Gauge Description:

The gauge on the bridge near the take-out has changed since the '90's. There is a yellow-painted scale on the river-left piling. There is also a single white tick mark on the right piling. The tick mark roughly equals the "old" 6 inches and is roughly commensurate with the yellow-scale 2 inches. I will not address max/min levels here - that's your personal call. Mostly I judge the level of water above the pilings footer ledge. If there is about 1" of water over the left piling footer then you can make it down without too much scraping. If "Kettles" rapid is too pushy then you may want to head back to the car before you get over your head down in the gorge. Hiking out from the Gorge could be very unpleasant and you must not trespass in there.

NEW GAUGE: There is a new gauge on the upstream, river-right piling of the bridge at the put-in. The bottom mark is a decent minimum. If the level is at the top of the top mark, or lapping onto the flat top of the piling footer, then you have a solid "medium" flow (although some folks say this level is "too high"). As it gets above the red marks, or above the piling footer, it is getting into "stout" territory.