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okeefe
Paddler
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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   Topic: Sultan Fish Flow this Friday
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 at 5:50pm |
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Still waiting on trail to be constructed that will enable us to schedule this on weekends and supplement the flow, but if anyone is interested there is a "fish flow" scheduled for the Sultan this Friday with a target release of 500 cfs from Culmback Dam. You can do the full run or a nice alternative at this flow is to put in at the diversion dam.
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Calendar/view-event/event/4001/
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Thomas O'Keefe
PNW Stewardship Director
American Whitewater
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BRoss
McNasty
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Posted: 11 Sep 2012 at 9:54am |
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That is great news. forecast 78 and sunny on the upper sultan???? yes please!
I assume 500 is low but doable??
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"That boated a lot better than it looked." "It always does until it doesn't."
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Hulkster
Rock Bumper
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 12:12pm |
Anyone planning on hitting this release Friday?
Jon
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Fish
Big Boofer
Joined: 05 Sep 2007
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 2:37pm |
Hey Paddlers, I recently paddled the Upper Sultan on the last release this past year (2012) with Travis. We had a similar flow of 500 cfs and it was just the two of us that made it to the mid-week release. A word of caution as the wood up there is an issue, and you will likely portage at least a dozen times. Its runnable, but know that 500cfs is the very minimal you can bang down this run. We ended up running some questionable drops with wood in them as portaging grew tiring and time consuming. This run is in need of a biblical flood, but as most of you know the several dams up there prevent this from happening, and as a result the entire run is littered with logs and log jams. On a brighter note, the lower was pumping that day and made for an awesome runnout...
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septimus prime
Big Boofer
Joined: 02 Jun 2007
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 4:07pm |
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I was with you guys and agree with the assessment. If I had never run it, I would hike in, but not again at those flows.
Edited by septimus prime - 12 Sep 2012 at 4:09pm
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BRoss
McNasty
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 4:44pm |
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Scott/Jon did you run from the top, or hike in to the diversion dam? Would that make a difference in terms of pain/pleasure ratio?
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"That boated a lot better than it looked." "It always does until it doesn't."
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BRoss
McNasty
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 4:46pm |
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although i admit i may have a different idea of whats worth it, given that I don't regret hiking 4 miles to run the Pilchuck River's .5 mile class 4 canyon and three miles of flat water!
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"That boated a lot better than it looked." "It always does until it doesn't."
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Travisimo
Big Boofer
Joined: 17 Jun 2005
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 6:26pm |
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There are some portages but I don't think it was that bad...
There was SNOW when we went... my poor 4X4 wasn't making it where only a snow cat had been... so we put in at the diversion dam. You should put in at the top!!! It's 9 miles of class 4 goodness.
Let me know if your doing it... I'd LOVE to go again and do the upper too but not sure if I can escape work yet. PM or call me too oh sex nein tree won 6 for ate six
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H2O please
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Fish
Big Boofer
Joined: 05 Sep 2007
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 6:33pm |
Cant believe i forgot to mention you Jon, the three amigos... my bad :-) It was fun to get back in there again though, but we put in at the Diversion Dam skipping the upper most section. If folks have never been in there, its worth checking out considering there isnt much else going this friday. Travis, do you recall how many miles are up above where we put in? I'll have to check out AW, now that the snow is gone, the stuff up higher would be worth checking out.
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Travisimo
Big Boofer
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Posted: 12 Sep 2012 at 10:33pm |
The upper putin was only a mile above where the snow turned us around... maybe 3 road miles above where we started walking? You basically head up to the dam but turn off just before on a narrow road on the left and park at the end. Stop at the station on the right side of the road on the way (obvious, it's a roofed structure and about the only structure you'll see) and fill out a form saying why you're there. We had to walk 3 MILES and the upper putin avoids that and adds a LOT of quality whitewater. That walk is easier, head past the washout then down the hill... I don't know 100% how to describe the trail there but I think it will be fairly obvious... I spent a day helping restore the trail years back. Tread lightly, the prospector that owns the claim (gold panning) doesn't like anybody using his trail so we helped restore/rebuild it. Don't use his ladder at the end if it's there, walk around... it's easy, and will keep kayakers out of arguments with him. It's all downhill there and a shorter hike. If the road isn't open to the diversion dam and you go there its a 3 mile walk on a road. Not horrible but I remember being pretty tired when we reached the river. Darn I want to go... it's one of my favorite runs since it's so long and quality. If there was no dam and it flowed naturally the 9 miles of mostly boat scoutable class 4 would make it a Wa favorite for sure! THANK YOU Tom for letting paddlers know it is going to flow. My work sucks now, otherwise this is one of the rivers I've always said I would be on no matter what if it is flowing... 
Edited by Travisimo - 12 Sep 2012 at 10:35pm
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H2O please
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okeefe
Paddler
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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Posted: 13 Sep 2012 at 6:11am |
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Some additional information that may affect the decision folks make. They are planning to release from the dam during the night and start shutting down early in the morning. You will want to put in at 8 or 9 at the latest.
I don't know if anyone has done the section between Culmback and the Diversion Dam but I have heard from the fish bio that there is a new landslide that added some significant debris a couple years ago. I don't have any more details.
Apologies this is all less than convenient. Technically these are still "fish flows". Hopefully we'll get the new trail done next year and we will be able to start doing the official "whitewater flows"--with a bit more water, daylight hours, and on the weekend.
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Thomas O'Keefe
PNW Stewardship Director
American Whitewater
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septimus prime
Big Boofer
Joined: 02 Jun 2007
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Posted: 13 Sep 2012 at 7:43am |
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Hey Tom,
Thanks for the info. Since the dam was re licensed a couple years ago, what does it take to get a trail built? Who is suppose to take the lead on that. I thought last year they said releases would start this year and now it is next year.
Not shooting the messenger,
Jon
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okeefe
Paddler
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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Posted: 18 Sep 2012 at 9:46am |
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Regarding the trail, the Forest Service has responsibility for the planning and environmental review as the land manager (most of the environmental review was done during relicensing but there were a couple loose ends). The PUD will fund construction as part of their license obligations and will contract that out. I had hoped that they would get to work on the trail this year but it did not happen. I'm pushing and all indications are that we will be able to start construction next spring. They have a narrow window driven by weather and murrelet nesting (the trail passes through old-growth and key murrelet habitat).
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Thomas O'Keefe
PNW Stewardship Director
American Whitewater
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