Donner and Blitzen
Blitzen Crossing to Page Springs
| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 17.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 49 fpm |
| Gauge | Donner Und Blitzen River Nr Frenchglen or |
| Flow Rate as of 56 minutes | 155 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | August 2, 2024 |
River Description
This designated Wild and Scenic River flows through a deep basalt canyon in the remote desert country of southeast Oregon.
River Features
Steens Mountain Loop Gate
Put In
Put-in river-right, above bridge. Plenty of parking other side just before bridge.
Lat/Long: 42.6384,-118.764 / Trip Mile TM = 0.0
Sharp Left Bend
Rapid can be seen on aerial maps. For scouting and setting up safety get out river-left. Author found it helpful to enter rapid on the right, get a view of rocks and hydraulics, then drive left. Location is snapped to reach, thus Lat/Long (42.66322090,-118.79126936) pointing slightly left of river.
Low Head Dam
Low head dam and USGS gauge 10396000
Lat, Long 42.79091399,-118.86720527
Trip Mile 16.13
Marshy shore river-left allows for easy take-out and portage.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportOvernight Trip with IKs and Packraft, May 31 to June 01, 2025. Flow between 515 and 700 cfs.
We were lucky to hit the highest flow and best weather conditions between the opening of the South Loop gate on May 15 and the end of snow pack season. No river-wide obstacle encountered, only portage portage around low head dam at trip mile 16.1
Should you plan on camping at Page Springs CG before or after your trip, be aware that proximity to marsh lands draws in mosquitos at a concentration you may not imagine. Be dressed accordingly and have bug repellent handy before entering the CG. At the put-in, the overnight camp near Dry Creek, and on the river we didn't encounter any mosquito issues.
2024-06-01
400 cfs was enough water to enjoy the canyon and the whitewater, more water would be more fun.
Be sure to find out ahead of time whether the road to the put in is open. It does open up before other access in the area opens up.
The run was non-stop class II-II+ with some sections of more distinct class III-III+
We camped near Dry Creek, which had some clear water running for camp use.
Note that the current owners of Steens Mountain Resort don't have capacity to run shuttles so that service is no longer available.
The gate that limits access to the run.
The Donner Und Blitzen River is a remote, seldom paddled run in a scenic canyon. The first challenge is familiarizing yourself with Steens Mountain. Not many people get out here. The second is timing the run-off. This is a small river with a small window. Don't let that slow you down though-- it's fun, scenic, and in a very interesting area. The description in Soggy Sneakers is pretty spot-on. If you don't have a copy of that, try this: http://www.efn.org/~jpreed/Soggyup.html#Donner As of 5/08, there is a short portage due to wood about 1/4 mile down from the put-in. The river split around a small island. The left is willow-choked and the right is blocked by a toppled tree. You can portage on either side or right down the island and get back in on the tail end of the island. We did an overnight run and camped at Tombstone Canyon. There are a few other areas that would be big enough for camping as well. Other than that, Cramer and Hodges description is pretty accurate. The rapids at the top are technical, steep and fun. In general, the lower on the run you get, the less technical the rapids are. I would not recommend this as a run for people who have not done much technical paddling. It is remote and there are plenty of opportunites for broaches and pins. There isn't much room for rolls, either. But if you have solid creek skills, give it a try. Use the Steens Mountain Resort people for your shuttle [no longer an option]. They can help you with access if needed and willingly share information of the area. They'll take care of you. The hotel in Frenchglen has food and good beer after the run too.