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Has anyone gone rafting? Need some advice


Kiwi

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Not climbing related, but I expect better answers in here than Spray. hahaha.gif

 

I want to do some rafting this year, but don't know which company to go through and which river to do. I have never gone rafting before. Any help is appreciated.

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We are entering the dry season. The only interesting one I know with enough flow now would be the Suiattle ( I dont think guides float it) or the tamer glacier fed ones like Skagit ,Sauk etc.\maybe the Green is both interesting and guidable. also contact companies guiding the Tieton , the open up the dams in Sept?

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Most of the rafting companies on the east side have shut down for the season until fall - when they run the Tieton during the "flush". That is highly recommend - continuous fun class 2 with two great little 3's and a small dam to run. Contact any of the Leavenworth raft companies for more info. Plus you can do a little climbing or mtn biking after your river run.

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I've run the Tieton (during flip-flop) and the Methow, both with an outfit called River Runners, or something close to that. I think they're out of Wenatchee or Chelan. Of the two rivers, I thought the Methow was way more fun.

 

Some friends of mine (that did the Tieton and Methow with me) went and did the Wenatchee, and they said it more fun than the Methow. So from that, it would seem the Wenatchee would be a fun ride, but I don't know that from personal experience. My $0.02.

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River Riders was always my choice. They are inexpensive, professional, and fun.

 

My first trip was the Wenatchee. It was a lot of fun for a first trip. As I recall there was a small section of the Wenatchee that you had to walk around a spillway. Still fun, though.

 

Personally, my favorite ride was the Methow under good conditions. It's all class 3-4 so the guides will pretty much bust ass through everything.

 

I have done the Skykomish more than anything because of how close it is. It is a class 5, but that is only one small secction called the Boulder Drop. It's a hoot. If you don't have a strong team in the boat, the guides will walk to raft around the rapid.

 

River Riders

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At peak rafting season the Wenatchee runs 6K+ cfs and is now well under 2. Most folks are floating it in inner tubes. The Methow is way down (altho a friend said they played in the Black Hole last weekend in a kayak and duckie). So until they start dumping Rimrock into the Tieton there isn't much on this side.

 

The "flip-flop" or "flush" is kind of interesting. As I understand it they purposely lower the Yakima for fish spawning - if they keep the river high (as they do now for irrigation) the eggs would be out of water when it goes down in the winter. To make up irrigation water they dump Rimrock Lake down the Tieton, which goes to spring runoff level for two or three weeks. Boaters come from all over the northwest as its the only game in town. Party time - boating, climbing, biking, then do it all over again.

 

Both Osprey and River Riders as well as several other commercial companies will take your money and give you a ride. Probably not a great river for a newbee as its fairly continuous with brushy banks and few eddies. But it is a great raft trip.

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We are entering the dry season. The only interesting one I know with enough flow now would be the Suiattle ( I dont think guides float it) or the tamer glacier fed ones like Skagit ,Sauk etc.\maybe the Green is both interesting and guidable. also contact companies guiding the Tieton , the open up the dams in Sept?
Most of the rafting companies on the east side have shut down for the season until fall - when they run the Tieton during the "flush". That is highly recommend - continuous fun class 2 with two great little 3's and a small dam to run. Contact any of the Leavenworth raft companies for more info. Plus you can do a little climbing or mtn biking after your river run.
Season's already over? frown.gif
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Season's already over? frown.gif

 

Purdy much. Wait until Sept. and do the Tieton.

 

Freeman: You are correct in your understanding of the "flip-flop". Took me a while to get it when I first moved out here, but then nobody ever explained it to me really well.

 

fenderfour: I think that those were the same guys we used. River sumpin. And the Methow gets my vote for the best ride. We did it in May a few years back when it was really up. What a hoot!

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Go to Wave Trek and float Boulder Drop with a Ducky (Inflatable Kayak). You can then go climbing at the lower town walls after your trip. Darren and Chris are great folks and they really know how to make a trip memorable. The trips are pretty inexpensive considerng the years of experience they both have on that stretch. You can also leave from thier backyard down the river and walk to the crags. Their hottub you get to use looks right at th Cheeks, Diamond and Upper Walls not including Tom Thumb and other nice crags.

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Go to Wave Trek and float Boulder Drop with a Ducky (Inflatable Kayak). You can then go climbing at the lower town walls after your trip. Darren and Chris are great folks and they really know how to make a trip memorable. The trips are pretty inexpensive considerng the years of experience they both have on that stretch. You can also leave from thier backyard down the river and walk to the crags. Their hottub you get to use looks right at th Cheeks, Diamond and Upper Walls not including Tom Thumb and other nice crags.

 

Yeah Wave Trek is great! Cris knows her stuff.

 

Although our guide took us through Boulder drop and we ended up swimming for a bit. Pretty cold! hellno3d.gif Funny how the guides always seem to stay in the boat.

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Forget everything posted previously. Washington is not the state to raft in, go to Idaho and Utah. The snake river, hells canyon, in Idaho, is best, so is the Grande Ronde, in WA/OR. Try the salmon river in idaho. Many sections, but of course the middle fork of the salmon is best. Try the Green in Utah, desolation canyon, cataract canyon, labyrinth canyon. And the Grand canyon in AZ, also colorado river in Utah.

What you need is a hot summer, warm water. Long easy flat water, with big rapids thrown in. Forget western Washington.

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Well I looking for a full day trip, possible 2 day thing if they offer it. Taking a girl with me. She's never done it either. It's one of those spur of the moment things.

 

I'd prefer something intermediate. I'm too new for Class V, but I'd like something more exciting than a mellow ride down the river.

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If you are looking for a trip in Washington, you are pretty much stuck with waiting for the Tieton in September. Its pretty continous and you can get pretty thrashed up if you go for a long swim, but it isn't a bad choice for a beginning rafting trip assuming that you are both up for an adventure. And there is pretty good climbing to be had in the valley. For what its worth I took my little sister on her first rafting trip on the Tieton. If you are worried wait until later in September when the flows are lower. But be warned ... it can be a bit crowded.

 

There is still a bunch of stuff running out of state. All the above sugestions look pretty good. If you are up north check out some of the runs in Canada. You might check out the Thompson in BC for a nice day trip.

 

-Andy

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If you are thinking about heading south I would highly recomend the White Salmon! It is less crowded and has better white water than the deschutes. It is in the Columbia gorge, very close to Hood River (OR). There are a ton of other things to do in the area. A few other Oregon Options are the Clackamas just out side of protland. The North fork of the Santaim just east of Salem and the McKenzee just east of Eugene.

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You are probably correct about the flow. It is low but it is guided all summer. The "middle white Salmon" is class 3 with one class 4 at the beginning and end that most guides skip. Many trips run the "lower white salmon" also. This trip is class 2. If you really want to have fun try kayaking instead. I have only done one guided raft trip in my life and I felt like a cow being herded down the river. Although let me warn you now, kayaking has really cut into my climbing.

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