After several years of trying to scare up interest for an Upper Deadwood cataraft run with my local boating buddies (who were all way too smart for another of my "it'll be an adventure" type runs), I finally found some brain dead out-of-town suckers who took the bait. The group consisted of Montster Leveaux (Reno), Vince 'I must be crazy to do this' Thompson from Twin Falls, the Johnson Brothers' Synchronized Swim Team from Spokane, and local pal Jerry Kisser, whose memories of a logjam/portage enhanced 3200 ifs trip must finally be entering that 'fuzzy vague river trip' portion of his brain! (although I was NOT able to talk him into our East Fork trip earlier this year...smart fell a sometimes.)

&;I scoured around for log reports from this year, but could only get second hand info about two separate kayak runs; but both said about the same thing: the run was cleanest it had been years, with possibly only one portage required (this wasn't quite true, but I'll get to that later). I had also researched the run considerably (guidebooks and personal contacts) so I had a pretty good idea what to expect and where. One complicating factor is access to Julie Creek is washed out, which forces you to run all 23 miles to the SF Payette confluence in one long day.

We launched about 10:15 on Sunday of Labor Day ('97) with about 700 cfs in the river. Very cold water, wetsuits a must! The first few miles are primarily just narrow swiftwater, had kind of a Marsh creek feel to it. There was one small log bank to bank that had just enough water over it, any lower and it might be a problem (assuming its still there next year) a mile or two down from the put in. Lots of logs and somewhat blind corners in this stretch; no blockages but kept us on the lookout (the whole run did that!) Things pick up about 3 miles down with a horizon line and hard right turn. Fun steep drop followed by a mostly continuous stretch of very tight technical class 4 water. This leads down to the first portage at the "Logjam", which was obvious from above with plenty of eddy to stop upstream, then drive the boats one by one to right above the logs. Easy portage, took about 3 minutes per cat to yank them up and over.

A couple corners downstream from the portage is a sharp left bend with a logjam on the outside that looks like it blocks the river. It was open on the inside (this time) but is immediately followed by a tight little slot drop we had to bang our way through. The middle stretch of the river consists of several miles of mellow swiftwater, similar to the quiet stretches on the lower run. The scenery along here is EXCELLENT! Pristine water, deep green pools, unroaded and unlogged forest, huge granite outcroppings, and a chance to enjoy it. Lots of flats along the river as well, we decided this would be an excellent overnite trip if you packed super light. Gee, I cant wait for the Deadwood timber sale to be completed so it can "restore the health" of this area.

This middle stretch ends with a horizon line and HUGE boulder in the middle of the river. This is the drop above the Class V, so stop and scout on the right to make sure its log free (big eddy, plenty of room). Either side of the boulder was open, most of us ran right.

Lot of current slamming into the rock, don't screw up here. Then you get another big eddy on the right, stop here to scout the class V. This is a long rapid, keep scouting all the way around the hard right corner; and check out the long straight stretch below the corner, a friend had a very intimate log experience in his kayak last year on this stretch.

My river reports were right: the high water this spring had washed out most of the logs. IT WAS RUNNABLE!! The scary part of this rapid though is that the crux move is also the entry move. It starts with a 5 to 7 foot ledge drop amongst some very narly boulders and a log along the right shore, then almost immediately slams into another boulder that forces the water down a narrow chute between it and a truck size rock to the left. Provided you're still intact, there is a brief eddy before the hard right turn (more class V), then another brief eddy, and on to the long runout (class IV+). A swim anywhere here would be an absolute brutal if not lethal prospect.

Portaging the top drop on the right would be hell w/ a cataraft, thanks to brush and a sideslope. Once you got up to the bench it wouldn't be too bad, maybe 100 yards or so to down below the hard right turn. Three of our boaters portaged the top ledge on the left; short but very difficult through the brush. Monte eddied out too low on the left to consider making the run, and lined his boat with difficulty along the shore (hung up on some logs.) I looked long, hard, and up close at the ledge drop and decided to make the run (after safety boats were back in the water). Appears that the water drops off the ledge onto a flat boulder just under the surface, breaking up the reversal and keeping the nose from digging in, at least at 700 cfs. You definitely need to be IN CONTROL after dropping off. Entry is crucial. Went off without a hitch, but very nerve wracking pulling out of that scout eddy!!!!

Logs are obviously a concern down this whole run; I never expect to find the run this clean again. We were able to eddy out above every log, but there are plenty of places where this wouldn't be possible. Seek out first hand info, but assume its outdated as soon as you launch...be on your toes! Proper spacing is vital, most of the eddies are one boat only (or no eddy); we kept at least 30 yards, maybe more, between boats, close enough to see hand signals from boat in front, but enough space to pull over. Also, we were on super lightweight equipment, all SOTARs with lightweight frames. Heavier boats would make this a grunt. And while most of the rapids are class 4, the log potential, tight technical drops, long hard day, difficulty of hiking out, and the narly class V rapid combine to make this a very demanding, expert level run.

One final note. Excellent run, one I wanted to do for a long time, especially before this beautiful roadless stretch is RIPPED up in the name of "Forest Health". This is the only roadless run on the Payette system, and a haven in an otherwise well roaded, well logged area, area. I hope anybody interested in keeping this pristine area intact, boater or not, takes the effort to get involved.

syotr, Boicatr.