap out my rudder for the original.

portage will not be an issue on this float.  The sets of rapids are really short and you could probably just wade past most of them.  the only one I'm curious about is  "Red Rock"  I've hiked past this many times.  there is a giant bolder in the middle of the river and all of the water shoots through a 15-20ft gap.  I imagine that I'll walk past it again in the next month, I'll take a picture.

Here are a couple pictures of the "Red Rock" rapid at 4,000 cfs in May of 2013.  At that level, it was Class II.

I'll be taking my outback.  No mirage drive and I'll swap out my rudder for the original.

I suggest that you leave your rudder bungied on the back deck of your kayak for the trip.  You'd only need to clip one rock with the rudder to bust up the steering mechanism.