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First Big Drop

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Account	Looking back upstream at the final series of big drops. The waterfall and lead-in rapid above it are visible upstream. The river then flows through a technical boulder garden rapid that is run along the left side (there is a bad sieve along the right). Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The big falls a short distance downstream from Elbow Room and the start of the final sequence of rapids. The lead-in requires that you negotiate your way through a somewhat meaty hole before taking the plunge over the left or center depending on flows. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The big falls a short distance downstream from Elbow Room and the start of the final sequence of rapids. The lead-in requires that you negotiate your way through a somewhat meaty hole before taking the plunge over the left or center depending on flows. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The big falls a short distance downstream from Elbow Room and the start of the final sequence of rapids. The lead-in requires that you negotiate your way through a somewhat meaty hole before taking the plunge over the left or center depending on flows. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. After a technical boulder garden the final crux move in Elbow Room requires that you negotiate this midstream boulder. If it's free of wood there is a decent line along the left but there is no margin for error. On the right, a good portion of the flow comes back to the left underneath the boulder in the worst sieve on the river. If you think it looks bad from above, it's even worse once you're down at river level. This drop has been run several times, but there is a significant hazard factor here. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The river wide ledge drop just below the confluence with Summit Creek. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The log boof along the Secret Campground. Because there is access from the road here you can sometimes have spectators. This is also one place you can leave the river if you're in over your head. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. A fun little plunge along river right. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. A river right slide as you approach the Secret Campground that feeds you into a hole with a tricky hydraulic created by a boulder that backs up some of the flow. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. One of the best slides on the run. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. One of the memorable drops on the Ohane where the river squeezes down along the overhanging gorge wall on river right. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. More fun boulder garden rapids and ledges in the first part of the run. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. Immediately after the first big drop the gradient picks up and the river stairsteps down through an impressive series of big boulder gardens and ledges. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs. The first big drop on the Ohane is sometimes run (at higher flows than this photo) but there is a good portage route on the right. There are some bad pin spots in this rapid. Cowlitz at 1100 cfs.
Time	2003-07-20 04:00:00 GMT
Reported Date	1058673600
River Reported	Ohanepecosh
Reporter	Author Of Report Thomas O'Keefe 3537 NE 87th St. Seattle, WA 98115 E-mail: okeefe@americanwhitewater.org Phone: 425-417-9012
River	Ohanepecosh [WA] Ohanepecosh Campground to La Wis Wis Campground V med 00h46m [detail]
Reported Level	med-low