Packrafting the Meadow Creek Gorge!!! | Montana backcountry whitewater

A group of us from Great Northern hike in 3 miles to run some class IV whitewater!!

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American Whitewater

https://www.americanwhitewater.org/co...

There are 11 rapids, ranging in difficulty from Class II+-V.0. At moderate flows below 2000 cfs it is a Class III-IV run but due to the constrained nature of the gorge, the difficulty increases substantially as flows increase. At high water, say 8,000 cfs and up, the Meadow Creek Gorge is serious business. Though the individual rapids are not technically demanding class V, the squirrelly boil lines, random surges, enormous whirlpools, and unthinkable consequences of a swim make this a solid class V run at higher flows. Very competent class V boaters have pulled off this section above The Crack rapid due to the unruly big water encountered at high flows. Everything has been run up to 17,000 cfs. The high water Meadow Creek Gorge experience is unmatched in Montana for big water intensity and is very well worth a pilgrimage up the unending road around Hungry Horse Reservoir.

As one passes Mid Creek and the associated “take-out” adorned with a “hazard-red” trimmed USFS warning sign, you are riding atop Gateway, a swift Class III entry rapid to Meadow Creek Gorge section, offering a brief introduction to the hydraulic power of the lower gorge. Next is the mild, but lengthy Class II+ wave train and eddy lines of S-turn rapid, which leads directly into Sookie’s Suckhole III+, which sports a decent drop and river wide recirculating hole and boil. Soon after this, the shoreline becomes rocky and more incised, forming a constricted wave train with small drops and standing waves called Bob’s Canal III, terminating with a decent drop and boil line of Overboard III. Briefly the main channel is divided into two braids, which converge just ahead of a constriction that is only 4 feet wide at moderate flows and highly technical in approach; whereas at high flows this feature forms a massive right hand turn pour-off, with an associated drop and hole. Either way, Notch Rapid is a Class IV feature, due to the hydraulics and complexity of the associated entry or drop.

After Notch Rapid there is a little break in the action, but before long one will hear the roar of the next two rapids. The first to be encountered is the high gradient drop of Thor’s Hammer, which may be a little more washed-out at higher flows, but approaches Class V.0 at moderate levels. Approximately 125 meters below this is the entrance to The Crack, which one does not want to be swimming from an ejection at Thor’s Hammer. The Crack is a solid Class IV at moderate levels and bumps up to Class V at higher flows, due to the 4 foot wide opening, 25 foot sheer cliff walls, and the associated waves and funky hydraulics. After passing Bunker Creek on river left, a potential egress point, one begins the right-hand entry into The Gorge, where the canyon constricts the river volume to an 8-10 foot wide slot within the 60 foot deep gorge; producing Class IV+ hydraulic boils and erratic eddy lines for 100-200 meters. Once again, this can be a Class V feature at high flows.

At this juncture, most will think the whitewater is over, but in fact, two rapids remain. The first is a lengthy Class III+ constriction with standing waves and small drops, which may be a bit washed-out at high flows, but is now known as White Fang. The last rapid of this run is called Donkey Punch and is a Class IV drop that earns its name, because after a right-hand turn between a mid-stream boulder and cliff face on the right, all while bucking two large waves, the flow drops into a 6 foot hole with an 8 foot standing wave. The only way to escape the meat is to run far right along the cliff face!

Two bends in the river and half mile later finds one exiting at Cedar Flat take-out on river left; a quarter mile but a steep hike on a well-constructed trail finds you back on the East Side Forest Road.

While the potential for wood hazards can’t be understated, ALL of the rapids and constrictions can be scouted and portaged, if necessary or desired. Even The Gorge can be scouted for wood from the rim above; granted the scouting or portage of this feature does require a steep hike up from the mouth of Gorge Creek and back over to the east rim just downriver of the stock/foot bridge.