Payette,

Payette - Main (Upper Main - Banks to Beehive Bend)

Bennett's Rock

Bennett's Rock
Photo of Troy Wilson by payetteriverphotos.org taken 8/29/04 @ 2,600

Gauge Information

River Description

The Payette's Upper Main is classic Idaho whitewater. Less than an hour from Boise, Banks is 'River Central' for the Payette system and lies at the confluence of the Payette's North Fork and South Fork. Banks serves as the take-out for North Fork (class V) and South Fork (class IV) runs and the put-in for the class III section know locally as 'The Main'. This section is recommended for paddlers with at least the basic river-running skills - The Main is the 'real-thang'!

WHEN TO RUN: The Upper Main is runnable most of the year - best Spring through Fall. Be warned that this may become a larger volume river in the spring (June/July) and can reach 15,000cfs. But most of the summer it starts at about 5,000cfs and works it's way down to about 2,000cfs by September. October flows dip to around 800 to 1200. The river is still runnable at this level, but it IS low and a very different river.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Boise take state hwy 55 north about 32 miles to Banks and turn left across the North Fork. This is a fee parking area - $3.00/day or $20.00 season pass for the Payette system. Season passes can be purchased at the USDA Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management Interagency Visitor Center in Boise, Boise National Forest District Offices (Emmett, Lowman, and Garden Valley), Alpenglow Sports (Bogus Basin Rd.), Ponderosa Sports (between Horseshoe Bend and Gardina), Banks Cafe and Store; Garden Valley Store, Boise Army Navy Store, Cascade Outfitters, Cascade Raft Company (about 1.5 miles south of Beehive Bend), Idaho River Sports, and REI. Day passes can be purchased at the river access sites Restrooms and changing rooms available. An alternate put-in is at Milepost 77 - this puts you just downstream from GLOYF, a bony class III+. Another alternate is to put-in at Chief Parrish and run MixMaster and AMF - and pull-out at Beehive Bend or continue down the Lower Main.

SHUTTLE: Leave a shuttle at Beehive Bend (25 miles north of Boise - about 7 miles north of Horseshoe Bend) or at Chief Parrish if you want out prior to MixMaster and AMF. These are also fee parking areas.

THE FLOAT: From the put-in hit the current and glide for about 1/2 mile and enjoy the scenery. At this point there are two class II wave-trains with large waves. Whitewater101 and Whitewater102 (or Second Bend) are great to get a feel for newer paddlers - if you are having problems at this point, best to get out here because it only gets bigger.
- GLOYF (III+) (Go Left or Your Fired) is the next, and first class III/III+ on this section. The run is, as expected, river left-ish.
- About 3 class II's lead to a larger drop, Lunch Counter (II). Here the river is pinched into the middle and sets up a V shaped wave-train. Hole on the right side.
- A bit later into a narrower canyon is Bennett's Rock (II+). The rock is at river center and at high water the hole behind is washed out and creates a train of huge waves. At medium/low flows there is a meaty hole that is best avoided. Run here is generally river right.
- Constriction (II) is a set of large laterals. Run is down the middle, or break through the left lateral and smooth out the run.
- Mikes Hole (III) requires a sort of S-turn around a hole on river left followed immediately by hole (Mikes) on river right. There is a sneak on extreem river-left at most levels, but scout it if you are not familiar with it...
- Mikes Toe and Chiefs Headdress ,both class II, lead up to Chief Parrish (II+) rapids followed by a pull-out at the Chief Parrish Campground on river-left.
- Just after Chief Parrish is a class II wavetrain that has a boily section at the end. Lean forward and paddle...
- About a 1/2 mile straight-away leads to a left hand bend and MixMaster (III) ( MAP). This is a V shaped rapid that commonly flips rafts at higher flows with it's lateral waves. An eddie just above the drop on river left provides a good boat scout - but keep in mind this is a committed eddie. If you want to scout with the option to portage, go river-right. A nice sandy beach in the pool below the drop on river left provides a good spot for a break or for swimmers to collect gear.
- A short break and then prepare for AMF (III) ( MAP). AMF is longer than MixMaster. About halfway into the rapid is a rock shelf running from river-left to center that should be avoided, and a hole about 2/3 into the rapids that will force you back mid-river. A great wave-train finishes up the rapid.
-Then it is a cruise for the next 2 miles to the take-out at Beehive Bend.

OPTIONAL PUT-IN/TAKE-OUTS: If you want to miss GoLeft you can put in at MilePost-77. There is a large pullout you can park in. If you would like to miss Mixmaster and AMF, you can pull pull out at Chief Parrish Campground. With these changes you really only have one class III, Mikes Hole, and lots of great II and II+ action.

WHAT ELSE IS IN THE AREA: LOTS!
-The Payette South Fork (Canyon, Swirly Canyon and Staircase runs)
-Payette North Fork (Cabarton's class III and Smiths Ferry-Banks class V sections)
-Payette Middle Fork runs - Here and Here.
-Payette Lower Main - Includes the Climax Wave.
-Also the Gutter for 'park-n-play'.