The Robe Canyon Anamoly
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Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12665
Printed Date: 25 Sep 2025 at 11:49am
Topic: The Robe Canyon Anamoly
Posted By: ChristianKnight
Subject: The Robe Canyon Anamoly
Date Posted: 14 Nov 2012 at 5:08pm
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It turns out the spikes of high water we witness, and sometimes experience, on Robe Canyon aren't due exclusively to the logging that surrounds the area. The Robe Valley, it turns out, is the wettest place in Puget Sound. To find out why, follow this link: http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2012/02/spada-lake-anomaly.html - http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2012/02/spada-lake-anomaly.html You might have to copy and paste the link, which was passed onto me by a GIS analyst and friend. ------------- Catch your eddies, Christian |
Replies:
Posted By: Jimmy
Date Posted: 14 Nov 2012 at 6:43pm
| Don't get caught wading in that lake, the officers get really peeved about that. I almost got caught peeing in it one time, when I got caught wading I was really glad they didn't see me peeing. Having said that, it is a great place to take your sea kayak. Awesome scenery for a laid back day. |
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 14 Nov 2012 at 11:03pm
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Yup. The convergence zone funnels most of the weather up into there.
Another detail that the esteemed Mr. Mass did not mention, but which pertains to us can be gleaned from a detailed study of the S. Stilly drainage above Robe on the map, combined with a drive up there... It is a long basin in some ways similar to the Sky drainage in that it is like a giant "tree" of streams, whereas a lot of Washington's other drainages aren't as much. The Sky drainage has its two main forks, each having several sizeable tributaries, as we all know from paddling up there. They all collect into the Sky and we have the big grandiose Sky flowing into an ever widening valley. The S. Stilliguamish, on the other hand, is made up of lots of tiny creeks that pour into a comparitively flatter basin (its mostly a long stretch of class II above Robe till you get to the area around Wiley creek). But that valley seems to convey a lot of water quickly, because while it reacts similarly to the Sky drainage, it seems to be more "spikey". Then it gets down to Verlot and, as we know and Love it gets SQUEEZED suddenly through Robe Canyon. I think the S. Stilly gage seems to produce sharper spikes simply because it is located downstream of this narrow trench. And also it is closer to the epicenter Cliff Mass is describing than the Gold Bar Gage? With these geological details, combined with the weather patterns outlined by Cliff Mass, NO WONDER the ROBE GNOMES SHUT ROCKEFELLER and his eastern financiers DOWN, as the flooding through there repeatedly ravaged the cribbing upon which the railroad was built. There are photos of that first tunnel litterally stuffed full of huge trees. Rockefeller, you should have taken Barlow's advice initially and built all of those expensive trestles around the canyon entirely. Probably woulda saved you a lot of money in the end, dude. Oh well, fast forward to today and we have a concentrated firehose, a cornicopia of flows for which I'll soon be giving thanks. And, as if a boater could get bored paddling in there among the 20+ complex rapids, there is a permanently stationed remodel crew (Gnomes) working hard to keep changing it up after every major highwater event. Blessed in the Northwest. Hallelujah! 
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Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2012 at 9:41am
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Originally posted by Jimmy
Having said that, it is a great place to take your sea kayak. Wait, you can sea kayak in it but if you wade your gonna get in trouble? That must make for some interesting sealaunches. Very cool article, Cliff Mass is the closest thing to a deity that I have. All Hail The Weather Oracle Mass! ------------- The line will become apparent 978-273-7723 |