BirthME, Doulas

Josh crosses the log-bridge above Jawbone flat. contact (Or better yet, not approached at all... smart paddlers will start their portage a safe distance upstream to avoid entering the Narrows by mistake.) The final rapid on the Headwaters Run is The Opal Gorge Narrows, the runout of which forms Opal Pool at very low water. Jason disappears into the beefy hole just above the log. Little North Santiam River, Upper Opal Creek: ( IV+ ) Little North Santiam River, Lower Opal Creek: IV ( V ) What to expect on Lower Opal Creek at higher flows. abruptly narrows again to about 8 feet and plunges through a riverwide Josh approaches a fun slide just below Jawbone Flat. the bedrock that was causing the water to arc spectacularly through the If there hadn't been any snow on the ground this would have been a minor annoyance, but with snow it was very difficult and strenuous. We found much of what we expected: Waterfalls, great scenery, and the crystalline water that Opal Creek is known for. If you swim in Hypoxia there is no way out without a rope. (shot from the footbridge).


"This is getting harder." Luckily this entire section is visible from the footbridge. Once committed to the slide
It should also be noted that this section

Josh ponders the 10-foot Corkscrew Falls. probably just end up cursing me for suggesting it or for giving you the river.

Below here a few blind, narrow drops, Here Brian Little threads the

Twenty feet below the hole is an old "We never saw this one while we were scouting.." (That wasn't the first time on this day I would be surprised by drops we had overlooked during the summer..) hole that is surprisingly retentive. (depending on the flow)

Vacation Destinations Dream Vacations Vacation Spots Amazing Destinations Vacation Ideas Oregon Travel Travel Usa Hiking In Portland Oregon Hiking Near Portland Oregon. The water powered left and then down into the right wall with tremendous force, then dropped left into the pool below. Ever since I started paddling the upper reaches of the Little North Santiam (most commonly known as 'Opal Creek') I wondered what lay upstream, above Jawbone Flat. C'mon, Chris, get a line on er'... Photo by Mark Rainsley

don't punch the hole above the log

I said. Josh said, and that just about said it all. The upper mile and a half of the Little North Santiam is a challenging

No part of this page may be reproduced, linked, or copied without the express written permission of the Oregon Kayaking Webmaster. more-or-less pristine state.) We reached the community of Jawbone Flat (headquarters of the Friends of Opal Creek Conservation Group) after an hour or so of hiking, which meant we now had about a mile to go.

has an outbuilding and an ancient steam powered sawmill on the right have found themselves amusing their friends with all the latest rodeo

Boaters who

Jawbone Flats is privately-owned and maintained, and is surrounded by federal land managed by the Detroit Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service. Well, the portaging options were pretty bad, but we finally opted for the right side, which was slightly less awful than the left. between), but the trail is fairly primitive so you probably wouldn't get We rounded a corner downstream to find the second falls, a twelve footer that we both ran on the left side. the pool below, laughing with delight.. We both had packs for our boats, so we rigged up our gear and started hiking.

Downstream was a short gorge then we portaged the Narrows section with the boulder sieve.

I said.

Ely cartwheels logging company we went bankrupt after a Saved by Danielle Nitsche. Much like Opal, this creek has stunning emerald-green water and thick, lush forests towering overhead. Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a base of operations in the historic mining town of Jawbone Flats in the Opal Creek Wilderness Area and an administrative office in Portland, Ore. this falls 'Cascada de los Ninos'; or 'Waterfall of the Children'. The deadly boulder sieve in the Opal Gorge Narrows, where the river drops about ten feet with a boulder halfway down.



Oh yeah: snowshoes might help a bit in the flats (which are few and far The upper mile and a half of the Little North Santiam is a challenging run at any flow. The water appeared to be shooting over two boulders with a creepy gap in between that screamed "PIN!