4/18/24 - 4/21/24
High-level overview
Starting at Thirtymile, hike up the John Day to Clarno. Packraft back down. Descend below Thirtymile (depending on ) and then hike back up. Details below.
Map: https://caltopo.com/m/R0612
Emergency Plan
I expect to be back at my car by mid-afternoon on Sunday (4/21) for a return back home by 10pm or so.
I have my InReach, and plan to check in each evening. I’ll be in a river canyon some of the time so a missed check-in isn’t unexpected. You can send me messages at https://share.garmin.com/jacobian or reply to a text I’ve sent. Messages often take quite some time to deliver, so try include a timestamp in the message so I know when it was sent.
If I haven’t checked in by 9pm on Sunday, call 911.
High-visibility gear
- blue packraft
- grey/orange dry suit
- orange bivy sack
Self-rescue plan
Good road access is at Clarno and Cottonwood campground - both are potential bail-out options. E.g., could stop at Clarno if the hike up the river goes poorly, or descend all the way down to Cottonwood if I get below Thirtymile and couldn’t hike back.
If the hike up the river proves more difficult than expected, it’s easy enough to descend back to the river and float back down.
Private ranch land borders the river corridor, sometimes quite closely, for much of the route. It may be possible to pick up a private ranch road and walk out to someone’s property for help. This would be a last resort.
Detailed trip description
Map: https://caltopo.com/m/R0612
Park at Thirtymile. The road down is closed seasonally, supposedly opened 4/15, but if it’s still closed (or looks too poor for my car), park at the gate and walk down to the river.
Head up river, starting river right. I’m following beta from Scott Nechemias’s Columbia Plateau Route, backed up by lots of map scouting on CalTopo. This’ll be a mix of off-trail and following old ranch roads. I have a high degree of confidence that the route will go - nothing on the hike looks particularly foreboding. Cross the river below Basalt Rapid (will require crossing on raft). Might do a couple of runs on the rapid as long as I’ve got the boat out, assuming the portage is easy. Continue river left up to Clarno.
Put in at Clarno. River is currently (8am Thursday) just below 6000cfs, which is at the upper end of the recommended flow range, so things may be fast. Because of the high flow, I’ve opted to bring full WW rigging and my dry suit — “dress for the swim”.
River info:
- Soggy Sneakers #194, Clarno to Cottonwood
- American Whitewater info page
- Gauge: John Day at Service Creek
I’ll check the gauge when I stop to charge in Hood River. If the flow is > 7000cfs, or 6000+ and climbing, I’ll abandon the packraft part of the trip and just hike. If I have service in Clarno, I’ll also check the gauge again with the same criteria.
This run is mostly Class II with two significant rapids:
- Upper/Lower Clarno, III/IV, 4.5mi down. I’ll likely portage both rapids, via one of the several options I’ve identified on the map. I may run Upper Clarno if it looks doable and if I can clearly identify how I’d get out before Lower. I won’t run Lower under any circumstances - too risky.
- Basalt Rapid, II/III, 16.5mi down. I’ll cross just below this rapid and can scout. I’ll portage if it looks scary. (AWW has this as a II, SS has it as a III in high flow.)
Descend down to Thirtymile.
At Thirtymile, do some math on river speed and hiking speed. Ideally, if I have enough time, descend below Thirtymile somewhat, then hike back up.
There are no significant rapids below Thirtymile.
Water is a concern for the whole trip. The John Day is silty, and sees substantial agricultural runoff so I’d like to avoid drinking from the river if I can avoid it. Scott’s notes from April ‘23 say that he didn’t have any trouble filling from side streams. I’ve also identified some ponds/springs from sat photos. The longest dry stretch looks like it’ll be from the crossing at Basalt up to some ponds near Clarno, roughly 15 miles, which will probably include a dry camp in that area. I’ll take 4L of capacity.