Andy Tyson, West Fork of the Bruneau River
Fed from melting snow in the Jarbridge Mountains in Northern
Nevada, the Bruneau
River System has cut a magnificent labyrinth of deep canyons through ancient
lava and sagebrush-steppe. The basalt canyons are up to 1,200
feet deep and often so narrow rivers run wall to wall. In 2009 the
primitive and wild character of the Bruneua and Jarbridge Rivers was honored
and protected by the establishment of the 89,996 acre Bruneau-Jarbidge
Rivers Wilderness.
Packrafting the Bruneau River
On Memorial Day weekend 2012, Amy McCarthy, Andy Tyson, and I walked in three miles from a graded BLM Road near Grasmere to the old Frank Triguero Homestead on the West Fork of the Bruneau. Three fantastic days were spent descending sixty miles to the take out 10 miles above the town of Bruneau.
Andy Tyson, West Fork of the Bruneau River
The Bruneau River was running between 300 and 350 cfs at the
USGS Gage near
Hot Springs, Idaho. This was an exceptionally fun level for packrafting.
The water was sufficiently deep for our nimble packrafts and we handedly
navigated the many steep and rocky Class 3/4 rapids.
Frank Triguero
Homestead
Amy McCarthy, The Bruneau River
Camp I, Indian Hot Springs
Amy McCarthy, The Bruneau River
Andy Tyson, Bruneau River
Amy McCarthy, Camp II
Andy Tyson, Bruneau Canyon
Amy McCarthy, The Bruneau River
Andy Tyson, Bruneau River
Andy Tyson, Bruneau-Jarbridge
Rivers Wilderness
Day 1: Frank Triguero
Homestead to Indian Hot Springs
Day 2: Indian Hot Springs to the East Fork
Day 3: East Fork to Hot Spring
That looks like a sweet one Forrest.. Keep up the discovery of those packrafting jewels.
ReplyDeleteHow about a map?
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I also fixed the video.
DeleteHappy to see you finally got on there - did you portage Wild Burrow? sg
ReplyDeleteIt was a great run. We ran everything. But we put in on the West Fork - 15 miles above the confluence with the Jarbridge. Is Wild Burrow on the Jarbridge or the Bruneau?
DeleteI'm hoping to run the Jarbridge next year. I though of you guys running it last year.
Strong work! Wild Burrow is the last rapid before you pull out (about 5 miles before the pullout) - its the final class IV. You couldn't miss it - the river essentially siphons into a nozzle. We contemplated running it for about 30 minutes before we ultimately walking boats down the left side of side stream.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to do the Jarbidge connect; really burley now that some of the cliffs washed into it, pinching a section into a class VI. It looks to be a sustained class III run.