The Death of Canyon Creek (Lewis)
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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=7779
Printed Date: 05 May 2025 at 2:11pm
Topic: The Death of Canyon Creek (Lewis)
Posted By: dragorossinw
Subject: The Death of Canyon Creek (Lewis)
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2009 at 11:56pm
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A crew from PDX ran Canyon Creek this weekend and here is a Blog about what they found. Looks like this creek is dead for some very long time. http://paulkuthe.blogspot.com/2009/01/terminatorterminated.html - http://paulkuthe.blogspot.com/2009/01/terminatorterminated.html ------------- Tony Z dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com www.nookiekayaking.us www.dragorossi.com www.donkeyfIip.com |
Replies:
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 12:17am
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Oh my god. that is insane. how high will the river have to be to flush that out? it looked like in some places the logs were 20 ft. above water level. |
Posted By: dragorossinw
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 8:46am
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Well, at the peak rains CC was at about 8800 cfs to create the jam. It will take much more then that to clear it once the logs settle and wedge themselves as have have been. Not to mention all other wood that will continue to fill it in for years to come. ------------- Tony Z dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com www.nookiekayaking.us www.dragorossi.com www.donkeyfIip.com |
Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 11:10am
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Well, since those guys actually portaged the jam and ran the rest of the creek, I would hardly say it's dead. There's just a very arduous portage involved now. Indeed, you can hike over the jam or around it, like Mike Olson did earlier in the week. Some people may or may not think the portage is worth it. I for one, having never run the creek, am intending to make the portage at least once. ------------- sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end |
Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 11:11am
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Also, I think it is very doubtful that jam will ever flush out. It may be there for the rest of our lives.
------------- sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end |
Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 4:18pm
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may/will
------------- Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor |
Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 5:08pm
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There is a way to clear it; we just need to rent a helicopter and a couple of chainsaws and maybe a professional logger. Skip all the permits and stuff, just do it under the table. Total cost would be around $25,000.00
------------- Nomad |
Posted By: James
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 6:34pm
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It would be alot more than 25k but you might be able to get that value out of the wood if you could truck it down to a fibermill or plywood mill cheaply. If a few motivated boaters got connected well enough that could happen. I would love to see a chinook hovering above with 10 lumberjacks fixing lines and flying logs. They do it with old growth at the bottom of lakes so it is feasible here, that is if the Gov. was not so interested in making it difficult. They could assess 5 - 10 locations where this would benefit and then put the lumber sales into an escrow account for forest restoration. I really do believe there is enough lumber out there to make it work, but only a really timber surveyor would know.... Wheres the Hoovenator? |
Posted By: Tobin
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 7:20pm
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Swimming! ------------- Sure? |
Posted By: Larry
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2009 at 10:59pm
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To be clear, it was not the river at 8800 cfrs that created this jam, It was a landslide that created it. And because of where it is, water will likely flow through, and possibly even over it before removing it. That river likely hasn't seen a high water event that will remove that jam in hundreds of years. If it is going to go anywhere it will take a "man made" event.
This was one of my favorite runs, but add this to the paddle out and the changes from previous floods, all I can say is R.I.P.
(I hope I am wrong!)
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Posted By: STLboater
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 7:51am
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Lets get something straight, we don't need logging helicopters, we need some of these bad boys. anyone remember this?  ------------- Kayak Academy Whitewater Instructor |
Posted By: chipmaney
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 8:23am
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what it needs is a good charge of explosives. i can't believe the USFS is just going to stand idly by when they could be "managing" this "problem"... well, mike olson and folks got rid of the wood jam on the ef. this one may take a little longer (3 years?), but i think they can do it... i heard copper creek is full of wood, too, boohoo... ------------- sitting all alone on a mountain by a river that has no end |
Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 2:01pm
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That chopper is really a "chopper!" Wow, I want one of those.....
------------- Nomad |
Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 2:46pm
| Yep, I'd echo Larry's thoughts. This was one of the first creeks I paddled after moving to WA just over four years ago, an easy favorite in SW WA. Bummed this happened, but then just goes to show how not in control we are of natural events around us. |
Posted By: wallyworld
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 5:43pm
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I'm told the landslide dammed the river then broke. Impossibly high water put those logs there. There's enough people who run that creek ALL the time to chip away at it. Wickedly dangerous work. Spooky enough cutting trees anyway, let alone compressed trees spanning a IV+ gorge. Even if that happens it'll likely be years. Otherwise it's not going anywhere. I'm with James. A chinook with a grapel hook or a shitpile of TNT. Anyone? ------------- let's go get it |
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 5:47pm
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could the forest service take it out? I've heard of them doing stuff like that on other creeks for fish and stuff. |
Posted By: wallyworld
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 5:54pm
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The Forest Service smoked a big logjam on the middle fork salmon in Idaho a few years back. Dynamited the holy hell out of it. Right near Pistol creek. All the multi-day raft trips were having to make a vicous portage over a minigorge with days worth of gear. Different situation though. The MF generated a lot of $, Canyon Creek just attracts shady characters. We should have all bought more beer at the corner store in Chetlatchie Prairie. Maybe they would rally the funds. ------------- let's go get it |
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2009 at 9:58pm
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but what about the CC race?
I want a reason to get that wood outta there!
whhaaaa
 |
Posted By: Leland
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2009 at 11:24am
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Originally posted by wallyworld
The Forest Service smoked a big logjam on the middle fork salmon in Idaho a few years back. Dynamited the holy hell out of it. Right near Pistol creek. All the multi-day raft trips were having to make a vicous portage over a minigorge with days worth of gear. Different situation though. The MF generated a lot of $, Canyon Creek just attracts shady characters. We should have all bought more beer at the corner store in Chetlatchie Prairie. Maybe they would rally the funds. How about one party per day go in there and call for search and rescue to come get them when they "find their way blocked by the logjam?" I'll bet after about 10 outings to hoist stranded kayakers up to the bridge the county would be pushing hard for some dynamite action. I generally don't support that type of thing, but I wasn't complaining last spring as I rowed through Pistol Creek without portaging any logs. |
Posted By: Larry
Date Posted: 22 Jan 2009 at 12:47am
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Maybe a couple of "accidents" in there would do the trick.
Any volunteers?
(you do know I'm not serrious, right?)
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Posted By: dragorossinw
Date Posted: 22 Jan 2009 at 9:00am
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Maybe we should move the PP Ball to the CC Lewis and use the log jam as the bon fire!!!! ------------- Tony Z dragorossinorthwest@yahoo.com www.nookiekayaking.us www.dragorossi.com www.donkeyfIip.com |
Posted By: Kiwi
Date Posted: 22 Jan 2009 at 4:07pm
| that would be one big bonfire... but it's a solution! |
Posted By: water wacko
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2009 at 9:41am
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Bonfire. That would be something. Is there a way to hike in under a half hour? I know some beavers with sharp teeth. CC race should live and include a designated portage route just like the Robe race. ------------- "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman |