White Salmon, Washington, US

5 - Buck Creek to Columbia River

White Salmon below Condit

White Salmon below Condit
Photo by Thomas O'Keefe В© taken 09/29/07

Gauge Information

River Description

With a gradient comparable to sections upstream and a deep bedrock canyon, this reach on the White Salmon holds promise for a future whitewater run. With that in mind and recognizing the opportunity to restore this great river, American Whitewater originally requested a dam removal study in 1992 and was a party to the 1999 negotiated settlement to remove Condit Dam and drain Northwestern Reservoir (photo). This reservoir buried the river for a century blocking fish migration and innundating a potential whitewater run. The dam was breached in October 2011. As we wait for the new river channel to stabilize, this stretch is not recommended.

Over the years, a number of local paddlers have explored the White Salmon Narrows from the dam site on down to the Columbia. For those who scrambled down at the dam you could expect minimal water at the start (no longer an issue). The run began in the pool right at the base of the dam (historical photo prior to dam, photo of dam). The first mile is characterized boulder gardens and sections of calm pools (photo). The first significant rapid begins at the entrance to the Narrows (photo) with a series of three drops that take you into the narrow gorge. You start off with a rapid that leads into a fun 7-foot ledge (photo) followed by a 5- footer that drops into a hole (photo). At this point the river flows through a narrow gorge known as the White Salmon Narrows (photo). In the past wood has collected in the narrows and this will certainly be an issue as wood that collected in the reservoir is transported downstream (photo).

About 1/2 mile below the Narrows you will reach the powerhouse (photo ). Some of the best rapids are below here, starting out as class II (photo) and finishing with a bang with a series of three long III-III+ drops. The last of these is very fun and considered by many to be the best rapid on the river downstream of BZ (photo). The river quickly goes flat and you can either climb out on the left or continue another 1/2 mile downstream to the Columbia.

Logistics: Follow Hwy. 14 along the Columbia River and at mile 63.6 there is a bridge across the White Salmon at the confluence with the Columbia providing river access. The public can't use the tribal in lieu site on river right but you can scramble up the bank on river left at the Alt Hwy. 141 junction (photo). Alternatively you can head up the river 1.1 mile from Hwy. 14 to a large pullout (photo) that provides access via a fishermen's trail that leads down to the river. From the river you can recognize this site by the cable that extends across the river overhead just downstream of the last significant rapid.

To reach the dam site (access restricted through September 2012), take Alt Hwy. 141 north from Hwy. 14 (just to the east side of the bridge). Continue 2.2 miles to the junction with Hwy. 141. Just past this junction you will see the turn for Powerhouse Road. Follow this road down to the dam where it will make a 90 degree turn to the left to continue downstream. Shortly after this turn you will see a dirt road that heads off to the right. You can walk down this road to the old penstock corridor. You then need to do some slightly sketchy climbing and lowering to get to the river (rope is helpful to get the boats safely down).

Following dam removal and channel restoration you will hopefully be able to put in further upstream. Head 2.0 miles north of the junction between Alt Hwy. 141 and Hwy. 141 and turn onto Northwestern Lake Rd. (Hwy. 141 mile 6.7). Follow it 0.4 miles down to a bridge. There is a park with a launch ramp, picnic tables, and a changing area on the downstream river right side of the bridge.