Monday, March 21, 2011

The Little Klickitat

This past weekend, the Northwest experienced the largest storm since three years ago.

The Hood River flooded at 13.5 feet, relative to a normal 6.0 this time of year. The White Salmon gauge was underwater, and reached levels of what we estimate to be 8 feet and above. The Washougal reached 22,000 cfs, compared to 3500 cfs normally. Did I mention we had a ton of water?

On Saturday, a group of us made it out to one of the gem's of the Gorge: The Little Klickitat. The LIttle Klickitat is a 9.7 miles of continuous class IV/V, and typically runs once a year. Saturday morning, with about 1020 cfs, we had primo levels, and decided to give it a go.

Put-in at the Cow-Pasture

The beginning of the Little Klickitat

Scouting the First Rapid

Adam Elliot in his Habitat 80 entering one of the larger rapids of the river

Chuck Taylor at the bottom of the above rapid

Myself and Jesse scouting the rapid above

Susan Hollingsworth at the waterfall on the Klickitat

The Ladies of the Little Klickitat: Susan Hollingsworth, Kim Russell and Christie Glissmeyer

Yesterday, rivers were still on the rise, and so was the wood danger, so we decided to take a waterfall tour instead...

Husum Falls at typical flows around 2.5 feet

Husum Falls above 7 feet, yesterday


BZ at normal flows, 3.0 feet

BZ Falls at over 7 feet on the gauge

BZ Falls at over 7 feet on the gauge

Upper Zigzag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip2rUFjY8Tc

BZ Falls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op5DypP4vO4

Stay safe on the water!


Kim Russell


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