I did a combo upper/middle Sauk trip on Sunday (Bedal to Clear Creek) and there are some new wood issues this year. We had river levels of 1650 on the Sauk ab. Whitechuck gage and 4900 on the Sauk at Sauk gage.

The biggest danger is on the middle, just below the put-in at Whitechuck at the first rapid (that splits around an island). There is a tree just above the island blocking the right half of the river (no big deal)... and then the right channel is blocked by 3 big logs. And the left channel looks clear from up top, but has a log all the way across about halfway down... We were able to go over the top of the log, but that won't be possible at lower water. Also, since there is a class 3 rapid with some big holes and rocks just before the log... this would  be  BAD place to be swimming... this is not a smooth log, but a new fallen tree with lots of branches still on it. Also it would be difficult to portage this log since the channel is narrow with steep banks.

Hopefully that log will wash out with more water... until then approach with caution. The most conservative approach may be to run the right side of the island and portage the 3 logs on that side on the island.

About a 1/2 mile past that island, there is another tree blocking the right side of a gravel island. It wasn't too big of a deal though, as you can bang down the shallow left side channel.

Up on the upper section of the Sauk (Bedal to Whitechuck), there were 2 riverwide logs that we were able to go over. Both were pretty obvious and would be easy to portage. There was another spot about halfway through the run where we had to portage. This is at a right bend in the river with a big logjam and one log extending across the main channel. There was a shallow channel to the right you could sneak down, but it would also involve smacking into some bushes, so we just walked.

The upper Sauk is really a mess. Too bad... it is mostly a class 2 run, except for one fun class 3, but it's not a good place for class 2 boaters at this time. There is so much wood up there. Most of it was easy to miss/get around, but still scary for beginner boaters... since although moves to miss wood are generally easy, the consequenses are severe in places.