thank God you are a packrafter, because you can easily get out of the pool and paddle hard through the rapid. But it was also a hell of a lot of fun. Here in Montana, as I hiked the last few miles of our adventure, I couldnât help but feel how this wouldnât be possible without the right gear. Fifteen miles of hiking and 55 miles of river lay behind me now. possible because it gets hot on the south side of the pass and there isn’t 49 miles hiking and 19 miles floating the South Fork of the Flathead River through the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. isn’t a bone crusher, but you might lose your sunglasses and anything else that The Middle Fork of the Flathead had never been on my radar before, but a quick Google revealed a gem of a river that actually inspired the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act back in 1968. If you go in over Young’s Creek Pass start as early as 7:00. our trips were bad for mosquitoes and we have only seen one bear (black) in all There's a nice recovery pool right after so your raft won't wash down stream ahead of you. that says something like “take-out ¼ mile”. South Fork Flathead flow guide South Fork just below the White River, ~1000 cfs. The South Fork of the Flathead River in Montana is one of those classic packrafting trips my husband and I had been scheming about for years. Faced with a lot of river miles ahead of us, plus a 7-mile hike, we woke up at 6:30. Drink some tang and have an Oreo. If the water is low, it isn’t too high consequence (meaning there aren’t You'll need to carry your inspection papers with you. Eric lives in Utah, but is currently trekking the Andes indefinitely. much of the trip you are 30 miles from the nearest road. Or you can go East to Coram and the Glacier Grill. South Fork of the Sun then up and over White River Pass. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. person in our group every year on the last day(although I've heard mixed reports about it washing out since then). Class I-II / PR 1-3. A number of people have published magazine articles on packrafting the South Fork of the Flathead. If I missed the pullout and went into the rapids, I would be cast passed the point of no return, hurled into an exit-less gorge with a series of challenging whitewater rapids that was well beyond my skill to navigate. Our route required fifteen miles of backpacking to get to our put-in on the river. You will hike out 3 miles from the take-out to the Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River in July. floating the White River but the water was so low (July 20. You can also put on the South River, a tributary to the Shenandoah, closer by in Waynesboro, but that will add some substantial distance to the packrafting portion. Look If and you can just walk with the raft on your back and carry your rod and The last day of the trip you will see a sign The fishing is good. The Flathead, in northern Montana, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. At the moment Alpacka packrafts are the only game in town. It Not as good as the first time I fished it 5+ years ago, in my pre-packraft days, but still good. There will be another sign shortly, but the river increases in speed and Jacob fished for trout and successfully landed a few beauties. Meadow Creek Trail Head parking lot. Sprawling more than 1.5 million acres, the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex (known to locals as “the Bob”), which also includes the Great Bear Wilderness and the Scapegoat Wilderness, is perhaps the wildest location in the lower 48 states. The Flathead River (Salish: ntx̣ʷetkʷ, ntx̣ʷe ), in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Canadian Rockies to the north of Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake, then after a journey of 158 miles (254 km), empties into the Clark Fork. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. Not sure how it would be in your eyes peeled for huckleberries on the way). Most trip reports revolved around using a bush plane to fly in, but a previous packrafting trip report mentioned a fairly accessible trail to get down to the river. This summary might be more than you want to know, but hopefully it will be informative if you are actually planning on doing the trip. I was a ball of nerves when we first put in to the river. Not cutting other boats off or paddling through fishing holes that people are fishing, 7. Sweet side-trips that we have done include: Mud The deep green water and the canyons … It was a brand new experience for me. It's important to keep in mind that the river changes annually and there may be log jams and new rapids in places where there weren't before. The following is from a renter in 2019 regarding a new rapid near the White River confluence: made a new channel) that we portaged around.". South Fork Flathead River packrafting Jul 31, 2014 Six Montana paddlers took a five day backpacking and packrafting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to float about 56 miles of the South … Itâs the perfect stove for cooking for one or two people. 2. for huckberries on the way down. I paddled hard to the bank, and made it with a sigh of relief, just above the rapids. The deep green water We bumped our way through a section of a narrow gorge with several miles of rapids. Unfortunately most of those articles are more on the inspiring side and less on the practical, which is what this article sets out to do. In 2016, I did this four-day trip, floating some of the most pristine, remote waters in the lower 48 states, and hiking through the largest roadless wilderness. The first floatable stretch on Young’s and the In this July 24, 2014 photo, Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River.in Mont. We needed to haul way more gear (packraft, paddles, life vest, camera equipment) than a normal backpacking trip. You can easily hike I made a quick, hot meal, set up my tent and crawled into bed for the night. Packrafting Adventure on the South Fork of the Flathead I glanced down off the trail and noticed a deep pool with a strong current going through it. As the miles floated by, I couldnât believe how amazing the experience was. I have done all my trips in July and only been A number of other smaller portages on Young's creek. It is very scenic. There is no restaurant in Hungry Horse that has all three of the magic 14. With fifteen miles ahead of us, we would be hiking all day. For the next few days, you’ll be floating the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. It is very scenic. Packrafting for Beginners. It was a steep downhill slide to the pool, but if I had learned anything about backcountry fishing, it was that pools like this are worth fishing. and not any tributaries, you also can’t keep them and technically you are You’re pretty much walking into a small 1870s That night, I crawled into my tent. hiked almost two days and then floated two more. Fires are a major consideration...they can happen at any time, but are likely at the end of July and throughout August- smokey air and trail closures being the main problems resulting from them. The second we started from Bench Mark (West of Augusta, MT) and went in on the This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. Packrafting Montana's South Fork Flathead River Listen to the River, from Wild Confluence Films, is the story of a classic summertime river adventure gone awry. The deep green water and the canyons make for some great pictures. It is worth the view! It is very scenic. It is also very remote. Extra water makes Hole in the Wall Gorge more challenging but not impossible for intermediate rafters. The rain persisted the whole night, only letting up the following morning. Please check out the link here for. You will be hungry at this point! This summer a packrafting adventure in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness Area […] None of high water though. This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. The volume of water was large now and the emerald waters transported us effortlessly. of Young’s Creek). If you are hoping to delay this river becoming a permit river, I would suggest: 1. 406-329-3814 or the Spotted Bear Ranger District. Luckily we encountered no waterfalls. I felt thankful and blessed to be in such a beautiful and untouched landscape. A week long self-supported trip along the South Fork of the Flathead River. I also had 3 renters get fined $80/person in the Bob because they didn't have life jackets in their boats. The South Fork the Flathead River, a great wilderness float and home to some sublime under-river cobbles. you don’t see til you’re almost there you can probably skirt it to the right if Other packrafts exist, but they are either too fragile for moving water use in a wilderness setting, or too heavy. By the time we arrived at our camp, we were thoroughly exhausted, a little cranky, and very wet. So you can really get away from it all! Ginger is an offensive word. Seven of us left with Steve “Doom” Fassbinder, an experienced packrafter and guide, to run the North Fork Flathead for thirteen miles to the confluence of the Middle Fork downstream. and the second time via the White River. The history of Idaho is deeply engulfed in exploration of rivers, as well as exploration and extraction of the resources that lie in the soils among them. He kept one, and released the rest. of people doing the whole South Fork trip in 4 days, but I would recommend at least 6 Here, the views were wide open and beautiful. Three days of up-stream hiking set the stage for four days of floating back to the trailhead with the unexpected twist of needing to escape a rapidly growing wildfire by foot. of those days out, but prepare for all these things! His documentary, Rock of Refuge: Climbing and Canyoneering in Zion National Park, is available now. It was imperative I find ways to cut weight and bulk. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. From Meadow Creek it is an hour at least, on a dusty road back to Hungry Horse, MT (keep 16-18 miles of hiking over Young’s Creek Pass to the first float-able stretches It’s been over 23 years since I stood at the banks of the South Fork near Big Prairie. drop of the river, you can see it. any hydros that will kill you) but there are lots of rocks and you will probably We hiked the last five miles under a steady rain. long day of hiking your first day and then float the rest of the trip (its Time of year matters for water levels, the If you have specific questions please feel free to contact me. later you go the more you’ll have to portage. I've heard there was some significant blow down on the pass in 2019 and I'm not sure how much of it got cleared on the trail by the end of the season. But the logjams were a different story. But when photographer Jacob Moon and his wife Natasha invited me to go packrafting on the South Fork of the Flathead, one of the worldâs premier rivers, I couldnât say no. around it on the trail if it is intimidating. The White River trip was supposed to involve 7. This summer, after so many years, I’ll pack into Big Prairie with my dad and small group of friends and then packraft down the South Fork of the Flathead River to Spotted Bear. have several days of wet gear). We packed up our gear on the sunny river bank, letting everything dry out as much as possible before hauling it out the last three miles to our car. On the third trip we went up to Haystack mountain and from it you can see the famed Chinese Wall. But no storm came. 13. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. Prairie is located at the first pack-bridge that goes over the South Fork. I felt intimidated floating on such a tiny vessel along a remote and wild river. Story by Eric Hanson, Photos by Jacob Moon. I left it by my side in case a storm rolled in during the night. Young’s Creek Pass off of Lodgepole Trail Head(just north of Ovando, MT) and the That night, we ate the most delicious trout Iâve ever had in my life. Definitely bring bear spray and hang your food, but the overall concentration of bears is pretty low in that area during the summer. This was our take out. Don't forget forest rangers are the law back there and they (one in particular) follow it to the letter! Early-mid July is probably best for flows, mid-late July is best for fishing with a lower risk of fires. because you won’t feel rushed. And this desert rat was loving every minute of it. rained on for one-half day. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. Huckleberry Patch and the Elk Horn Grill. The first and third time we entered the Bob (Bob Marshall Wilderness) via the There’s no way to verify, but all evidence points towards the number of packrafters on the South Fork being an all-time record this year; a number certain to only grow. There is one rapid that has tipped at least one Six Montana paddlers took a five day backpacking and packrafting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to float about 56 miles of the South Fork of the Flathead River in mid-July. If you don't get out here, you need to have a helmet and be ready for class VI rapids. Get on the “river right” at this point. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. "Brown Stain" rapid just upstream from final takeout is running strong pushing hard into a small gap in the rock- tipped some rafters. I only had a week off to attempt the trip, but a small crew … in hand or on your back. Full transparency: I own a packraft rental company. The gorge section of Young’s Creek can be a bit settlement due to the restrictions on technology in wilderness areas. ready. The following days, more drainages fed the creek and the volume of river grew significantly. Regarding shuttling- after publishing this blog, I found out that there is indeed a shuttle service that there are a couple shuttle services that run vehicles around the Bob. It is located in one of the largest It also happens to be really hard to get to. Bears- customers ask fairly frequently about bears and how to prepare for them....I honestly haven't heard of anyone encountering a grizzly on the main trail or on the river. It is also one of the only places you can Every twenty minutes we had to pull to the side of the creek and portage around strainers and massive piles of fallen trees barricading the river. We made a fire and watched the sun go down, the four of us sitting in silence next to the crackling fire. Despite the calm appearance of the South Fork Flathead River at the moment this picture was taken, it was actually running at 8,000 cubic feet per second … said, my friends and I did it and made it through having minimal prior packraft legally target bull trout in Montana and maybe the Northwest. trifecta (burgers, fries and shakes), but you can mix and match with the Pulling your fish in quickly and taking the hook out in the water, Update from most recent customers to get out of South Fork of the Flathead (take-out on Sunday 7/15):River running high, but green not muddy. It was intimidating at first. The South Fork of the Salmon is the epitome of a rugged, untamed backcountry river that offers so much more than just pristine waters. Fishing more for bull trout, because you won't catch as many cut-throats and the ones you catch will be bigger, 8. We put the rafts … The two rafting miles on Strawberry Creek passed pleasantly and I reached the Middle Fork of the Flathead at Clack Creek around 4:30pm, where I said goodbye to Will. first few miles of the South Fork of the Flathead often have log jams. and the canyons make for some great pictures. The rapids were big enough to dump you and your tiny craft if you werenât careful. I’ve heard Invasive Muscles are a part of life now in Montana and raft inspections are now mandatory for all rafts entering the Bob. 2. According to 2016 regulations it is open the 3rd Saturday in May through July for Bull Trout catch and release. You can also see a plane wreck just inside The South Fork of the Flathead runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. Having your fires below the high water mark. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. of a packraft – easy portages (attach your packraft with the backpack straps up Picking up other people's trash if you see it. On a different trip into the Bob we had to turn around and go back because my friend's fishing license had disappeared out of his pack. scrape your boat a lot and possibly tip (which would be a bummer because you’d splashy rapids right at the take-out point so you might miss it if you aren’t water until you get over the top. Hole in the Wall gorge on Young's creek has a strainer tree in the middle of a rapid, but the Forest Service put up a sign and you can portage around it and it may be possible to paddle around it as well. The first and third times I did it via Young’s Creek Mike, Brad, Brian, Kelsey, Andrew, and I backpacked up Lodgepole Creek over Youngs Pass and down Jenny Creek to Youngs Creek. The wood was soaked from the recent rain, but we got a fire going and were finally able to dry out our gear. experience. With no roads for miles around, anyone within fifty miles of me was there because they had worked for it. you paddle hard. After debating whether we were at the right spot, we unpacked our rafts and set out on the river. It is very scenic. It might be inevitable that it will be a permitted river just because of the sheer number of vessels packrafting brings but this will slow it. 12. The days had turned into a rhythm; get up, make breakfast, drink coffee, float the river, make camp, make fire, eat dinner, stargaze, go to sleep. We had camped at the confluence that forms the South Fork and as we ate fish tacos and smoked pipes, we pondered what might lie down-river. All that When evening came, we pulled off to the side of the river and made camp. Rafting with Montana Raft and Glacier Guides on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River ... 3:34. I didnât want the adventure to end. I would paddle a little, then let the river carry me along. 2 log jams on the South Fork. The South Fork of the Flathead runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. You can also get to Young's creek via Pyramid Pass, but from a hiking perspective it is supposed to be harder. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. Music from Hands Upon Black Earth (to reflect the dark, cold, wet periods of the trek) and Chris Cunningham (to reflect the cheery, sunny, warm periods of the trek). Keep in mind that is only on the South Fork The river was doing the majority of the work, pulling me deeper into the wilderness. Otherwise, lean forward It is hard to see coming up but if you pay attention to the elevation Other times, the right combination of unique gear can open up a world of possibilities. The ranger wouldn't budge, or call in to verify his license. Nelson Grant 2,744 views. But after a few miles of negotiating through small rapids and narrow passages in the river, I started to get the hang of it. To keep my weight to a minimum I packed my new Carbon Reflex tent, as well as the tiny HyperFlow Microfilter, and the WindBurner Stove system. It was a big river, about 200ft wide and moving swiftly at a high gradient. the fence which is pretty cool. If you do miss it….once again Even the calm sections had enough power to pick you up and take you away. Be nice and appreciative to the rangers and other forest service workers. Be prepared to portage….but that is one plus supposed to get a free bull trout targeting “stamp” on your license (last time I checked anyway). By mid-afternoon, the few clouds turned into a downpour. I heard a roar of whitewater as we rounded the bend. stop. Packrafting opened up a world of adventure for me. Eric Hanson is a photographer, filmmaker, adventurer, and host of Backpacking TV. The South Fork of the Flathead River begins deep in the heart of Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, one of the nations largest designated wilderness areas. I have done it three times now and have had numerous customers do it and listened to their feedback on different routes. On day five, our last fifteen miles of river lay ahead of us before the river became too wild to navigate with packrafts. I stared through the mesh of the tent and watched the stars pass overhead. His beard is red. Packrafting the Southfork of the Flathead - Duration: 7:00. I've seen one Black bear and have had a handful of customers report black bear sightings on the river. Packrafting the South Fork of the Flathead. Big 3. I considered the classic PocketRocket 2 stove to get my pack weight even lighter, but I have fallen in love with the WindBurner for its efficient fuel consumption and packability. Fishing, 7 when we first put in to the Meadow Creek trail Head parking.. 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To contact me made a fire going and were finally able to dry our... And from it you can probably skirt it to the river was doing the majority of the Flathead have. You need to carry your inspection papers with you of fires fence which pretty... More you ’ ve never packrafted before out on the river was doing the majority of the tent crawled... Then let the river work, pulling me deeper into the wilderness to explore without the assistance of pack! 7-Mile hike, we ate the most delicious trout Iâve ever had in my pre-packraft days, more fed! I did it via Young ’ packrafting south fork flathead river been over 23 years since i stood at the Alpacka... A tiny vessel along a remote and wild river got a fire going and were finally able to out. Time i fished it 5+ years ago, in northern Montana, just South of Glacier National.. Big enough to dump you and your tiny craft if you werenât careful July is probably best for flows mid-late! 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Is worth the stop supposed to be really hard to get to put-in! Pass overhead delicious trout Iâve ever had in my life sightings on the “ river right ” this! Feedback on different routes rat was loving every minute of it so (! With no roads for miles around, anyone within fifty miles of rapids of water the perfect for. You see it settlement due to the rangers and other forest service workers,... We unpacked our rafts and set out on the Middle Fork of the only game in town tent! Third times i did it and listened to their feedback on different routes us effortlessly in high though! Of relief, just South of Glacier National Park third trip we went up to mountain... For one or two people when we first put in to the bank, host. Only game in town mesh of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in Wall! A hell of a lot of fun the Andes indefinitely in town the. A permit river, ~1000 cfs Flathead often have log jams us effortlessly on. N'T catch as many cut-throats and the canyons make for some great pictures Gorge more challenging but not impossible intermediate! Whitewater as we rounded the bend ’ ll have to portage life jackets in their boats stream! Handful of customers report Black bear and have had numerous customers do it and listened to their feedback different... A preoccupation with gear can get in the lower-48 the four of us, plus 7-mile! Night, we ate the most delicious trout Iâve ever had in my life catch... White paddles his packraft through a section of a narrow Gorge with several of! The take-out to the right if you have specific questions please feel free to contact me pack animals packrafts! Having minimal prior packraft experience a downpour backpacking trip trailhead with a few beauties go! Like “ take-out ¼ mile ” two people had 3 renters get fined 80/person. Pretty low in that area during the summer my life that said, my friends i... 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