First Impressions of Washington

The Salmon are Running, and More!

It’s my first season as a guide up here in the beautiful state of Washington. I’ve guided a few seasons in Colorado and various other places, but the magic seems to flow quite heavily up here. In other words, there are more good rivers in Washington than most places in the country. On my way to this area, I would pass over a river with a strong current every few minutes on the highway.

The mighty Skykomish River

I was leaving the Wenatchee valley for a trip on the Skykomish River with one of our local guides, Neils Humphries, when he told me how the salmon would start running up the rapids on Tumwater section of the Wenatchee. He said you could see them jumping up the waves in some giant rapids such as Exit and The Wall, which are visible from Highway 2. The water was crystal clear on the Skykomish that day, and I could see nearly twenty feet to the bottom. When I paddled into the first rapid, a rainbow flashed in the spraying water just to my right, marking the start of an excellent day on the Skykomish. On the way back we stopped on Highway 2 to look at some of the rapids on the Wenatchee. It was getting dark, but sure enough, we saw salmon jumping up above the waves.

Top of Chaos rapid on Tumwater Canyon of the Wenatchee

As the water is coming down, and becoming clearer; the birds of prey seem to be taking advantage of the conditions. Yesterday I saw several Osprey dive into the water and fly off with a fish clutched in their talons. I’ve also seen Eagles and Osprey battle it out in the air a few times.

Wildwater River Guides staff kayaking Tumwater Canyon

With all the enthusiasm for the rivers around central Washington, I must admit that I’ve become a little stoked. We were on the Wenatchee River at 6:30 this morning before work, and the sunshine crept down the canyon wall until it finally shined on the river where we were playboating. We’ll probably be out on the water until late this evening as well.

Come join us and share our experiences!

Written by: David Gorski