About Lochsa Falls
The most famous rapid on the Lochsa River, Lochsa Falls is iconic due to its huge hit, easy roadside viewing access, and in general, big thrills. This is the spot to be during Lochsa River Madness.
This rapid is known for turning rafts over non-stop like pancakes at an IHOP after Sunday service. Boaters should be prepared for a swim and self-rescue here and if someone in the group isn’t up for that, they can easily watch from the road without much trouble.
How to run Lochsa Falls
Lochsa Falls can easily be scouted from river right. Lochsa Falls changes substantially based on river flows. The rapid is a river wide drop with a significant v-wave at most flows. At normal flows, the right line is the standard run. This involves hitting the right side of the v-wave, which means hitting it with a ton of momentum going right to left and teeing up to it as it is a lateral wave.
At high flows, starting around 16,000 CFS, a left line opens up in addition to the standard right line. This is known as Satan’s Gut.