On a beautiful sunny day, the Wet Planet crew and I hit went out for a training day rafting on the Wind River.  This is the hardest run I’ve been on in a raft, so it was a good chance to practice some paddle guiding and get out on a hard paddle raft run.  This is super sweet in a kayak (Class IV+) but is definitely Class V rafting.

Mt. Hood behind Hood River across the Columbia River.

At the Stabler putin for the Wind River.

Sunny and green in the Wind River canyon.

The run starts out with a short mild stretch before the action begins. Once you reach Initiation its nonstop for 3 miles super quality whitewater.  Initiation is signaled with the river bending hard left and out of view into a boulder garden. The line is between the big rocks and off the right side. There is a rock backing up the left side, so come off right. This is a technical boulder garden and can be really confusing.  Scout right.

The line is between the two larger goal posts on the left side and then over the right side pour-over below them.  The river drops off right after this rapid so get ready!!

There are a bunch of Class III+-IV boulder gardens before the biggest rapid on the run, Ram’s Horn.

Andy Round dropping into the Class IV boulder garden below Initiation

The boulder garden above Ram's Horn.  Taken from the eddy above the horizon line.

This Class V rapid is a huge double drop that goes almost 20 feet very quickly.  The rapid above it has two powerful hydraulics, so approach carefully.  There is an eddy on the left right above the drop that you can scout from.  You will see a large horizon line split with a large boulder, signaling the rapid.  Basically, it is a large drop over a boulder that has diagnol ledge hole behind it on the right.  There is a boulder guarding the entrance, so you need to either catch the eddy on the left and run to the left of the boulder at the top, or come in right of it and cut hard left behind it.  You can go right over the middle of the drop, but there is a huge hole behind it, so heading left is advised.

The eddy above Ram's Horn.  The boulder behind Andy's paddle is the dividing rock.  Running left is ideal.

Ram's Horn from below.  The dividing rock is visible upstream.

Balls to the Wall Right is up next, with a tight move that pushes you right up against the wall. If you try to run the boulder garden on the left, you could feasibly make it through, but it wouldn’t make it pretty.  Run hard right.

Balls to the Wall Left is next, and although is isn't as tight as the right side, it is also a tight squeeze up against the left wall.  The final rapid in this section is Climax, a straightforward ledge drop that is run center.

Climax from below.  A little left of center is ideal.

The river slows considerably after Climax.  There are still some fun boulder gardens and rapids, but the biggest stuff is over until you get into the lower half of the run.  There are some pretty waterfalls as you head down and some nice lunch beaches.

Photos coming soon.

Caleb and Thom check out the falls.

The river continues pretty mellow until it reaches the High Bridge Takeout/ Put-in.  This is where most folks take out, but there is another 6 miles of quality whitewater and beautiful canyon below (more beautiful IMHO).  Pull out in on the right.  This is where the gauge rock is with the horns, as well.

Below the takeout, there are a few fun ledge rapids before High Bridge Rapids.

Ledge rapids above High Bridge.

High Bridge Rapids is not too difficult (especially in a kayak), but there is a wrap/ flip rock above a drop that has a sieve that has drown someone.  The line cuts right to left infront of the rocks, and then drops over the final drop.  Run this center left to steer very clear of the sieve on the right.  Below the bridge is a beautiful canyon that is deep enough to shut out the sunlight most of the day.  Beautiful spot.

High Bridge Rapids.  The large boulder in the middle is the flip/ wrap rock.  The final drop is visible on the left downstream (above the bridge pillars)

Andy running the final drop in High Bridge.

Hootie, Jeff and Chris in the gorge below High Bridge Rapids

Andy and Todd coming up to Panther Creek.

The river mellows until The Flume Fakie and The Flume.  The fakie is where the river gorges up a but and cuts right and then back left.  The Flume is around the corner where the river drops over an obvious horizon.  The river folds on itself here and all comes crashing into one main channel.  There is a large rock at the bottom that you can avoid by having a bit of right angle, but the water coming from the right is trying to push you back towards it.  I was bracing hard to hold that line when we went over it, I was ejected from the guide seat, did a complete backflip and landed on my head on the rock.  Andy and Todd thought it was unreal.  I wish I had seen it.  Get good footing here if you are rafting!

The Flume from below.

Below The Flume is Beyond Limits, a Class IV+-V drop that I had portaged previously.  We had heard that it was good to run in rafts, so that's what we did.  I've since seen a few others do it, all without problems.  There is a large hole 200 feet above the drop that could feasibly flip a raft.  Be careful approaching this as there is a large drop and fishladder here.

Todd setting safety at Beyond Limits as Thom and Caleb approach.  Fish ladder is to his side (not to be confused with the fish ladder at Shippard's

Andy nails the line at Beyond Limits.

Hootie, Chris and Jeff bounce through.

The final rapid on the Wind is Shippard’s Falls, and at this flow it is only a portage.  I had been curious about how they get rafts down below it, and got to see it in action on this trip.  After carrying the rafts down the fish ladder ramp, they throw two bags down to a kayaker below who pulls the raft from shore.  We had a bit of a mishap when Andy got flipped over by the tension of the line pulling his rescue jacket and then he pulled to release it and it didn't come free.  He pulled out of his boat and it finally released, but it was a pretty scary situation for those of us watching helplessly on shore.  He later recovered his paddle, so it was all good, but tense moments.

Also of note here is that there are new "No Trespassing" signs on the fish ladder, and the Dept of Fish and Wildlife guy said that there is a $180/person fine if the wrong person sees you on the ladder.  Be warned and don't get caught.  This is the result of some bad people stealing stuff from the DFW hut there, and it hurting everyone.  Really sucks.

Caleb chucks the bag to Andy waiting below.  Throw and go off the rock ledge on the left.

Shippard's Falls.

Shippard's and the weir below.

Thom takes the plunge while Hootie looks on below.  Jump into the pool behind the rocks, not close to the weir.

Wind River, High Bridge to Columbia River, WA - IV (V, P)
Wind River, Stabler to High Bridge, WA - IV+

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