River Madness

Lots of them have already been boating this season, but it is the start of the season for some. The boaters start to play to the crowd. And the crowd is very social with BBQs and picnic baskets and coolers, etc.

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Each Memorial Day weekend, the Lochsa River Madness event draws out boaters to enjoy the spring whitewater action and also kick off the start of the rafting season. Highway 12 to cheer on boaters as they celebrate the weekend.

Attendees can expect to see dozens of boats: Space along the pullout allows watchers to set up chairs and crack open the coolers, where they can overlook the action and cheer participants as they surf or flip. The event works great for a day trip. Or if you want to spend more time enjoying other area scenery, US12 has a great selection of camping spots, as well as hiking trails. Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, , www.

In the morning, Justin had tales of two Sheriffs rolling up and a drunk woman crouched at the foot of his cot, mumbling incoherently into the night. But I know that life happens outside of it, which is cruelly balanced by the fact that sleep happens inside of it. I heated some burritos in the morning and we rigged the raft—as the camp oracle teased us with unspoken beta.

We drove to the Fish Creek Launch—luxurious by Idaho standards: We dropped the raft out of the way and unloaded gear. At the put-in, I approached a group getting ready to launch—catarafters Scott, Lee, and Richard and Diana the lone kayaker. They graciously welcomed us into their flotilla. When I got back, everyone wrestled their way into drysuits and wetsuits and we launched. It was easily the biggest water I had ever seen.

Miles of huge waves, where rapids like House Wave were not hyperbole. At mile along Highway 12, cars lined the narrow road for a qua rter mile in either direction. Port-a-potties, canopies, camp chairs, coolers and hundreds of people fill ed the turnout and spill ed down the rocks beside the river.

This is where the majority of the carnage h appens. This is where people watch the river turn whitewater inflatables into pool toys. From a river perspective, the falls come fast.

I remember being a little farther right than I wanted. Richard, the old guy in the cat behind me, hit the far-right line. His cat shot in the air, dumped him and landed upside down.

Lochsa River Madness runs through Memorial Day weekend

Lee also flipped his boat at a downstream rapid called Splitrock. No real trouble though. Boats were reunited with their owners and we all made it to the takeout in one piece. That night we found an open campsite in Wilderness Gateway and ditched The Ghetto.

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We paid our 14 bucks and backed into the parking spot. That night we walked over to the group shelter and watched the official weekend videos of Lochsa Carnage of which there was only one. Editing a video, partying and boating all take a lot of time and most people opt out of editing and submitting a video.

An Aire Couch was raffled off, the kind of river accessory that only the truest of dirtbags and multi-day-ers can appreciate. The other items included your typical, free stuff: The video was solid, featuring a one minute, anal-sphincter-tightening, high-side beat down along with some good disasters at Lochsa Falls: At some point in the night, there was a short scare.

The possibilities were sort of endless. A few minutes later I heard people say he was breathing, which, at a whitewater festival is pretty good. The next day was another day of rafting. New people, a shuttle ride with some creepy CPR dummies and a driver drinking Natty-Ice at nine in the morning, another six inches of river on the bridge, swimmers at Lochsa Falls. You know, the usual madness.