This is the river that inspired the writing of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 50 years ago, a piece of legislation that now protects 12,734 miles of river across the country. I have come to find that paddling down a river, a wild one especially, is one of the most engaging ways I can take in the beauty of an outdoor experience. Really it was the bakery. The wilderness mountain settings, clear waters, campfires, wilderness lakes and streams, and superb fishing will wash away worldly cares. I couldn’t paddle without letting it go, and it was too big to pull onto my boat.. Shit! The North Fork of the Flathead is Class I-II but it has some serious danger for inexperienced floaters. Riley Creek. As it grew, the most active among the paddlers joined together and founded the American Packrafting Association in October of 2012. When I got up the next morning, the groups were gearing up for another good day on the water. The route was almost identical to a trip T and I did back in 2012 except this time we wanted to hike off-trail over Silvertip (like Forrest and Tom did that year). Below West Glacier, at the end of a popular floating segment known as “the scenic,” the Middle Fork and North Fork flow together under Blankenship Bridge. She took a mouthful of water and came up six feet away, yelling for help. The beauty of the South Fork of the Flathead River is that it is truly in the middle of nowhere. The first floatable stretch on Young’s and the first few miles of the South Fork of the Flathead often have log jams. Took my packraft for a bit of an adventure today. 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. Flathead County purchased easements from the state in 2005, 2007, 2015 and 2019, according to DNRC records. South Fork of the Flathead River Long before I had a bucket list and two pack donkeys, I yearned to hike up the South Fork of the Flathead River. Email or Phone: Password: Forgot account? And unlike my tour, which I planned down to the numbers, there was no agenda. 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. ... and we used two remaining days in his flight itinerary to do a quick hit on the North Fork. Sections of this page. It forms the western border for Glacier National Park and is incredibly beautiful. The North Fork Road is gravel, intermittently plowed during the winter, 4 wheel drive and chains are recommended during the winter, see map. Our group got our gear together, inflated our rafts, and got in right by the campsite. The South Fork of the Flat­head Riv­er is home to the wildest cut­throat trout fish­ing in the Amer­i­can West. The North Fork of the Flathead River could have enough water in it for a good float, and we could get in some stunning lake paddling too. ... 6 thoughts on “ North Fork of the Blackfoot packrafting ” Ed August.7.2010 — 01:20. Learn More. I have had my packraft for two summers now, and it’s one of the best toys I have. Packrafting is a sport that uses an individual-size inflatable boat called a packraft that’s tough and durable but also light and compact. Turn left (north) to Ben Rover Cabin which is 1/2 mile from Polebridge on your right. But I knew that these trips would have a guide and other experienced packrafters who I could learn from. Flathead River Montana – The drainage is one of America’s coolest river systems. Taking in some great scenery in a packraft north of the border! I like open country roads, urban nightlife, good cuisine, local beer, alpine mountains, wild rivers, and lots of other badass shit. Most of the rapids were rated Class II-III with a lot of splashes and wave trains. We’ve got plenty of resources to get you started. Accessibility Help. RATES: General South Fork Flathead trip rates: inquire here or call us at 208-756-3959. A Flathead River Raft Rental and Shuttle allows you to make your own Glacier National Park adventure on this Wild and Scenifc River. Even the calm sections had enough power to pick you up and take you away. The North Fork of the Flathead River is mostly Class I-II with a few Class III rapids. Eventually, we went back to our boats and eddied back in to continue the run. The river is divided into several distinct sections. I turned back upstream, put it ahead, let it go, and carefully ferried to shore with it bumping against my bow, a technique I came to find out later was called Bulldogging. Most were small Class I or II but there was one nice long wave train that was the biggest thing I'd paddled myself up to that point. Along with bringing the community together, their focus has been on education, swiftwater safety, wilderness conservation, and river access. Packrafting has already been picking up out west over the last ten years or so, and has developed its own niche in the paddling community. Below West Glacier, at the end of a popular floating segment known as “the scenic,” the Middle Fork and North Fork flow together under Blankenship Bridge. The Middle Fork exits the wilderness on U.S. Highway 2, near Essex — look downstream, closer to West Glacier, for the region’s most accessible and exciting whitewater. This year, they had their first ever roundup, drawing packrafters from all around for a weekend of paddling, workshops, swiftwater rescue training, and presentations focused on their current river conservation efforts. 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. We will get you there, but the rest is up to you. We stopped downstream a while later at a shaded outcropping for lunch. I hate gravel. Custom Packing/Summer Drop Camps . Larry Wilson, age 83, in his chair in his cabin up the North Fork on Oct. 27, 2020. North Fork of the Flathead. See more ideas about Packraft, Rafting, Adventure. Available data for this site Click to hide station-specific text (About shift-adjusted ratings). I’m a guy from Chicago who travels as often as possible. 5. Got it! 2018 Packrafting South Fork of the Flathead River - Bob Marshall Wilderness © 2020 chicagobackpacker.com. I was the the last one to get back in, and the only one who didn’t ferry out far enough to miss a large log sticking out thirty feet down. South Fork of the Flathead River Long before I had a bucket list and two pack donkeys, I yearned to hike up the South Fork of the Flathead River. Think for fuck’s sake! Mucklow said that the North Fork Flathead and the Middle Fork Flathead are closer to needing a permit system because of heavier use right now. Both the North Fork and lower Middle Fork Rivers have shared boundaries between Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park. 2: Middle Fork of the Flathead, Schafer Meadows to Granite Creek. So naturally, I wanted to incorporate it into my Montana trip. It also happens to be really hard to get to. Twentymile River. 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. We spent the first night camped at the edge of Bowman lake, car camping style. **** "A number of years ago, my husband Armand and I had the good fortune to enjoy canoe trips on both the North Fork Flathead River and the Middle Fork Flathead River in Montana, which are not far south of the Canada/US border. I had two days to relax. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. 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. I’m sure by that point I had to have smelled like fucking apple blossoms. I turned around and paddled for it, easily catching a grab loop (and making me wish somebody was around to do this when I wiped out on the New River last year). I had to go painfully slow, especially downhill, to keep from spinning out and falling sideways. Even for a Montana ranch kid, horses exponentially complicated the logistics and costs involved. It was all really cool, but my exhaustion had finally caught up with me. Plan A was start at Lodgepole TH on the south side, hike to Youngs Creek, float to White River then hump back over White River Pass. While the official post says just through mid July with intermittent public access the rest of the summer, it now sounds like Lodgepole Trail Head will not be an option at all this summer for packrafters looking to hike in that way. Many of these guys have been on some amazing expeditions all over the place, and couldn’t bore you if they tried. The Forest Service was delegated administrative responsibilities for the management of the river system. And I will write about it as often as I can. Today also marked my first packraft repair: a bit of gravel must have gotten between the seat and floor as I went over a drop, and I ended up with a pinhole leak in the seat during the last hour. The Bob has been on my radar for years, because inside The Bob is one of the greatest multi-day float trips in America: the South Fork of the Flathead River. But we all had a great time hitting wave after wave. American Packraft Association 1st annual packraft round up on the north fork of the Flathead river in Montana Such a fun trip with some incredible people Cant wait for next year Join APA at www packraft org Music by Bobby McFerrin quot Don t Worry Be Happy quot more about at 1st Annual Packraft Round… This year, on the half-century anniversary of that Act, the next chapter of the Flathead… Available data for this site Click to hide station-specific text (About shift-adjusted ratings). It gains volume with the contributions of the White River, Big and Little Salmon creeks, Black Bear Creek, and other small tributaries. Unfortunately we could only be gone for four days that trip, so instead of finding out, we had to head back the next morning. I ducked backwards as it brushed over my bow cargo and nicked my helmet. A packraft is a light inflatable boat that can be carried on your back and yet is durable enough for backcountry rivers and creeks. The beginner level planned to do the same run that my group did yesterday, and my group was preparing to hike somewhere north for several miles and hit a more technical section of the river. I wished them luck and left the campground with my loaded bike, turning southward on a shitty gravel road towards Whitefish. 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. We pushed out from shore and each went flying down the river. There are differences in river use regula-tions for each organization and the respective lands. Of course rafting occurred to us, but at that point we thought rafting required horses to pack in. My touring bike is durable enough to handle it, but it doesn’t maneuver for shit. 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 was a big river, about 200ft wide and moving swiftly at a high gradient. And on this road it was even worse because they just poured new gravel on it. So, I thought about floating part of the river and walk back out. or. She got herself together and yelled “I’m fine! Sign Up. They planned day trips for everybody on that river and others in the park, depending on a person’s experience level. These are all essentially Class II rivers. I couldn’t even say how many times I’ve taken it out on the city rivers in Chicago. Be prepared to portage….but that is one plus of a packraft – easy portages (attach your packraft with the backpack straps up and you can just walk with the raft on your back and carry your rod and paddle). It was two hours that I don’t care to go through again. The rest of the day went smoothly, as the rapids got more and more peaceful. Really it was the bakery. Backcountry Packraft Rentals. Class III Pack­raft­ing Riv­er. 8-Day South Fork Fly-fishing Trip ~ $5900.00 This year, on the half-century anniversary of that Act, the next chapter of the Flathead… The South Fork of the Flathead, located in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, is a horsepack in/float out trip of 5-7 days, putting you over feisty Cutthroats to 22″ and “Bull Trout” to 15 pounds. “There’s been a lot of discussion on it,” she said. Go team. You can also rent maps, paddles and life jackets, sails, special seats, and shelters. If Dick Griffiths was the Grandfather of Packrafting, then certainly Roman Dial is the father. Then we could have floated out to Gibson Reservoir on the Sun River. The Middle Fork … All rights reserved. And that’s exactly how I liked it. Even the calm sections had enough power to pick you up and take you away. 90 miles walk­ing, 90 miles floating. As we went through the calmer sections, Doom taught us some of the basic maneuvers, had us practice self-rescue, and explained how he was able to read a set of rapids and find the right line. 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. South Fork Flathead Packraft. Questions or concerns about USGS streamflow data in Montana and Wyoming can be directed to Kirk Miller (kmiller@usgs.gov; 307-775-9168).Updated September 18, 2020 - USGS water-resources monitoring activities were restored effective August 17, 2020 at the following site:. 05/27/2020 Montana Packraft Forum . Be prepared to portage….but that is one plus of a packraft – easy portages (attach your packraft with the backpack straps up and you can just walk with the … The majority of the Class III rapids are located within a 12 mile section between Big Creek and Glacier Rim, just above it’s confluence with the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Log jams and strainers are a major hazard so be extra careful here. Listen to the River, from Wild Confluence Films, is the story of a classic summertime river adventure gone awry. Backcountry Packraft Rentals. Learn More. People fell out here and there, but since there weren’t many hazards around and the water was deep, recovery was pretty easy. …what the hell do I do now? Soon after the bridge, the South Fork merges with the North Fork to create the Buffalo Fork. Aug 11, 2015 - Explore Kerry Nehil's board "Packrafting" on Pinterest. I finally got the courage to try it, paddled upstream against the wave train, and then got distracted. We started at Monture Creek, and spent the first day wandering up towards Hahn Pass, and camped just north of the waterfall at an impacted horse camp near the stream. I wanted to take my raft on a challenging river again, but knew that running Class II-III whitewater alone was pushing it at my experience level (a lesson I learned the hard way on the New River last year). It was a big river, about 200ft wide and moving swiftly at a high gradient. Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River in July. Middle Fork of the Flathead Post by DaveChenault » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:58 pm This past weekend, with three others solicited from this forum, I paddled what might be the premier 2-3 (or more) day packrafting trip in the lower 48. The Kongakut, North Fork of the Koyukuk, John, Alatna, Noatak, Anaktuvuk, North Fork of the Chandalar, Your Creek, Junjik, East Fork of the Chandalar, Utukok, Kugororuok, Ambler Rivers on the other hand can all be done in rain gear, but expect to be cold if it's raining in June, August, September. Julia was paddling right in front of me when her boat flipped. It is my lifelong goal to see the world by train, foot, bicycle, and raft. I only got a few pictures of the day and none of the rapids we went through. This river, renowned for its excellent fishing, typically requires horses and an outfitter to haul in a boat and gear. July.1.2015 July.1.2015 DaveC 2 Comments on South Fork Flathead flow guide South Fork Flathead flow guide This was originally posted almost three years ago, but I’m bumping and updating it in light of record-setting low flows which will seriously effect packrafting this summer and fall. 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