Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers
Location - Southwestern Idaho
Difficulty - Class II-III (IV) Length - 72 miles
Level - 1,600 cfs dropping to 1,200 cfs Date - May 2008
Difficulty - Class II-III (IV) Length - 72 miles
Level - 1,600 cfs dropping to 1,200 cfs Date - May 2008
Rising high in an obscure mountain range near the Nevada and Idaho
border, several forks of the Jarbidge River come together with the
Bruneau River and cut deep and wild canyons for seventy miles as they
flow north towards the Snake River. In all likelihood you have never
heard of either of these rivers, and there is good reason; they are tucked
away in one of the most remote parts of the lower 48 and they seldom
hold enough water to paddle. But don’t let the obscurity of the Jarbidge
and Bruneau Rivers fool you, the dramatic canyons that they carve are
among the most scenic in the world and there is even some pretty fun
whitewater for those that make the journey. This was my first paddling
trip in canyon country and it is certainly one I will not forget for a long
time.
border, several forks of the Jarbidge River come together with the
Bruneau River and cut deep and wild canyons for seventy miles as they
flow north towards the Snake River. In all likelihood you have never
heard of either of these rivers, and there is good reason; they are tucked
away in one of the most remote parts of the lower 48 and they seldom
hold enough water to paddle. But don’t let the obscurity of the Jarbidge
and Bruneau Rivers fool you, the dramatic canyons that they carve are
among the most scenic in the world and there is even some pretty fun
whitewater for those that make the journey. This was my first paddling
trip in canyon country and it is certainly one I will not forget for a long
time.
When I heard that a good friend of ours had managed to pull an early season permit for Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River I new that we were
likely to have the perfect opportunity to make the most of our long drive across the deserts of eastern Oregon by first paddling the remote Jarbidge
and Bruneau Rivers. Our Middle Fork launch date was set for the Tuesday after Memorial Day on May 27 and by using one more vacation day we
could easily make a trip down the 70 miles on the Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers. These rivers typically flow from May through mid June and a
healthy snowpack throughout the west meant that our chances for suitable water levels were about as good as they would ever be.
Several weeks prior to the trip our group was established and the six person team waited anxiously while watching flow forecasts and hydrographs
for these desert rivers in southern Idaho. With one week left a system of unusually hot weather moved through the region leading which led to much
snowmelt that’s welled rivers throughout the northwestern part of the country. The gauge on the Bruneau crept steadily upwards and peaked out
around 2,000 cfs before starting a slow downward trend. The models suggested that we would be on the run as it dropped through the 1,500 cfs
range, reportedly one of the best levels for making the run.
On the Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers the canyons are so tight and the walls so vertical that escape would be next to impossible. In the event of an
emergency, the only escape is down the river. A wide spot in the canyons near the confluence of the Jarbidge and Bruneau is accessible by a
rough dirt track, but with the exception of this egress the entire run is shut in by the steep and wildly sculpted hoodoos and canyon walls. It is
important to keep this in mind when planning a trip into this remarkable landscape. A broken boat, snakebite, or other injury will have to be handled
without outside help of any kind. While it is relatively common for people to paddle the Jabidge and Bruneau don’t count on there being crowds. We
made the trip at a perfect water level over Memorial Day weekend with nice weather and although other groups were on the river they were few
enough to not be a burden.
likely to have the perfect opportunity to make the most of our long drive across the deserts of eastern Oregon by first paddling the remote Jarbidge
and Bruneau Rivers. Our Middle Fork launch date was set for the Tuesday after Memorial Day on May 27 and by using one more vacation day we
could easily make a trip down the 70 miles on the Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers. These rivers typically flow from May through mid June and a
healthy snowpack throughout the west meant that our chances for suitable water levels were about as good as they would ever be.
Several weeks prior to the trip our group was established and the six person team waited anxiously while watching flow forecasts and hydrographs
for these desert rivers in southern Idaho. With one week left a system of unusually hot weather moved through the region leading which led to much
snowmelt that’s welled rivers throughout the northwestern part of the country. The gauge on the Bruneau crept steadily upwards and peaked out
around 2,000 cfs before starting a slow downward trend. The models suggested that we would be on the run as it dropped through the 1,500 cfs
range, reportedly one of the best levels for making the run.
On the Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers the canyons are so tight and the walls so vertical that escape would be next to impossible. In the event of an
emergency, the only escape is down the river. A wide spot in the canyons near the confluence of the Jarbidge and Bruneau is accessible by a
rough dirt track, but with the exception of this egress the entire run is shut in by the steep and wildly sculpted hoodoos and canyon walls. It is
important to keep this in mind when planning a trip into this remarkable landscape. A broken boat, snakebite, or other injury will have to be handled
without outside help of any kind. While it is relatively common for people to paddle the Jabidge and Bruneau don’t count on there being crowds. We
made the trip at a perfect water level over Memorial Day weekend with nice weather and although other groups were on the river they were few
enough to not be a burden.
| Click one of the blue links below to see reports from each stage of our trip down the Jarbidge and Bruneau River Canyons. |
