How to Float the Clackamas River - Barton to Carver

Floating from Barton to Carver down the Clackamas River in Oregon can seem a bit overwhelming if you haven't done it before. If you're like me, you like to be fully prepared for a new adventure. Here is my floating advice to help put your worries at ease.

• The float is about 6 miles long from Barton Park to Carver Park on the Clackamas River
• Depending on how fast you go & how much you stop, the float takes roughly 3-5 hours

• If you wish to float even longer, start up stream at Mciver park then join up with the rest of your friends when you float past Barton Park.
• There are very small rapids (class 2 are the biggest there, which are fun but not scary)
• The water can be chilly, but definitely very swimmable and refreshing on hot summer days.
• There are public bathrooms at each park, but none along the way.
• There are plenty of places to get out and eat or swim.

Get There Early

My first floating tip is to make sure you get there early. This float takes roughly 3-5 hours, but that depends completely on how fast you want to go, and how often you stop to get out and eat or swim. Some of the water moves kind of fast but there are long stretches of the river that are very slow and you can either paddle through or let it slowly take you down. I wouldn't get there later than about 2pm. The earlier you get to Barton, the better. Another reason to get there early is because on a hot weekend day, parking fills up extremely fast. Barton Park has a huge parking area ($5 for an all day pass) but by about 12pm on a hot weekend day it will fill up and you'll be forced to make the long hike carrying your rafts from one of the nearby streets. Pro Tip: Don't forget sunscreen!

Get The Right Floaties

Making sure you get the right raft(s) to float on is extremely important. You're going to be in your flotation device for about 3-5 hours, sometimes longer, so make sure it's comfortable. My favorite thing to float on is a full raft with seats or a nice inter-tube with a back rest. A full sized river raft can also hold your cooler, dry bags, paddles, and water bottles. I've floated the river in a plain inter-tube before, and not only is it uncomfortable, but I personally like the option to be up and out of the water at times, which you cannot do in a simple inter-tube. I also recommend bringing some paddles for your raft because some of the rapids can be a bit strong. Paddles are essential to steer yourself down the river and they also give you the option of paddling yourself through some of the slower areas if you're feeling hasty. Another reason I recommend a nice raft is because many parts of the river are a bit rocky. As in, you will actually hit on your butt with rocks if you're not up high enough. Trust me, this is not fun.
Pro tip: Get one of those electric inflation devices to blow up your rafts. There are many affordable ones available today that easily hook into your car's cigarette lighter. This will save you an insane amount of time as well as a headache from trying to blow up your raft.

Bring Water & Food

Floating is usually an all-day event and at some point you're going to get hungry. It's key to have some snacks with you and I highly recommend packing a nice lunch. There are plenty of places for you and your friends to stop and get out to have lunch. We usually pack a few sandwiches and throw them into our cooler for the float along with some drinks and other snacks.

Bring plenty of water. Being in the sun all day can easily dehydrate you. Fill that Hydro flask up with some ice water and drink it throughout the day. Good friends make sure their friends are hydrated! Alcohol + sun can easily lead to head exhaustion which could turn deadly on the river.

Rule #1 of river food and drink: DO NOT LITTER. Bring a plastic bag for everyone to throw their trash in. There are plenty of trash cans at the end of the float. Please help keep the river and wildlife clean for all to enjoy.

Bring Two Cars

Unless you plan on hitchhiking your way back up to your car, you'll need to have a second car waiting at the bottom of the river to drive you back up to your other one. So whoever you're going with, two of you will have to drive. Park one car at Carver Park then drive everyone back up to Barton Park. Keep in mind that parking is usually about $5 at both parks for an all day pass. Though the float takes roughly 3-5 hours, it's only about a 10 min drive between parks.

Dry Bag & Rope

Getting yourself a nice Dry Bag will save you a lot of trouble. You're probably going to want to bring your phone, your camera, your keys and probably some other valuables with you down the river but you don't want them to get wet or even fall in. Invest in a nice dry bag, they're not too expensive on Amazon, and just shove it all in there. Having a dry bag will also make you very popular among your friends for giving them a place to keep their phones. 

I also recommend bringing a some rope! Polypropylene rope is inexpensive and floats. Rope is super useful for tying your rafts together. Pick up a couple of large carabiners while you're at it to easily hook items onto your rafts. I like hooking my Crocs and water bottle to the raft to ensure they won't float away.

Follow The Law & Be Respectful

While drinking alcoholic beverages on the river is technically prohibited, most people do it anyway. If you do plan on drinking, make sure you are safe and respectful to those around you on the river. Remember that you, or someone in your party, will have to drive at the end. There have been many alcohol-related accidents and even deaths on this river, so be safe. Once again, please make sure not to litter your cans or bottles. There are also life jacket laws. I've never actually been checked, but if you're floating in a raft it's a good idea to have a life jacket for everyone on board as well as a safety whistle. 

Know that there are plenty of loud drunk people floating down this river. If you plan on bringing kids, just take note that this river can turn into a giant party river on weekends and may be more dangerous or inappropriate for kids. I would recommend going mid-week if you plan on making this a trip for the whole family.

How To Buy Baby Chicks For Your Backyard

For The First Time!

So, you're planning on possibly bringing home some baby chicks? They're certainly cute, aren't they? They're also fun as well, and they can provide you with eggs for many years. (Or meat, for those who are interested in that.) However, before you set out to bring home your new baby girls, there are a few things to consider.

Plan Ahead

First, make sure you and whoever is in your home approves of having chickens. Although you may think you can raise them on your own, having help and support will mean a lot. Make sure any other animals you have will be alright with them as well.

Next, look into the legalities of having backyard chickens in your neighborhood. Backyard chicken laws are different all over the world, and will differ even from county to county. Make sure you only own the legal limit of chickens for your yard. (Or make sure you have cool neighbors that don't mind you having a few extra hens, I recommend bribery by way of fresh eggs.) Just make sure you have no fewer than 3 chickens at the bare minimum; chickens need a flock to thrive.

Chicks are also a great form a cat entertainment

Also make sure you have the time to commit to raising and owning chickens. Backyard chickens live an average of 8-10 years, but some can live up to 20 years! Owning chickens isn't too different from owning dogs or cats, time wise. Also raising chicks from babies is a lot of extra time and work. You have to clean their cage, change their food and water, and tend to them often many times a day. If that's too much work for you, you may want to consider buying an older chicken around 1 year or so. Older chickens cost more up front, but in my opinion, end up being cheaper with all the money your saving by not raising them.

If you find yourself interested in purchasing an older hen, you may want to check your local farm or feed store for them, or there's always Craigslist.

Prepare A Space

Now that you've decided you're going to purchase these little chicks, you're going to need a space to keep them. There are a many of different options, and I've tried a few of them. My top recommendation would be a large bird cage. The first baby chicks we brought home, we raised them in a large storage bin. This ended up being problematic because when the chicks get to a certain age, they can fly right out of it. A large bird cage will keep them where you want. Also, birdcages are usually very adaptable. They are easy to hang a heat lamp from, and convenient to push a branch through to make your chicks a perch; which they will need!

These girls outgrew their box!

Also decide where you will keep them. We kept our babies in our office, where they were easily accessible. Unless you live somewhere very warm, I highly recommend keeping them inside, or at least in the garage. Baby chicks can be very fickle, and can die from getting too cold. Just make sure that wherever you choose to raise them, you don't mind getting dusty because there will be dust all over the room when you're done raising them.

Purchase The Necessities

After you've decided on a spot to raise your chicks and have cleared it all out, you will need to purchase the right tools to raise them. First you'll need a heat lamp, which needs to be a red light so that it won't keep the chicks awake at night. A regular light has been known to cause the chicks stress and keep them awake. (And stressed chicks are never fun, in any aspect of life!) Next you will need food. A nice organic and GMO free starter feed bag isn't usually too expensive at the feed store, and is what I personally recommend. We use Scratch and Peck Feeds. However, if you're not fussy about Organic or GMO free food like we are up here in Portland, any kind of chicken feed will work.

You will also need something to keep the food and water in. Yes, you can get by with using two simple bowls, but you will have to clean them much more often, and they are so easy for your chicks to spill. A small hanging feeder and waterer will help keep your chicks from pooping in them, which they will do, a lot. In the beginning you don't need to hang them, but as your chicks get taller, hanging the food and water it will be essential to keep them clean.

Lastly you'll need to acquire some bedding. We used straw for our baby chicks. One bale of hay will last you forever, and sometimes you can find them for cheap on Craigslist, just make sure it's nice and clean. Some people use pine shavings or even shredded newspaper, but it's a somewhat personal choice. We found straw to be easier to clean, and big enough to stay out of their food and water. Pine shavings are much smaller pieces and can get kicked around more easily.

Pick out the right breed for your needs

Buy the Chicks

Here is the fun part! You've prepared your space and have set up everything you'll need to raise your chicks, and now you get to pick them out. There are two ways to do this: choose the breed(s) you want, and then figure out where they sell them, or find a place that sells chicks and choose a breed you like from there.

Do you want hardy egg laying chickens, do you want a hen for meat, or do you just want the prettiest bird you can find? There are literally hundreds of chicken breeds, and they really do differ quite a bit from each other, so make you you choose the right breed for your family and yard.

You can buy chicks from online, but I've never tried this method, so I can't personally speak to that experience. But having bought ours from a local farm store, I can tell you it was a wonderful experience. And as a true Portlander, I must say that local is always better!

I would recommend finding nearby farm or farm/feed store and buying from them. Make sure they're reputable, and clean. If you walk in and their animals look lethargic, unhealthy, and dirty, this means they're not treating their animals well and the chicks you buy from them can likely get sick and die. When you find a creditable location, go in and ask about the breeds they have and which ones they recommend for you. Pick out the ones you like best and get ready to bring the girls home!

Our baby Buff Orpingtons on their way home

Bring Them Home

Once you have purchased your new baby chickens, get them home as quickly as possible so they can start settling in. When you first introduce them to your new home, you'll need to one-by-one dip each of the chick's beaks into the food and water so they know where they are. This is exactly as adorable as it sounds. But really, this is actually a very necessary step in orienting your babies to their new home. Also make sure your heat lamp is on. Baby chicks prefer temperatures just under 100 degrees, and then slowly cooler as they grow. Place the heat lamp on one side of the cage, and their food and water as far away from it as possible. Baby chicks won't eat food that's too hot, so also make sure to change it frequently.

You'll want to check on them very frequently to make sure everything is running smoothly. Like I said before, baby chicks can actually get sick pretty easily while they're small, so always check for signs of irregularity.

Our first egg!

So that's it! You've successfully purchased baby chicks. You are ready to start raising them. Congratulations on your future as a backyard chicken owner. Before you know it, they'll be laying eggs! Let me know if this helped you out, I'd be happy to write more on the process of raising and owning chickens.

Our flock in their first temporary outside coup!