Bull Run Slalom Practice & River Run

Come on out in your plastic boats and get some pointers on how to upstream gates (eddy turns), crosses (from one side of the river to the other) and offset gates (sweep turns to zig and zag on the river). We will make the course easy. A 90-120 min session on the gates then we will run the Bull Run river (3 miles) to Dodge Park.

The river is class III flowing  through an incredibly beautiful, steep-walled gorge. We encourage all to come out, but you need a solid combat roll. No previous slalom skills are required and its great practice for hitting eddies and moving your boat around on the river. Race boats are not necessary, plastic boats will work well.

Note: There is a possibility that the river will be too low or too high that weekend. Levels need to be at or above 500 cfs or below 1700 cfs on the Bull Run @ Bull Run gauge: at: http://levels.wkcc.org/?f=5l1

Contact the event organizers: David Johnson (johnsoda7@gmail.com) or Rufus Knapp (rufus.knapp@thermofisher.com) to make sure the water is suitable and to let us know you are coming.

If the water is not appropriate, we will email folks on or about Thursday and move the event to another weekend.

We will meet in the parking lot outside the fence at 10:30 am Sat morning. We can then launch our boats after accessing the property (getting closer to the water) inside the fence and we will try to arrange for a tour of the generator building. Later we will do shuttles and run the river.

Directions: Take Hwy I-84 east from Portland through Troutdale over the Sandy River and exit #18. After exiting the highway turn left and go up the Sandy River, through Springdale(3-5miles). As you are  leaving Springdale keep to the right onto Hurlburt Rd (there is a sign there for the Bull Run). Stay on Hurlburt Rd for about 4 miles then at a flashing light make a right onto Gordon Creek Rd. Take Gordon Creek Rd down a steep hill to the Sandy River, then uphill (past Trout Creek Road, veer right there) staying on Gordon Creek Road for about 2 miles then the road becomes SE Bull Run Rd and continues on for another 2-3 miles before crossing the Bull Run river on a metal bridge (about 6-8 miles from the flashing light), then turn immediately right into the Bull Run power plant.

Alternatively, go to Sandy Oregon and turn left at the end of town on Ten Eck Road, go downhill keep to the left then cross the Sandy river, continue on Ten Eck to SE Bull Run Road, go down a steep hill keeping left to the Bull Run river and turn into the parking lot outside the fence for the power plant.