West Fork Hood

Photo: Rob Cruser





Beta

Iv'e never run the WF Hood at anything but low flows, so I will direct you here for better information on healthy flows.

Stream:    I like putting in at Lolo Pass, but many people choose to put in at the Lake Branch confluence to avoid running or portaging a class V upstream.

The section from Lolo Pass to the standard put in is class III-IV with some fun bedrock rapids and one class V-ish bouldery rapid in a small gorge.  This one has a semi-strenuous portage high on the left if needed, or I have done a partial portage on the right at low water and paddled the rest of the rapid on the right.

The run below the Lake Branch weaves in and out of gorges with numerous class III-IV rapids.  The most unique hazard is a fish ladder half way through the run.  This has been run, but it is highly recommended that you make the easy portage on the left.  Rumor is there used to be a ten foot waterfall here before the fish ladder was created.

The biggest boulder garden of the run is just down stream and can be boat scouted or shore scouted on the right.  Rapids continue down to the take out bridge, some portions being more interesting than others.  Either take out on the right and hike up to your vehicles below the bridge or check out Punchbowl Falls just downstream, which is a powerful ten foot plunge usually boofed on the left.

Nick going center at a low flow.

And a video

  

Punchbowl is a straight forward move, but missing the line can result in serious downtime.

 If you run Punchbowl continue down to the confluence of the EF Hood.  Take out on the gravel bar on the right and walk the steep-ish trail up to the decommissioned road and back to your vehicle.

Flows:  The run can be done as low as 300 cfs on the WF gauge, but people generally shoot for 500 cfs and up.  700 cfs is medium.

If you are using the Tucker Gage 5-6 feet is medium, 7' is still not high.  4.5 is low but still fun. 

Iv'e been down with my dad as low as 3.5' a couple times, most people would not like the run at that flow.  The lower the flow, the more inviting Punchbowl is.

Access:  Take Hwy 281 out of Hood River to the town of Dee.  A bridge crosses the stream in what used to be the middle of a town.  Cross this bridge and turn right on Punchbowl Rd.  Follow this road until it crosses a bridge.  Backtrack 100 feet and you will find a gravel parking area that is the take out (downstream of the bridge).  Some people may wish to spot their take out from the bridge or by walking down the road past the gate.

Amercian Whitewater has done good work for this location, in the future the take out may be improved and more obvious to spot.

The put in is accessed by returning towards Dee, but instead of crossing the bridge continue straight on Lost lake Rd.  Following it through farmland and then paralleling the WF Hood 5.4 miles to the standard put in.  For the Lolo Pass put in continue upstream 2.5 more miles, then turn left onto NF-18/Lolo Pass Rd and follow that a short way down to the put in bridge.



Notes:   The Green Point Creek drainage has seen some attention by locals, this stream enters the WF Hood in a gorge in the last 1/3rd of the run.  Here is a trip report from Ryan Scott on the North Fork of that creek.

Eagle Creek; Columbia River Gorge

BETA

Stream:  From the Pool below Twister Falls there is a short section of class III-IV warm up before a scout at the EF of Eagle Creek confluence.  Both the main channel and the EF channel can be run.  Just downstream is Grand Union Falls, a 50-ish foot ramp into freefall ending in a big pool.

Photo: Paul Thomson

2 miles of read and run boulder gardens lead to Skoonichuck Falls (you are getting close when you cross under a foot bridge).  Scout from either side, but left is more common.  This 50-ish foot double is usually run with a delayed boof in the middle for the first their, then wherever the current sends you for the second one.  The top drop can also be run left.  At least one person has ended up behind the veil but this is uncommon.

The pool exiting Skoonichuck is class III-ish but it is imperative that boaters get to the left bank after it ASAP.  The current gets shallow here and funnels into a narrow chute on the right that has a log wedged in it.  Boaters need to get left and go over a shallow slide.

Between here and the High Bridge gorge are three rapids, the first can be scouted from the right.  The second is run off the point just on the left side of the current (45 degree angle to absorb the shelf it lands on), and the third is run along the left bank.

A short and beautiful float through the narrow High Bridge gorge brings you to a tiered rapid best finished on the far right to avoid a hole.  The top tier is odd so take a look from river left.

Photo: Paul Thomson

A mile of read and run brings you to a 10 foot ledge, easily scouted on the right.  Just below here is the entrance to Punchbowl Falls.  There is a shallow class II entry slide, the eddies are small and soft so go one at a time.  

Scout Punchbowl from the left, I like to run the lead-in ledge on the right with a left stroke.  Then for the main drop most people like to drive up onto the boil and hold a right stroke going off.  People used to take a right side meltdown sometimes, but that's not very common anymore.

It's a tricky lip so analyze it thoroughly.  The hit can be hard, but good lines usually result in reasonable impacts.

It's worth spending some time in this punchbowl.  Float around the corner and take out above the next horizon.  If you want to portage Metlako without doing a throw and go, take the spur trail found here back up to the main one and head downstream.  Immediately after passing the second narrow cliff section there will be a way back down to the creek via a scree slope.  There is usually an animal style path helping the cause on the downstream end of this scree slope.  Below here it is class II-III to the take out at the low head dam.

If you are not portaging, scout Lower Punchbowl and run off the center-right flake.

There are two rapids between here and Punchbowl, the first one is run center and is III-IV depending on flows.  The second is a small riverwide ledge.  Run this ledge as far left as you can (even if you have to scrape).  There is a hundred feet of flatwater between here and Metlako.  Scout from the platform on the left.  It is possible to attain back upstream from here at lower flows, but it take some effort.

Here are a variety of Metlako lines, high water means a softer landing but a more hazardous pool (0:55).  The throw and go is intimidating but fine.  Try to land in the boil.  

The pool here is another special place, enjoy it if you have the time.  Easy floating leads to another horizon, it's an easy portage on the left.  Not sure if this ugly drop has been run, probably I'd guess.

Just downstream the creek leaves the gorge and meets up with the portage route.  There is one class III rapid and the rest is class II down to the take out at the low had dam. 

Flows:   Use the Bull Run Nr Multnomah Falls gauge.  400-700 is SOP, but 1,000 cfs is doable.

Access:   Take exit 41 off Hwy 84 East (no access heading West).  Turn right and follow the road to it's end in about 1/2 mile.  Find a parking spot and pay the $5 fee.  Hike up the trail until you reach your put in.   

Hiking distance to put-ins

 

      Full Run (Base of Twister Falls):          5 1/4 miles

         Standard  (Skoonichuck Falls):          3 1/2 miles

Hike and Huck (Puncbowl Falls):          2 miles 

 

More Eagle:  

Winter Sunshine

Rafting Report

Rafting Video

Tubing

Swimming

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Original Write-up
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After running different section of Eagle Creek for years, Matt finally got the ball rolling and convinced us to hike past the conventional Skoonichuck put in, tracing the footsteps of the Preistly brothers, Ryan Scott and their friends to tackle the upper waterfalls.  The link below is to a Canoe & Kayak article about that trip.

http://www.canoekayak.com/photos/eagle-creek/

Paul Thomson Photography

http://www.canoekayak.com/photos/eagle-creek/

After doing this trip, I now consider the true Eagle Creek run to begin at the base of Twister Falls.  Putting in lower is cutting out some good stuff, putting in higher lowers the fun:dealing ratio below the threshold of classic.  That said, all sections are enjoyable days in a kayak, tube, or swimming.  If you want to get vertical, this stream will leave you satisfied.

Rock Creek Recon: C & K version

Photo: Keel Brightman

Ryan and Keel did a good job recounting our foray into the headwaters of Rock Creek in the Columbia Gorge for Canoe and Kayak magazine.  Apparently some of it is in the physical magazine for the June issue as well.

http://www.canoekayak.com/travel/rock-creek-recon/

Is it all just a cheap thrill, or so-called adrenaline rush?  Does it have a deeper purpose and meaning? It feels deeper to me.  It gives me something to dream about when I'm stuck in the mundane moments of life.  Something to remember that took everything I had in me to accomplish.  A rich sense of camaraderie and friendship that lasts a lifetime.  This time we experienced it on Upper Rock Creek.

   ~Keel Brightman



Blog write up of the trip here.

Little White Salmon River

Photo: Matt King


BETA

Stream: One of, if not the, quintessential class V backyard run in the world.  It can be paddled 365 days a year (about half those days is it flowing at it's prime), and has non-stop action the whole way with easy access and proximity to Hood River and Portland.

Most people's first trip down consists of following a guide down, if levels are below 3' you can figure it out yourself without undue consternation.  People building their skill set often ask how they know they are ready to run the Little White their first time.  The closest I can get to an answer is this:  When your boat does whatever you want it to, whenever you want it to, you are ready.  Another way of putting it is; you will know when you are ready.

The following beta relates to flows between 2.5'-3.5', the most common level for people who are stepping up to the Little White.  It gets run much higher, and the river does increase notably in difficulty. It also gets run down to about 1', but it's a different river at those levels.

The run starts with 1/4 mile of warm up before reaching Gettin' Busy, marked as of the last decade by a log jam that needs to be portaged left.  Gettin' Busy is a half mile long boulder garden.  This rapid is fast paced and many a first timer has exclaimed how surprised they are to be out of breath!  Kayaking is not often this cardiovascular.  The more you run the Little White, the more you learn to use the water instead of fight it.  While things come at you fast, typically the line is where the current is.  

Gettin' Busy ends in exceptional form at Boulder Sluice, one of the best drops on the run.  This 8' boof should be run off the peak of the launch pad at the lip or just to the left of it.  The first couple times I ran it my peripheral sensors were concerned I would hit the rock it the landing, but it's never happened to me.  While some people splat the rock, it is rare for someone in a creek boat to even touch it, let alone land or piton on it.

Boulder Sluice

                                                                                        Photo: Matt King

Downstream is some easier boogie before the river spreads out at Eye of the Needle, and stays that way to Island.  If you are showing yourself down this section is worth scouting, if you are following someone there is no need to have this part memorized.

At the Island, be ready to check out the rapid called Island.  Some years the rapid can be snuck to the right of island, but I have found it easier to portage left than bother with that.  The main line down the middle probably causes more problems for experienced Little White boaters than any other rapid on the run, but the consequences are justified towards pain over hypoxia relative to other rapids on the run.

Downstream the boulders start to give way to ledges, the first few are read and run, eventually leading to Sacriledge.  Sacriledge is to be taken seriously, this story is not the only close call that cave has produced.  Tentative first timers should run far left, nose pointed downstream.  As you get more comfortable, a fun boof option in the middle may be more appealing.

Sacriledge

 Nate Merrill

Photo: Matt King

A short bit of boogie leads to Double Drop, which can be scouted right if you are boating cautiously.  Beware sticky holes in the center of both ledges.  

Just downstream is one of the few inconsequential and named rapids on the Little White, Typewriter.  Drive center to right, a hydraulic breaking right to left at the bottom can take you for a fun ride (it doesn't hold boaters).

Some bouldery rapids continue downstream, leading to another island at Enchanted Forest.  Left of the island is a series of low angle slides (but has wood as of 2017), right is a bouldery rapid that can be read and run.

When the currents converge at the end of Enchanted Forest, get ready to eddy out and scout S-Turn in less than 100 yards.  This 10' waterfall offers a fun boof at the top, but demands much respect.  The second ledge is tricky, and the run out feeds under the downstream wall, there has been a fatality here.  Boaters often choose to run right-right to remove the thread of the cave.  


                Anna Herring taking the right-right line, this photo is taken from the roof of the cave.

Photo: Matt King

More read and run continue, the next named rapid is Backender.  This rapid has two short ledges, back to back.  The second one can flip boaters end over end, but is not sticky.

Some more boogie leads to Bowey's Hotel, where a busy lead in ends in a riverwide ledge.  The left side is sticky, the right side is easy.  If you are not following someone, and flows are low you can scout this one from the left.  You know you are there when there is yet another island, with a log extending into the right channel (circa 2018).

The next rapid downstream is Wishbone, a 20' waterfall.  If levels are 2.5' or above, the easiest line is about 6" off the left bank at the lip. If it is below 2.5' you will have to go center, but at those flows you can scout from the left just below Bowey's.  Or go center at any level if you want to feel the force of the Little White.  The right channel has been run, but it is not common.


                                                Lucas Glick, feeling the power.

Photo: Matt King

There is a big pool below Wishbone, the water exits into The Gorge/AKA The Squeezes.  This is worth a look from the left bank your first time down, if you look close you can see the horizon at Horseshoe downstream, the most common spot to cause trouble for boaters stepping up to the Little White. 

The Gorge can be entered right or left, then there are two holes to punch, center or center-left is where both flush best.  In the squirrelly water downstream, you must set up for Horseshoe.  Horseshoe should be run far right, but don't drive right too early.  If you go over in the right spot (the right side) with a strong right stroke the hydraulic is not hard to clear, if you do anything else, it is hard to clear.  This is a good place to be bold, and paddle aggressively.


Beatdown on the Little White Salmon from Nate Pfeifer on Vimeo.



The next horizon line is Stovepipe, scout and portage left or right (left is less hassle if you portage).  There are two lines at medium flow, right or main.  The main line is clean down to about 2.7' when it starts landing on a shelf/pothole.  The right side offers a great boof at the top, with a run-out.  The right side closes off/dries out around 2.5'.

One short and easy rapid leads to Contemplation Canyon, a short section of flat water during which the upcoming Spirit Falls is often contemplated.  More class III-IV boogie continues until the river bends right and over Spirit Falls around a semi-blind turn.  If levels are around 3' or less I like scouting/portaging left, but as levels rise a log jam downstream of the launch point can get hard to avoid for portagers.

The walk on the right side is starting to experience erosion with the influx of boaters running the Little White, and people hiking into Spirit for photos in recent years.

There have even been a handful of raft descents of Spirit Falls, Iv'e only heard of one where both paddlers stayed in the boat.  

Photo: Paul Thomson

Spirit Falls is a powerful drop and should be taken seriously.  It can hand out scary beat-downs, and has broken more backs than any other waterfall I am aware of.  Then just below is Chaos, a powerful ledge that has also handed out a lot of beat-downs.  Despite the hazards, Spirit Falls is an attention-grabbing, aesthetic drop that is as culturally significant to kayakers as it gets.  If you could plant the feeling of your first time in the pool below Spirit to a non-kayaker, for many boaters it would be as close as it gets to answering the question "why do you kayak?".  This drop fully lives up to it's reputation and deserves all the attention it gets, truly a contender for one of the more special places a kayaker can visit along the beaten path. That said, while many young kayakers run Spirit every lap (and sometimes more), it's also a drop that many "experienced" kayakers portage most of the time.  One of your runs over Spirit is going to be your last one, don't make it the one that compromises your back.    Scout, set safety, make good decisions.  For the easiest way to set safety at Chaos, portage right, the trail returns to the river just below Chaos.

                                          The right side of Chaos used to be considered extremely dangerous and paddlers tried to make a move to the left channel.  A transition of perspective occurred in the 20-teens and nowadays it's nearly 50/50 (and increasing yearly) that people go for the right side line.  Safety can be set by portagers or probers on the right from where this photo is taken.

Right line at Chaos

Photo: Matt King

Downstream are two channels, the left one ends in a log jam that has taken a life.  The right channel is easy.

Some class IV leads to the gauge (on the left in a pool) and Master Blaster.  Master Blaster is typically run left through some hydraulics, the last one can mess with you.  There are some other lines center and right, the rapid can be scouted right.

Master Blaster is the end of the class V, and it's now acceptable to let your guard down a bit.  Everything except the dams is read and run class II-III with some fun eddies to catch.  There are three low head dams, if you go off the top of them pointed straight downstream you may piton, if you are not pointed downstream when you land the hydraulic may hold you.  The higher the level, the stickier the holes at the base.  If you have made it this far, you will have no trouble sorting them out.

Landing off the last dam, you will find yourself in Drano Reservoir and it's really time to celebrate!  It's about 300 yards of flat water down to where the cars are parked.





  
Flows:  There is not an online gauge, but if you are on Facebook you can get a pretty good idea what is going on out there.  It can be run nearly every day of the year, but the majority of first time runs are done in April/May.

There is a gauge of the staff variety.  The friendliest first time flows are 3.0-3.5'.  A half foot in either direction of that is still in, and an additional half a foot past that is getting into the extreme's of what your typical boater will enjoy.  Yet another half foot beyond that in either direction and it's really not the Little White as the general kayaker population understands it anymore, but something else.

The definitive gauge is near the end of the run, just above Master Blaster on the left.  There is also a correlation gauge at the top of the run that is close to correct, enough so that you can at least have an idea of what you are getting into for the day.

The Little White is usually at the good first time flows of 3.0-3.5' in April/May.   By August, it is usually class IV.  The guys pushing the upper limits run it after heavy rains in the Winter and Spring.

Below are some videos from various flows.

At about 1.5'

Low Water Little White from Rogue Specimens on Vimeo.

At about 3'

Little white salmon from Difficult E on Vimeo.

At 5.4'

Access:  Bring some dollar bills for the bridge crossings.

The take out is just outside the gates for the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery (45.718726, -121.646259)

To get to the put in return to highway 14 and turn right (west).   0.6 miles later turn right onto Cook-Underwood Rd.  6.6 miles later you will cross over the bridge at the put in (45.779941, -121.628540).

One last video from Taylor Hazen.   It could be said the epicenter for the bro-brah culture in kayaking is Hood River and even more specifically the Little White Salmon River.  The humorous intro to this video nods to that.




Enjoy

White Salmon: Lower sections (Below Husum)

Richie Slocum gives Rattlesnake a go

BETA

Stream: 

Lower White Salmon

 This run starts out in the town of Husum, and can begin either above or below Husum Falls.  Below the two bridges in town is a flat pool where those not interested in the waterfall can put in.  Immediately downstream is Rattlesnake, the first and most notable rapid on the Lower section.  Below Rattlesnake are a string of nice rapids of the class II-II+ variety before things off for awhile, keep an eye out for a castle-esque building on river left.  There is also a nice surf wave called the Cave Wave that is green, extremely friendly and with eddy access.  This also makes a nice spot for a lunch break.  Things ease off below here and gravels bars continue through the area where the old reservoir used to be, with houses t bank.  A bridge here marks the optional take out for those just running the Lower section.

Anna Herring and Priscilla Macy take a dynamic duo down Husum Falls.

Lower, Lower aka Bottom White Salmon

I have only continued downstream of the bridge in Husum in the Summer, so this description is for flows under 3'.  I have heard the area around Steelhead Falls becomes challenging to negotiate as the flows increase, but am not familiar enough with those flows to give useful insight over 3'.  

Downstream of the bridge, rapids are fairly continuous class II+ and maybe some areas that dictate class III skills.  The stream moves along through the portion of the stream that used to be underNorthwestern Lake Reservoir.  The rapids stay pretty easy as conglomerate walls start to rise up on either side as the stream approaches the historic Condit Dam site.  Below here the scenic value goes up quite a bit.

Before they removed the dam.

Photo: Shane Conrad

Scenic floating and rapids of a similar difficulty, but different style than those found above the dam continue for awhile, ending in the crux of the run.  The crux can be a bit challenging to describe, but if you are not with people who know the run you can still figure it out.  The crux move is catching an eddy above Steelhead on the left.  Just above this eddy the river makes a sharp turn to the left, then quickly a sharp turn back to the right and enters what is the largest rapid below where the dam used to be thus far (class III), downstream the canyon walls are tall and before the river settles down it turns to the left and out of site.  It is important your first time down not to go around this corner, and error on the side of eddying out too early as the closer you get to this corner the smaller and more challenging the eddies are to catch.

After beaching on the left, walk down the bank to take a scout of Steelhead.  If flows are not low, you may be wading through the river, ropes have been installed to help with this.  Steelhead is about a 5' pour-over ledge into a sticky hole, and is a large step up from the rest of the run.  It has been run successfully numerous times both left and right, avoid the middle.  As levels increase, so does the challenge and consequence of this rapid.  I have not done this section above 3', but hear as the water increases, this area gets challenging to navigate both for people running the rapid and those wishing to portage.

The stretch just below Steelhead is beautiful.

750 cfs on the Underwood gauge, a great flow for the Bottom White Salmon.

Sept 24, 2017

Paddler:  Nick Hymel                                          Photo: Priscilla Macy

More class II and one stretch that could be deemed class III continue downstream until the river becomes backed up by the Columbia.  If you are coming from upstream it can be satisfying to paddle under the bridge and into the Columbia before returning to the take out.


Flows:  There is a foot gauge in Husum, monitored by a local who reports regularly to This Facebook Page.  And this online remote camera of the gauge. The lower sections never get too low, but above 3' caution is urged around Steelhead for class III-IV boaters.  For these lower sections, the online White Salmon @ Underwood works.  750 was a padded level, and while catching the eddy above the Narrows required attention it was not stressful.  

Access:  Take out on river left at the mouth of the White Salmon River at the intersection of Hwy 141 and Hwy 14.  
An access point between the Lower and Lower, Lower/Bottom exists.  To get there turn left 4.1 miles upstream of Hwy 14 onto Northwestern Lake Rd, drive down and cross the bridge.  Then turn left into the park.


The put in is 6.4 miles upstream of Hwy 14 in Husum (or 2.2 miles upstream of the Northwestern Lake Rd/Hwy 141 intersection) along Hwy 141, where parking is abundant.

 Access:  Before the dam was removed, Steelhead at the de-watered flow was 5-10' tall and a nice vertical boof.   A couple hundred yards downstream a logjam full of trash stretched wall to wall, the portage was done by walking straight over the wood and said trash.  Downstream another 1/4 mile was a powerhouse that returned much of the diverted water to the stream.  From a couple hundred cfs to 1,000 or more the stream would go in an instant.  Downstream were a couple fun rapids, the last of which was what some considered the best rapid downstream of BZ corner.  It was a series of pushy hydraulics and waves, class III+ in nature.  When the dam was breached, the surge of water deposited a lot of sediment in the location of this rapid and it no longer exists, a small price to pay for a free-flowing White Salmon.

White Salmon: Middle

BETA

Stream: The Middle White Salmon is a fantastic resource near Hood River.  The river is consistently class III-III+ and consistently flowing - it is never too low to run.  At the beginning and end of the run are two rapids that are more challenging than the rest, if they are not to your liking you can put in below the first and take out above the other.


A day on the Middle White Salmon starts with a pleasant walk down a nice trail with built in rails for sliding your boat down, talk about convenience!  Near the bottom the rails bend right, while a less used trail goes left.  Going left gives you the option to put in above the class IV Maytag rapid, right leads to the option to put in part way down or below that rapid.  Maytag is easy to scout.

Watch for a cave along the right wall early on in the run, after a short bit of warm below Maytag.  At the cave rapid, paddling left of it is easy but necessary.  Once past that cave the rest of the river is read and run class III.  Everything aside from that cave rapid can be run where the water is going, a handful of the rapids stand out as more exciting than the rest but never really reach class IV until Husum.

Husum is recognized by a long flat straight-away, and a sign warning of the falls.  Most people scout this drop at the beginning of the day when running shuttle, but it can be conveniently scouted from the left and only slightly less conveniently by stopping well upstream of the falls on river right and taking another look from the Hwy bridge overlooking the drop.

Photo: Priscilla Macy                    Paddler: Alex Hymel

 

All the channels and all the lines have been run successfully, the middle channel is most common.  Over the years the hole has gotten a bit hungrier, and as flows rise over 3' it's not necessarily the friendly waterfall it is at the end of summer.  Scout and make the decision that is right for you.
  
Flows:  There is a foot gauge in Husum, monitored by a local who reports regularly to This Facebook Page.  And this online remote camera of the gauge.  Summer flows are between 1.5'-3.5'.  In the summer  you can ballpark flows by dividing the White Salmon @ Underwood gauge by 400 to get the level on the stick.  

This section never gets too low to have a good time on, for class III boaters ready to take the next step it is reasonable to follow someone down below 3'.  On the other end of the spectrum, if you are showing yourself down for the first time this is a reasonable rule of thumb: Over 4' be a class IV boater.  Over 5' be a class IV-V boater.  This run can handle plenty of water without getting to class V.  Husum is friendliest under 2.5'

Access:  Take out in the town of Husum, WA.  Parking is available across the street from Wet Planet Rafting.  It's worth taking a quick peak at Husum Falls from the Hwy 141 bridge in town at this point.

The put in is 4 miles upstream/North along Hwy 141 at the BZ Corner Launch Site.  Remember to take the 2 minutes to fill out your trip information at the kiosk.

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Notes
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I have found myself running the Middle White Salmon after a day on the Green Truss.  Or as a start to a trip ending on the Columbia.  Or when it is flowing in the 4-5' range, when it becomes fast flowing class III-IV wave trains with some fun features.  Or later in the summer on a lazy day, when there isn't water elsewhere.  Or when showing a newer boater down.  Husum Falls was also the first waterfall I (and many others) ever ran. The point is this is a versatile run and a resource PNW paddlers are happy to have.

Maytag @ 6'

Photo: Kory Kellum

Story:  Two of my cousins (Mitch and Braden), had been asking me to take them kayaking.  One summer things lined up, so Priscilla and I put them in duckies and took them to the Middle White Salmon.  They are of the athletic type and did well, I think they both made it through Top Drop and they stayed in their boats through all the rapids.  We spent time in the cave and ate lunch at a spot on river right I hadn't stopped at before.

When we got to Husum, I figured they would look at for awhile and we would call it a day and head for dinner.  They started asking how to run it and it became obvious they were considering it seriously.  I didn't think I was going to be able to describe to them well enough how to boof, so gave them the most useful information I could.  I told them to take a big stroke at the lip, but more importantly a big breath, and informed them it would be chaotic but the falls would let them go and they would pop up into the pool about 10 seconds later.
To my surprise this didn't deter them and off we went, both of them having predictably chaotic, but safe swims.  Popping up with smiles, we collected all the gear save one paddle and headed back towards Portland.

Husum has proven many times to be a good place (at low flows) to paddle above your comfort level and learn the power of the river in a relatively safe environment.  Yet it gets pretty serious as levels start to rise.

A personal note: I have swam out of Husum paddling a raft, hardshell and inflatable kayak.

Trouble at the Alter

The Little White Salmon River, with it's legendary status and easy logistics holds a special form of respect in the PNW.  Many paddlers aspire to one day travel this special waterway.  The crown jewell of this run, Spirit Falls may hold even more allure than the run itself.   Some paddlers run the Little White many times before finally finding themselves in the pool below this falls.  With a number of pro paddlers moving to Hood River specifically to run this river (for which most probably don't even have the word portage cross there minds on this river at normal flows) and the saturation of media from the canyon there has been a loss of mystique regarding this stream for kayakers.

With the recent resurgence of the rafting community however, this river and waterfall have become a true proving ground for the best in the business.  Only a few years ago I witnessed more than once, and heard many more accounts from kayakers telling Dan it was a terrible idea to take a raft down this river.  He took no heed and today has logged over 50 successful runs down this stream.  There are many other rafters who also run this stream now, with many having logged in the double digits.

However, Spirit has posed a problem for rafts in the past. With a handful of descents, only one attempt was successful.  Most resulted in lots of pain, followed by some downtime.  Dave Saquety and Doc Loomis reported taking the hit of a lifetime on the earliest attempt of this drop.  This low success rate keeps many rafters away, but also creates a draw for the daring to attempt following the few that went before them into one of the most special pools in the PNW for whitewater boaters.

Josh Sheldon is one such boater who wanted his own Spiritual experience on the Little White.   The following account is from Brandon Bloomquist, who was on the trip where Josh took the risks involved with reaching the sacred pool.  Not all went to plan, take what you will from this account.

  -jacob

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Sunday was a fantastic day on the Little White, at least once things got organized.  Nice weather made the three hours we were waiting for the final member of our party to show up more bearable.  We finally got on the stream a little after 1:00.  Jacob, Brandon Lake and I put on a little earlier than the raft and we all had nice lines through Gettin’ Busy.  There was a quick scout of Boulder Sluice, and I followed the green tongue in front of me to a porn star finish. 

Brandon ran Island, with a degree of success.  He made it halfway down when he pitoned the nose, which spun him into a tail piton.  He rolled quickly and we kept moving downstream.  Sacriledge and Double Drop were awesome.  I walked S-Turn and had a creative line over wishbone where I didn’t get square to the drop until I was 5’ from the lip.  It wasn’t good, but it worked out.  After watching the raft get hung up sideways on every rock and hole in the gorge, I was happy to see them catch the eddy on right below Horseshoe, which cleared us to follow into the gorge through which I was happy to have a stylish run.   I haven’t run the right side of Stovepipe before, but, wow, that’s a cool rapid. 

We got to Spirit at 4:00 with the sun shining.  We knew the rafters were going to take their time to consider the drop, so we broke out a lunch of smoked oysters, salami, cheese, crackers and snickers right at the lip.  We wave to the gathered crowd of about eight who hiked in from milepost 2, including Paul Thompson, Josh’s Mom and the Manimal, Trevor Sheehan.  

I turned to Jacob at one point and said “this feels civilized.”  I gave Spirit a lot of thought, but decided that I can’t afford an injury right now and told the boys I’d be at Chaos for them.  I was able to lower my boat into the Chaos eddy, where I delicately got in, then ran the ledge to the left of Chaos straight into the proper eddy. 

By this point in the day, I was feeling like the river was actively helping me be a better boater. 

When I got into position, I was surprised to see Jacob standing on the rock on river right in the pool (The Alter as some have called it).  He’d already styled the big drop thinking I was positioned at Chaos.  We were glad it worked out well, because I was a few minutes late.  Jacob practiced his throws, both into the boil and into the current past him.  I uncoiled my ropes a little in my defensive position slightly below Chaos and we wait. 

Jacob approaches the pool.

photo Paul Thomson

At 4:51, Brandon signals from the lip that the rafters are paddling.  Dan was on the right, Josh on the left.  They look good coming over at the lip.  One second and twenty-five later, the over-rotation was obvious.  They hit, the boat just went deep, then rebounded straight up with the paddlers still in.  Their weight pulls the boat down on top of them.  Dan and the raft are kicked out to the eddy on the right.  Josh goes deep in the boil and surfaces behind the curtain.  We don’t know it yet, but he didn’t square up his feet on the front thwart at the landing, and severely rolled his ankle (crutches for two weeks). 

Even seemingly good lines don't always work out.

As a recap, we have Brandon at the top, John the Grizzly on the left, Jacob on The Alter and me at Chaos with Josh’s Mom freaking out at the viewing area.  

The folks up top can see Josh moving around behind the curtain, but I can’t.  All I know is that they aren’t panicking, so I’m just staying put.  In any case, I can’t leave my station in case one of them comes around the corner.  Brandon tries to throw his rope gamely over the lip, but because of the undercut, it wasn’t going to work.  John tries to throw through the column of water from the right, but is rejected.  Jacob gets in his boat to paddle over to Dan, and they get the boat flipped over.  Jake gets back in his kayak and paddles over to river left, just below the left side of the falls.  There is an eddy there, where he gets out, then throws a rope to Dan and pulls him across.  It is already 5:15.  Jake has Brandon come to above him to lower a line with the intent of pulling them up the convergence zone and then into the undercut area.  They clip the line onto the raft, have Brandon walk back upstream on the cliff and start paddling, but the rope gets snagged in two places on the cliff.  I’m the only one who can see both halves of what’s happening.

At 5:30, they give up on this approach and move to simply paddling upstream directly.  Dan decides to first pump up the thwart and adjust it back to paddling position.  15 minutes later they make their first attempt and only get to the nub that sticks out on the right, and Dan is getting pounded by the waterfall landing on him.  They are within ten feet of the point where the current flows into the wall, but just can’t do it.  Over the next fifteen minutes, they try four more times and are rejected each time. 

I can’t see it from my post, but John managed to get a rope to Josh behind the veil.  He attempts to pull him up, but can’t.  Josh can’t climb, either, with a bum foot and an overhung wall.  He eventually cuts himself off the rope, landing on the bad foot, making things worse.  He’s getting cold, too, with the constant mist.  It’s been almost an hour.  Jacob switches boats and paddles his kayak through the veil, only to realize there is a secondary room and he cannot contact Josh from this lower room.  He paddles back out through the veil and down to Dan to further discuss. 

At 5:45, Jacob gets back into his boat, to the massive disdain of Dan.  For the first time, I can hear him through the roar.  Jake comes back to the river right eddy to study the situation, then gets in the current to catch the left eddy above Chaos.  He misses, but knows it and turns to face the challenge directly.  I’m relieved to see him simply style it and carry on to get out at the left, where we normally put in after the portage.  He runs up to where Brandon is, where they confer.  They pass a single line down to Dan again, but I know this won’t work.  I frantically motion to Jake and Brandon to clip the lines together.  They do, and start walking.  I blow a short whistle to stop them.  I get Jake to stay put, holding tension on the line, while Brandon walks around the curve of the falls to where we had lunch.  This keeps the line from snagging on the left wall. 

It’s 6:00 by the time that Jake walks to meet Brandon at the top, then with Dan in the raft.  The boys at the top start pulling, with Dan simply highsiding to keep the boat upright .  They are able to pull the raft straight in to meet Josh.  I can’t see this for a long time, as there was mist from both sides of the falls jetting across my view.  Eventually I see a second piece of red clothing, and from the positions infer that it has to be Josh.  Then things get weird, and I see Dan break out the K-pump.  It turns out that they’d deflated the raft a little for the drop in an effort to make it taco on landing, but it is just confusing from my post.  I’m starting to dance to stay warm, and I haven’t been getting blasted by mist. 

Finally, at 6:15, with the left falls pouring on them, I see the raft emerge with two paddlers.  We all cheer, but they are just ten seconds from Chaos.  Dan knows it, and is shouting at Josh, but Josh is so cold that he can’t paddle well.  I see the look of a shelled soldier on his face.  The boat keeps turning to the right with Dan’s power.  They drooooop over the main drop at Chaos.  Josh falls out of the boat, right into the main pourover and loses his paddle.  I’m ready to hit him with a rope, but he grabs the chicken line.  He stays there for a few seconds, yelling at Dan that he can’t get back in.  The fear reaches through the air.  Dan hesitates, as he’s keeping the raft from flipping in Chaos, but pulls Josh back into the boat.  After a few more rounds while Josh retrieves another paddle, they are able to carry on downstream.  I watch the paddle make rounds in the hole for another two minutes before it finally spits out.  When I get back to my boat, it was waiting for me in that eddy. 

We run Master Blaster blind and catch up with the raft below the hatchery.  We drink beers on the float to the take out, where we carry Josh up the hill to the road and analyze how we can deal with situations like this more efficiently in the future.  

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Brandon Bloomquist