Lower Deschutes Drainage Playspots

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Lower Deschutes Drainage

The Deschutes River drains the entire eastside of the Oregon Cascades. This large drainage has reliable flow year round. Unfortunately the best of these play spots like Trestle on the lower river require high water levels which at best occur for a short period every spring. Luckily however Deschutes reliable flow does create a couple of lesser waves and holes that are in reliably during the Summer when many other of Oregon's Rivers have been reduced to trickle.

	Trestle Hole Feature Type: Wave, then hole at higher water. Range: Above 9000. Closest Town: Maupin, Oregon Quality: Three Star, Four Star at high water
	Beavertail Feature Type: Wave Range: Above 5300 cfs Closest Town: Maupin, Oregon Quality: Two Star
	Snappy's Wave Feature Type: Wave Range: Above 4900 to 6000 cfs Closest Town: Maupin, Oregon Quality: One Star (bad eddy). Summer desperation play.
	C-Wave Feature Type: Wave Range: Best below 5000 cfs Closest Town: Celilo, Oregon Quality: One Star, three mile hike and no eddy service. Summer desperation play.

Other lesser waves or holes in the drainage

Below 6500 cfs, there is a small hole immediately upstream of the LARGE pour-over hole in the Oak Springs Rapid. This hole has very thin eddy service along the river-right bank and a delay roll will results in a trip straight through the big hole.
Below 4900 cfs, there are a group of small surf waves in The Upper Elevator Rapid a mile below Oak Springs.

If you have information about these or other waves and holes in Oregon that you would like to contribute, please email me at:
nwkayaker@comcast.net