New bridge over Whitechuck River (one-lane). Rusted already?

View from bridge

From put-in rigging area

Take-out at Backman Park (shuttle)

Back at put-in

Put-in "steps"

2 paddle rafts put-in at the same time as Al, Jim and myself

Looking upstream at bridge over Upper Sauk

Below Alligator

Jaws scout

Al thru Jaws

Al thru Jaws#2

Jim thru Jaws

Below Demon Seed

Below Demon Seed#2

Below Jaws

Below Jaws#2

Below Whirlpool

Above Popeye. Note new strainer on main channel rocks

Below Popeye

Swim practice

Lunch stop

Lunch stop #2

USGS Flow - 06/07/2009 12:00 6.65 11,300 CFS

USGS Flow - 06/07/2009 12:00 4.97 2,770 CFS

Ready to launch. A lot lower than 2 weeks ago. Thomas Guide makes an appearance today

Jim and Thomas above Essential Eddy #1

Al in his stylish hat

Pulled in behind Alligator rock

Below Alligator

Taking pictures thru Jaws when I should have my hand on the oars

Thomas thru Jaws

Jim thru Jaws

Below Jaws

Channel strainer still above Popeye

Above Clear Creek. More water going down the far left channel this year

USGS Flow - 06/21/2009 12:00 5.49 6,610 CFS

Apparent improvement at putin was to allow water truck access

Water is drawn from the 'siltier' Whitechuck, rather than the greener Upper Sauk

Watersuckers stealing our whitewater! Even at today's low 2900 CFS flow, the 4000 gallon truck only constitutes a bit over 10 sec. of river flow. Water is for fighting local fires, probably lightning strike induced from the record recent western WA heat wave

Rigging before the sun hits. I'm making a rare commercial appearance to act as support boat for Casey's trip

Apparently, it's full when gushing out the overflow!

Paddlers find the Sauk cold even with wetsuits

Paddle instruction

Starting out, with Whitechuck Mtn. in the distance

Upper stretch

Thru Jaws

Me below Jaws²

Below Jaws looking back at Mt. Pugh

Eddy below Whirlpool area²

Got an "ice cream headache" surfing²

Below Whirlpool. Nice surfing at this level

Channels are getting tougher at Clayton's Corner and below thru Popeye

Below Popeye²

Lunchtime swimming thru a rapid

Even the best of us get stuck sometimes. Yes, I am hung up momentarily also while taking picture

USGS Flow - 08/02/2009 12:00 4.15 2,900 CFS