A number of people this year used pack bridges to cross the Sun River and South Fork, which given the overall context sorta seemed like cheating. Oddly, I’ve floated big section of the South Fork on more than a dozen occasions, twice the number of times I’ve been on the Middle Fork. Listen to the River, from Wild Confluence Films, is the story of a classic summertime river adventure gone awry. Trip Report: Packrafting the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Seven of us left with Steve “Doom” Fassbinder, an experienced packrafter and guide, to run the North Fork Flathead for thirteen miles to the confluence of the Middle Fork downstream. Float the south fork of the flathead. 1 post • Page 1 of 1. Not done much river kayaking in my packraft, just used it to cross rivers to fish the other side. I ascended the Monture Creek watershed to Burnt Cabin, then hiked up the East Fork of Monture Creek to Limestone Pass on the first day. The Flathead, in northern Montana, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. Fork Flathead Trip Report. Even the calm sections had enough power to pick you up and take you away. Advanced equipment reservations are recommended and can be made by calling our office at 1-406-387-5340 (800-735-7897). Our two-day packrafting courses will blend foundational paddling skills and river navigation as well as safety and rescue you would need to create your own packraft trips. Hole in the Wall gorge on Young's creek has a strainer tree in the middle of a rapid, but the Forest Service put up a sign and you can portage around it and it may be possible to paddle around it as well. I began my exploration of Monture Creek, Danaher Creek, the South Fork of the Flathead River and the Big Salmon Creek/Lake drainages at the Monture trailhead north of Ovando, Montana approximately an hour and a half northeast of Missoula. Adding to the mystique in the fact that the White is the most remote river in the Bob. Update from most recent customers to get out of South Fork of the Flathead (take-out on Sunday 7/12):River running high, but green not muddy. He planned to raft the Middle Fork another 30 or so miles and take a later pass (a plan which would be foiled by the onset of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from Will’s recent tick bite ). Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The Section of the Middle Fork from Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek is more treacherous than the South Fork and has sections of class II- IV whitewater and log jams do occur. For 2013 the course will run S to N, from Benchmark to Black Bear Creek on the Middle Fork of the Flathead. Floating the South Fork of the Flathead River is perhaps one of the finest floats anyone can do in the lower 48. River and Whitewater information for Flathead, Middle Fork - Bear Creek to Essex - United States Montana . It's a long journey to get there. In addition to guided fly fishing, we offer drop float trips on the South Fork of the Flathead River. Years of guiding in western Montana during the summers provided me with great exposure to Montana's fabled waters, but the idea of fishing for pure strain Westslope cutthroats in the heart of the Bob Marshall Complex nagged at me right into retirement. In short, the three Forks of the Flathead are incredibly special to me. Update from most recent customers to get out of South Fork of the Flathead (take-out on Sunday 7/15):River running high, but green not muddy. Guide your own trip with friends and family on the North Fork or Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Questions or concerns about USGS streamflow data in Montana and Wyoming can be directed to Kirk Miller (kmiller@usgs.gov; 307-775-9168).Updated September 18, 2020 - USGS water-resources monitoring activities were restored effective August 17, 2020 at the following site:. The South Fork Flathead River drainage contains 355 lakes and nearly 2,000 miles of stream habitat. 2: Middle Fork of the Flathead, Schafer Meadows to Granite Creek. The South Fork of the Flathead River in Montana is one of those classic packrafting trips my husband and I had been scheming about for years. With the Flathead River at your feet and blanket of stars over your head, you’ll begin and end your days to the timeless sounds of the river. Posted on January 31, 2016 January 31, 2016 by smeltzy. The Flathead, in northern Montana, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. The South Fork of the Flathead River in Montana is one of those classic packrafting trips my husband and I had been scheming about for years. Ideally any future packrafting guidebooks will have average mphs at various flows. Great Northern’s Montana fly fishing trips run late May through October on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Get info on rapids, camps, access, and anything else you want to know about this section of the river. A number of other smaller portages on Young's creek. Make packrafting courses along the southern boundary of Glacier National Park on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River your next big adventure. South Fork Flathead Trip Report. Great day all the way around. Just a heads up, apparently there is a new rapid on the Southfork of the Flathead right above where the White River comes in. The Middle Fork of the Flathead is nothing short of one of my favorite trips, ever. Here's the gist: 1) Hike 16 miles into the wilderness with a very heavy pack. Get info on rapids, camps, access, and anything else you want to know about this section of the river. We pack you, your gear and your float equipment to the confluence of Young’s and Danaher Creeks where the South Fork of the Flathead River begins. Can be portaged or you could get through it by running the "perfect" line. River and Whitewater information for Flathead, Middle Fork - West Glacier to Blankenship Bridge - United States Montana . It runs out of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, offering options for both wilderness trips and road access trips. 2 log jams on the South Fork. For instance, on the same stretch of the upper South Fork of the Flathead (easy class II) I've gone 2 mph at 800 cfs (dragging on gravel bars slows you down) and something close to 6-7 mph at 4000ish. Hole in the Wall gorge on Young's creek has a strainer tree in the middle of a rapid. There are some great family friendly sections to get out and enjoy the river while visiting Glacier National Park. Recent update on South Fork of the Flathead . July 15, 2019 by John Nestler in Packrafting, Trip Report, Photography, Camping. All fly fishing trips require the purchase of a … The trip-- our first packrafting trip of the season-- ended up being one of my favorite adventures to date. It was a big river, about 200ft wide and moving swiftly at a high gradient. River and Whitewater information for Flathead, Middle Fork - Essex to Moccasin Creek - United States Montana . 06088500 Muddy Creek near Vaughn, Montana (POR: 82 years); Updated June 11, 2020 - USGS water-resources … It really varies river to river. Latest report from the Middle Fork of the Flathead in Montana . South Fork of the Flathead River Long before I had a bucket list and two pack donkeys, I yearned to hike up the South Fork of the Flathead River. The Middle Fork is a big river with an even bigger basin. Having explored The Bob with a packraft for several years, I find myself coming back to repeat a few stellar experiences: floating the rowdy Spotted Bear and Young’s Creek at the peak of runoff and floating the more tame South Fork Flathead as the water … The wilderness trips are done by packing horses into the wilderness or by flying into the runway at Schafer Meadows and floating out from that point. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River is more whitewater intensive. The Flathead River (Salish: ntx̣ʷetkʷ, ntx̣ʷe ), in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Canadian Rockies to the north of Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake, then after a journey of 158 miles (254 km), empties into the Clark Fork. Post by ChadL » Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:21 am My buddy Peter and I were looking for an achievable packrafting objective that fit within (his) timeframe between grad school and his first year teaching middle school. Rafting & Paddling the South Fork Flathead River. It's certainly nice beta to have in trip reports. 5 days down the South Fork of the Flathead. So, I thought about floating part of the river and walk back out. In late summer of 2019, Tim Halder, Damon Healy and I completed the "River of Return" packraft trip. Took my packraft for a bit of an adventure today. Get info on rapids, camps, access, and anything else you want to know about this section of the river. Middle Fork Flathead River rafting trips float several different sections of the river due to easy access from US Hwy 2. Packrafting has always interested me, but it wasn’t until I won an AIRE BAKraft at Gauley Fest last year that I seriously considered putting a lightweight river trip together. A similar distance, with the most obvious routes featuring substanitally lower elevation terrain, and much more water. And I’m not the only one. Ideal packrafting levels are around 4-5000 cfs on the South Fork at Twin Creeks. North Fork of the Flathead. The scenery is spectacular, as the river flows through a pristine and remote wilderness. This 15 … From the whitewater gorges of the Middle Fork Flathead to a lazy day meandering down Danaher Creek, there is something for everyone. And, then, last summer, I completed the trifecta, paddling a packraft for the first time down the renowned whitewater section of the Middle Fork. We do not recommend floating this section at high water and portaging of the class IV sections is recommended. Craighead was writing in response to proposals to dam the North Fork Flathead at Glacier View Mountain, which would have created a reservoir reaching nearly to the Canadian border, and the Middle Fork Flathead, which would have backed up the river about 11 miles behind Spruce Park, near where the river exits the Great Bear Wilderness. The highway follows the river from Bear Creek all the way to West Glacier at the confluence of the North and Middle Forks, however the road is hardly noticed. Packrafting Courses, West Glacier Montana . Near a place called Paradise, a 90-minute drive south from Kalispell, the lower Flathead River joins the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, and travels northwest toward the Pacific Ocean. 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