i'm considering a multi-day float trip down the Grande Ronde later this Fall. I fished the river once years ago but have never floated it. Any thoughts/advice regarding the difficulty of the float?

I have a pretty big wooden drift boat. I have experience behind the oars but not extensive. I have floated the Yakima, the Sky from Sultan, the Bogie from the hatchery to Lyndeckers and most challenging, the Sol Duc from Maxfield Rd to Whitcomb Dimmel. The Shuwah rapid puckered my butt tight but got through it both times.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff

A couple of relatively easy floats come to mind. State line to Boggans and Boggans to Shumaker. You will want to stay away from the narrows, just upstream from the confluence a few miles, especially in a wood boat. Check on flows too. Higher the better (900 cfs or more if you can coincide your trip with a good fall rain) if your in a wood drift boat.

Expect lots of company.

I am familiar with the river from Boggans down to the snake. The stretch from Boggans to Shumaker road is similar to what you have done before. Plenty of of drift boats run that stretch and at low flows you may bang a few rocks but no really bad spots. You do not however, want to float the canyon below Shu in a drift boat. The narrows at low water are very challenging and significantly more difficult that Shuwa on the sol duc. We float in pontoons and portage the first drop and then run the rest.

Olo,

I've floated from Boggans to the mouth at Heller Bar a number of times in a raft. I agree about avoiding having to run the narrows in a driftboat, although it's done by some. If the flow is less than 700 cfs you will most likely be bumping some rocks in skinny riffles.

You mention making a multi-day float. It's important to understand that October is the most popular month, and guides set up long-term camps at the best sites on public land. Most private land has been posted for years now, so finding a good camp site that isn't occupied can be problematic.

Sg

have also floated the grande the deep cut valleies and wildlife that you will see are well worth the trip fish are a bonus.

I've done multi day float trips there many times, but haven't gone below Shumaker, not too many places to camp from Boggans down. Like others have said, you really shouldn't have any problems getting down the river.

I fished the Grande Rone every weekend for six years while at college in Pullman. My advice would be to do Stateline to Bogans one day, stay in the cabins at Bogans, its cheap plus you get hot meals. Then do Bogans to the middle of Schumacher. It is a long day trip or could easily be made into a two day trip. If you get done early on your third day there is lots of good water below the middle launch at Shumacher. I will shoot you a pm on some other good info.

Btw the Grande Ronde is all Basalt and will eat up a wood boat in low water.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have not been able to check back until now. It sounds like a good option to float the boat from Bogans to Shumacher if the flows are up.

Olo, check your Pm's