Professor Paddle: Nfk Sky SPANNING WOOD above Confluence vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Warehousing & Order Fulfillment vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Warehousing & Order Fulfillment vanlinelogistics.com Seattle Washington (WA) Commercial Relocation vanlinelogistics.com Warehousing & Order Fulfillment
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jP
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  Quote jP Replybullet Topic: Nfk Sky SPANNING WOOD above Confluence
    Posted: 10 Dec 2014 at 2:24pm
Not posting this to the river alerts, because no one reads those anyway and I think this hazard may be very temporary. But still, at 8,000+ cfs it was spanning the entire North Fork channel and was partially concealed beneathe the current.

As of today, wed dec 10th
There is a 40' long spanning log across most of the entire channel on the North Fork Sky. It is located near the bottem of the second to last rapid before the confluence.

Here is its exact location, in greater detail...

So you just paddled past Sportsman's, the squatter camp on R. Right below Llama ledges. You paddle through the flatwater past the islands on R. Left. As you approach this next rapid, under the powerlines, the river bends left. Tons of wood collects on R. Right where a huge hole lurks at highwater.This channel spanning wood is at the very top of the gravel bar as the river aims back toward its left bank. It could be two pieces, couldn't tell. At about 8,000cfs we snuck around it on R. Right, but far R. Left would work too.

The important thing is that you know its there as you approach the rapid because a lot of water concealed it at 8k. Likely if the river comes up much at all it should flush, just look out for novices that tag along with you and make sure they have a stragey of avoidence before they enter the rapid.

Its big enough that if you show up and it isn't there anymore, AND if the river only bumps up mildly above 8 or 9k, you should keep your eyes peeled downstream, however unlikely that Mama Sky might choose to keep this wood around, tucked into some unexpected corner on the Main...

Stay safe out there and use your intellect, keep that rabid dog on a leash.
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STLboater
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  Quote STLboater Replybullet Posted: 10 Dec 2014 at 5:27pm
Thanks for the update JP
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jP
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  Quote jP Replybullet Posted: 11 Dec 2014 at 3:51pm
My pleasure.

Ran it today again, and it was a tad lower. The wood is still there, estimated to be 30-40' long, perhaps roughly 20" diameter.

With the weekend aporoaching and flows dropping, the wood is stuck but it should be more visible also. At 8000+ it could sneak up on the inattentive.

I suggest we try to keep it in mind, and try to remember to remind each other at the River House before we put on.

While the SKY MOB (any group of about 20 paddlers or more who put on together) social phoenomenon is wonderful, and actually safe in many ways, it can be potententially lend itself to a lack of safety in other ways.

Mainly I worry about novices who put on w/ a big grouo, don't get the memo about the wood, then get surprised by it, or otherwise tangled up among other boaters and then consequently be unable to scramble to the side quick enough. It takes up almost the whole channel. Narrow margins on either side could dry up if the water drops much lower.
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  Quote water wacko Replybullet Posted: 24 Dec 2014 at 5:13pm
Did it flush? Where's Mckibbin..?
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water wacko
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  Quote water wacko Replybullet Posted: 25 Dec 2014 at 2:19pm
…is gone.
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman
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