Forum Index > Trip Reports > 45 mile canoe trip on the Willamette Water Trail
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Slugman
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Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
PostThu Jul 16, 2020 4:13 am 
Corvallis to Salem. 5 people, four canoes, one kayak. Saturday afternoon to Tuesday morning (lots of driving and some car shuttling). Me, Slingshot, Alex, Jordan, and Todd. We did just five miles the first day, camped on a cobblestone bar on a brushy island, but it had a treasure trove of dry driftwood.
Sunday we did 21 miles, river current was decent but there were lots of slack water pools, and the wind was against us, so we did massive amounts of paddling, along with long stretches of floating.
Monday we did 14 miles, and found our intended destination unworkable due to it being an island of steep gravel banks and impenetrable brush. But some excellent scouting by Slingshot uncovered a guerrilla site nearby.
An excellent trip from start to finish. Great weather, hot enough for swimming but not too hot. Canoe camping means luxury, big tents, coolers, real food. We resupplied on Sunday and Monday, getting staples like ice and beer from towns we passed through like Albany and Independence. Things we saw: an osprey hovering then diving full on into the river, coming up with a fish, then an eagle swooped in and stole the fish in mid air. A whole family of deer swimming the river. A swimming raccoon. An eagle feeding a fish to a juvenile eagle. The canoeing was awesome, but also challenging at times. The river seems almost like a lake, then changes to a powerful force. Camping is plentiful but not easy to find.

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Sky Hiker
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PostThu Jul 16, 2020 6:54 am 
How big were the fish you caught

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Sculpin
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PostThu Jul 16, 2020 7:21 am 
Good TR! up.gif I have done a shorter stretch, it was really fun. We found some great agates along the way. And we saw numerous mink on the river bank.

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
PostThu Jul 16, 2020 10:41 am 
We saw some people at a park who were hunting for agates and other cool rocks, they seemed to be finding some. There were plenty of people around Saturday, Sunday not so many, Monday hardly anyone. We did see some nice speed boats, even a water skier. But mostly it was peaceful and lonely except for our group. The second night camp at American Bottom was awesome, grassy, large, with metal fire ring and a picnic table.

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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
PostTue Jul 21, 2020 6:35 pm 
This video captures the feeling of doing a canoe trip with friends both old and new.

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Jul 21, 2020 10:45 pm 
Nice! It's great to see a trip report from you, slug!

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Blowdown
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Joined: 24 Aug 2011
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Blowdown
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PostThu Jul 23, 2020 7:23 pm 
As soon as we were finished last autumn with the Bowron Lake Circuit, we immediately thought, "What next?" We've been studying the Willamette, and this TR might just do the trick to get us going. Nice work! Thanks! up.gif up.gif

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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
PostFri Jul 24, 2020 4:24 pm 
5 years ago I did the 47 miles from Eugene to Corvallis. I think I liked that section better, more fun spots and fewer lake-like sections. 47 miles Eugene to Corvallis

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