Rigging at Bedal Campground

Upstream of rigging area

Sherry, Jim and Willie are ready to launch

Scenery....

and log hazards

Just below confluence with NF Sauk

Looking at Forgotten Mtn.

Upper "verification" photo²

Jim and Sherry enjoying the view

Looking upstream at Bedal and Sloan Mtn.

Unsure of the other channel being clear we took the lower volume right channel, which had it is log issues....

Bedal and Sloan Mtn.

Side falls

Bedal and Sloan Mtn. again

Wide valley but still log hazards

Mt. Pugh close-up

Mt. Pugh from lunch stop. We camped here in 2007

Downstream from lunch stop. That log is still thumping from water action like it did 2 years ago

The views continue

Bedal and Sloan Mtn. again

NF Sauk Falls on a side trip during the shuttle back from Bedal

Falls close-up

Falls base

Rapids below falls

Walking back up trail, the "thunder" continues

Car camping back at Whitechuck launch

Looking upstream from bridge

And downstream to confluence at twilight

Upstream close-up

USGS Flow at 06/12/2010 12:00 PDT 2,130 CFS

Jim B. surfing. Joins Casey as support boat for a commercial trip today

Casey gives the peeps the required instructions

Off and running

Whitechuck shrouded in clouds

Rapid above what used to be Essential Eddy #1 (before self-bailers)

Heading into Jaws

Demon Seed is almost under at this higher level

Mt. Pugh in clouds

New Whirlpool channel #1²

New Whirlpool channel #2²

New Whirlpool channel was quite entertaining today

Why does Jim have a small green cataraft on the back of his red cataraft? We had to stop at lunch to find out

Having an extra boat on back is unbalancing

Look at the cute tiny bent oarlocks! As it turn out the guy who lost this launched from Bedal early in the morning, dumped and lost the boat and it got swept a few miles downstream

Jim and Sherry just above the Backman Park take-out

USGS Flow at 06/13/2010 12:00 PDT 8,930 CFS

Lower water this weekend, marginal weather but at least not cold. Trivia: Sunday was darkest June day in Seattle in 15 years

Wild and Scenic had a 2 boat float that started on the upper on Saturday

Below first set of rapids

A reminder of the ever present logs

Jim and Al below Alligator

Jim slides past Demon Seed. A lot more exposed than it was last week

Jaws #2

Below Whirlpool area

Lunch stop

Below 3 channels area

Short pause below Clear Creek, wondering what happened to Al and Jim

At the Backman Park take-out, the USFS has someone now taking surveys of river use and experience. Julie is an exchange student from Austria via West Virginia

USGS Flow at 06/20/2010 12:00 PDT 6,500 CFS

Crowded 4th of July put-in at Whitechuck

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Alligator series

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Jaws series

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Matt's first solo run thru Jaws

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Ray take a break from the retired life to make a Sauk appearance

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Below new Whirlpool channel

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After lunch, waiting at Jumping rock for others. Found out later Chris has a new found respect for logs

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Rerigging at Backman Park for overnighter

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Not looking like optimum camping weather

Firemen working on a recent logjam fire

Note foundation in the air!

Darrington sawmill bridge

Twilght shot from camp. Couldn't see much of the Darrington fireworks with cloud cover. Cold and rainy overnight. Sure doesn't feel like July...

Willie is parked outside my tent in the morning

Morning psuedo-panorama (pictures didn't overlap)

Finally starting to clear as we leave

The Monte Carlo start

Whitehorse Mtn. peaks thru the clouds upstream

Downstream still looks glum

Water coming down the Suiattle is clear and green like the Sauk

Rt. 530 bridge takeout. Skies clear just in time to make for a hot derig and trip home

USGS Flow at 07/04/2010 12:00 PDT 4,580 CFS