Alternate Arteries
Mixing up the spring paddling season.
There’s something inherently special about moments and events that we know won’t last forever. Their fleeting nature makes us appreciate their very occurrence that much more. In a single year, we’re fortunate to experience many such happenings: the leaves changing color in fall, the sparkling landscape after a fresh snow, a lingering July sunset. For a certain subset of our community, the raging torrent of runoff has this effect, beckoning us to come and enjoy its ephemeral passage. Here are three runs to whet your ephemeral whistle.
High Water, Low Key
During the summer and fall, hordes of anglers take to boat ramps on the Missouri River, each oar stroke and cast motivated by visions of hooking into a lunker. While driftboats are commonplace throughout all stretches below the headwaters, whitewater is not. This, combined with the fact that the silky currents of high water make the river too muddy to fish, leave much of it empty for a few weeks of the year. I can hear the retort already: “No rapids, no fish? What’s the draw?” Solitude, young man. The eight-mile stretch from the Missouri Headwaters to Fairweather meanders through rolling hills and wooded islands. The landscape is picturesque, with wildlife along the banks and raptors soaring overhead. Now if that ain’t better than Grandpa’s cough medicine, then go to the pharmacy instead.
When the snow melts, levels rise, and waves turn frothy, Bozeman boaters turn their heads to the Gallatin.
Boogie Woogie
In late May and early June, the Yellowstone turns into a juice box, often exceeding 20,000cfs during high water. To put that in perspective, imagine 20,000 soccer balls flying past you every second. Powerful, eh? Guiding companies opt for the Gardiner town section and Yankee Jim Canyon, but there is much to be seen downriver. Come runoff, impressive whitewater features develop below Livingston, including one of the state’s most famous waves. From Springdale to the Grey Bear Fishing Access, the Yellowstone’s multiple braids become hydraulically charged, each bend offering thrills for the intermediate boater. Kayakers will enjoy many a surf wave while big boats can cruise at high speeds, hardly having to put a stroke in. Check the USGS gauge at Livingston for up-to-date flows. If it’s above 12,000cfs, it’s rockin’. Pay caution to river’s slack sections and be wary of undercurrents. What appears placid is in fact deceivingly swift and unforgiving. Remember, 20,000 soccer balls…
Upstream, Downriver
When the snow melts, levels rise, and waves turn frothy, Bozeman boaters turn their heads to the Gallatin. Below Moose Creek is one of the state’s best roadside class III-IV sections. For eight miles, the river whips around corners and tumbles over boulders. One can paddle over a dozen rapids in a couple hours, making it the go-to after work run. It’s obvious why the Mad Mile and surrounding rapids garner so much attention, but variety is the spice of life. If you’re looking to diversify your close-to-home paddling routine, head further upstream for a less popular, but equally exciting stretch of whitewater. The five miles between the green Deer Creek bridge and Moose Creek offers playful boogie water with two no-joke rapids. Portal Creek, a solid class III which you cannot see from the road, has a right turn with a sharp drop. While this section of water may not compare to the lower river in terms of number of features, sometimes you just need a change of scenery. Check the gauge at Gateway for current flows. You can notice a change in character above 1,000cfs. Peak flows around 5,000 turn normal riffles into sizable wave trains.
Corey Hockett swims just as many rapids as he paddles. He is a firm believer that one does not need an Eskimo roll if one does not flip over.
