175.3 miles on the Owyhee River - A solo packrafting adventure on the Oregon Desert Trail

What an adventure! I spent the last 12 days hiking and packrafting on the Oregon Desert Trail in the Owyhee River from the Little West Owyhee at Anderson Crossing to the Indian Springs Campground on Lake Owyhee. It was a total of 141.5 river miles, and 33.8 hiking miles, mostly along the Little West Owyhee to get to the flowing river at 5 Bar.

Water levels at Rome during my trip

Stay tuned for photos, a trip report, gear list and more, but here are a few images, and you can read my daily blog here. (scheduled posts coming daily for another week)

Widowmaker was a bunch of rocks 

Sometimes I had to lower my boat and myself over the rocks

Upper Owyhee

Lots of calm pools to swim in

Fun little Class II & III rapids at low flow

The Oregon Desert Trail endpoint at Indian Springs Campground

Low Flow Owyhee River

I'm getting ready to hike/packraft 175 miles of the Owyhee River on the Oregon Desert Trail.

Patagonia just published a great series of photos from ultra runner Jeff Browning's run in this section of the ODT in May, He had much higher flows, and where the "trail" follows the rim of the canyon for many miles, I'll stay in the river and float/walk my way downstream.

Did I mention it's my job to develop the Oregon Desert Trail?? I'm in heaven!

It's a heavy load, but my Six Moon Designs Flex Pack seems up to the task. (Unfortunately this prep pack shot doesn't include 7 days of food. yet Ouch.)

Head on over to my hiking blog for updates later next week (if I get reception out there).