BANKS, Idaho — The water levels on the South Fork of the Payette River came up on Monday, giving kayakers flows they would normally see in the summer.
Just two weeks ago, paddlers wouldn't have been able to navigate the river because of ice, but this week, a rain and snow event coupled with warm temperatures provided a break from winter.
"I live up in the mountains, so my road is all mud and three-foot-high snow berms, so it is nice coming down and getting on the water," said Andrew Chamberlain.
I paddled the Staircase section of the South Fork of the Payette with a crew on Wednesday. This five-mile run is a local favorite because it provides easy access, it's close to Boise, and it has some challenging whitewater, including two class four rapids.
"It’s some of the best whitewater, and it’s the right level of challenging without being too scary," said Chamberlain. "I’ve been running it for like 17 or 18 years, this is my backyard run."
However, now is not the time for beginner boaters, as there is still snow on the ground and along the banks of the river. The water is also freezing cold after melting.
Paddlers use safety gear every time they hit the water, and that also includes a dry suit that has changed the game for boating in cold weather environments. Paddlers layer up just like we would if we were hitting the slopes, and everyone in our crew had pogies to protect their hands — except me, since I've just never liked how they felt while gripping the paddle.
"I love my pogies," said Chamberlain. "The only thing that got cold was my right thumb."
There was some nervous energy as we approached Staircase and Slalom rapids because not only was it our first time in our boats in a while, but none of us wanted to flip or swim because while the drysuit keeps you dry, I know from experience being in the water still feels really cold.
"It went great, super smooth with good lines," said Chamberlain. "It was super splashy and nobody swam, it was a good day."
I personally have a cutoff level around 45 degrees, but on Wednesday, it felt like a spring day in February. This also marks the first time the river got this high this early since 2018.
I expect the water levels to fall back down; in fact, it has already dropped to 1428 cubic feet per second, normal summer flows are around 1,600. However, it will be a big water season as all the snow at higher elevations remains.
