Tieton  —  1. Rimrock Reservoir to Windy Point Camp™ ©
Class III+ 11.5Miles Play Rating (1-10): 4 River Mapplet		GPS/GIS Maps County : Yakima

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Features on this run Feature Name Class Hause Creek III Trout Bridge Wave III Waffle Wall III+ Add a Feature | Re-Order Features

Other Issues While the Tieton runs often during spring snowmelt, it doesn't get much attention then. It's in September that the "flip-flop" occurs and the Tieton comes to life. At the end of August, water from the Yakima's upper reaches from the Cle Elum, Kachees, and Keechelus dams is decreased and instead water for the Yakima valleys orchards is drained from the lower reservoirs: Bumping and Rimrock. Flows usually start coming up in the Tieton in late August so by Labor Day weekend there is usually low, but runnable water and then the water usually peaks between the 2nd and 3rd week in September. Runnable flows often continue into early October.

Fun Facts In past years there has been an annual Toga party, but this was shut down in 2009 due to construction on the Highway and replacing a bridge closed access to the normal spot. Maybe it will return in the future? If you like your picture taken, Say Cheese there are plenty of photographers looking to make a buck off your ugly grill. Lots of great camping both at developed sites and lots of free dirtbag camping on Forest Service land. If you camp at Windy Point you can take out at your camp, at Hause Creek and a couple others you can put-in at your camp.

   Run Description

The Tieton is really a fun late summer run. Don’t expect wenatchee sized play, but do expect loads of boats with party aholic rafters looking for some fun.

Although this river is a Class III+, don’t think that it is a good run for beginners. The banks of this run are all grown over with sticker bushes and other nasty brush, which makes portages, or swims anoyingly long. To add to this pain, the river is not the deepest in the area which can make for a bumpy swim too.

LEVELS:
750 - 1200: Low, but OK. You'll be scraping a bit.
1200 - 1500: Medium-low. Generally easiest. The river is filled in but nothing is too big, and isn't super fast. Most rapids are 3-.
1500 - 2200: Medium - lots of fun at these levels.
2200 - 2600: Medium high - very fun level. Fast with some big holes in places. Doesn't get this high very often any more.
2600 - 3000+: High - It hasn't run this high in years, but it is big fun at this level and lots of carnage. Yard sales = lost gear. Pushing class 4.


A few rapids of note include:

HAUSE CREEK 3, right by the campground of the same name. It features a fast wave train ending by a couple big conglomerate boulders on the left. Go right or look for the cool S-turn boof here. Logs sometimes get stuck here so keep your eyes peeled.

WILD ROSE 3, near the campground of the same name again. Occurs at a sharp right bend. Big rocks on the left (big hole at high water) with a couple holes in the middle.

DAM, the diversion dam is about 5 feet high and has been modified so it's runnable. Still, treat it with respect. The far right side can be sticky and has held rafts and swimmers. Many people walk this, however many people also run it too. Everyone will tell you a different line, so look at it and decide for yourself.

HIGH NOON 3+: Long lead-in to a big rock (high noon) in the center of the river. Variety of routes here. Right is usually easiest. Left if possible, but there is a pin rock to avoid. Right over the top of the rock is often the most fun, but at higher water the hole gets quite powerful.

SURF WAVE: A couple drops after high noon is the surf wave under the foot bridge. Eddy service on river right.

WAFFLE WALL 3+: There's a couple small rapid after surf wave and then you'll find a small beach on the right where you can eddy out to scout Waffle Wall. It's worth a look if it's your first time. It starts with a fast chute through some waves and holes and then the current pushes to the right where the "waffle wall" is. There's a couple big rocks by the wall that create sticky holes at med-high flows.

After Waffle wall, there are a few more good rapids and downstream are a few more large rocks in the river where you can Splat Wheel, but other than that the run tapers out to friendly pace until the take out.

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