[May 24, 2013] Lochsa Falls offers thrills and chills Tweet May 24, 2013 (Lewiston Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- If it's true that people watch auto racing for the crashes, it also stands to reason rafting spectators are in it for the flips. And if you love watching whitewater carnage, there's no better place to be on Memorial Day weekend than sitting in a lawn chair along the Lochsa River at Lochsa Falls. There you'll see a steady stream of rafters and kayakers smashing through the rapid's raft-flipping waves. A good number of them won't make it through right-side up and that is just fine with the boisterous spectators who gather there. "They boo when you make it and they cheer when the boats flip," said Marty Smith, owner of Three Rivers Rafting and Lochsa.info. His company runs rafting trips, but also uses still and video photography to document rafters and kayakers as they run the river known for its nonstop whitewater action. Memorial Day weekend frequently coincides with or near the peak of spring flows on the Lochsa and attracts hard-core boaters addicted to big water. But it also draws a festive crowd of spectators who clog the pullout by Lochsa Falls, at milepost 114 on U.S. Highway 12. "Everyone just kind of takes their lawn chairs and they are barbecuing and giving out food and it's all day of waiting for the next group to come through," said spectator Missy Koons of Kooskia. "It's pretty crazy. We have a ball up there," said Steve Bateman of Nezperce. "If I wasn't almost 60 years old, I'd still be rafting. Anymore, I like to watch." Over the past eight seasons, Smith has produced and posted YouTube videos documenting the Memorial Day action under the title "Lochsa River Madness Lochsa-info." "They are basic carnage videos," he said. "I think it's had an effect on the boaters. They kind of play for the crowd." Boaters are indeed aware of the videos and the crowd, and they play to both, said Dave Breidenbach of Spokane. Known as Big Wave Dave, for about 15 years he has been leading a group of boaters that call themselves "The Raftafarians" on Memorial Day weekend trips to the Lochsa. Boaters try to show off for both the cameras and the crowds and the spectators do their best to goad boaters into going big. "On Memorial Day, everybody goes for that shot to get the biggest air because everybody wants to be in Marty's video," Breidenbach said. It can also get a little weird. For some boaters it's not enough to run the falls in a raft, cataraft or kayak. Some of them have taken to riding pool toys and other, more risque, inflatables through the rapid. "To make the video you have to go through on a naked blowup doll or on an air couch or get big air," said Breidenbach, who grew up in Clarkston. Smith notes the Lochsa is a frigid, powerful river for advanced boaters. Its swift currents and hypothermia-inducing temperatures can be dangerous, especially to people without experience or the proper gear like highly rated life jackets, helmets and insulating clothing. "It's a Class IV rapid but they are (experienced) boaters and you see all sorts of stuff. There are guys and gals who jump out and swim through. Of course you need to be wearing a dry suit and be properly dressed," he said. At night, Breidenbach said many people head to Three Rivers Resort to watch replays of the day's events at the bar. Some large groups camped at Wilderness Gateway and other campgrounds also play video highlights at night. The bigger the water, the bigger the carnage. Flows are not expected to be huge this weekend. Both Smith and Breidenbach are predicting the river to be between 4 feet and 5 feet on an informal gauge at the Lowell Bridge. Known as the "Friendly Fours" or "Fabulous Fours," the level produces ideal wave-surfing conditions. Flows above 5.5 feet and around 3.5 feet create a difficult wave. "Friendly Four is still very powerful but the wave doesn't really peal back on itself," Smith said. "When it's like 3.5 and 5.5 and above it seems the wave falls back on itself and creates more of a barrier." On the Net: Smith's videos can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/user/IdahoLocal feature=chclk/ Barker may be contacted at [email protected] or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker. ___ (c)2013 the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho) Visit the Lewiston Tribune (Lewiston, Idaho) at www.lmtribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]