Exploring the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
Posted by Chris on August 7, 2008 at 7:58 am | In Trip Reports, Rivers | No Comments
Hopeful scouting.
July 4th, 2008.
Since the bulk of our kayaking season is spent boating in the rain and/or snow here on the west side of the Cascades, many of us look forward to small outings in the hot, arid canyons of the east Cascades. Sunshine, sweet camping and the wonderful scent of pine forests creates a relaxing atmosphere in which to savor the mix of fast clear water in steep, granite-filled canyons.
After a few trips to run the usual Icicle, Lil’ Wen. and the ’snatchee I was getting the itch to check out something new, so, - still wanting to escape the wet-side - I looked to some possibilities of some east-side hike-in options that seem to escape most peoples radars.
With Justin Tatosian just in from Wyoming, he and Andrew Oberhart were up in B’ham, ande we were using some of their vacation time lapping Clearwater when we hatched the plan to make the 6 hr drive to check out this new section of creek that we had scouted on a previous mountain bike ride.
We started out the trip heading east on Highway 20. Most of the time when driving this stretch of road the conversation starts to flow to the de-watered section of the Skagit river. This amazing canyon - and one can only imagine what the canyons above it looked like before the dams filled them in - has been dewatered since some time around 1920. Of all the trips we collectively had taken across the pass we had never once seen water flowing down this riverbed, this was our lucky day.
Definitely lots water and lots of gradient.
We stopped in a few spots to scout and consider if this section would be worth running at these flows. Almost immediately we were sure that putting on was not going to happen. What looked to be between 5 and 10 thousand cfs was raging through the canyon creating some impressive almost unrunnable rapids. We enjoyed scaring ourselves for awhile but the light was waning and we had a few hours drive left ahead of us.
1st half of one of the decent looking rapids.
Second half of the same rapid.
I know what you’re thinking…I thought it too.
The next morning after a quick breakfast we headed for the trailhead to get started on our 4 mile hike. The trail was in good shape and we made good time getting to the put-in. It seems like the first hike of the year is always the worst; your pack isn’t dialed, you carry too much stuff, and you generally just don’t remember how bad it can hurt.
Ryan Bradley looking a bit uncomfortable. Andrew O. photo.
Anyway, we arrived at the put-in around noon and after a quick lunch we dropped in. The creek took off through some class 3 and 4, then almost immediately we encountered a tall looking rapid with a bunch of wood at the top. After quick scout by Andrew and a few hand signals we had a great line through the twisty, ledgy rapid. Below this the creek just kept on cruising through unceasing class 3-4 with tons of blind-corners, small eddies and the occasional 4+ drop.
On the hike up you have the chance to scout the crux mini-canyon with a few stout drops and a waterfall. At first glance the falls looks like a perfect 15′ catwalk type slide with a fun 8′ ledge above it, but, when we got there, and upon closer inspection it tuned out the ledge was beefy, and there was a bad piece of wood just below it. To make matters worse if you didn’t style the first ledge you would have a hard time making it to the left side of the waterfall where the only semi-acceptable line was, acceptable only if you were O.K. with the possibility of falling off the slide and getting an unpleasant stuffing into the undercut below the slide/catwalk. We opted for the pain in the ass portage on the wrong side of the river. Oh well, you win some you lose some.
Andrew scouting.
This boof incited feelings of joy for Andrew…
Justin Tatosian on a fun ledge drop.
Ryan scouting the big hole.
Justin about to fly on the great cross-current boof.
Chris from below. Andrew O. Photo.
Just downstream of this mini gorge is one more walled-in series of ledges. The first ledge is full of wood, the second is an 8′ river wide ledge with a BIG boof but an even BIGGER hole. Just below the ledge is the sweetest cross-current boof into an eddy, super clean. After the mini-gorge we were fired up for some more fun rapids, unfortunately we had used up our gradient, and thus only had one more long, fast, 4+ rapid before our take-out at camp.
Cayoosh worn out from a 15 mile bike ride.