Flood level runs?
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15203
Printed Date: 14 May 2025 at 2:18pm
Topic: Flood level runs?
Posted By: imageAK
Subject: Flood level runs?
Date Posted: 07 Dec 2015 at 5:08pm
What are the runs throughout the state that get paddled when its monsoon season in WA?
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aint nobody got time for that!
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Replies:
Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 5:41am
Let's see the ones that come to my mind are
Matheney Creek (IV)
Sitkum Creek (V)
Wenatchee State Play (III)
Pilchuck Creek (IV)
Jefferson Creek (V)
SF Stillaguamish (III)
Sauk River (III)
Green (IV)
While not flood-level, these two are prime rainy season rivers:
Canyon Creek Lewis (IV+)
EF Lewis (IV+)
Wind (IV)
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sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end
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Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 6:15am
There are TONS of options, many of which go over looked.
The basic stategey goes like this:
With an enormous amount of water, the stuff that normally challenges you could be way too gnarly. So you can either go further up the drainage to some tributary that is normally too dry to run, or further downstream to an easier, more open stretch.
Flooded class III can be a blast. Large sections can wash out unless there are bedrock slabs or walls. walls constrict the flow so expect an enormous amount of power if the current is squeezed into a tight place. Therefore its helpful to be familiar w/ the geology of the stretch in question.
Who wants to boat today and/or tomorrow?
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Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 6:17am
Rally some Pilchuck tomorrow?
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Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 6:41am
I would think the Toutle would be a great floodstage run. Not sure what Tempest in a Teapot would be like- probably a sneak rout far left at least.
Tilton goes. Ran it at 5,000 once and was impressed. Some wood, and that squeezed up canyon toward the end becomes an uphill paddle to exit the downstream end.
Oviously any swimming could be fatal. Very hard to get out of the river
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Posted By: imageAK
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 7:36am
Thanks for the quality info gentleman. Definitely getting out wednesday! After I get a new paddle today!
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aint nobody got time for that!
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Posted By: imageAK
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 7:38am
Thanks for the quality info gentleman. Definitely getting out wednesday!
Did EFL @ 2050 sunday, was good fun!
... Prolly gonna hit something with an r2 crew for safety tomorrow.
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aint nobody got time for that!
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Posted By: RPMMAX
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 8:39am
If you can figure out how to get into the Southern Green this would be a perfect level
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RPMMAX
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Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 9:11am
Whoa- yeah always wanted to check that out
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Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 9:13am
I paddled the Toutle last year with some Oly boys that had run the Southern Green. There is a way, although I don't know it.
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sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end
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Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 9:15am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZD7eoHZT8
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sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end
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Posted By: imageAK
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 11:17am
Yeah ive got an idea of the logistics, my buddy and I are gonna head up that way early AM and see if we can kayak the green then r2 the toutle
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aint nobody got time for that!
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Posted By: olyyakker
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 8:56pm
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When are you headed to the southern Green? What is your access plan. I have done it a couple of times and gates may be open tomorrow.
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Posted By: imageAK
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 9:10pm
Not confirmed yet, have a friend thats been working up there recently. Supposed to find out if hes available about 830am.
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aint nobody got time for that!
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Posted By: olyyakker
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 10:30pm
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Why don't you just come up and paddle the Nisqually?
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Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 10:53pm
So I haven't been getting enough saddle time all fall- I did two long distance floodstage lowland runs (41mi Big Eddy to Everett and 29mi Swede Heaven to Alington), plus about 3 garden variety class III-IV runs. Got no drysuit, sore back, oh- and I didn't pack my balls w/ the rest of my gear. Got all the way up the Sky drainage, went through the checklist...
Boat, paddle, skirt, helmet, pfd...no balls
After I ran shuttle for a coupla boaters who were flirtin w/ the Flooded Foss, they opted to join me on the Beckler to wind things down.
I was just gonna have them drop me off didnt think theyd be interested in the beckler, but they tacked on the run out of The Rapid under the bridge there. I put in on the Beckler.
It was cranking. The sky was 30-40k at that point spiking hard. We were all pleasantly surprised to find a lively but manageable flow.
It spilled into the woods here and there but was mostly contained, if bursting bank full. It seemed to want to funnel and fold in on itself, but mostly still had a very open class II-III aesthetic. Simple wavetrains.
But it was feature laden enough to be fun. These features were sparse singular class IV crashing waves and holes that were easy to spot in advance and dodge, although some require strong paddling to avoid with a wide margin.
The section just below the Rapid confluence is briefly busy and reads more like the class IV it probably is. Its enough to make you read what coming at you and stay on your toes.
The riverbed is very wide and flat though, so much of the way it is just a freight train of class II+ that hulls ass. There's a few holes most paddlers will want to miss.
Obviously since its running at floodstage swimming is not good. We did have a last second scramble to portage a large riverwide logjam. As far as mobile wood, there were only a scant few sticks branches and chunks. You wanna rumble w/ the 40-60' class you gotta go down to Bdrop.
After the Bridge there's that rapid you can see on the way up. A few medium small boulders chunk up the center w/ pourovers of respectable size, easily avoided left or right. We took out at the HWY 2 bridge. Its probably about 8mi and took an hour maybe less. Been wanting to do this run- perfect "floodstage express" flow!
I recommend this run at this flow (30-40k) for any competent class IV boaters who have bomber rolls. 25k on the sky would be wayy more reasonable too. It will boat like class III for class IV-V paddlers, and for class III paddlers, the run will feel like IV+, being big, pushy, and powerful. Its kinda like the Loony Toons cartoon when Tweety Bird becomes a giant monster. Its a giant monster, but its still Tweety Bird. Just dont swim. Strong boat driving skills and a keen eye are a must.
Its a good option if everything is super high but you want some casual fun. A great way to taste the power of flood without some of the risks and complexities found on normal whitewater runs. The beckler is a simple and plane fairly flat riverbed, wide enough to dodge wood and other hazards.
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