MAMMOTH RIVER ADVENTURES
Mammoth River Adventures
Lochsa River & HWY 12
Guidebook & Map
*Mileage on this guide Refers to milepost markers along U.S. Highway 12
169 - Emergency Call Box
162 - Lochsa Lodge : Visit the website www.lochsalodge.com
162 - Powell Campground : First come first serve camp sites, bathrooms
152.4 - Jerry Johnson Hotsprings : Warm Springs Trail No. 49
150.4 - Jerry Johnson Campground : First come first serve camp sites, bathrooms
142.1 - Weir Creek Hotsprings : Weir Creek Trail
139 - Emergency Call Box
128.5 - County Corner River Access : Bathrooms, Elevation 2,261’
128.5 - County Corner Rapid (IV) : Sweeping right turn marked by the previous presence of the Highway Department (now bathrooms) and a boat ramp on river right. Hug inside right corner when entering this rapid to avoid the rocks/holes located at the top-center and top-left of the rapid. It can be very pushy at higher flows. Large standing waves at bottom of rapid.
127.9 - “Class V” Rapid (IV) : Long, continuous rapid on a sweeping left turn, identified by large boulders at the top right. Hug the inside left shore of this corner, beware of overhanging trees. After rounding the corner you will see large and pushy waves through the left-hand channel.
126.7- Log Jam Rapid (IV-V) : Sharp left turning rapid that doesn’t reveal itself until you’ve rounded the corner. Identified by a large log jam near the bottom right/center of the rapid. Start left, hugging the inside corner, smash waves and holes for nearly 1/4 mile whilst staying left. You will find yourself rounding another left-hand corner and the log jam at the bottom will reveal itself. Keep working left to stay away from the log jam. At higher flows the log jam is essentially in the center of the river, so set up early on the left to avoid it.
125.5 - Pass Creek Rapid (II-III) : Right down the middle splishy-splashy. Flattens out at lower flows.
125 - Mile 125 Rapid (II-III) : Large curling and standing waves as you work your way through a couple of bends. Mellows out at lower flows.
124.7 - Christmas Rapid (IV) : Horizon line rapid marked by the large culvert on river right. Enter right of center avoiding the rocks and holes left and center. After entering right, stay right to avoid two large holes in the center of the river. The river widens out here so be aware of shallow spots and rocks.
124.5 - Linebacker Hole (IV) : Located in the center of the right-hand channel, just below Christmas Rapid and just above Ten Pin Rapid. This hole is called “Linebacker” because if you hit it, you will feel like you’ve been hit by a linebacker. Go left of the hole or get ready to smash the hit stick.
124.1 - 10 Pin Alley Rapid (IV-V) : One of the more technical rapids on the Lochsa. Identified by the many house-sized boulders scattered in the river. There are several different ways to run this rapid, all flow dependent. You can scout from the river right, stay between river and Highway 12. There is a large wavetrain that flows directly around a sharp right-hand corner and into the rapid. You don’t want your momentum to carry you to the center or left so hugging the inside right bank around the corner is generally the move. As you float around the bend you will see a very large boulder at the bottom right of the rapid with not much river flowing to the right side of it. That’s your line.
122.5 - Wilderness Gateway River Access: Elevation 2,069’
122.5 - Sherman Creek : Dispersed camping
122.5 - Wilderness Gateway Campground: Reserved camping, First come first serve camp sites, bathrooms, visit the website REC.GOV
122.5 - Stanley Hotsprings : Boulder Creek Trail
122.2 - “The Ghetto” : Dispersed camping, bathrooms, primitive river access
122 - Boulder Creek Rapid (II-III) : River widens, shallow in many spots. River maintains Class III character while twisting and turning around several bends.
121.5 - Lochsa Historical Ranger Station
120 - Fish Creek River Access : Boat ramp, bathrooms, emergency call box. Popular hangout for boaters. Elevation 1,992’
119.9 - Riley Flats Rapid (II-III) : Avoid hole at top left, then smash the hole/wave in the center. Big fun hit at most flows.
119.8 - Sandy Hole Rapid (II-III) : Big fun waves down the center/right. A large hole presents itself on the top left, easy to miss. If you choose to smash the top left hole, be ready to do some flip training.
119.7 - Sandy Beach - One of the few sandy beaches. Three Rivers Rafting hosts lunch at this location, be respectful.
119.2 - Teeth Rapid (III-IV) - Short rapid with a variety of features. Large waves and some meduim sized holes left/center and right. Line is normally just right of center.
119.1 - Killer Fang Falls Rapid (IV) - Two large rocks on left become holes. Run is right side. At high water, beware of large sneaker hole center/right just above the rapid.
119 - Tooth Rapid (III-IV) - Straight-forward rapid. Large waves and medium-sized holes scattered throughout. Dodge some holes, point for the big waves and you’ll be good.
118.8 - Eel Creek Rapid (III-IV) - Large waves with large hole in center-center of rapid. Start just left of center when entering the rapid and work left.
118.1 - Otter Slide Rapid (III-IV) - Big fun waves at high water. Line is just left of center. Holes start to appear everywhere as the water drops.
117.7 - Morning Glory Rapid (IV) - Sharp left-turning corner, river pushes hard to the right. The line here is to hug the inside left bank while rounding the corner. Large rocks and holes are scattered throughout the center and right side. After rounding the corner on the left, ride the wave train down the left side. There is a large hole at the bottom left, this is “Glory Hole”. You can avoid the Glory Hole to the right but if you’re looking to go big, it is a great hit.
117.1 - Black Canyon/The GOAT Range - The official/unofficial start of the “GOAT Range” and Black canyon. “GOAT”, means greatest of all time. Here it is referring to the seven-mile section of whitewater just downstream. The river becomes steeper, and rapids are wam-bam one after another for the next seven miles.
117 - House Wave Rapid (IV) - Large rollercoaster style waves. Huge entry wave that breaks like a hole. Smash it on the top left or skirt it just right of center. About 100 meters below the entrance wave there is a large hole on river right. This is a very long rapid with a big fun wavetrain that loves to be smashed. The entrance wave is a great surf below 10,000 CFS.
116.6 - Bloody Mary Rapid (IV) - Home of the “Pot of Gold” (top left center) and the Apollo Wave (bottom left). The Pot of Gold can be avoided by starting center, if you chose that route, you need to start working left just below the Pot of Gold. There are some nasty rocks/pourovers in the center/right. You can also choose to smash the Pot of Gold; after smashing you should be set up perfect for the Apollo Wave. The Pot of Gold is a great surf wave at flows greater than 8,000 CFS. The Apollo Wave, at most flows, is a must-hit in our opinion.
116 - Grim Reaper Rapid (IV) - Rocks and holes are everywhere in the center and left. At almost any flow, the line is to start far right and work left. Just right of center at the top of the rapid is a feature called the “Brain Wave”. This feature can be smashed at flows above 8,000 CFS. Below that flow it is a little steep for our liking. Low water run is to start just right of the “Brain Wave,” then work center as the river pushes you into the right bank towards sharp rocks. After working center for a couple strokes, work back to the right as there is a huge pourover on the bottom left. The river makes a sweeping right turn here so a lot of the current wants to push you left. It’s crucial to stay on your line throughout this rapid.
115.7 - Cliffside Rapid (IV) - This is the narrowest point in the Lochsa River/Corridor. It was a proposed dam site in the 1950s. The river left channel is the line. Nice, little wavetrain at most flows.
115.4 - Shoestring Falls Rapid (IV) - There are large pourover holes scattered throughout this rapid mainly in the center and on river right. There is a huge hole far left. The line is just left of center, then work left. Below the rapid, just before rounding the corner there is another large pourover on the left. To avoid this, work right and ride the outside around the corner.
115.3 - Cedar Hole/Wave (IV) - Identified by a large cedar tree on river left, this hole stands all by itself in the middle of the river. It is kind of a funky hydrolic that looks like a good surf wave. It is a good surf wave in highwater, but at medium to low flows it becomes a sticky hole. Easy line to the left of Cedar Hole.
115.1 - Jones’s Waves Rapid (IV) - Two sets of wavetrains here with very large and irregular waves. At the top of the first set of waves is a world class surf wave at most flows. Eddie access even at lower flows. After smashing the first wavetrain, set up in the center working right for the second set. The second set of waves is much larger, the third wave being the boat eater. At the top of the second wave train is a pourover on the right that should be avoided. After avoiding that hole, work right to sneak or go big in the center… As Jones’s would have done. If you do decide to go big, be ready to clean up as fast as possible because at high water this rapid essentially runs directly into Horsetail Falls.
114.8 - Horsetail Falls Rapid (IV) - Probably the most technical rapid in the Goat Range. Identified by several large boulders in the center and left. Below 8,000 CFS the line here is to start way left, float past the big boulder in the center then go just left of the pyramid-shaped boulder on the far left. The line is to work right from the left by ducking behind the pyramid rock, smashing a pourover in the center and keep working to the right. Large wavetrain on the right to exit the rapid. You want to be on your line here, don’t start center and don’t stay left. If you do either of those there is a good chance of a pin or flip.
114.3 - Prelude Rapid (III-IV) - Fun rollercoaster-style wave train. At medium to low flows a hole on the left presents itself. Easy to miss, just ride the wavetrain down the center/right.
114.1 Lochsa Falls Rapid (IV) - Riverwide feature. A large hole on the left creates a lateral that meets a lateral crashing from the right. There is no avoiding a big hit here. Line is to start just left of center working with a left-hand angle to smash the left side lateral. There is 50/50 chance of flipping here so get yourself and your crew ready for anything before entering the falls.
113.9 - Pickin’ Up The Pieces Rapid (IV) - Pourovers and holes are littered on the left and center here. Line is down the right side. There are some irregular breaking waves here so be ready to square up on a dime.
113.7 - Cedar Beach - River left, identified by a large Cedar tree with a small beach at the base. A popular spot to stop, catch your breath, debrief and brag about how big your line was through the Falls.
113.6 - Pipeline Rapid & Wave (III) - A world-class surf wave at flows between 6,000-15,000 CFS. Be respectful of the park and players that will always be here. Read and run, but for some extra fun, play in the surf feature. There is a pullout here on Highway 12 that is a good place to hang out and watch surfers or hop on the wave yourself. Be mindful of the highway if you decide to park at this pullout.
113.4 - Old Mann Rapid (Hospital Hole) (IV) - Identified by two large rocks and a creek flowing in on river left. Home of “Hospital Hole” on river right. This is one of the more violent pourovers on the river, very steep and deep. We don’t recommend smashing this one unless the flow is over 20,000 CFS. Clean, fun line here down the the center with rollercoaster-style waves.
113.1 - La Monster Rapid (III-IV) - This wave reveals itself at high flows. It’s just to the left of center and tough to see from above. It is a very surgy wave, tough to time up. Sometimes it’s there sometimes it’s not. Some people refer to it as “Mystery Wave” due to these characteristics. Easy to skirt left.
112.8 - Termination Rapid(IV) - Home of the “Magnetic Wall” the river smashes into the left wall at bottom of this rapid. A large lateral comes off of the right and left banks when entering the rapid. To sneak, start far left and work right, ideally riding the left lateral to the right. For a bigger ride, start right and smash the two right laterals. If you choose the latter, be ready to get typewritered into the magnetic wall.
111.9 - Split Creek Rapid (III) - Identified by Split Creek entering the Lochsa on river left. Just a fun wavetrain here. Nothing to avoid.
111.7 - Car Crash Rapid (IV) - Legend has it that the large pourovers on the right were created by a VW Beetle in the river, hence, Car Crash Hole. The left and center of this rapid is full of rocks and holes. In the center center of the rapid is a feature referred to as the toilet bowl, due to its swirly characteristics. The line here is to miss the Toilet Bowl in the center and miss Car Crash hole on the bottom right. To accomplish this, you need to start right, pivot left to point just below of the Toilet Bowl and charge left. A lot of current is pushing right over Car Crash so it’s crucial to paddle hard to make the move left of it. If you end up going in to Car Crash hole, brace yourself; it is a stair-step style rock feature so generally after dropping the pourover, your boat will smash to a stop on the rock just below the first pourover. Injuries here are common, and it often looks like a Car Crash when people hit this hole. Highly recommend you skirt this feature.
111.4 - Split Creek Packbridge River Access - Identified by a wooden pack bridge crossing the river. There is a boat ramp just below the bridge on river right. There is a large pullout both upriver and downriver of the bridge. There is also a vault toilet just above the pullout on the upriver side. Be sure to use caution when near the highway.
111 - Surprise Rapid (III-IV) - Shallow rocks and pourovers are everywhere in this rapid. The line is just right of center, set up there and keep it straight.
110.7 - Fire Creek Rapid (III) - Identified by Fire Creek flowing in on river right. Fun wavetrain here. Class III fun.
110 - Bimmerick Creek River Access - Primitive boat ramp on river right. It’s best to park your vehicles just down river, about 200 meters off the boat ramp there is a large parking area. No parking at boat ramp.
109.4 - Coolwater Creek Rapid (III) - Fun wavetrain through an “S” curve in the river. Current pushes into the right bank, don’t get caught up on the rocks over there.
108.5 - Knife Edge River Access : NO CAMPING, bathrooms, elevation 1620’
105 - Glade Creek Campground : Reserved campground. Visit the website REC.GOV.
104.4 - Apgar Campground: First come first serve campsites.
97.3 - Ryan’s Wilderness Cafe : Meeting spot for all Mammoth trips; The best breakfast spot before any Lochsa trip.
97.3 - Lowell Idaho : Elevation 1,486’
96.9 - Three River Resort : Visit the website www.idaho3riversresort.com
96.9 - Selway Road
Low Flow = 2,000-6,000 CFS
Medium Flow = 6,000-10,000 CFS
High Flow = 10,000-18,000 CFS
Extremely High Flow = 18,000<