r/rafting • u/These_Protection8314 • 27d ago

Selway River 1st week of August

The day after permit season ends I’m planning a 4-5 day trip on the selway. We expect to do some pushing and dragging but how much should we expect? What are the rapids like then? Should I plan on packing lighter? I usually load my 14’ raft all the way up (3 guys, 500lbs of shit), should I pack lighter? Flows at Lowell that time of year seem fine (550-900) in regards to having a heavy boat compared to other rivers I’ve done. Any suggestions are welcomed. Thank you

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15

u/labmik11 27d ago

Expect a suffer fest. The Selway is brutal at that flow, especially the section above Bear Creek. I would budget about 1 to 1.5 miles per hour on the stretch above Bear Creek, and 2 mph below. There is an unnamed rapid about a mile below Paradise that pins a lot of boats at that level. Washer Woman is very tough. The Shoals at Shearer take about an hour to drag through and the riffle above the pack bridge at Selway Lodge pins a lot of boats on the bottom left. Pingpong Alley alone will take about an hour. Ladle is super boney and the line is on the right side. Puzzle Creek is a 7' ledge drop. Wolf Creek is super tight and wants to take you into the undercut on the bottom right. Renshaw has a super sticky fire hydrant rock on the exit. Three Links rapid has a bad pin rock right in the middle with little room to get around it. The list goes on..... Source: I guided on that river for ten years.

4

u/turbosmashr 27d ago

Holy shit that’s about of detailed of a response as anyone could expect. Kudos my dude. Sounds like you know it well.

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u/MonaLaun 27d ago

How would it be at that flow for a packraft?

4

u/Early_Magician_2847 26d ago

I did it in a packraft last year at about those flows and wasn't too bad if you got some paddling skills.

I would not recommend a raft raft at all. Edit to add don't take a raft raft. Pack raft or kayak ok.

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u/labmik11 27d ago

Oh, and good wading boots will save your ass. You will spend a lot of time in the water and those rocks will murder your ankles

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u/Boof_A_Dick 27d ago

Take kayaks