Smith River (Oregon Hole Gorge)
Location - Gasquet, California
Difficulty - Class IV Length - 2 miles
Level - 4,200 cfs on main branch gauge
Date - 4/1/2007
Difficulty - Class IV Length - 2 miles
Level - 4,200 cfs on main branch gauge
Date - 4/1/2007
On the second day of our Smith River trip we decided to check out two shorter
gorges very close to our motel in Hiauchi. It was agreed to tackle the Oregon
Hole gorge on the main stem of the Smith first. This short run features a mile
long canyon containing some nice and pushy class IV rapids at this level.
From the road we were able to catch a few glimpses of the whitewater below,
but from a few hundred feet up our perspective was warped and the size of the
river features was hard to determine.
From the put in about a quarter mile of fun class III provided a few eddies and
some waves for us to warm up and wake up on. Even in these first drops the
power of the water was felt and we knew that the first and hardest rapid of this
stretch would be a kick in the pants. Soon we had reached the first horizon
line and everyone made a quick scout from river left. The river here narrowed
and dropped into the canyon proper with half of the flow speeding into a huge
hydraulic blocking the left half of the river. The line was to enter the drop while
driving right to avoid the hole and while not difficult, the fast and powerful water
at the top deserved respect. I paddled out into the current and drifted in with
right angle until I saw the landmark I had picked form shore. At this point I
drove hard to the right and easily missed the hole before charging into the
narrow canyon. I paddled hard, crested a big wave, and was accelerated
much faster than I had planned on into a big breaking wave. I put my head
down and took the hit while paddling, but was still flipped by the powerful water.
gorges very close to our motel in Hiauchi. It was agreed to tackle the Oregon
Hole gorge on the main stem of the Smith first. This short run features a mile
long canyon containing some nice and pushy class IV rapids at this level.
From the road we were able to catch a few glimpses of the whitewater below,
but from a few hundred feet up our perspective was warped and the size of the
river features was hard to determine.
From the put in about a quarter mile of fun class III provided a few eddies and
some waves for us to warm up and wake up on. Even in these first drops the
power of the water was felt and we knew that the first and hardest rapid of this
stretch would be a kick in the pants. Soon we had reached the first horizon
line and everyone made a quick scout from river left. The river here narrowed
and dropped into the canyon proper with half of the flow speeding into a huge
hydraulic blocking the left half of the river. The line was to enter the drop while
driving right to avoid the hole and while not difficult, the fast and powerful water
at the top deserved respect. I paddled out into the current and drifted in with
right angle until I saw the landmark I had picked form shore. At this point I
drove hard to the right and easily missed the hole before charging into the
narrow canyon. I paddled hard, crested a big wave, and was accelerated
much faster than I had planned on into a big breaking wave. I put my head
down and took the hit while paddling, but was still flipped by the powerful water.
Swimming here was out of the question and after fighting for a brief second to orient
my paddle I rolled up and avoided the river center hole in the drop immediately below.
This was the first big water I had run in a while and the power was exhilarating and
addicting.
my paddle I rolled up and avoided the river center hole in the drop immediately below.
This was the first big water I had run in a while and the power was exhilarating and
addicting.
The others soon followed and we paddled through the next bigger drop which featured an S turn around a weird boiling eddy line, a pile of boulders,
and the canyon wall. While not as intimidating as the first rapid, this rapid was probably the most technical of what we saw in the Oregon Hole gorge.
The last big drop came shortly after and required a strong move to river right in order to avoid a large pour over taking the majority of the flow.
The paddle out brought us through a few more rapids with a nice wave or two before the river flattened and ran through spectacular canyon scenery
to the take out beach on river left. This piece of river was short but exciting and after a quick shuttle we agreed to go and check out the canyon on
the South Fork of the Smith River, which was less than a mile away and reportedly contained some bigger class IV to IV+ whitewater.
and the canyon wall. While not as intimidating as the first rapid, this rapid was probably the most technical of what we saw in the Oregon Hole gorge.
The last big drop came shortly after and required a strong move to river right in order to avoid a large pour over taking the majority of the flow.
The paddle out brought us through a few more rapids with a nice wave or two before the river flattened and ran through spectacular canyon scenery
to the take out beach on river left. This piece of river was short but exciting and after a quick shuttle we agreed to go and check out the canyon on
the South Fork of the Smith River, which was less than a mile away and reportedly contained some bigger class IV to IV+ whitewater.
The group looks up at the last drop in the Oregon Hole Gorge
while waiting for the next boater to come through.
while waiting for the next boater to come through.
The run out of the crux section of Oregon Hole gorge as seen from
the highway.
the highway.
Jason making the move to avoid the large pour over in the final drop of Oregon Hole gorge on the
main Smith River.
main Smith River.