3 - 1/17/09 - EF Humptulips (Falls and Gorge)

It's always fun to see a new river, and it's even better when you get nice weather and a good flow. Three of us braved the snow at the put-in and were on the East Fork Humptulips starting on the Falls section and continuing through the Gorge section. We did not have the option of just running the Gorge section because the gate to the intermediate access point was locked.

The Falls section flows through a lush forest with overhanging trees and little waterfalls everywhere. The rapids are mostly class II with an occasional class II+, including a couple made by logs in the river. Near the end of this section, a large pile of boulders marks the entrance to the falls. We portaged the falls on the right - an easy portage that was preferable to the possibility of getting stuck at the base of the falls. We stopped and had a quick lunch before continuing down to the Gorge section.

As we neared the bridge that separates the two runs, we saw a 15-foot log leaning against the bridge. As we approached closer, we could see that the river was blocked by the log and other wood. We quickly portaged this and worked our way down into the Gorge. This is a very narrow canyon with a few class III- rapids and lots of boiling currents (which are harder to deal with than the rapids). After the gorge opened up, the river widened and there were fewer rapids to the end.

This would be a great run for class II+ boaters with an experienced trip leader and recent information about wood.