Minam

The Upper Minam is an outstanding multi-day wilderness run in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, requiring a nine-mile hike in. The run flows in late spring/early summer after peak snowmelt, and can be hard to time as flows drop from high to low fairly quickly. The last week of June or the first week in July is often the window. The standard approach is to take 3 days for the hike and upper section, then 2 more to get through the lower. If you can dial in your logistics it is a premiere Oregon river-trip for upper intermediate/advanced boaters willing to hike.

After the hike, boaters can choose to camp where the trail meets the river, or push 3.7 miles down to the confluence with the NF Minam - both are good options, and the decision will likely be determined by how early/late in the day a group finishes the hike.

Below the NF confluence the whitewater picks up, coming in sections of fun class III and IV whitewater. One side of the river will often be bounded by a granite wall, and the other a steep and forested slope. Scouting is always an option, but can be cumbersome through thicker brush at times. The whitewater tends to be bouldery with an occasional low angle bedrock shelf. Be cautious about wood, it is present throughout the run, even if portages for it are rare.

The most notable section of the run is Minam Gorge, which comes after the most striking meadow of the run. After floating through this meadow (keep an eye out for eagles!), the river bends right and there is obvious whitewater downstream. Scout the entry drop from the right. The whole of Minam Gorge is ledgy bedrock, and the lines tend to be down the right side of the river at low water, but you'll want to take a good look for yourself. The Gorge is broken down into two sections, the first part is run more commonly than the second, and both can be scouted/portaged on the right. The whitewater is a step up from than anything else on the run, and the second part has a couple lo

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