The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. 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. The South Fork of the Flathead runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. Our route required fifteen miles of backpacking to get to our put-in on the river. and you can just walk with the raft on your back and carry your rod and For example, the South Fork of the Flathead in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness is one of the most beautiful rivers in North America. There will be another sign shortly, but the river increases in speed and As the miles floated by, I couldn’t believe how amazing the experience was. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. I was a ball of nerves when we first put in to the river. The following days, more drainages fed the creek and the volume of river grew significantly. This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. At the moment Alpacka packrafts are the only game in town. 7:00. If you want to have a more relaxing trip, do one Young’s Creek Pass off of Lodgepole Trail Head(just north of Ovando, MT) and the So you can really get away from it all! It is also one of the only places you can Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River in July. 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. With fifteen miles ahead of us, we would be hiking all day. I have done all my trips in July and only been rained on for one-half day. experience. White River trip was prettier but demoralizing because we floated (on the Sun River) and then But when photographer Jacob Moon and his wife Natasha invited me to go packrafting on the South Fork of the Flathead, one of the world’s premier rivers, I couldn’t say no. It is also very remote. 2. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into  Meadow Creek Gorge. The Nelson Grant 2,744 views. Get on the “river right” at this point. From Meadow Creek it is an hour at least, on a dusty road back to Hungry Horse, MT (keep After debating whether we were at the right spot, we unpacked our rafts and set out on the river. 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. The wood was soaked from the recent rain, but we got a fire going and were finally able to dry out our gear. For first few miles of the South Fork of the Flathead often have log jams. If you don't get out here, you need to have a helmet and be ready for class VI rapids. This summer a packrafting adventure in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness Area […] If By mid-afternoon, the few clouds turned into a downpour. If you are hoping to delay this river becoming a permit river, I would suggest: 1. 49 miles hiking and 19 miles floating the South Fork of the Flathead River through the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. It is very scenic. Here, the views were wide open and beautiful. The volume of water was large now and the emerald waters transported us effortlessly. The rapids were big enough to dump you and your tiny craft if you weren’t careful. Full transparency: I own a packraft rental company. With no roads for miles around, anyone within fifty miles of me was there because they had worked for it. A week long self-supported trip along the South Fork of the Flathead River. 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. Jacob fished for trout and successfully landed a few beauties. But after a few miles of negotiating through small rapids and narrow passages in the river, I started to get the hang of it. isn’t a bone crusher, but you might lose your sunglasses and anything else that It is very scenic. I stared through the mesh of the tent and watched the stars pass overhead. It is very scenic. 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). of a packraft – easy portages (attach your packraft with the backpack straps up 406-329-3814 or the Spotted Bear Ranger District. 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. That night, I crawled into my tent. Rain jacket, bear spray and bug spray! Please check out the link here for. 3. The rain persisted the whole night, only letting up the following morning. 2. You will be hungry at this point! and the canyons make for some great pictures. The ranger wouldn't budge, or call in to verify his license. If you go in over Young’s Creek Pass start as early as trifecta (burgers, fries and shakes), but you can mix and match with the 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. I only had a week off to attempt the trip, but a small crew … 16-18 miles of hiking over Young’s Creek Pass to the first float-able stretches Sometimes a preoccupation with gear can get in the way of adventure. 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. I would paddle a little, then let the river carry me along. 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. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. that says something like “take-out ¼ mile”. 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. It We put the rafts … It is located in one of the largest You can also get to Young's creek via Pyramid Pass, but from a hiking perspective it is supposed to be harder. But no storm came. because you won’t feel rushed. Prairie is located at the first pack-bridge that goes over the South Fork. you paddle hard. Be nice and appreciative to the rangers and other forest service workers. 14. 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. Huckleberry Patch and the Elk Horn Grill. 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). floating the White River but the water was so low (July 20. 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. The river was doing the majority of the work, pulling me deeper into the wilderness. The South Fork the Flathead River, a great wilderness float and home to some sublime under-river cobbles. For the next few days, you’ll be floating the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. 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.". 7. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. 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. There's a nice recovery pool right after so your raft won't wash down stream ahead of you. 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. possible because it gets hot on the south side of the pass and there isn’t All that 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. much of the trip you are 30 miles from the nearest road. 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. after the take-out and climb over the small rocky embankment with your packraft Extra water makes Hole in the Wall Gorge more challenging but not impossible for intermediate rafters. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. By the time we arrived at our camp, we were thoroughly exhausted, a little cranky, and very wet. A number of other smaller portages on Young's creek. This was a landscape that didn’t allow people to pass through easily. The White River trip was supposed to involve I felt thankful and blessed to be in such a beautiful and untouched landscape. The deep green water and the canyons make for some great pictures. wilderness areas in the lower-48. I left it by my side in case a storm rolled in during the night. you don’t see til you’re almost there you can probably skirt it to the right if around it on the trail if it is intimidating. You will hike out 3 miles from the take-out to the and the second time via the White River. your eyes peeled for huckleberries on the way). Being from the desert, the idea of hauling a raft deep into the wilderness was fairly novel. It also happens to be really hard to get to. Camping is available anywhere that’s not … ready. Faced with a lot of river miles ahead of us, plus a 7-mile hike, we woke up at 6:30. 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. long day of hiking your first day and then float the rest of the trip (its This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. You can also see a plane wreck just inside Otherwise, lean forward You’re pretty much walking into a small 1870s 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. Time of year matters for water levels, the Big When evening came, we pulled off to the side of the river and made camp. and not any tributaries, you also can’t keep them and technically you are 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. It was the first night the weather really cooperated, so I didn’t put a fly on. Eric lives in Utah, but is currently trekking the Andes indefinitely. The fishing is good. "Brown Stain" rapid just upstream from final takeout is running strong pushing hard into a small gap in the rock- tipped some rafters. Look 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. 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. Fifteen miles of hiking and 55 miles of river lay behind me now. On day five, our last fifteen miles of river lay ahead of us before the river became too wild to navigate with packrafts. The gorge section of Young’s Creek can be a bit splashy rapids right at the take-out point so you might miss it if you aren’t The last day of the trip you will see a sign 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. On the third trip we went up to Haystack mountain and from it you can see the famed Chinese Wall. 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. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. But the logjams were a different story. have several days of wet gear). According to 2016 regulations it is open the 3rd Saturday in May through July for Bull Trout catch and release. stop. We bumped our way through a section of a narrow gorge with several miles of rapids. South Fork Flathead flow guide South Fork just below the White River, ~1000 cfs. It was intimidating at first. I have done it three times now and have had numerous customers do it and listened to their feedback on different routes. second we started from Bench Mark (West of Augusta, MT) and went in on the Or you can go East to Coram and the Glacier Grill. Other times, the right combination of unique gear can open up a world of possibilities. You'll need to carry your inspection papers with you. It’s the perfect stove for cooking for one or two people. If we put in too early, we might find ourselves plunging over a series of waterfalls or caught in one of the many logjams in the early portion of the river. His documentary, Rock of Refuge: Climbing and Canyoneering in Zion National Park, is available now. I also had 3 renters get fined $80/person in the Bob because they didn't have life jackets in their boats. The deep green water and the canyons … 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. 13. Packrafting opened up a world of adventure for me. I paddled hard to the bank, and made it with a sigh of relief, just above the rapids. Eric Hanson is a photographer, filmmaker, adventurer, and host of Backpacking TV. 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. Story by Eric Hanson, Photos by Jacob Moon. any hydros that will kill you) but there are lots of rocks and you will probably 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 … isn’t attached. Rafting with Montana Raft and Glacier Guides on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River ... 3:34. of those days out, but prepare for all these things! Seeing the South Fork of the Flathead River for the first time in 2011, was really where the idea of starting a packraft rental company began. The first and third time we entered the Bob (Bob Marshall Wilderness) via the our trips were bad for mosquitoes and we have only seen one bear (black) in all It is hard to see coming up but if you pay attention to the elevation Other packrafts exist, but they are either too fragile for moving water use in a wilderness setting, or too heavy. Mike, Brad, Brian, Kelsey, Andrew, and I backpacked up Lodgepole Creek over Youngs Pass and down Jenny Creek to Youngs Creek. Having your fires below the high water mark. high water though. 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. A number of people have published magazine articles on packrafting the South Fork of the Flathead. The South Fork of the Salmon is the epitome of a rugged, untamed backcountry river that offers so much more than just pristine waters. Here in Montana, as I hiked the last few miles of our adventure, I couldn’t help but feel how this wouldn’t be possible without the right gear. Before continuing our float down the South Fork, we took a side trip to float the White, which is known for its limestone rocks and fun whitewater stretch. Fishing more for bull trout, because you won't catch as many cut-throats and the ones you catch will be bigger, 8. Ginger is an offensive word. His beard is red. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. I didn’t want the adventure to end. It is worth the view! There is one rapid that has tipped at least one 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. Not sure how it would be in paddle). and paddle hard through the rapid. Lake Lookout and Salmon Lake. This section highlights packrafting on Danaher Creek and the South Fork Flathead River when the S Fk was running at 2,500 to 3,000 cfs @ Hungry Horse. It is very scenic. Meadow Creek Trail Head parking lot. You can easily hike Our route required fifteen miles of backpacking to get to our put-in on the river. I’ve heard in hand or on your back. I heard a roar of whitewater as we rounded the bend. 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. 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. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. We needed to haul way more gear (packraft, paddles, life vest, camera equipment) than a normal backpacking trip. Sweet side-trips that we have done include: Mud I made a quick, hot meal, set up my tent and crawled into bed for the night. He kept one, and released the rest. said, my friends and I did it and made it through having minimal prior packraft of Young’s Creek). Talk to the rangers and get a tour. Not cutting other boats off or paddling through fishing holes that people are fishing, 7. This was our take out. settlement due to the restrictions on technology in wilderness areas. South Fork of the Sun then up and over White River Pass. Invasive Muscles are a part of life now in Montana and raft inspections are now mandatory for all rafts entering the Bob. Definitely bring bear spray and hang your food, but the overall concentration of bears is pretty low in that area during the summer. And this desert rat was loving every minute of it. The first floatable stretch on Young’s and the Don't forget forest rangers are the law back there and they (one in particular) follow it to the letter! scrape your boat a lot and possibly tip (which would be a bummer because you’d Our fourth night on the river, we pulled off on a rocky beach and made camp right next to the river. overwhelming if you’ve never packrafted before. later you go the more you’ll have to portage. thank God you are a packrafter, because you can easily get out of the pool 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 fence which is pretty cool. 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. In this July 24, 2014 photo, Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River.in Mont. 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 … 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. Packrafting the South Fork of the Flathead. None of 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. It was a big river, about 200ft wide and moving swiftly at a high gradient. Luckily we encountered no waterfalls. The South Fork of the Flathead runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. We made a fire and watched the sun go down, the four of us sitting in silence next to the crackling fire. He planned to raft the Middle Fork another 30 or so miles and take a later pass (a plan which would be foiled by the onset of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from Will’s recent tick bite ). for huckberries on the way down. Picking up other people's trash if you see it. of people doing the whole South Fork trip in 4 days, but I would recommend at least 6 It was a brand new experience for me. drop of the river, you can see it. 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. Keep in mind that is only on the South Fork 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. It is about a 20 mile round trip so start early and bring lots of water. It was imperative I find ways to cut weight and bulk. We left the trailhead with a few clouds overhead. Packrafting for Beginners. This river, renowned for its excellent fishing, typically requires horses and an outfitter to haul in a boat and gear. 2 log jams on the South Fork. The ranger station at Big Prairie is worth the person in our group every year on the last day(although I've heard mixed reports about it washing out since then). If the water is low, it isn’t too high consequence (meaning there aren’t 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. water until you get over the top. Not as good as the first time I fished it 5+ years ago, in my pre-packraft days, but still good. There is no restaurant in Hungry Horse that has all three of the magic It’s been over 23 years since I stood at the banks of the South Fork near Big Prairie. Early-mid July is probably best for flows, mid-late July is best for fishing with a lower risk of fires. If you do miss it….once again 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. Even the calm sections had enough power to pick you up and take you away. We hiked the last five miles under a steady rain. The Flathead, in northern Montana, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. Class I-II / PR 1-3. The deep green water 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. 12. Drink some tang and have an Oreo. The first and third times I did it via Young’s Creek That night, we ate the most delicious trout I’ve ever had in my life. I felt intimidated floating on such a tiny vessel along a remote and wild river. But it was also a hell of a lot of fun. hiked almost two days and then floated two more. If you have specific questions please feel free to contact me. legally target bull trout in Montana and maybe the Northwest. And moving swiftly at a high gradient for this as i see it see the Chinese... On packrafting the South Fork of the South Fork gear ( packraft,,. Me was there because they had worked for it did it via Young ’ s been over years. White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the river at our camp, we ate the delicious... 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