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Owyhee River (OR) - May 1-5, 2002 - 67 Miles

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Trip Itinerary:
Day 	Camp 			Bank 	River Mile (RM) 
Put-in	Rome,OR 		Right	0.0
1	Hikeout Camp 		Left	14.0
2	Pruitt's Castle		Left	24.5
3	Jackson Hole		Left	37.0
4	Upper End of Lake	Left	55.0
Takeout	Leslie Gulch		Right	67.0	

Owyhee Facts - On the road to Rome (very Remote SE Oregon)


Put-in lecture from BLM ranger includes music!


Below Jordan Creek


Rock Formation. What drove it's shape?


The fascination with rock formation continues in the flatwater...


Steve tries to redirect an excited gosling back to Mom...


Dennis and Don thru Bulls Eye (RM 13)


Michael thru Bulls Eye


Casey and Jeanette thru Bulls Eye


Preparing the breakfast feast


Morning ritual with Patches


Weeping Wall and beyond (RM 17.5)


South side of Pruitt's Castle


Wedged between 'Castle Towers'


Southwest side of Pruitt's Castle


Camp from Pruitt's Castle ridge


Chalk Basin and the Owyhee river valley


South side of Pruitt's Castle at sundown


Is it really attached?


North side of Pruitt's Castle morning hike


Chalk Basin


Indian Paint Brush (or so I'm told...)


Chalk Basin from the river


Michael thru Whistling Bird (RM 30.5)


Don makes it exciting for Dennis thru Whistling Bird


Casey thru Whistling Bird


Casey, Jeanette, and Dave thru Montgomery (shots are fuzzy due to limited light)


Dennis and Don thru Montgomery


Michael thru Montgomery


Across from Jackson Hole Camp


Hole in the Ground (RM 40)


Elliptical Devil's Tower (my name) aka. 'Columnar Basalt'


Checking out the Hot Springs above Greeley Bar (RM 44) - names withheld to protect the innocent


Yet another geological mystery...


Water Wheel Number One (RM 48.8)


Birch Creek take-out (RM 49) - possible alternate for next trip, especially if low water!


Even though we are out of the canyons, the scenery is still spectacular!


When you've got a tailwind, use it!


Afternoon hike on cliffs above reservoir end (RM 55)

"After setting up camp, Casey, Mike and I head up the nearby side canyon. Sometimes in the drainage, sometimes sidehilling, we make our way up the canyon. The drainage has rock scrambling, while the sidehill has looser footing and more exposure, as usual.

After two crux moves areas, one, a traverse on small footholds to bypass a step, and one, a couple of rock moves to surmount another step, we top out at what appears to be a level area or, possibly, a pass to another canyon.

We stand in awe of a huge, red wall towering above us. The wall is cleft by fractures and giant boulders, frozen in time, red and pink, some larger than my house, are strewn on the slope below.

Wishing to avoid downclimbing those tricky moves, we search for another way back to camp. Mike leads the way as we start a traverse down the opposite side of the canyon. He pushes the route across some nasty scree, above some cliffs, following a hunter's trail. I'm thinking aloud, about turning back, when he announces a clear path ahead. The trail easily takes us down to the mouth of the canyon where we started. We are elated to have finished a good hike; with interesting questions about the route, and answers that appeared at just the right times to unlock the puzzle of the way ahead." - Provided by Don L.


RM 60 - The tow-out boat awaits!


Tying the boats into a line


Tail end of the tow line - Michael and Don


Casey jammin' away during tow-out


Just to prove I was on the trip (ignore the red legs...)


Leslie Gulch take-out on Lake Owyhee Reservoir


Leslie Gulch and the road home...


USGS 13181000 OWYHEE RIVER NR ROME OR			
05/01/2002 12:00		2.78	896
05/02/2002 12:00		2.75	864
05/03/2002 12:00		2.79	904
05/03/2002 12:15		2.79	904
05/04/2002 12:00		3.05	1160
05/04/2002 14:30		3.08	1200
05/05/2002 12:00		2.98	1080

    Credits:
  1. U.O.N., Olympus D-520Zoom Digital Photography by William F. Smith (2.0 MP, 1600x1200, 3X optical 38-114mm)

Want to see more pictures? Steve K.'s got tons of them also!

Last Update 12-Apr-16