BOISE, Idaho — This time of year Idaho rivers run high, fast and cold. Safety needs to be on the top of everyone's mind, especially with the high flows Mother Nature has delivered this spring.
Kayakers and surfers look forward to these conditions all winter. This spring, for the first time since 2018, the Boise River flowed at 3,600 cubic feet per second for several days.
"We are really lucky, it is really good," said surfer John Brown who we caught up with at the top feature at the Boise Whitewater Park. "It’s very exciting, we all look forward to this and we hope this particular wave stays in as long as possible."
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has already raised the level to 4,000 cfs and the river might rise as high as 5,000 cfs by Friday. The group will continue to monitor the weather and several different factors to mitigate flood control.
Kayakers and surfers enjoyed the wave on Wednesday, and while river safety is always a priority, high water makes it even more important.
"Oh man, the river can be super dangerous," said Ben Lammers who has kayaked since he was eleven years old. "Safety, for me, is the number one priority."
Safety for kayakers starts with the right equipment as paddlers need a life jacket, a helmet, good footwear and layers with an outer shell, like a dry-top or a dry-suit.
Surfers are a different breed. They wear a wet suit to stay warm, they use their surfboards as personal flotation devices. Brown advises people to never wear an ankle leash because that introduces an entrapment hazard to the equation and prefers a tether with a quick release on his calf.
"I see a lot of people come down with not very good wet-suits," said Brown. "I think you get fatigued and you could probably get in trouble because you are going to be tired faster. And don't wear an ankle leash."
This time of year it is best for beginners to avoid the river, especially on those warm days when the water will still run cold for the foreseeable future.
High water makes it more difficult to get out of the river. There are fewer eddies and debris, like giant logs, either float down the river or get hung up somewhere in the river.
A log in the Slalom Rapid on the South Fork of the Payette River moved from just left of Seymour's Hole further downstream. Scouting rivers is important because that log could move again at any time or there could be a new hazard.
It's a dynamic time of year when it's best to be in good shape before heading out there. Don't go by yourself and respect the river, as it is a time we all look forward to.
"For me, kayaking is about getting out there having fun," said Lammers. "You are just feeling that adrenaline and also hanging out with a bunch of friends."
