--When, Where, Conditions--
When: A rainy, beautiful Friday in the NW
Location: Canyon Creek, WA
Conditions: ~800cfs and dropping
Difficulty: Class IV

The Report: The rains have finally come and the always wonderful Canyon Creek came in. I came up with a rare Friday off and was able to join one of my favorite crews to paddle down the crick. With the creek dropping fast we were able to get two laps in even with the extended paddle out.

Canyon Creek, Washington

This fall a new takeout is being built which will allow paddlers to simply walk up stairs to take out at the Lake Merwin bridge. For the time being though we all have been taking out at Cresap Bay, a mile down lake, while PacifiCorp completes construction. Its a very nice take-out with ample parking, showers, and bathrooms. Not bad for an alternate. Canyon Creek is one of my go to dawn patrol runs so the extra mile paddle out ,while a bit tedious, will be beneficial for building strength throughout the season.

With 8 core rapids and some fun boogie water between Canyon Creek is a Pacific Northwest Classic. I hopped out at Thrasher and Champagne to grab some shots of the group. These are two of the best boofs, in my opinion, on the run. They're also the easiest rapids to lap. Canyon is a great class IV run at most flows with stable lines and clear moves. As the water gets highers the lines stay relatively consistent though the consequence for a missed line rises sharply. Even at normal flows these holes pack a punch. I expect to see many more days on Canyon this season. Its a great run to train up your left boof stroke and when you're feeling adventurous; your right.

If you want to advance your paddling skills, check out the various classes available within our kayak school.

Canyon Creek, Washington