| 1 - Fairfax to 177th St. East |
Carbon
Class V.2
9Miles
Avg Gradient 80 fpm
River Mapplet
|
|
| County |
Pierce |
| Zip Code |
98360 |
| Put In Longitude |
-122.0118332 |
| Put In Latitude |
47.0110283 |
| Take Out Longitude |
-122.1035004 |
| Take Out Latitude |
47.0973053 |
|
Gauge Information (Professor Paddle updated levels from CARBON RIVER NEAR FAIRFAX, WA at 9/3/2010 9:14:32 AM)
| Gauge |
Forecast |
Height |
Current Flow |
Authority |
Physical Update |
|
CARBON RIVER NEAR FAIRFAX, WA
|
NWRFC | FC Page |
7.33 |
249 cfs
|
USGS - NWIS |
09/03/2010 09:00 PDT |
|
Minimum Recomended Level: 350 cfs Maximum Recomended Level: 700 cfs
|
Putin DetailsThere are technically two different putin options. The guide book suggests putting in above 2 large rapids which are just past the Carbon River bridge. To access the Upper Putin you drive up Mowich Lake Rd (HWY 165) to the Fairfax Forest Reserve Road E. About 1.5 miles up the Fairfax road the river comes into view and you can put in.
The lower putin although more technical removes 2 rapids and allows you to run the river at a much higher flow without dealing with Ricks Slide. To access this putin drive up the mowich river road and 1/2 mile prior to the carbon river bridge you will find a gravel pull out. Park there and decsend into the canyon. Be aware you will need a rope and belay device for lowering into the canyon. |
Takeout DetailsThe standard take out listed is 5 miles lower out in the flat lands. I suggest taking out at Alonzo's. Be aware he is the coolest Land Owner I have ever met. He doesn't want beer but he appreciates respect and a chat about his 50 acre spread. You can reach his place by driving through carbonado until you come to AP-Tubbs road. his place is the first house on the west side (river side). He has a fence with a powered gate, and it is only suggested that you take out here if he says it is ok. Please respect him and his amazing property because he is an awesome guy that does not mind helping us out. |
Run DescriptionFirst before we get into the river description to far lets discuss the separation between two distinctly different portions of the river. Just below Ricks slide the canyon opens up significantly and the rapids become lower in difficulty until late in the run. Because the river channel is tighter up top and the rapids are more difficult it is not often that folks run the upper portion in high ranges. Unfortunately the lower portion quickly becomes boney with less water since it is more spread out and open. This creates a shift between sections that is hard to match up outside of the 450-550 cfs zone. Above 550 the upper is cranking and below 450 the lower is boney. To get around this we use the Rappel putin below Ricks Slide. This allows you to paddle up to 700 without the intense water in the upper canyon and still gives you plenty of water in the lower stretches. So there you have it, almost two separate runs accessed by rope unless you combine them together.
Once you pass Ricks Slide which is considered the crux of the upper portion the river drops around several blind corners before arriving at a 15 foot ledge that is significantly undercut and has a cave behind the veil. The common portage here is on river right up and over a smooth slab of rock, seal launching behind it.
The river quickly picks up pace and you will enjoy about 1 mile of fun class IV before the pace tapers down for a few rapids as you approach Classic Canyon. Below Classic Canyon the river continues for several miles bending through class II-III gardens that have wood issues from time to time.
The first large rapid after this short stretch is a fun corner that looks intimidating but is actually a great marker as the pace picks up. Below the corner rapid you will pass through a few class II-III rapids before arriving at the cross current boof with run out garden. This rapid is a blast, there is a broken ledge on river right and a nice smooth boof in the center, then below is a nice eddy and the runout which goes through a little boulder garden about 25-50 meters long. Below this rapid you will quickly pass through 3 more small features before arriving at the landslide rapid which constantly changes.
Below the landslide rapid is a continuous stretch of class IV with a pinched Undercut rapid in the middle. Be sure to catch eddies and scout this stretch as it would be a bummer to run the wrong lines. Below the utter under cutter is more fun class IV for 1/4-1/2 mile before the run turns to class II. At the change of pace is the take out for Alonzo's house, however you can continue down for 5 miles into the flat areas for a roadside access point.
| Who's Watching |  Upcoming Trips on this Run | Trip Reports |
|
|
|
|
|