Snake River - Hells Canyon

Overview

The world famous Snake River is an Idaho treasure and an icon of the western United States. The Snake flows south to north through Hells Canyon along the Idaho-Oregon border. Hells Canyon consists of some of the most rugged, wild lands on earth. The staggering 8,000 foot drop from He Devil Mountain, in Idaho's Seven Devils range, to the Snake River creates North America's deepest river gorge.

The "Wild & Scenic" Snake River is renown for big waves and powerful whitewater - including the famous Wild Sheep, Granite, Waterspout, and Rush Creek rapids. Between rapids there is time to relax and study a magnificent canyon. Warm water and weather make for perfect swimming opportunities on hot summer afternoons.

Fishing is varied and excellent. Smallmouth bass and rainbow trout make up most of the catch, with catfish and fall steelhead rounding out the selection. Imagine hooking a fish twice your height! Hells Canyon boasts healthy numbers of North America's largest freshwater fish, the white sturgeon, a nearly prehistoric life form. Sturgeon fishing is "catch & release".

Hells Canyon harbors all the climatic zones of North America, and is a bird watcher's heaven with songbirds of every description, and many species of owls, hawks, eagles, falcons, waterfowl, and upland game birds. Bring your binoculars and keep an eye open for elk, mule deer, Rocky Mountain big horn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, cougar, coyote, and more.

The area contains a wealth of archaeological sites. Pit house villages and rock shelters are scattered throughout the canyon. Native Americans etched petroglyphs into rock faces, and painted pictographs. Outftters and guides lead hikes to fascinating abandoned pioneer cabins, mines, and Native American historic sites. Extended hikes to places like Suicide Point, and Carter's Mansion are additional trip highlights. At river mile 26.5 you can visit the Kirkwood Historic Ranch where the Forest Service has preserved displays of canyon life in the 1930's along with prehistoric artifacts.

A rafting trip on the wild and scenic Snake River is inside the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and Hells Canyon Wilderness. The 652,488 acre recreation area was created by an act of Congress in 1975, and includes portions of Nez Perce, Payette, and Wallowa-Whitman national forests. The Hells Canyon Wilderness comprises nearly 215,000 acres within the HCNRA. The spectacular Canyon rims are made of Oregon's Wallowa Mountains, and Idaho's Seven Devils range. The wild and scenic Snake River covers 70 river miles from Hells Canyon Creek to Cache Creek.


River Stats

  • Difficulty:

    III to IV

  • Trip Length:

    81 mi.

  • Season:

    Spring through Fall

  • Flow:

    USGS Reatime Streamflow

  • Gradient:

    8 fpm

  • Logistics:

    Put in: Hells Canyon Cr.
    Take Out: Pittsburg Landing or Heller Bar
Class I
Fast moving water with riffles and small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious and easily missed with little training. Risk to swimmers is slight; self-rescue is easy.
Class II: Novice
Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels which are evident without scouting. Occasional maneuvering may be required, but rocks and medium-sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers. Swimmers are seldom injured and group assistance, while helpful, is seldom needed. Rapids that are at the upper end of this difficulty range are designated "Class II+".
Class III: Intermediate
Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required; large waves or strainers may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large-volume rivers. scouting is advisable for inexperienced parties. Injuries while swimming are rare; self-rescue is usually easy but group assistance may be required to avoid long swims. Rapids that are at the lower or upper end of this difficulty range are designated "Class III-" or "Class III+" respectively.
Class IV: Advanced
Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. Depending on the character of the river, it may feature large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast, reliable eddy turn may be needed to initiate maneuvers, scout rapids, or rest. Rapids may require "must" moves above dangerous hazards. Scouting may be necessary the first time down. Risk of injury to swimmers is moderate to high, and water conditions may make self-rescue difficult. Group assistance for rescue is often essential but requires practiced skills. A strong eskimo roll is highly recommended. Rapids that are at the upper end of this difficulty range are designated "Class IV-" or "Class IV+" respectively.
Class V: Expert
Extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids which expose a paddler to added risk. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep, congested chutes with complex, demanding routes. Rapids may continue for long distances between pools, demanding a high level of fitness. What eddies exist may be small, turbulent, or difficult to reach. At the high end of the scale, several of these factors may be combined. Scouting is recommended but may be difficult. Swims are dangerous, and rescue is often difficult even for experts. A very reliable eskimo roll, proper equipment, extensive experience, and practiced rescue skills are essential. Because of the large range of difficulty that exists beyond Class IV, Class 5 is an open-ended, multiple-level scale designated by class 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, etc... each of these levels is an order of magnitude more difficult than the last. Example: increasing difficulty from Class 5.0 to Class 5.1 is a similar order of magnitude as increasing from Class IV to Class 5.0.
Class VI: Extreme and Explatory Rapids
These runs have almost never been attempted and often exemplify the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability and danger. The consequences of errors are very severe and rescue may be impossible. For teams of experts only, at favorable water levels, after close personal inspection and taking all precautions. After a Class VI rapids has been run many times, its rating may be changed to an apppropriate Class 5.x rating.