Boise Early Spring Photos link

[Sawtooth]

My first Spring thread of this season is posted in the City Photo Forum.


Click:
Boise~Spring Begins:The River and Creeks are Running High and You're Going to Get Wet

[Cottonwood]

Excellent thread! Every year some idiots get in a raft on the river during the high runoff and have to be rescued....I bet sooner or later this spring we are going to hear in the news that someone or a few people have to be rescued from the grips of their potential watery death

[Sawtooth]

April 15 and 16, Update, more are in the main thread.




Greenbelt flooding as seen from the West Parkcenter Boulevard Bridge, near the Boise State campus and downtown.






































































































Boise River Greenbelt, Parkcenter

[Sawtooth]

There is some Downtown and Hyde Park in the main thread update.

[Sawtooth]

More Wild Boiseans, East Downtown, yesterday evening.

[boisecynic]

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

Excellent thread! Every year some idiots get in a raft on the river during the high runoff and have to be rescued....I bet sooner or later this spring we are going to hear in the news that someone or a few people have to be rescued from the grips of their potential watery death

Way back in May 98 or so, I and 2 others floated the river in similar high flow. We were in a 10 or 12' self bailer and the 3 of us were all experienced paddlers. It's really no problem with the right equipment and experienced rafters who're paying attention. I seem to remember having to duck under the Broadway Bridge. The trip took 45 minutes from Barber Park to Ann Morrison instead of the usual 2 hours.

Great pics Sawtooth.

[Visualize]

^^45 minutes. That is haulin. I've never floated when it was high like this but...

Random Story:
I floated the river in the dead of night once. It was so dark I couldn't see the shore in most parts. I about had a heart attack when what I assume was a deer got scared by the shore and it went tearing through the trees, I never even saw it, it could have been bigfoot for all I know. Then the boat flipped after the first waterfall and I was under the water in pitch blackness. Nearing the end we came upon a couple smoking an unknown substance out of a glass pipe underneath the Capital bridge. They were shocked to see floaters. hahaha. You can't call yourself a Boisean without crazy river stories.

[boisecynic]

^Cool story. I've always wanted to do it during a full moon. Can't imagine doing it in pitch darkness.

Hey Sawtooth, what time of day are you seeing deer over there? Early morning?

[Sawtooth]

Yesterday I saw a few kayakers on the river by the Doubletree Riverside and the Crab Shack floating towards the washed out wave-soon to be whitewater park- and new foot bridge. Not sure how far downstream they were heading, but I've always wondered what the float is like from there on out to Eagle.




Visualize, I've got plenty of wacked out river stories too, plenty of flips, near drownings when getting smacked on the head by tree branch's and knocked out of the raft and getting sucked underneath in one of the deeper parts with a bruise on my forehead. Last year a few friends were puffing on a certain white rolled up paper that smelled like skanky skunk and dropped it on the bottom of the raft, thank goodness there was a patch repair kit on board I had to make sure they didn't throw it in the river and pollute!

Cynic, the deer I have seen this Spring have been in late afternoon, early evening.

[Sawtooth]

Here is a photo of the kayaks







The next two were take from the new footbridge downstream from where the kayakers were, notice the washed out wave.





water, water everywhere.

[boisecynic]

I haven't seen anyone kayaking in there yet. Usually at this flow they'll be in the wave. Must be too cold. Did you see the corner of the pond where they filled it in? It's all flooded with seepage coming through the bank.

I've floated from Morrison Park to Glenwood quite a few times. You definitely have to portage the Thurman Mill wave, especially at lower flows even in a kayak. In the past at low flow you could float right to the dam's wooden planks, river left, and lift your boat or tube over it. Now that there's the new head gate I don't know how it will be to do that portage. They did not install the planks this year, so far.

The rubble pile just downstream of the new footbridge is kind of dangerous too. That obstacle will be fixed in Phase II of the whitewater park. After that there are sections where you have to paddle hard but it's a piece of cake if you're paying attention. There's a take out just above Glenwood, river right, at a little hidden park behind D&B.

Below Glenwood is another diversion which has to be portaged. I've never done it but I understand it's a difficult portage--- long hike through thick brush.

[Cottonwood]

Nice pics of the river!! I've lived in a few cities that lack a river and it felt like something was missing.

[Sawtooth]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j214/[/IMG]

[Cottonwood]

Again, thanks for these little updates. The bike rack (one of many) in that last pic is hot, some cities have ugly bike racks and ugly sidewalks.

[Sawtooth]

The Greening continues in the Urban Wood ~ Downtown parks: Julia Davis Park and Ann Morrison Park.

[Cottonwood]

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

Excellent thread! Every year some idiots get in a raft on the river during the high runoff and have to be rescued....I bet sooner or later this spring we are going to hear in the news that someone or a few people have to be rescued from the grips of their potential watery death

WooHoo, it happened yesterday to an extent. 2 dozen police and firefighers...what a waste of resources. Anyone want to take bets on how soon we hear in the news a few teenagers on a raft need to be rescued from a fallen Cottonwood tree in the swift flowing river? Nice pics of that condo project that has created some controversy in the main Boise thread.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/Searc...121118054.html
Man arrested after Boise River search

GARDEN CITY -- A Garden City man thought to be in the Boise River has been found safe, but is in trouble with the law.

More than two dozen police and firefighters were dispatched to the river around 2:15 p.m after receiving a report of a man floating in the waters near 43rd Street.




the rest at the link.