Play Spot: Bob's Hole
 © Brian Fields		 River: Clackamas State: OR Region: NW Oregon

Jeremy Wright doing what he loves most throwing a big blunt. Photo: B. Fields
Jeremy Wright throwing a large right blunt on a warm spring day, 1800 cfs.  Photo: ©Fields

Cindy Pytel taking it vertical. Photo: B. Fields
Cindy Hall fighting a vertical cartwheel at about 1900 cfs. Photo: ©Fields
Description: Bob's Hole is Portland's favorite play spot. Bob's is often crowded especially on the weekends since it is only an hour's drive from Northern Oregon's largest city. Bob's is a great play spot that presents the opportunity for play boaters to get their cart wheeling and blunting fix. Bob's is also the site of the World Famous Bob's Hole Rodeo which concludes the multi-event Oregon Cup.

Bob's Hole is primarily composed of two ledges which churn up some nice wave holes or waves depending on the level. The main features at Bob's are the front wave and the second wave which becomes "Bob's Hole" at the right levels and the challenging third diagonal wave which forms next to the car sized rock on the eddy line behind Bob's at higher water (along with the notorious penalty box that is feared by rookie play boaters). Other ledges in the rapid develop other waves and holes depending on the water level.

Bob's Hole (the second wave) is known a strong left handed (easier to rotate left) wave hole that is better than it should be for cart wheeling especially considering that it is not strongly retentive. It is really a very friendly spot compared to many other well known cart wheeling holes and a great place to learn to play boat and surf. This is where I learned to surf.

When Bob's is in there is a really good but shallow wave just upstream with thin eddy service of its own known affectionately as the baked wave. It can be a good place to escape the big crowd just downstream at Bob's.

During the winter Bob's Hole sees precious little sun and is down right cold so bring plenty of extra clothes and either gloves and/or pogies to help keep you and your hands warm. Seeing professional kayakers from points south shivering in the eddy is a common site so come prepared.

Eddy Service: Bob's Hole has great eddy service. At higher water the eddy becomes a little thinner and trickier with a strong breaking wave and a small hole (the penalty box) that is formed by the car sized rock along the eddy line immediately behind Bob's. If you miss the eddy you can either paddle over to the other side of the river where you can eddy hop until you can ferry back to the main eddy or carry your boat back up the river left bank back to the main eddy.
Water Levels:

Several weeks of sustained high water in the Winter of 2002-2003 rearranged Bob's Hole rapid yet again and brought Joe Bob's back to life as a wave. The Bob's hole itself is even a little different and has slightly different optimal water levels than before. It is good to see the water levels with play at Bob's continue to expand.

Below 725 cfs: There is a small spinning and cartwheeling spot across from Bob's on river right. This place is affectionately known as, "No Bob's" it forms on part of the ledge that used to form the high water hole known as Joe Bob's that was buried by the floods in the late nineteen nineties.

1400-1650 cfs: Bob's continues to break all the way down to these low water levels where it used to go completely green. The eddy side of the feature is not very retentive however the far side of Bob's is a steep strongly breaking or steep green wave (Big Blunts?)

1700 cfs - 2100 cfs: This is the prime level at Bob's when you start seeing skilled paddlers linking up a lot of cartwheels.  The pile gets a little bigger and more retentive and more hole like as the water level starts to climb toward 2100 cfs. The river right side of the wave is considerably less friendly then it has been in years past though pile is more retentive

2100 cfs - 2500 cfs: This is the three wave level. As the water level continues to rise Bob's evolves into and ever thinner and greener wave. The front wave starts to go green and only the challenging diagonal third wave gets more powerful. The Penalty Box start to come to life behind the rock forming the third wave.

2500 cfs - 2800 cfs: The last hurrah at Bob's is surfing the challenging and fickle Third Wave before it blows out. If the river gets just a little bit high than this Joe Bob's starts to come to life on the other side of the river.

 
Gauge: Clackamas River at Three Lynx Creek. The gauge at Three Lynx generally accurately predicts when Bob's Hole will be in when the trend is fairly level or moving downward. Be aware that if the gauge is spiking strongly (vertical trend) during periods of heavy rain, you have more than likely already missed the hole.
Season: October to early June most years.
Difficulty: Intermediate on up. Bob's isn't very retentive though the swirly water and wave formed by the big rock in the eddy line can challenge some people's roll. Swimming here isn't especially dangerous though there is a fairly long and shallow class II rapid before the river pools up again.
Driving Directions: Bob's Hole is located at 13 miles East of Estacada, OR on Highway 224 (road mile 36.5).
Closest Town: Estacada, OR
GPS Location:  45°11.386 N, 122°10.113 W - Parking | 45°11.407 N, 122°10.126 W - Hole
Closest Services: If you need gas, food or anything else Estacada is place to go. Paddlers are especially fond of Rico Taco (in front of the Forum Food Market on Highway 224) and the Harmony Bakery 2 block behind the Subway). There is a pay phone at Promontory Park on North Fork Reservoir.
Other Local Attractions if the play isn't in: Fearless Brewery in Downtown Estacada has good beer and good food off the grill.
Closest Camping: There are campgrounds up and down river from Bob's Hole as well as camping a Promontory Park on the reservoir in the Spring and during the Oregon Cup.
Local's Tips: If the river is too high for Bob's to be in go, to the Wilson or the Washougal to surf or go creeking on Canyon Creek, The Wind or around Hood River or any of the countless creeks in Oregon.
Local Kayak Shops: Alder Creek and Next Adventure are shops to hit in Portland.