Idaho Panhandle: Smith (IV) and Cow Creek (V)

The very tip of the Idaho Panhandle holds some of the highest quality pure creeking in Idaho. Lower Smith Creek is an epic 6 mile class V/V+ mission with the average gradient easily exceeding 300 fpm the whole time. The only problem is that with good flows in the 150-250 cfs range and a diversion at the put in that takes out 370 cfs (which powers around 25,000 homes in Eugene, OR), it has an extremely narrow window. Anyways, to sum it up, half the group that arrived early Friday put on with about 85 cfs and the promise of rising flows throughout the day and got skunked. After about 2 miles and 5 hours, they hiked out.

The next day, we put on the much easier but not dewatered Upper Smith for a short stretch with some fun drops.

Crystal clear class I with no sign of whitewater at the put in.

First mini ledge, with wood. Always the wood....

The best rapid on the creek had death wood...I was so bummed I didn't take a picture. Soon, however, we came to a good multi-tiered slide.

Then a "plugger"...lead in

From above...it all funnels into a 3' wide hole

Disappearing act...

Below, there is a broken falls...here Adam "sneaks" the top part

And boofs the bottom part

And here is the author boofing the final drop from a different angle. Photo courtesy of Leland from www.rivergypsies.net

PART II

After we reached the takeout on Smith, there were rumblings about running Cow Creek, which shares the same takeout. It was already 5pm, and I was tired from scouting/portaging/wading and just couldn't bear to put my gear back on.

This will go down as the worst decision of my season so far.

The four people who put on found incredible drops and a low but totally runnable flow (which is how I prefer my class V). Anyways, here are some shots from that section.

This double drop is one of the burliest drops I have seen people run in person. Ben and Jeremy fired it off perfect...except for the backwards boof. The pics only show the easier bottom drop. The upper was super impressive and burly but impossible to take pictures of from river left, where we were.