Paddling the upper Chehalis? Has....

-- Last Updated: Jun-14-09 10:13 PM EST --

...(just learned there's a Chehalis R. in B.C. I'm asking about the one in WA). Anyone done this, or have any info on it? We camped at Rainbow Falls this weekend, and in driving up and down the vally, I didn't see anything from the road that looked impassable.

The six miles above and three miles
below Rainbow Falls are listed as class 2 on americanwhitewater.org, but there is absolutely no descriptive information whatsoever.



The Chehalis is not listed in “Washington Whitewater” by Doug North, but he included only intermediate and advanced runs.



Sorry I can’t be more help at this time. We drive out there every few years, and I tend to select relatively easy rivers, but I don’t know how to find more about the Chehalis.

Thank you. You may/not be aware…

– Last Updated: Jun-16-09 9:36 AM EST –

...that the Chehalis had major flooding in both '07 and '08. '07 was particularly devastating on the upper portion-many of the small communities were cut off for a while. I was down there with the Red Cross-got to sleep at home for a change. It was remarkable how well the county and communities organized between the two events-they really took care of themselves.

On your trips out here, have you paddled the Black R. in Thurston Co.? There's a description in the "Go Paddling" part of paddling.net.

Don’t recall a "Black River."
Haven’t seen it in guidebooks for CO either, but there are lots of reasons a nice river could escape guidebook attention.



There’s a Blue River, and of course a White River…

Upper Chehalis


There was just a article in the Centralia Chronicle about two reporters making the trip.



I have been from Oakville to Aberdeen, but not above

Talked to the editor. They ran articles.
…from about the 6th-12th, I think. Not online yet.

WA, not CO

Tap, although I haven’t done that
stretch, one thing ya need to be able to be very cautious about is that the low gradient sections of NW rivers have a lot of log jams that don’t move around a whole lot. That makes negotiating even easy class 1-2 water a full time look out job to ensure the path is clear. Have fun!



Dogmaticus

You’re right, but from the road it…
…looks like the major flooding in '07 and '08 pretty well cleaned out the Chehalis channels of debris. Good reminder, however.

Oakville to Aberdeen, WA?
Dear “old_user”,



I saw an old post on paddling.net of yours. You mentioned that you had paddled from Oakville to Aberdeen before.



May I ask, how long did it take you?



Bob Brett

360-350-7575