Snake
G) Lower Salmon Falls Dam to Bliss Reservoir(Hagerman to Bliss (Wiley))
| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 7.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 16 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | November 28, 2024 |
River Description
Description:
A fun class II/III afternoon run at flows below 10,000 cfs. The last rapid, landslide, becomes a significant class IV at high water and should be taken seriously as the swim can be violent. The Relish takeout is before the last rapid, and may be a good choice at higher water.
Getting there: From Exit 141 on I84, go into the town of Bliss. The Stinker station, or Ziggy's gas station is a good place for last minute gas, food and flush toilets. They have a grocery store, gas station and hot food all in one place. Look for River Road on the left, just past the Y-Del resturant, across from the post office and fire station. This will take you down into the canyon. Look for the bridge a little downstream of the road. Just before you get to the bottom of the grade is a road on the right that heads towards the bridge, turn right onto it. About 20 yards before the bridge is a right turn into the parking lot of the takeout. Thanks to Idaho Power for providing this facility. You should scout the last rapid before you return to the putin. This may be easier said than done; hiking on river left may be possible. Be courteous of private land. From the takeout, head back towards the main road. Turn right at the stop sign, traveling upstream on River Road. This is several miles of twisty, narrow two-lane paved road with a 35 MPH speed limit. Turn right at the stop sign, onto US Highway 30. You turn on to the highway right before the Malad river bridge. Much of the fun on this trip starts right at the Snake - Malad confluence. Watch for the Rock Lodge about 1.9 miles, on the left, it is more visible than the small sign on the right for the Lower Salmon Dam, which is where you want to go. About 0.3 miles from the highway is the entrance to the power plant area. Turn right every chance you get to the putin which is just below the spillway. To get back to the takeout, Turn left at each stop sign to get back to the highway. Turn left onto US 30, go about 1.9 mi
...River Features
William Studebaker Boat Ramp
Metal boat ramp to put in below the dam. Vaulted toilets and changing room. Large Parking lot. There are always strugeon fisherman on either side of the river.
Malad confluence putin
A popular putin is at the Malad-Snake confluence.
Vault toilet and a gravel boat ramp; no camping though.
warmup rapid, Malad River Rapid
This is a single hole rapid at high water with small wave train that improves as the water level drops. It turns into a nice wave train with good rollers.
Pillar or Pylon
Good hole split by a rock. Rafts typically go right but small craft/ kayaks could go left for slightly more action. Wave train below. At higher flows the wave train blends with Number #3 or Swim rapid.
Swim or Number #3 rapid
3rd Rapid, Class III. Number #3.
A more complex rapid with fun lines on left as well as right. Main line is left with several good holes. Eddy on river left if you want to scout but it is pretty straightforward
Tail Rapid
We call it the Tail because at high flows it is the tail end of Swim or Number #3 rapid above it. In fact, at flows above 15,000 cfs from Pylon to the Tail it is one big rapid with large rollers.
This wave train is best a flows below 5,000 cfs or above 8,000 cfs. At higher flows the hydrolics below the Tail are really strong and the water is really deep. Not the best place for lazy swimmers. Typically it just has lots of boilers.
You can catch the large eddy on river right and come back for photos of the rest of the group or sneek into the wave train again.
Bliss wave
aka Chris's hole. Sneak right or hit it! Catch the eddy on river left below the wave train and come back and surf. In a kayak or IK climb the rocks and catch the eddy river left above the rapid to circle out and come in for another run of the main hole. You could play in this hole for hours if you have good footwear. Watch out for stinging nettle.
Frank Lloyd Wright rapid
Just before a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright called Teater's Knoll. They don't do walk in tours. As you turn the corner look toward the hill directly below the rapid and you can see the house emerging from the hillside.
Nice Bouncy hole.
https://hagermanmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Historical-Information.pdf
https://hagermanmuseum.org/frank-lloyd-wright-teaters-knoll-tour-2022/
Mustard Beach rapid
Mostly a single drop and small wave train to the left. At higher flows you can go right for a few good waves and then work back right before the rocks below. Kayaks and IK's can always go right.
The large slack water on river right below the rapid is the location of Mustard Beach. In the old days you could access the beach for lunch or belly wamp. It was also an alternate takeout. The property has changed hands now, it has no tresspassing signs.
Practice Waves narrow canyon
Just after the island the canyon narrows to steep rocky walls. At the mouth of the canyon is a small wave train that is fun for swimmers to bob through. This would be the perfect place for a bigger rapid so if you have any derelict associates have them blast the rocks on river left to create one more good rapid before the relish take out.
Relish takeout
From the Malad putin to here is 3.6 miles and is a popular run. It is 2 miles of flat water to the next rapid so many trips end here.
Landslide / Little Crystal
This is a long rapid with a top and lower section. Top section is long rollers with lateral waves that can take you off your line. Main wave train is pushing you toward rock wall. Bottom section is a rock garden with bouncy lines.
Deceptive currents at the bridge often create a wrapping hazard on the single pylon of the bridge if you are trying to go right of the pylon. Novice rafters will easily get pulled into the pylon by the strong current. If you aim to go left of the pylon you will be fine.
Solid Class III most of the time. At flows above 10,000 cfs the lateral waves in the top intesify making it a IV rapid. If you fall out in the top section the rock garden below is brutal and long.
If you are going to have trouble on this run it will happen here. Mostly likely at the bridge just feet from the end of the trip.
Shoestring Bridge Takeout
Nice paved ramp immediately after the bridge on river right. Vaulted toilets and changing room.
Trip Reports
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My wife and I were passing through Idaho along I84 and decided to do this run to break up the drive, which turned out to be a good idea. At our lower flow (5,800 or so), the run was full of easy, fun wave trains. Even the little rapids had tall green waves, and the rapids were more consistent than I expected. The shuttle is easy too.
