Deschutes

Just adding a few photos from Fall 2024, including a day at 1100 cfs in October.  Apparently the diversions were all shut off before flows dropped from Wickiup so the water was fluffy for 2-3 days.  We ran it at 600 and again closer to 400.  600 is probably the friendliest level I've done it at, awesome beginner to intermediate run for Central Oregon.

Expected a more shallow rocky experience at the gauge volume, however the sunny days seemed to add much more water from Tumalo creek than usual. The rock coverage and clean line at Odin made the river feel more more like it was sitting in the low 500's.

Fun day, everything remains read and run. No one in the group opted for odin (combination of new paddlers and playboats), but the line looked clean with adequate coverage of the rocks and a friendly hole (see picture).

The tree branch in the rapid a ways after Odin is still in play, but there are a couple alternate routes around the brush to choose from, just requires moving left once you see it.

The more class III- rapids after odin had plenty of flow to cover the rocks and provide a more authentic class III experience with swirly pushy water. The group noted what seemed like the hardest rapid of the run a ways after odin (recognizable from a flat rocky area on river left and obvious channeled whitewater) and I took a picture looking back upstream for paddlers wanting to evaluate the run to reference. The bottom of the rapid has boily water likely to trip up new paddlers.

Put in at tetherow crossing park.  The run is pretty mellow up to Odin falls.  There are power lines over the river at Odin falls, portage is on the right side.  The first rapid after the flat section below Odin has wood in the main channel, so go right of the island when the rapid starts.  The rest of the run is read and run, though variations in water level change the available lines considerably.  At 420cfs on the below bend gauge (probably a fair amount more here), a lot of the cheese grater rocks are covered that are more of an issue at lower flows.  Great stretch and river with beautiful scenery.  Take out at Borden beck wildlife preserve.