Ride the River
Whitewater enthusiasts know there is nothing quite as thrilling as tackling a run of rapids, riding the ups and downs and the drops, and navigating through the challenges of a roiling river. Rafting provides an opportunity to bond with fellow rafters, while kayaking and wave surfing offer the thrill of individual strength and skill. Jet boating allows a broader audience to experience the thrill of wild stretches of the river.
Photo Credit: Scott Putnam
Enjoy the thrill
All whitewater sports offer a great way to spend time in nature. There is nothing quite like whitewater to make the stresses of our work-day worlds disappear for a while.
Photo Credit: Jacob Peterson
Pre-1972 Rapids map of the snake river
Rafting
Whitewater enthusiasts have long clamored for a free-flowing lower Snake River. The map above showing 66 named rapids shows you why. Could a free-flowing lower Snake River top the appeal of the Grand Canyon as a rafting destination?
Photo Credit: Scott Putnam
This article from Trout Unlimited Magazine argues that it could top the appeal of the Grand Canyon. It captures a sense of how amazing—and accessible–a free-flowing lower Snake River would be for whitewater rafting enthusiasts.
Kayaking
Navigating mile after mile of whitewater rapids on a free-flowing lower Snake River—it doesn’t get much better than that for kayakers! In addition to the 66 named rapids, a free-flowing lower Snake River will offer many of the things kayaking enthusiasts seek: an intense, adrenalin-filled challenge on big water, immersion in beautiful scenery, and a varied experience while having fun with fellow kayakers. Today’s lightweight, maneuverable whitewater kayaks make the sport perfectly suited to the challenges posed by the lower Snake River.
Photo Credit: Scott Putnam
Wave surfing
It’s somehow fitting that wave surfing should be a popular activity on the lower Snake River: it was on the Snake River as it passes through Wyoming that the sport was pioneered in 1978 by three whitewater guides. It became a niche sport in the next decade, popularized by a Mountain Dew commercial.
Wave surfing has become much more popular recently due to the creation of wave parks in the West. These parks feature man-made, standing waves that have been engineered to occur continually. But to have the chance to wave surf naturally occurring waves in an actual river…that’s a thrill that already brings surfers to the Snake River corridor. Wave surfing is practiced primarily during the high flow of spring run-off. Expanding the river available to this sport would be a wave surfer’s dream come true!
Video Credit: Youtube/Betamax King
Photo credit Scott Putnam
Video credit Scott Putnam
Photo credit Scott Putnam
Jet Boating
“Jet boating is an icon of the Lewiston-Clarkston area, as evidenced by the dozens of trucks/trailers at the Heller Bar boat ramp any day during the summer. This boat ramp is a popular point for jetboaters to access the free-flowing river in the Hells Canyon Snake River Reach which is, for now, the sole destination for the entire Lewiston-Clarkston jet boat tourism industry.”
–Scott Putnam, Jet Boat Pilot and Instructor, Lewiston
Photo Credit: Scott Putnam
Adrenaline Rush
Get your whitewater adrenaline rush in a jet boat as you plunge up and over the many rapids of the lower Snake River. Get an up-close view of the beautiful canyon walls and wildlife on the adjacent hills. Experience sharp twists and turns as your expert driver takes you through the churning waves. You might get a bit wet on this “river rodeo” ride, but you’re sure to have a fun, memorable experience.
Photo Credit: Scott Putnam
Video credit Scott Putnam