Big Bear, Idaho, US

Highway 8 Bridge (West of Deary) to Kendrick High School

Usual Difficulty	IV-V (for normal flows)
Length	16 Miles

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
POTLATCH RIVER BEL LITTLE POTLATCH CR NR SPALDING
usgs-13341570	1200 - 3000 cfs	IV-V	12h33m	160 cfs (rc= -0.6 )

River Description

Big Bear Creek starts off as an improbably small stream flowing through a pasture. Quickly however it begins to drop over small basalt ledges and gains size. Be alert for barbed wire fences from the beginning to the end of this run. Big Bear flows swiftly for several miles through a shrubby floodplain, with numerous small rapids. Following a more open section on the right floodplain, several miles from the put in, a dangerous fence is strung taught across the creek.

Finally, the stream enters a wooded (although heavily timbered) granite gorge and the quality of the rapids really picks up. Class III and IV rapids, continue for a couple miles until the big falls. You really can't miss the big falls, although the lead-in is class III. Eddy out on the right in a fairly small eddy. The line is down the right. Portage advice ranges from the bare steep slope on river left, to a high portage on river right, to a low portage using some rope on river right. Next time, without a doubt, I am going to try the low portage on the right. The area around the falls is spectacular.

The drop below the falls is a great 6-7 foot boof with a log in it. Scout right. Shortly after the falls you leave the granite and the rapids change to basalt. Relatively steep, fast, and occassionally chunky rapids roll on for several more miles, and ease shortly before the take out. We scouted one particularly big rapid in this lower section, and were thankful we did.

16 miles is a long trip! Big Bear is a fun, full-day adventure that offers countless and almost nonstop rapids once you enter the canyon. Start early, beware of a nasty moose, keep your eyes peeled for fences, and enjoy.