Four of us ran the North Fork Skykomish today after driving around Jack's Pass. The road is clear and well maintained. Level was 9000 and falling.

The hike in is not bad, particularly if you paddle down farther than we did. We didn't know exactly where Bear Creak Falls was located, so we got out too early. The best place we saw to start the long portage down to Drumbeater and the regular put in is by a huge house rock on river right immediately upstream of a sharp left hand turn. You can probably paddle further down, but the river gorges up pretty past. A longer walk would be easier than hauling boats out.

There's not much wood right now, but is subject to change. The log in Let’s Make a Deal is still there, but there is a good line to the right. I recommend scouting it in any case.

All in all the North Fork Sky isn't worth the trouble. The Canyon is OK, and the section down to El Nino is fun. Farther downstream it turns into braided channels. We may need some more high water events for those channels to deepen and turn into fun rapids again.

We didn't scamper down the bank to look. But what we saw scared us....well, scared me anyway.

Edited by Otter Boy - 09 Nov 2008 at 9:48pm

I know kids swim the bottom drop in the late summer, but it has not been run in a kayak. I would not want to be the first.

Oh....guess Leif and I forgot to mention. The crew left a boat hung up on a log right below Roostertail. We had a swimmer in the canyon and couldn't get it out in time. It's hung up pretty good, but if anyone sees a beat up blue Gus on the Skykomish please ping Leif or me.

Lesson of the day - Don't chase a boat right up to the lip of a ledge drop, especially if you're name is Jeff.

steve munk has run bear creek falls also.

There are a couple of nice photos on the waterfallsnw website. Nasty looking punch bowl for sure!!!