Grande Ronde River Rafting
Northeast Oregon
3 or 5 days
May 1 - June 30
Class II+ |
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Our
Grande Ronde whitewater rafting trips are popular with those of our guests
who're looking for mild white water and great scenic beauty. The Grande Ronde is
also a great trip for fishing and for wildlife viewing. Our
Grande Ronde trips begin on the Wallowa, a Grande Ronde tributary. Both the
Grande Ronde and the Wallowa flow out of the Wallowa mountains in northeastern
Oregon, "Oregon's Alps". The Wallowa is clear, swift and steep. Most of the rapids we
encounter are class II, but several are rated class II+ to III: Minam Roller,
Redrock, and Vincent Falls. (Rapids are rated I through VI. Class I indicates
the smallest rapids, while VI indicates steep, turbulent, dangerous rapids and
waterfalls.)
We join the main stream roughly ten miles down. (The Wallowa is actually
the larger of the two in terms of flow, but the longer stream gets to keep its name past the confluence.) Below the confluence the pace slows, but several long class
II+ rapids remain, including Sheep Creek and Martin's Misery.
Our float takes us through what we think is some of the most beautiful and varied
mountain scenery in the West. Bald eagles, black bear, and Rocky Mountain
elk make their home here, and glacier lilies color the hillsides. We camp in beautiful meadows dotted with ponderosa pines and
fragrant mock orange. Our camps are good places to fish, bird watch, or hunt for
wildflowers -- all rewarding pastimes here. Take a walk and you
may see columbine, sego lily, lupine or shooting stars growing
along the shoreline, and golden eagles, pileated woodpeckers, western
meadowlarks and
evening grosbeaks in the sky above. This tour may not be
as well known as tours on waterways such as the Rogue or the Salmon, but it is
their equal in many ways, and this is the one to choose if you're looking for mild
rapids. It's a little-known gem of a trip. Join
us, and discover its many facets for yourself!
Trip includes:
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The services of our
professional guide staff.
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Transportation from our take-out near Troy back to Minam at trip’s
end on 3 day trips, and shuttle service for your car, so that it awaits you at
Heller Bar on 5 day trips.
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All meals, from lunch on the first day
through lunch on the last. Our menu is delicious, varied, and hearty. Meals are
freshly prepared by our guides from the highest quality ingredients. Juice and
water are available at each meal. Coffee, tea, and cocoa are available at dinner
and breakfast, and complementary wine is served with some dinners. Special
dietary needs may be accommodated with advance notice. We also provide
cups, plates, and silverware.
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Durable, professional quality rafts and river
running equipment, including U.S. Coast Guard Approved lifejackets.
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Waterproof river bags and boxes for your
personal gear.
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Camp chairs. |
O.R.E.
conducts these tours under a special use permit issued by the U.S.
Forest Service for the Umatilla National Forest. O.R.E. is an equal opportunity
service provider. (Click
here for non-discrimination statement.)
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