Low water, impending rain, but I felt the need to raft (as did a few others). The boat picture is my "verification" photo

New log in bottom of first channel, river left

Log from a distance

Thru Alligator

Below Whirlpool. After this the rain picked up and I lost interest in picture taking...

USGS Flow at 04/10/2011 12:00 PDT 4.54' 3,440 CFS

Back again in mid-June. Same impending rain, but higher water level. Note oarlock inset. Looks like pin is already gone. Story follows...

Jim's is last boat down

Pete was using Matt's fishing rig (no seat on cooler)

Not having an actual seat thru Jaws resulted in Pete swimming and having to retrieve the boat. Thought I had it coralled upstream, but my left oar popped free, and I was "one-handed" and lost control of it, while I was trying to reinsert the oarlock

Al helped Pete pull it back upstream

Ready to go

Downstream regroup

Departing from lunch stop

Below Chris's favorite log jam

USGS Flow at 06/18/2011 12:00 PDT 5.95' 6,900 CFS

North Cascades departs on their early morning commercial trip

Room for my boat

Upper Sauk

Whitechuck

Bachman Park takeout

Al and Linda

And Sable...

Back at the Whitechuck putin, Orion has arrived with a commercial trip

Commercial Peeps

Not helping verification²

Leisurely 12:20pm launch

Partial view of Whitechuck Mtn.

Stop at Essential Eddy #1

Strap adjust verification²

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Stop at Essential Eddy #2

Mt. Pugh in the distance

Thru Jaws

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Below Jaws WMV Movie²

Below Jaws

More Mt. Pugh scenery

Old Whirlpool channel

New Whirlpool channel

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Departing from lunch stop

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Jumbo Mtn.

4 Channels WMV Movie²

Passing Jumping Rock

Old right channel above Clear Creek

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Rowing up Clear Creek

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Looks "clear" to me!

Great water level, great weather make for an awesome day on the Sauk River

USGS Flow at 07/09/2011 12:00 PDT 6.36 8,470 CFS

Back again for Sat. and Sun. Weather not as good as last weekend

Another "crack of noon" launch (12:11pm)

Standard stop at Essential Eddy #1

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Into Jaws. The start of the persistent fog

Jaws sequence

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Parked behind the Demon Seed

Jim cycles thru the old Whirlpool channel

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Lunch stop fog (and rain)

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Starting to clear a bit

Behind Jumping Rock

Bottom of old channel above Clear Creek

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Stacked for evening. Stop at Glacier Peak Cafe

Revisiting the site of the log incident several weeks ago

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River access

... and mini-park

"New" (2008) bridge

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Evening hike on Whitechuck bench trail

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Mt. Pugh

Secluded but good trail

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The berry pickings were slim

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Looking down on gravel pit camp area

Sunday - the fog remains

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More fog thru Jaws (again)

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Lunch stop

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Starting to clear (again)

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Survived another one :)

USGS Flow at 07/16/2011 12:00 PDT 6.35 8,440 CFS
07/17/2011 12:00 PDT 6.50 8,930 CFS

Back at Whitechuck putin once again

Casey's new NRS Revolution 15' raft and frame

July 30, great water level and weather means lots of people

Om the water at 11:53am. Almost "early"

Upstream from "essential eddy #1" (primarily a stop for strap checking)

Jumbo Mtn. below the island split after "essential eddy #1"

Upstream Mt. Pugh peeks out

Standard Mt. Pugh shot

Casey and Crew thru Jaws. Tough taking pictures with all this sun :)

Jim thru Jaws

Above Popeye

Down the home stretch

Derig at Backman Park

USGS Flow at 07/30/2011 12:00 PDT 6.03' 7,450 CFS

The cold spring and late summer had made for amazing consistent flows on the Sauk for the last 2 months

First ever September Sauk trip. Casey convinced me the 2500 CFS was doable, though with some rock dodging challenges. Seemed a much better alternative to the Tieton melee, and dustbowl camping

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At Backman Park takeout, it looks like enough water

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Carol helps Casey launch 11:54am. With sunny skies and temps in the 80's no wetsuits needed (another Sauk first)

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Run on island left is open now due to 'magic'

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First of numerous rock hunting stops. We all have our quirks :)

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Odd to see Whitechuck Mtn. with no snow

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Some campers took the dirt road from Darrington. Also odd is seeing fall colors

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Not much of a surfing wave above Alligator

Mt. Pugh

Thru Jaws - verification³

Parked behind Demon Seed

Right side log forced us to the left side of the seed

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Tried to zoom in on a bald eagle. One of several seen today

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New Whirlpool channel

Bottom of new Whirlpool channel

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Old Whirlpool channel

Below Popeye

Above takeout. Survived with a few rock slides, but never got stuck. A phenomenal day on the Sauk

USGS Flow at 09/10/2011 12:00 PDT 2,510 CFS 4.03'

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