 |
|
|
I’ve been waiting for this run to come in for so long. Finally I got it on new years eave, 2005 with Nate Herbeck, Jason Schroeder, and Jim Pytel. We were all due for a new adventure and it delivered. The Washington guidebook by Jeff Bennett gives you the basics about the run, but since it hasn’t really run at a high level in over 5 years, tons of brush and logs blocked the creek in many spots.  
This is one of the most unique creeks I have ever run. It’s a very small tributary to the Little Klickitat River with some very impressive whitewater. Scouting and portages were tough due to the thick brush lining the creek bed and banks, one boat eddies and continuous downstream flow. There was a log just below the put in bridge and first half-mile was filled with over grown brush. We had a few scouts in this section. One rapid that contained a couple four-foot ledges then a log portage around the corner. Below this the creek dropped threw a couple narrow flumes then built into a few ledges then a very distinct horizon line. We scouted and found a couple slides, 25feet total that lead directly into a 30+foot waterfall. After a long, steep portage I watched Nate run it and we proceeded downstream. 
 
 
 
The creek mellowed out after the falls for about a half-mile, more brush and a couple more log portages. After this comes more small ledges then the creek turns left and over a ten-foot pour over that flushes threw a long slide run out. Below here it gorges up again and drops over a series of small twisting ledges, then a logjam nightmare. In one of the last ledges there is a good-sized log running from wall to wall at chest level. Just downstream the creek goes back to its normal brushy character until Bowman creek comes in on the left, almost doubling the flow. A half-mile below this is the take out bridge. If you parked at the Little Klickitat takeout continue another half mile till you drop into the Little Klickitat River and your car is a half-mile away. If you can’t see around the corner, Scout, and give yourself enough daylight to complete the run. I’m not sure if I’ll be back in there anytime soon since we spent more time on the banks than in the water, but you can’t beat the scenery, deep, narrow canyon.  
Levels: 50-150cfs at the put in or between 5,000 and 7,000cfs on the
Klickitat at Pitt gage. The Klickitat was 7,000cfs and going down and it looked like about 150cfs at the put
in on our trip, I wouldn’t recommend running it any higher!
Run: @5 miles (remote wilderness run) Elevation: 1,375 - 575 Hazards: Many logs, Thick Brush, One boat eddies, First Gorge (30+ft. waterfall), and locals mistaking you for hunters. Take Out: From Hood River, Cross over to Hwy 14. Travel east till you reach the Klickitat River. Turn left up hwy 142; go up river, past the town of Klickitat to mile marker 19. This is the take out for the Little Klickitat and can also be used as the take out for Canyon creek, which comes in about a half mile upstream. If you want to take a mile off your trip continue up 142 another mile till you see the bridge cross a small drainage. There’s a big pull out on river right (Check the culvert that goes under the bridge, It’s big enough to run if there is no wood) Put In: Keep going up Hwy 142 to the top of the plains until you see the signs for Glenwood and Wildlife Viewing Areas (Left turn). Go 3.6 miles and take a left on Soda Springs Rd. Continue about a mile and you’ll see the put in. It’s a very small creek. 
See Trip Reports for the full story on our Canyon creek trip. Description by: Ryan Scott |
