[Slugman]

I picked up Dogntallgrass and his canoe in Everett Sunday morning at 7, and we launched our canoes into the McKenzie river from Armitage park near Eugene, OR at 3 pm. Later on, Sarah from www.rivertrailshuttle.com came and drove my van to her house where it stayed parked until the last day. The McKenzie river was a blast, lots of rapids, class one and maybe the worst reached class two. But we were loaded up for three nights of luxury camping in our 12 foot canoes, so it was a real adventure. If a person got stuck against a snag in fast water, it would probably mean death, and we passed hundreds of them over the course of the trip. Canoeing this river and much of the Willamette is like driving a car, do not look away from where you are going. But with a little skill, some solid paying attention, and being where you want to be at the beginning of a stretch of rapids, it was safe enough. There were also long stretches of quiet water, but still with a current that could cause a problem for the unwary. We intended to only go six miles that first day, to river mile 173, but there are no river signs along this upper stretch, so we never knew exactly where we were, or if we did know, there was nothing there. Many camping spots are just gravel bars where it is legal to camp, there is nothing to tell you that you have arrived. We ended up doing 12 miles, camping at a stealth spot near Brown's boat skid, a half mile past Marshall Island landing, where we wanted to be after missing our first two locations. It was a cool spot, on a backwater, kind of weedy but otherwise OK, it had privacy, views, and shade. We settled in to a night of drinking tequila margaritas with lots of ice, and listening to some classic rock at high fidelity but low volume. In comfy chairs of course. Real food, too. Monday we hit the water at 10 am, and made it 15 miles to Irish Bend (RM 151), a good place to camp, but not like a regular campsite, just some shade and flattish gravel. This day we had to do much more paddling than on Sunday, the current was slow in long stretches, though plenty of it was fun as well. We saw some cool things, like the Goodyear Blimp, didn't expect that. More comfort camping ensued. Tuesday we had another day of not being able to find our camping place, after finding our intended place at Peoria park to be unacceptable (crummy spot practically on the shoulder of a high speed limit road, not even near the river.) We kept going, and found our best spot of the trip: on the west side of the DSL island at RM 136.5. (DSL is OR's equivalent of the WA DNR). The river on Tuesday was better, fewer slow sections and more fast water. Wednesday we did the last four miles down to Crystal Lake boat ramp, where my van was waiting, courtesy of Sarah and her crew. Without her service, the trip would not have worked. Very reasonably priced, too, $70 I think it was for the Eugene to Corvallis shuttle. I like that my van was never parked overnight at a boat launch. Note: she shuttles cars, not boats or people. The trip was awesome from several perspectives. The wildlife is incredible, large birds overhead the whole time, eagles, hawks, turkey vultures (hundreds of those), herons, and others. Even though we were in farm country, the views along the river are all of trees and river banks, the illusion of being in a wild area is only occasionally broken by the sound of a car or farm machinery. Then there is the fun part, riding rapids, just being in a canoe in fast moving water, it is a thrill. There are lots of convergence zones in the water, swirling vortexes, standing waves, submerged hazards, shallow areas where we could bottom out, and just being swept past a desired landing place. And of course just going camping for three nights with a good friend. Photography was primitive, just my tablet, I left my camera home. Mistake, as it is only a $300 camera, already over three years old, I should have brought it, kept it around my neck, and just relied on a splash bag. If the boat capsized, losing an old camera would have been the least of my worries.

[Ski]

cool!

[Jetlag]

Wonderful! The shuttle is a great service. Hoping to have the opportunity one day on my home river.

[williswall]

This brings back fond memories of all the canoeing I did growing up in Maine, it would be nice to get back on the water again. Great trip.

[Brucester]

Cool seeing canoe trips here. 'Did Skagit a few years ago with my buddy SamIAm, thrilling submerged stuff and currents. Gave that boat away to EriktheRed I think. (it was given to me) Have paddle will party. No really, also PFD and up to class III experience.

[Slugman]

Thanks for all the nice comments. The Skagit is on my list for sure. Probably not this year, I need more experience with rapids, and water levels will probably be low. But last year I ran the Skykomish from Sultan to Monroe, my first river trip, it was a blast.

[wakerobin]

What Williswall said, word for word.

[tmatlack]

Crow, Your next run should be Big Eddy(Gold Bar) to Sultan. Little more action than the Lower Sky. Think about joining Paddle Trails Canoe Club...tons of trips and lessons, etc. I've done it solo a hundred times with bus and bike shuttle. PM me for details. All canoeists are on pins and needles to see what materials the next generation of boats are gonna be made of...Royalex went out of business last year. Tom

[Slugman]

Thanks for the tip. For doing overnight trips involving white water, I need a canoe with more volume, more freeboard. My weight alone is fine for my little 12 ft long, 29 inch wide runabout, but there is little spare weight it can handle. My next canoe will probably be this little gem: Clipper Prospector in Kevlar/Duraflex I had the chance to buy one used on Craig's list, I should have jumped on it, even though I had just ordered the one I have. If only I knew then what I know now......

[forest gnome]

BUUUMPPPP.... HOPE to do some 2 night trips with SOMEONE this summer

[JonnyQuest]

[zephyr]

I must have missed this report when it first came out. It reads really well. Great writing, Slugman. Just the right amount of description to put you there. Sounds like a fun trip. ~z

[tmatlack]

My kid lives very close to several campsites on the Willamette River Trail...back road from Newberg to Wilsonville...Parret Mountain. This would be much lower down than Slug's trip. Tom