Sam Grafton runs POW at 6500 cfs

Sam Grafton is a bit of a Boss around these parts

This Spring has been off to a slow start in the PNW. Tumwater hasn't hit Nuclear levels yet but it has been hanging arounf the 5-7,000 cfs range for a couple of weeks.







I was in the area, shaking off the cobwebs and got a call from Sam. He wanted to do a quick Tumwater lap before heading back over the pass. I agreed to the Dam rapid and the Amigos, but decided that Chaos and POW were a bit above my current paygrade.


Sam laughed at me.

Sam boated down to POW while I ran shuttle and grabbed my camera. Sam's mom also stopped by to say hello.

In true Sam form; after I gave him a little bit of grief about not having a beautiful line, he ran it two more times for me so I could shoot photos and some video.

Water levels are rising; keep your eyes out for some good media coming out of Leavenworth in the near future.

Last Weekend - Tumwater Canyon

Oh Snap! Tumwater is good to go!

I was fortunate to catch a bunch of the Leavenworth locals while they were out having a good time and screaming down Tumwater Canyon at mach speed. 

Tumwater was around 2500 on Saturday and by Monday it was down just under 2300cfs.

It pains me to say, but with how quickly it was dropping; Tumwater will be out fo the season pretty soon.

Where are they? Sorry guys, we're slow like that.

Doctor Pat aka Popeye.

Here we have some chargers showing us the lines through Last Exit. This rapid is tough at any level, but 2000+cfs and it feels like you're riding a railroad boxcar down a ski-slope. Intense!

Kiwi's always boat a little strange; Mike Nash decides to playboat his creekboat.

John Fuqua in Exit.

Willie Kern

Adrian Wigston in Last Exit:





Jah Himself takes the meat line:

Ellie Wheat jumped out to grab these shots of Scott Waidelich and I.

This guy was crushing marriage vows less than 24 hours prior to the shot. 

Alternate lines happen:

Afternoons in Tumwater are the best. Every drop is backlit and your view as you drop over pour over after pour over is perfect.

On our last lap of the weekend; the team was down to two. Jeremy Bisson and I went skin to the wind and rallied down The Wall while Adrian and Scott shot the next series of photos.

Until next time.