{"id":14602,"date":"2017-11-09T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2017-11-09T17:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=14602"},"modified":"2017-10-19T10:48:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-19T17:48:18","slug":"paddling-the-box-back-to-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2017\/11\/09\/paddling-the-box-back-to-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Paddling The Box Back-to-Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

The third deepest canyon in the continental United States, the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone is one of the best and most challenging multi-day rivers in the Northwest. Known as \u2018The Box\u2019 for its sheer canyon walls towering on each side of the river, it has an unforgiving nature of difficult whitewater and long portages through trail-less, steep terrain. Only runnable at low flows, the Box is unique because when most other rivers are getting too low, this section is just coming into its prime.<\/p>\n

I had the opportunity to paddle the Box twice this year in back to back descents. The first with Dan McKay and Andrew Gonzales. The second with a group from Bozeman, Montana.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was 16 the first time I dropped into the Box. And five years had already passed since my most recent descent. Dropping into the Box on the first day of my third descent was absolutely incredible. The whitewater began rolling away behind us and by mid-afternoon we were into the first big portage, the Green Giant, and the gateway to the Box. Three miles of flat water and another hefty portage follow the initial one-hour portage before you get into the true start of the canyon. <\/span><\/p>\n