Lower Owyhee Rafting 2024 at 7-9k cfs

April 11-14, 2024: 13' Aire Wave Destroyers, Outfitter IK and a Mamba hardshell kayak.
Drove to the put-in on a Thursday evening and pulled up to Rome at 7:30pm. The ramp was busy so we unstacked boats, rigged them lightly, launched one at a time and paddled upstream to tie up at camp.
Launched on Friday about 9am at 7180cfs, running about 5 miles per hour. Found an abandoned flatwater kayak with 2 PFD's, sweatshirt, paddle, cooler, phone, etc. Where are the people? Found out later that they lost their raft and had to hike downstream until an Outfitter helped them out. Everyone was ok.
2pm made camp at mile 25 near Lambert Dome. Hiked up the left side slot canyon and then grabbed a chair to enjoy the lightning show as a storm moved in. Dumped for about 5 mins, sprinkles a few other times, but lightning struck right on the dome, with immediate thunder, so loud!
Saturday morning hike up the right gorge which is steep but takes you to the top of Lambert Dome in less than a mile (~30 minutes).
Put on the water around 11am, flows picked up (8800 cfs), river was a foot higher. Clean runs, Jackson almost lost it on Montgomery in the hydraulics near the wall. Strong upriver winds all day, still made 5 miles an hour.
Landed at 3pm at mile 45 at Camp OW 5 near the (underwater) hot springs. Took another hike up the creek and onto the bluff for some great green views.
Sunday - Put on at 10am, got to Birch 5 miles downstream at 10:50. Loaded and on the road at 11:45.