Payette, N. Fork
5. Smiths Ferry to Banks(The North Fork)
| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 16 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 110 fpm |
| Gauge | Nf Payette River Nr Banks Id |
| Flow Rate as of 51 minutes | 2610 cfshigh runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 4, 2022 |
River Description
This section of the North Fork of the Payette is the 16 miles above Banks and is considered big-water Class V. For the past several years it has served as the site of the North Fork Championship, regarded by many as the most challenging whitewater competition in the world.
Paddling on the North Fork begin in 1975 when local boaters Roger Hazlewood, Keith Taylor, and Tom Murphy astounded everyone by becoming the first to run the final two and a half miles of the North Fork. In 1977, Idaho’s Rob Lesser, Kentucky’s Bob Walker, Dennis Whitehouse, and Bob Letter, and the “Crunch Bunch” negotiated the entire run for the first time.
Soon after the river was recognized as a unique whitewater resource that challenged the world’s most accomplished paddlers, the hydropower threats emerged. Idaho Power Company sought to dewater the North Fork for hydropower in the late 1970s. When they ceased their efforts in 1986, Boise’s infamous billionaire and potato king J.R. Simplot launched his own effort to dewater the river followed by Gem Irrigation District. In response, Friends of the Payette and then Idaho Rivers United formed to protect the river. The Conservation Alliance issued their first grant for $40,000 to fund this effort that was ultimately successful when Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus signed the first version of the Payette River Plan in 1991; this plan protected the Payette River system from new dams and hydropower development by establishing the river as a state “protected river.” The ultimate outcome exceeded the expectations of Rob Lesser and Pete Skinner who penned an article for a 1979 issue of the American Whitewater Journal hoping we could secure two weekend releases a month as mitigation for a hydropower development that seemed all but certain to dewater the river. Today the river flows throughout the year and attracts paddlers from around the world who come to enjoy a true class V classic.
The entire North Fork run is parallel to Highway 55 an
...River Features
Top Put-In
The standard put-in for the top of the run is Highway 55 mile 94.6.
Steepness
Visible from Highway 55 mile 93.5.
Nutcracker
Visible from Highway 55 mile 93.0.
Disneyland
Visible from Highway 55 mile 92.0.
Big Eddy Campground
Access at the bottom of S-Turn Rapid located at Highway 55 mile 89.9. This is a good place to camp for running laps on S-Turn Rapid.
Foot Bridge Access
Foot Bridge Access at Highway 55 mile 89.2 and a put-in for the Middle Five.
Slide
Bad Jose
Know Where To Run
Chaos
Bouncer Down the Middle
Pectoralis Major
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder is generally regarded as the most challenging rapid on the North Fork. Four committing drops that lead more or less directly into Golf Course make this rapid worthy of respect and a scout. It is visible from the road at a nearby pull-out.
Golf Course
With 18 holes and more, the Golf Course begins just downstream of Jacob's Ladder and across from Swinging Bridge Campground at Highway 55 mile 86.3.
Screaming Left Turn
Where the river takes a hard bend to the left away from the road at Highway 55 mile 85.0.
Jaws One
The sequence of rapids that make up Jaws is difficult to scout and not right along the road but near Highway 55 mile 84.5.
Lower 7 Put-in
This is the access below Jacob's Ladder and the Golf Course that allows you to paddle the Lower 7 that adds Screaming Left and Jaws to the Lower 5. The access is from the large pull-out at Highway 55 mile 85.3.
Jaws Two
Lower 5 Put-in Above Hounds Tooth
This is start of the run known as the Lower Five that is accessed from the pull out at Highway 55 mile 83.8. This puts you in just above Hounds Tooth.
Hounds Tooth
Hounds Tooth begins with a couple of big holes and then a move around the tooth followed by a long run out of fun and continuous class IV+ whitewater.
Otters Run
After passing under Highway 55 the river bends to the left and enters Otters run which is a series of waves and holes. The preferred line is generally down the left side. You can take-out above or below this rapid. At Highway 55 mile 81.8 an access on river right above the rapid is also used as a dispersed camping site. At Highway 55 mile 81.1 near the railroad bridge you can drive down to an access below the rapid.
Juicer
Juicer has some big waves and holes and is generally run down the right but beware of the hole at the top right. The rapid is visible from Highway 55 mile 80.6.
Banks Take-out
The take-out in Banks is at Highway 55 mile 78.8 on river right.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportAt normal summer flows, I feel Juicer is not a IV+, but rather a reasonable V. It is harder an more dangerous than Crunch--as stated by the last commenter, many people underestimate Juicer. I've seen paddlers pin, swim, and or get hurt in Juicer, in various orders. Don't let the rating here fool you if you're a first timer on the NF. If you want to rate Juicer IV+ go for it, but call Disneyland, S-turn, Crunch and others the same.
If you're a first timer up top, be careful. It's a definite step up from the bottom.
Otherwise the NF is pretty much the best action within a thousand miles Mid-July through the end of August. Come from far away and enjoy, but use a good spray skirt and don't flip over.
The section between Otter's Run and Juicer provides a great class III slalom course. Here Troy Wilson, age 9, (with Thomas running safety) paddles to a third place finish for his division.
A little Lower 5 info. New
Forum: BoaterTalk
Date: Aug 21 2003, 19:04 GMT
From: middleschooler
The Lower 5 is running 1500 right now. This is actually, a pretty good introductory level.....a little high perhaps if you're more comfortable dealing with rocks than push. Nonetheless, not bad and it'll give you a good feel for 'The NF'.
'IV+ or V'?
That depends with whom you talk to. Most of the locals I know who paddle it regularly say 4+ (and I'm talking about the current level of 1500). On the other hand, it seems most out of area boaters, or the uninitiated, more often than not refer to it as class 5. Regardless of what class people call it, you have to remember that the NF is a fairly unique river with a different feel. It is not pool drop and the eddies for the most part are along the banks, not in the center. Also, the recovery pools are more or less non-existent below the named rapids and the water deflecting off the sharp blasted rocks on both banks create sort of a chaotic feel. In other words, the waves don't roll but are rather erratic giving you the feeling of getting slapped from all directions. The river is also choke full of holes. Most will just splash you.... if you hit them straight on. Others will gladly play with you if you're not on the stick.
The beauty of the NF is that it's all roadside and you can easliy get out any time you're not comfy. Generally, newer paddlers working up the ladder do what is referred to as 'The Warm-up', a ~2 mile piece between the first drop (Houndstooth) & the top of Otters. It is a fun run in itself and comparitively speaking, easy.
'Big water'?
CFS wise, obviously not but it does have a bit of big water feel to it.
'Runable next weekend'?
Yes. And the NF typically runs until the first part of Oct though it will be running a tad low then.....approx 800-900.
'Not-so-obvious hazards'?
Yes. There is a pin rock in Juicer roughly 115 yards from the top near the right bank. There is a funky V shaped hole sorta thing about 10 yards above that tends to kick people into the rock. It is not obvious from bank scouting how this feature will kick you and unless you know where to look for the rock, it isn't real obvious either. I believe 1300 to 1500 is probably the worst level for it too. So, if you don't go with some one that knows the run, I'd suggest staying away from the right which also happens to be the most obvious line. Actually, the right was always the standard line but I believe the rock either shifted or the shorter boats that are now being used up there are more susceptible to being pushed that way. Prior to around 96, I hadn't heard of anyone pinning there. Anyhow, take that rock seriously. It has pinned multiple paddlers 4 of which I have witnessed. There is an undercut finger of sorts which happens to fit perfectly in the kayakers lap preventing escape.
Which weekend were you thinking? I doubt I'll leave the house this coming weekend but likely next weekend. If you'd be interested, I'd be more than happy to paddle with you on the Staircase run and if I thought you were up for the Lower 5, take you down that (hope that doesn't offend...I just don't know your level of paddling:-)).
It looks like the USGS has dropped the NF Payette at Cascade gauge. Idaho Power provides current data. Here's the link.
http://www.idahopower.com/riversrec/waterlevels/streamflow/showgraph.cfm?id=976796
Wow! It just goes on like this!
Even the little holes aren't small.