Hell's Canyon

[popeshawnpaul]

Intruder -

I think it is Pittsburg landing...  It's the one at the confluence of the Tucannon and Snake.  Sometimes we would put in at Lewiston and then fuel up at Pittsburg landing.  Sometimes we would put in at Pittsburg and run up from there.  The biggest problem we had was I had a range of about 70-80 miles.  I had to strap on 5 gallon gas cans on the back of the jet ski to make it home sometimes...

One time my buddy and his girlfriend were riding my second jet ski and there is a good sized rapid down below Pittsburg landing.  we were jumping the huge rapids and his girlfriend fell off the back of the jet ski...    I raced towards her through the rapid, grabbed her hand and hauled her to the shore.  It was a real close call.  I'm not sure if someone can make it alive down some of those rapids.  

I'm not sure the names of the rapids.  I'm not sure where the actual "Hells Canyon" area starts.  I know I went up past the confluence of the Salmon at least 15 miles...?  (about to where the road from White Bird comes down to the river)  I went up the Salmon at least 20 miles from the confluence...?  (I didn't ever make it as far as White Bird)  Not sure if it was legal or if I needed a permit.  (alcohol+youth=stupidity)  It was 1996-2000 and I was in college at the time...  I remember one time there was a forest fire up the Snake and they were fighting it and I was right in the middle of it.  I have hiked up parts of Hells Canyon and I know I didn't make it up as far as I hiked in my jet ski...  I'll have to look on a map for more details when I get home from work.

[gramps]

Pope, I may have seen you up there on your ski.  That is about when I had to quit the rough water stuff....thought you guys were crazy..having fun, but crazy.  I have seen some bad boat wrecks.

Have you guys seen the steel ring in the rock just above Wild Goose?  It is on the Washington side.

[Intruder]

Must be Pittsburg. That's the 1 on the ID side that you come into from White Bird.   There's 1 on the OR side call Dug Bar or something like that but it's a real bear to get into from what I've been told.   

Doesn't the Tucannon run into the Snake down by Little Goose Dam?  Maybe you're thinking of the Imnaha river.... it runs into the Snake between Pittsburg and the confluence of the Salmon.

You got some stones to go through those buggers on jet ski     

[popeshawnpaul]

I completely spaced it...I meant the Grand Ronde not the Tucannon.  My bad.  Not sure what the landing and launch is called there...  There is a boat ramp and a little store and gas there.  It's about a 20 mile run or so up from Lewiston...

I wouldn't go through the center of most these rapids.  They would have killed me.  Oftentimes I would go right up the shore in 2" of water... 

[Intruder]

That's Heller Bar.