We are officially into the offseason and our rental operations are closed for the year. The river is currently sitting at 4,235 cfs, which is a classic low-water summer level. If it were July, I'd be telling you the sandbars are massive and navigation is a breeze. Since it's late October, the sandbars are still there, but you'll need your own boat and a drysuit to see them.
The forecast shows a bit of an unseasonable warm-up toward the middle of the week with temperatures hitting the low 70s. While that sounds tempting, the water temperature is dropping fast and we aren't sending any more shuttles or boats out until May. If you're heading out on your own, keep an eye on the wind and remember that the river is a lot lonelier this time of year.
Everything is packed up and off the beach. We'll be watching the gauges and the ice through the winter, but for now, the river belongs to the ducks and the locals with their own trailers.