Favorite 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=5203
Printed Date: 22 Jun 2025 at 5:09am
Topic: Favorite runs
Posted By: tradguy2
Subject: Favorite runs
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 11:33am
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OK, after all this debate about soloing and safety, I think it's time for a more lighheated topic.
What are you favorite runs and why? My favs are:
1. Tumwater (late summer): At low flows this is hard to beat. Crystal clear water, challenging but not terrifying rapids, sunny skies, warm weather, climbing nearby, great scenery... I love it.
2. FITW: Although incredibly short it packs a punch and is a relatively safe run considering the crazy gradient (380fpm? but probably more like 275 between FITW proper and Root Ball). The rapids are super fun, the scenery is great, the access is easy and it is close enough to Seattle to Run Laps on.
3. The Sky: Come on, no explanation needed.
4. Peshastin Creek: A great intro to creeking. It drops 200fpm in the first couple miles but with the exception of Fresh Squeezed, it is never harder than class III. It is just continuous, fun class III paddling.
------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Replies:
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 11:56am
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I love the Icicle ... all parts of it. It is easily one of the most amazing river/creeks around. With introduction stretches to solid III-IV stretches to full on V+.. Its all there, roadside in a quite amazing valley. Not a ton of driving to get in between the runs... The Icicle will always be a mecca of NW Whitewater. Having the Wenatchee next door aint bad either! I love Tumwater, and I also Love Callaghan Creek. Callaghan has to be one of the funnest runs I have done ever. Not too hard but very rewarding!!!! But of all the places that are special and magical I vote for the Skook. She is not controlled by weather, snow melt or rain, she sets her own time and she is very honest about it. She gives up the sweetest moves and yet does not over do it will ultra long days that make her tired. She always offers memories and everytime I have kicked it with her she has taught me more than I have ever learned elsewhere. I just hope that I can give back a little to her for all she's done for me. Viva La Skooka ------------- |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 12:12pm
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I suspect the Icicle will be added to my list once I get on it. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: cronar
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 12:31pm
| I like the run between my house and the neighborhood pub. Views of Puget Sound and the Olympics, well landscaped gardens and quaint old houses. Not to mention the pub lets my dog inside where she gets biscuits. |
Posted By: franzhorner
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 12:32pm
| Matheny Creek is my favourite kayaking run that I have done so far....challenging rapids in the secluded rainforrest with an abundance of fungi, plants and animals....yes... Matheny Creek.... |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 12:53pm
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What pub is this Nick? Biscuits for the diggy... I gotta find this place... sounds like it might be more of a marathon for me though! A bar that allows dogs... thats cool! ------------- |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 1:06pm
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James, what is Callaghan like. I am good to go for this fall? ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: jalmquist
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 1:10pm
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GC Elwha
Tshletshy
Matheny
Notice a pattern...?
Jon
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Posted By: cronar
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 1:41pm
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The list gets narrower as it goes? The pub is in the enlightened portion of Seattle known as West Seattle. Icicle, Callahan, Ohane(before floods), White Salmon, West Water Canyon (Colorado) |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 1:43pm
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Jon you oly penner... I can dig it though, I just don't have the experience under my belt to chime in out there. Sitkum was sweet but not a top ranker... just a bottom spanker. Callaghan is awesome... read the description I wrote. ------------- |
Posted By: Rock
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 2:01pm
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Are we limiting this to WA? If so, I'd agree with FITW and would add Canyon Creek of the Stili. Mind you, there are a lot of runs that I'd still love to get on around here.
If we're talking nationwide, I'd have to add the classics: Narrows on the Green and Big South in CO ------------- -Erik |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 2:18pm
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We are not limiting anything here. I was thinking Washington, but mainly because that is where most of my boating has been. But... all 3 rivers I paddled in Idaho are pretty high on my list. Selway, Lochsa, MF Salmon ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: Tobin
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 2:42pm
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SF Payette ( Canyon sect)
Canyon Creek ( Lewis )
Sky. (its gotta be on everyones list) ------------- Sure? |
Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 2:47pm
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Upper Green Gorge!!! Of course!!!!!! ------------- Nomad |
Posted By: slickhorn
Date Posted: 07 Jun 2007 at 3:09pm
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must be a play thing with the sky, I'm barely willing to drive up there for that thing. The drop is sweet though. GC Elwha mos' def! Illinois truss sf salmon tilton tom, you'd love Callaghan! first time flows of low med it's the two good falls, another burly ledge and so many awesome IV boulder gardens -- chutes and slots and tight eddies and just tons and tons of fun. a gem |
Posted By: jblum
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2007 at 1:28am
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SF Yuba 49-Bridge (the best 8 miles of IV-V anywhere) Truss Ashlu Mine Tummy around 2,800 Little White ------------- JHB |
Posted By: JoesKayak
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2007 at 11:50am
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In no particular order.... Selway Lochsa NF Sky...or what used to be the NF Sky CC Stilly (the fact that it's 15 min to the takeout from my house factors in) Nahatlatch White Salmon - Green Truss and Middle Tieton - The river is OK... the fact that I always see lots of old friends here is the biggest draw |
Posted By: Jeff
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2007 at 3:09pm
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I agree with Peshastin Creek!!
I'd also agree with the Sky, and to add a third, the Narrows run on the Humptulips - super scenic and remote (not super challenging, but still fun) ------------- "What could possibly go wrong?" www.flickr.com/photos/jeffdwyer/ |
Posted By: Hunter
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2007 at 12:33pm
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Each of my favorites depends on which boat makes it out of the garage that day! Cataraft = NF Sky @ big water (the old NF that is)
Paddle Raft = Sauk at big water 15,000 is fun 26,000 not so fun
IK = Matheny Creek
Play boat = Wenatchee at any flow works for me
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Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2007 at 2:18pm
What about the green?![]("RTE_popup_adv_image.asp?File_Id=1537&file_url=/uploads/bin/2/useruploads/103/1537tn100.jpg") ![]("RTE_popup_adv_image.asp?File_Id=1307&file_url=/uploads/bin/2/useruploads/103/1307tn100.jpg")
------------- Nomad |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2007 at 2:28pm
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Personally Dave, I think the green is only ok. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |
Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2007 at 10:02am
Really? thats sad.....![]("smileys/smiley35.gif") ------------- Nomad |
Posted By: olds cool
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2007 at 4:22pm
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Great topic ! Although I wanted to check in on the solo boating, because 75% of my paddling is solo.
Favorites have changed over the years but;
Play rivers,.......Cle Elum, Tilton
Beautiful Canyons.....Carbon, Muddy Fork Cowlitz, West Fork Satsop, Elwha
River trips..........Grand Canyon
Best surfing wave.........Pacific Ocean,
20 years ago my list would have been different. I probably would have listed the 10 hardest rivers I had done in the most remote places.
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Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2007 at 8:02pm
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The Green isn't just oK... it's a classic. Undisputable classic esp @ higher flows.
That said, it doesn't get on my list of all time faves.
Just in it's defense.
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Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2007 at 8:04pm
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Hey Olds
I'm curious... whats the muddy of the cowlitz like? And how's that hike in?
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Posted By: olds cool
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2007 at 8:15am
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Huck Man, The put-in for the Muddy Fork is about a tenth mile below a falls that drops into the canyon. You get there by following an old road bed on foot...about a mile. There are no big drops just boulder gardens in a totally comitted gorge...wood is bad news in there. I paddled a playboat the two times I ran it in the fall at about 50 cfs. The gorge is beautiful and it just goes on and on. Although, who knows maybe it wouldn't seem as special if I wasn't in the mood to drink it in. But what else is there to run in September/October? |
Posted By: tradguy2
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2007 at 9:17am
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Actually, I love the Green, I just want to gove Dave a hard time. ------------- ... preparing for a river beating! |