The final Chelan Gorge release.

Left to right: Brad Xanthopoulos, Ben Hawthorne, Scott Waidelich, Brett Barton, Me, Dave Morales and Chris Totten


This past September was the final two releases in the Chelan Gorge.

I spent the summer in Virginia Beach, Virginia for work and was unable to rally a crew for the June or August releases this year. I watched the local forums in dismay as one release after another was canceled due to a lack of interest. I came back to the great state of Washington at the end of August and was chomping at the bit to get into the Gorge for the first September release.

Adrian Wigston flew in from San Diego and we spent Labor Day weekend on the North Fork of the Payette as a warm up for Chelan the following weekend. The first release day on Saturday was canceled due to a lack of interest. The Chelan PUD requires that there be at least 6 kayakers signed up the day before the release to ensure safety. But Sunday we had six people and it was ON!

2011 has been a magical year of kayaking for me, among other amazing trips I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to join a group of kayakers that asked to be part of a test release on the Chelan Gorge in Chelan, WA.

            

            The Flow Feasibility study that I was fortunate enough to be part of is year three of a three year, federally required test that was part of the deal when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an operating license back in November of 2006. This is due to the hard work of American Whitewater and specifically Thomas O’keefe. At the end of the 3 year study the Chelan PUD will be required to submit a recreation resources management plan (RRMP), which will include an assessment of recreational use and needs within the Lake Chelan basin including the power boating needs of the reservoir and whitewater kayaking needs in the gorge.

                                      Adrian Wigston gets warmed up before Entrance Exam

            Local agencies have voiced their opinions about recreational use of the Chelan Gorge. They have raised objections to the Gorge's use by kayakers due to the hazards that the locals know lay hidden deep within that gorgeous crack in the earth. With this in mind, while in the canyon, we are under constant scrutiny. You can get glimpses of the Chelan PUD personnel and security peering down at us from the canyon rim. An accident in here could mean that the study ends and no more kayaking in the gorge until the operating license is back up for renewal.

           

Brad and Joe stand guarde @ Boulder Sieve

            Because these releases are part of a study required by the FERC, the local PUD takes it very seriously. We were greeted at the takeout for the gorge by Kris Pomianek, the project leader,  as well as two security guards. We signed in and briefly went over what was expected of us while we were in the gorge and immediately after. We were given numbered cards after our identification was checked and told to hand them to the dam personnel at the top of the gorge before putting on.

           

                                  Pat in Entrance Exam

            Your first vision of the Chelan gorge is from hundreds of feet above the water from your eagles perch high on the cliffs above Entrance Exam. Peering down into that sand stone canyon, I tell myself the rapids don’t look so bad and that people have been talking this up. But then I hear a good friend and Chelan gorge veteran say “Just wait ‘till they turn the water on boys!” My stomach sinks but I still say “It looks like it will still go with more water” when asked about the first major rapid that is visible.

           

            At the put in, as you look down from the put in to the river you are at first struck by how little water there is in the wide river bed. It looks like you’ll barely make it down. When you think about it 400 cfs is not a lot of water separating you from the rocks.

           

                                         Marco Collela


                       Adrian gets ready for Entrance Exam


                Brett Barton warming up before Entrance Exam

            You get to warm up on 3 miles of class 2 with two or three class 4 rapids thrown in before you get to the (in my opinion) toughest rapid in the run. Entrance Exam.

Looking downstream @ Entrance Exam

Entrance Exam is not a technically difficult rapid, its just one of those drops that gives me a sinking feeling in my chest when I look at it. First you see the lead in rapid and then the first horizon line. As you saunter down the right side of the river to scout you can’t help but notice that there is no way out of the canyon. All but vertical walls surround you.


                           Upstream View of Entrance Exam

There are four distinct drops in Entrance Exam: The lead in rapid with an interesting hole at the bottom, The first 6-8’ ledge with a distinct U-shape, then the “Pile-Up” a river wide hole with an air of carnage about it and finally the “Final Plunge”. The entire river drops and funnels through two rocks roughly 8 feet wide.

           

Adrian, Matt, Jon and Scott weighing options @ Entrance Exam

            Entrance Exam is, in my opinion, the hardest but also the safest rapid of the day. It’s steep, dynamic in nature but has plenty of open space for safety to be set by your mates.


                           Team Safety: Hard as Fuck.

           

Alex Podolak smashes Entrance Exam

Entrance Exam Photo Dump:


                                                            Brad @ Entrance Exam


                                     Brett Barton gets set


                           Ellie Wheat eyes up Entrance Exam


                                                           Ellie drops into Entrance Exam


                                                               Decides to rodeo a bit


                                                      Darren Albright @ Entrance Exam


                                                                          Team Safety


                                                Brad says: "It's all good" @ Entrance Exam


                                     Brett knows better...

            Some fast and fun boogie water brings you to The Chelan Slide. Chelan slide is just that, two slides side by side separated by an alligators back of rough stone. The river left side is very manageable. Not very steep and not much to speak of except for being a good photo opportunity. The river right side is a different story all together. It is very steep, choked and has a nasty hydraulic at the bottom that was dubbed the Meat Locker by Brett Barton. The line goes, but the boaters who venture to the right side are in the minority.


Scott Waidelich likes to dip his toes in warm water before a stout run.


                                        Matt Kurle opt's for the left line @ Chelan Slide


              Alex and Marco decide to give the right side a go.

           

            Directly below is pure boofing bliss. Super Boof is maybe 6 feet tall and is one of the cleanest boofs you will ever see. Drive up on the rock on river left and you will pop up in to the air like your boat is part pogo-stick.

           
                                                     Scott Waidelich @ Super Boof


                                                             Brett Barton @ Super Boof


                                                            Sam Grafton @ Super Boof

            A small emerald pool separates you from the bottom of Super-Boof and the lip of Throne, one of the more intimidating rapids on the run. There is an ominous almost natural looking warning that your eyes are drawn to high above you on the rock as you boof into sheer bliss running Super-Boof. “The point of no return” is crudely spray painted on the rock face staring you down bringing back memories from high-school history class of the pictographs found in the oldest caves.


                                                            Dave Morales @ Throne

                                                             Joe Howard @ Throne

            Throne is a straightforward drop. You see the line from the top. But you also see Pinnacle Falls waiting below Throne. Pinnacle Falls had not been run until the final Sunday release, and for good reason. Throne has plenty of room to set up safety on both sides of the river and this is highly recommended as a swim over the 20 foot Pinnacle Falls would likely be fatal. There is an almost river wide boulder sieve below Pinnacle Falls waiting for the unwary boater or the unfortunate swimmer. Throne is a 12-14 foot off vertical fall that is run just right of center aiming slightly right. There is an interesting hydraulic that sometimes pushes you into the cup shaped “Throne rock” on river left. Stay out of there.

           

            The Portage route for Pinnacle Falls is on the river right side of the falls. Unless you're Rob MiKibbon, in which case there is no portage route.

Rob McKibbon does pushups before his first descent of Pinnacle Falls.

           

            The Boulder Sieve comes immediately after the portage and is not to be taken lightly. On every occasion I have been in the Gorge, we had someone get out on the rocks upstream of the Sieve and stand out in the water to help direct boats. You have to ferry across the outflow of Pinnacle Falls and then make your way to the center left side of the sieve area. There is barely enough water to scrape over the rock and having someone there to give a helping hand can literally be a life saver.


                         Adrian Wigston styling Boulder Sieve

           
                                    Scott Waidelich shows the line @ Boulder Sieve


                                       Joe Howard says it's good to go @ Boulder Sieve

            Once past the Boulder Sieve you have two rapids left and you’re done. Fat Lady and Extra Credit. Both are boulder gardens of a class 4 nature but with a lot of sieves and undercuts lurking just below water level. There is one very bad but almost unnoticeable sieve at the very bottom of Fat Lady, reminding you that it’s not over until the fat lady sings.

                            Adrian Wigston @ Boulder Sieve

           
                                                     Jon Shelby @ Extra Credit

                                                              Jon Shelby @ Fat Lady



Good times.

           

            When dismantled into its pieces and parts, the Chelan Gorge, is not a tough run. Its intimidating nature, tight lines and lack of room for error make it a very trying novelty to have under your belt. In my opinion, the experiences I was part of on those memorable weekends under the hot Chelan sun and watchful eyes of the Chelan PUD exemplify why I choose to kayak class V and push my personal limits. The stress and anticipation, coupled with the unspoken bonds of trust that are present deep in that canyon, is an experience that helps me grow as a person and a member of a larger group. The pain and nervousness dissipate at the end of the day after a successful run and are replaced by a glow that takes days, sometimes weeks to go away. I can go back to work and plug away knowing that I will be back out there with my brothers, doing battle with my inner fears soon enough.

Cheers.

Stay Safe