Check out
Steve Stuckmeyer's cautionary description of the upper run in
Jason Rackley's Oregon Kayaking. This report is from 20 years ago. Now this section is recommended by the Oakridge locals. There is also a bushwhack hike to access to the lower section.
This run is a must do for an adventurous class V boater living in the Willamette Valley or Bend. Trip Reports of this lower section can be found at the
Wheels and water and
Into The Outside blogs.
Upper Section: Put in at he 1928 Bridge over the creek. Character: Steep Class 5 boulder gardens reminiscent of the Upper Blackwater in West Virginia and scenic class 3 in moss covered gorges. 3 miles into the run after a half mile of flat-water there is a portage. You'll notice the portage is coming up because the river appears to fall off the face of the earth. Portage on the right. There's a river level route that requires a little dragging and is mostly shouldering for 1/4 mile, about 10 minutes.
Lower Section:
The hike to the put in takes 1 hr through steepd rugged terrain depending on group size and hiking ability. Things start off from the get go with boat scoutable boulder gardens. Before too long the rapids dictate a couple of quick scouts and some may choose to portage a couple of the rapids before Rhinosex. The boulder garden just above Rhinosex is challenging and has a sieve in the middle. There is an optional portage on the left, if you get 20 feet above river level the portage is easy over flat ground before descending back to the streambed to run the last ledges above Rhinosex. Rhinosex has an easy portage on the left but has been run. This is the beginning of the bedrock rapids, with Balls Falls and Snake Bite not far below. Proceed cautiously, Balls Falls has a class III-IV rapid wrapping around a left bend right into the lip. Scout left with a possible portage on the right. It is also possible to run the first drop on the right into the eddy and portage the rest, though it requires a little effort. Snake Bite is not far below and can be scouted/portaged/run left or right. Below here are a number of class IV-V boulder gardens and a section of low angle slides with sticky holes at higher flows. Below the slides things cool off to a class II-III runout to the NFMF Willamette, the take out is the same as the Miracle Mile.
Using the Miracle Mile take out gauge, shoot for 1.2'. Currently (January 2020) 10'' is considered lower runnable, and 1.5' is considered higher runnable.