Washington whitewater - Cascade River, Northern Cascade Range, Skagit County
Skagit
county,
Mineral Park to Marble Creek Campground section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.
CLASS II 6 miles
Just attempted this section of river August 10th, 2006. Very dangerous. It is no longer a class 2 after the big washout in 2004. River is full of debris and log jams. At one particular log jam on the left fork of the split (the right fork was completely dammed up) our raft was sucked into a huge 4 foot waterfall that was blocked by logs. It destroyed our raft, and we lost all of our gear. I was sucked under for several seconds, barely managing to make it out alive. Luckily I was wearing a helmet because my head hit several logs under water in the falls.
The vortex created by this logjam was immense. I somehow managed to pull my self onto a log and catch my breath. We had to hike through thick forest over 2 miles to the bridge on road 1550. Needless to say I am cut up, bruised, with a miled concussion. This stretch of river is
extremely dangerous. Do not attempt. There is no passage to get to Marble Creek Campground. You will be stuck in the deep forest. Says Curtis Jones
Did this section July 21, 2007 in a tandem canoe, at about 1850. Had never done this section before. The description above seems accurate. Several large log jams, some completely blocking the river, forcing us to take some long and rough portages through thick brush and over huge piles of logs. Even when the river is not blocked, there are serious strainers at every bend. You really have to be alert
to avoid them. A lot of work and danger for the few fun class II rapids you get within the first mile or so. We spent nearly three hours on portages and scouting and only about one hour actually on the water. Not recommended. Says
The natural beauty of Skagit County
and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream attract people from near and far. Whitewater paddling here in the Northern Cascade Range is a great experience. Great exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors have people coming from far and near. The Mineral
Park to Marble Creek Campground stretch of Cascade River in Washington is 6 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class II section. The sections for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in Washington are often more challenging than in other states, so
if you're not from around here don't forget that a large number of rivers in this state are not easy. There's camping available near Cascade River. This stretch has has enough mileage, it's good length for a morning trip. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to
get to one, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. The Mineral Park to Marble Creek Campground section is one of a few paddling sections in this river system. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, in this general area you'll
find lots of paddling places.
Briefly about the general area: The Hidden Lake Trail offers hiking at its best. During the warm days of summer here at Cascade River, high temperatures mostly get into the 70's; throughout summer nights temperatures are in the 50's. For
the period of the winter highs are generally in the 30's while the cold winter nights at Cascade River are in the 30's. Cascade River is a quite wet place frequently with a good deal of rainfall; the month of December is the wettest with most of the rain while July is generally the driest month.
All Washington Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Washington.Books about whitewater paddling on Cascade River, Washington List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Cascade River, Washington.Find a whitewater outfitter in WashingtonWhitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.Outdoors Recreation Near Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington, the metro area neareast to Cascade River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
These outdoors activities are available near Cascade River.