Monday, December 24, 2007

Farmlands @ 2.0


Devin on Offramp from a previous run. Photo by Ej Arlington




Shots taken from both sides of the Truss Bridge

Saturday we headed up to the White Salmon River for a run down the Farmlands run. The level was 2.0' on the Husum gauge. Why that is really low for Spring flows when the springs that come in on the Truss raise the levels to around double of what comes off the top and through the farmies. The flows are I'd consider medium-low in my opinion. All the drops were clean and runnable. Barbell had it unpleasant rock waiting at the bottom for ya fully exposed just wanting to take a bite out of your boats nose.

It was nice for me to get back into the canyon run after my last time down it when I got a beating on the ledge hole below Little Lava. On the day I had to climb up and out without any rope or safety it wasn't my idea of a good time. This time I got to complete the whole run. While in all the run is easier than the Truss. Alot of the holes seem to claim boats on the Farmlands though and if ya swim hiking out my not be pleasant.

The climb up and out is never enjoyable anytime of the year but 5-6 inches of snow on the cliff you've gotta get you and your boat up is not the everyday ordeal for kayaking in the NW. If we'd gotten a ealier start me and Devin would have loved to hit up a Farmlands/ Truss combo which is totally doable at winter 2.0'. We were on the Truss last weekend at the same levels.