Oregon - Eagle Cap Wilderness - Minam River

Hi - has anyone done this or does anyone know about this? I have a 4-5 nighter coming up and am considering to hike up an float down the canyon next week. How high up do you think the the river is navigable with late Summer flows? Kayak-related info only seems to exist for lower river.

So funny, I was just thinking about packrafting this river. If it’s anything like Eagle Creek or the Imnaha, it’ll be way too low to run for the rest of the year. Looking at a map it does have a bigger catchment than Eagle Creek though, so there’s a slim chance it’s still runnable. I was going to go scout it out in a couple week when I’m back over there (I used to live in Richland/Halfway) for packraft suitability. The gradient could be pretty steep in the wilderness section I reckon. I’ll certainly report back when I’ve taken a closer look. If you decide to head up there you should do the same, I’m quite curious about it myself.

I ran Eagle Creek earlier this year and it was really fun (pic). I bet the Minam is similar though I’ve never seen it. I love that area, can’t wait to move back eventually.
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Somni, which of the northwest Oregon Eagle Creeks is shown in that beautiful picture? The one in the Columbia Gorge or the one that starts in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness?

This Eagle Creek is in northeast Oregon actually, it drains the south end of the Wallowas/Eagle Cap Wilderness. But…shhhh, it’s a secret :sunglasses:. Catch this one between mid May and mid July. It flooded good this year and washed out a lot of wood, which is quite nice.

I have a strong respect for this creek’s power. I watched my mom get sucked under a log and boulder diversion dam and nearly drown when I was younger and we lived on a ranch further downstream on this creek. It’s cold, clear and fast.
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Ah! One of the other Eagle Creeks secreted around Oregon. Sure is pretty. Thanks.

Somni - thanks for the info and for sharing the Eagle Creekness. I am heading up the Minam on Monday - based on the topo maps it does get pretty steep when you get up high, and there is also a steep section just above the ranch/lodge area. I am going for fly fishing and general wilderness travel, and am not really a whitewater freak, so I’ll take what I can get for navigability if it results in more efficient travel while keeping me on the river. On the upper river, I don’t expect much during late Summer, but we shall see…
GRT

Well I was up there last week but the flows were not really enough to enjoyable float down. I tooled around a bit on the Wallowa instead, which is not really worth mentioning…

Well someone beat us packrafters too the Minam glory very recently it seems. http://h20cycle.blogspot.com/2010/09/upper-minam-river-oregon-iv.html

Have the guys never heard of packrafts?! Only a true glutton for punishment would pack a hardshell that far! I must say they did an excellent write up of it though.

I found the Minam while map researching about 4 months ago. I’ve lived in Portland for about 6 years now and have longed to find a true packrafting adventure in Oregon. When I finally found the Minam I was convinced it would be the perfect trip. I only told Sheri and a few friends about it and planned to go in around labor day this year. Time got the better of me though, so maybe next year. Its amazing that it was out there for so long and now there are several of us looking at it. Looking at the flows, it would be a perfect packraft river!!

Somni - thanks for sharing the link. I will definitely be heading back up there in 2011.

The Minam is great run - http://teton.outerlocal.com/kayaking/minam-river-db

Any more details than that?

No need to spell it out Roman. I would rather it stay a wilderness adventure and not deprive future boaters the opportunity to explore. Just state the basics.