Polebridge To Big Creek
Another class I to II+ section similar to above polebridge. This section is worth floating if you are doing a multi-day trip. There are not a lot of rapids here but plenty of class V scenery. Watch for wood hazards and shallow sections at lower flows. At higher flows expect lots of swift water and very few eddy's.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Flathead, North Fork are between a bare minimum of 1,000cfs and a high of 11,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 12362500, the S F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Polebridge to Big Creek.
Run Stats
| Status | Runnable |
| Class Level | II to III- |
| Elevation | 3,049 ft |
| Run Length | 20.0 Mi |
| Streamflow Discharge | 3020 cfs |
| Gage Height | 6.3 ft |
| Air Temperature | 34° |
| River | Flathead, North Fork |
| Reporting Streamgage |
S F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12362500 |
|
Log jam
Class II to III- |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Swiftcurrent Creek At Many Glacier Mt
USGS 05014500 |
19 cfs | 1.5 ft |
|
Flathead River At Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12363000 |
4,840 cfs | 4.3 ft |
|
Middle Fork Flathead River Nr West Glacier Mt
USGS 12358500 |
800 cfs | 2.1 ft |
|
S F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12362500 |
3,020 cfs | 6.3 ft |
|
Swiftcurrent Cr Ab Swiftcurrent Lk At Many Glacier
USGS 05014300 |
113 cfs | 1.8 ft |
|
N F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12355500 |
1,460 cfs | 2.2 ft |
|
Swan River Near Bigfork Mt
USGS 12370000 |
478 cfs | 2.4 ft |
|
Flathead River Near Bigfork Mt
USGS 12369000 |
4,310 cfs | ft |
|
Flathead River At Flathead British Columbia
USGS 12355000 |
1,350 cfs | 5.1 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Blacktail Mtn
SNOTEL 1144 |
24" | -1" |
|
Many Glacier
SNOTEL 613 |
28" | 0" |
|
Flattop Mtn.
SNOTEL 482 |
82" | 0" |
|
Moss Peak
SNOTEL 646 |
75" | -1" |
|
Noisy Basin
SNOTEL 664 |
74" | 1" |
|
Emery Creek
SNOTEL 469 |
36" | 0" |
|
Hand Creek
SNOTEL 510 |
27" | 0" |
|
Bisson Creek
SNOTEL 346 |
18" | 0" |
|
big mountain summit: whitefish
SNOTEL BIGMS_MADIS |
78" | 1" |
|
Stahl Peak
SNOTEL 787 |
81" | -1" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz Creek - Glacier National Park | None | 3,516 ft | |||
| Moose Lake | 7 | 5,680 ft | |||
| Bowman Lake - Glacier National Park | 50 | 4,065 ft | |||
| Kintla Lake - Glacier National Park | None | 4,027 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Mountain Resort | " | ° | " |
| Whitefish Mountain Resort | 24" | 31° | 0.52" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Creek to Glacier Rim | 3020.0cfs | 8.0 Mi | III- to III |
| Polebridge to Big Creek | 3020.0cfs | 20.0 Mi | II to III- |
| Glacier RIm to Blankenship Bridge and Confluence | 3020.0cfs | 5.0 Mi | II |
| West Glacier to Blankenship Bridge | 4310.0cfs | 5.5 Mi | II+ to III |
| Border to Polebridge | 1350.0cfs | 24.2 Mi | II to II+ |