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A white wooden dory drives bow-first into an exploding wall of whitewater on a high-flowing mountain riverJun 11–12, 2024
Trip Report

Snake River — June 2024 (Alpine Canyon x3, Dory)

A two-day June 2024 dory trip on the Snake's Alpine Canyon with Greg Madsen — three laps at 20,000 / 19,000 / 18,000 cfs. At 18,000 cfs Lunch Counter had a bite; a high-side save kept the dory upright.

2 days 19,000 cfs 2 people dory
Season summer
Launch June 11, 2024
Flow 19,000 cfs
Takeout June 12, 2024
Conditions

20,000 CFS, 19,000 CFS, 18,000 CFS — decreasing over 3 laps

2 days
19,000 cfs
1 boats
Day 1 June 11, 2024

Day 1 — Alpine Canyon x2 (20K & 19K CFS)

Day 2 June 12, 2024

Day 2 — Alpine Canyon (18K CFS, High-Side at Lunch Counter)

Scenes from the River

Moments the crew logged on this run.

  • Inside the Chaos

    The moment inside a rapid where structure disappears, control is partial at best, and survival depends on instinct, positioning, and the decisions made seconds earlier.

    • adrenaline
    • fear
    • focus
    • instability
    • grit
  • Ran the Alpine Canyon 3 times over 2 days in a dory. 20,000 CFS was mellowed out. At 18,000 CFS Lunch Counter had a bite.
  • At 18,000 CFS, Lunch Counter had a bite. Greg and Cutty high-sided to avoid a flip (roll over) in the dory.
Gear

Dory.

Data

Flow: USGS , 18,000–20,000 cfs daily mean.

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