Wenatchee, WA

Wenatchee's Rodeo Hole

Wenatchee's Rodeo Hole
Photo of Claudio Piani by Thomas O'Keefe © taken 1998-05-02 @ 13,700 cfs

Gauge Information

River Description

FUN FACT: Some of the best playboating in the state

SEASON: Late spring (as soon as the snow melt kicks into gear) through early summer (as long as the snowmelt lasts). You always wish it would last longer.

EVENTS: Wenatchee River Festival

ACCESS: There are basically three different common put-in options depending on your preference for a longer run or a shorter run that concentrates on the best play features.

1 - River Cruisers
While there are some put-in options as far upstream as the town of Leavenworth, the most popular put-in for those who just want to run the river and take in all the features is in the town of Peshastin (you'll need a vehicle use permit from WDFW to use this access) which gives you about an 8 mile run. At Highway 2 mile 103.6 turn east on to Main Street and cross the bridge into the town of Peshastin. After you cross the river, turn right onto School Street. Continue past the school and down the gravel drive to the river access on river left. The put-in is on the edge of a residential neighborhood and was nearly closed after complaints from locals. Drive slowly through town and use discretion when changing here. Although the put-in is a little dusty, the take-out at Riverside Park in Cashmere is first class. A ramp runs right down into the water making it a simple task to get out on shore and find your way over to the crowd of boaters sitting out on the grass. Here you can enjoy the seemingly endless supply of chips and cold beverages that seem to emerge from shuttle vehicles. There are picnic tables and changing rooms here. To reach this takeout take Highway 2 to mile 111.1, turn west onto Aplets Way, and cross the bridge into Cashmere. Turn left and work your way towards the river (the park is downstream river right of the bridge). Although most kayakers have had enough by the time they get to Cashmere, there is another takeout at Wenatchee River County Park in Monitor.

2 - Play and Cruising
For those who want to shorten the run a bit (by about a mile and half) you can put- in at the base of the diversion dam where Peshastin Creek enters the river. Turn off from Highway 2 just south of the Highway 2 bridge across Peshastin Creek (at Highway 2 mile 105.2) and follow Saunders Road 0.3 miles back to Peshastin Creek. Turn right before you cross the creek onto a road that takes you 0.4 miles to an unimproved parking area (DOT site) next to the dam. Although you don't need a vehicle use permit to park here, it's unclear what the legality of this spot is. Many folks use it but it doesn't look like boaters are particularly encouraged to use this site. You can also combine the big water of the Wenatchee with a creek boating entry by boating Peshastin Creek down to the Wenatchee. Use the same take-out in Cashmere as described above.

3 - Playboaters
A final option for a put-in that is popular with the playboating crowd is to put-in at Rodeo Hole. This is a much shorter run (4 miles) but you can spend as long as you want at all of the best rapids. To reach Rodeo Hole directly, turn north on to Johnson Road at mile 106.5 off Highway 2 (it's easy to miss this turn--it's right by the sign to Dryden). Take an immediate left on to Frontage Road which then becomes Stine Hill Road. On the way to Rodeo Hole you will dip down close to the river at one point just upstream of the trailer park and this roadside access has been used by folks who don't have a vehicle access pass, but most continue on to the main parking area. In 1.7 miles from the Highway 2 turn-off you will see a cream colored house with a blue roof (as of 2004). Head down the gravel drive to the north side of the house, 0.2 miles through the orchards, and down to the public parking area near the railroad bridge (you'll need a vehicle use permit from WDFW to use this access, yes they do check and you will get a ticket). Rodeo Hole is a couple hundred yards upstream of the railroad bridge. If you're using this access you'll probably run your shuttle on river right. It's 3.2 miles to Cashmere and you'll pass an excellent taco stand. Continue on downstream on Stine Hill Road which becomes Sunset Highway. When you get to Cashmere turn left and cross the railroad tracks. After crossing the tracks take your second right and follow it about a block and half to Riverside Park.

DESCRIPTION:

As the winter wears on, west-side boaters dream of the big Wenatchee play waves, sunny eastern Washington skies, and lounging on the grass at the Cashmere takeout. Don't expect to find either solitude or scenic wonders here. While this run has some of the best playboating in the state, it's not uncommon to find yourself waiting in long lines in the eddies. Apple orchards dominate the streamside vegetation here and you'll pass a number of houses and even a trailer park. It's hard not to enjoy the experience though and for those feeling the need for an audience or a look at the season's newest playboats this is the place to find it.

The first major rapid is Rock and Roll. This 200 yd. rapid is typical of those on the Wenatchee with a big wave train and a big hole--on this rapid it forms right of center and is known as Satan's Eyeball. The river continues along at a moderate pace until you reach the lowhead dam where Peshastin Creek enters. The terminal hydraulic that forms at the base of this dam is a guranteed drowning machine (especially on river right). The concrete structure of the dam is easy to see from upstream and the portage trail is on river right. The sneak that develops around the left at some water levels is for regulars--don't try it unless you know the line, have the skills to execute it, and understand the dangers associated with lowhead dams (read Chris Joosse's case to modify the dam to improve safety and enhance a river feature).

After the dam, the river flows through the rural landscape to the first of many highway bridges. This is one of the first places where you'll see a line of brightly colored kayaks as there is some good surfing to be had on a couple smooth glassy waves that form on river right just upstream of the bridge. From this point on, the river presents an endless supply of class III rapids and excellent catch-them-on-the-fly surf spots.

The next significant spot to stop to show your stuff is Rodeo Hole (video). It's just upstream of the third railroad bridge (about 4 river miles downstream from the lowhead dam). You can recognize this spot by a large granite face (room for a couple dozen spectators) that slopes down to the river on the right hand side. This is a popular stop for lunch and surfing so if the water is at a good level (best above 10,000 cfs) expect a crowd in the eddy and a group cheering from the rock.

Drunkard's Drop follows a short distance around the corner from Rodeo Hole. It's recognized by a large dirt cliff on river left and a big wave train extending downstream. Anytime that there are a lot of rafting groups on the river (when is this not the case!!?), the photographers from Northwest Outdoor Pursuits will be shooting as you come through the wave train on river left (you can order prints from their office in Cashmere on the main street). Be sure to pull out on river right for the opportunity to surf the waves at Drunkard's Drop (video). These waves are good around 5,000 cfs and you can even find some fun stuff around 3,000, but as flows rise above 10,000 Trinity Wave over on the left side is where the action is.

The last formidable rapid on the river is Snowblind. If you're looking for a clean line, this is one of the more technically challenging rapids on the river as there are several waves and holes of different sizes to be negotiated. Otherwise you can punch through just about everything although there are a couple holes that get a little intimidating at some water levels. You can find some decent play in this rapid but for most of it you only get one shot. Granny Rapids are a short distance downstream before you cross under the highway bridge into Cashmere. The waves here provide some of the best surfing at low water. You can find a couple of really great last chance surf waves at Granny's on river right, but look out for Suffocator right below (video). It will either provide you with some great play or eat you for lunch depending on levels and your skills. Once under the bridge look for the takeout ramp on river right.

Here's what Clay Wright has to say about this great springtime play run at flows around 12k:

"Today the Rodeo Hole is kickin' and we're going big on past-vert blunts to the right on river right - there is actually a tube at the very corner to kick you around hard. Out on river left we're popping straight airs -air blunts, clean blunts, back air blunts, flip turns, and donkey flip/ air screws. Trinity wave is huge too, and some BIG air was had, but lots of workings too. Very fast, so kinda violent when you flip. Snowblind is chock full of surfing - too many holes to hit in one round. Too bad you can't walk back up! Suffocator wave at the end is now a breaking wave and we're hitting air blunts on that too. Working the 'Macho move" a downstream loop off a wave-train between rapids, and of course the kickflips are flying high too. Gotta go - second session leaving soon."

lat /long approximate by tiger map server

for additional information see

• Bennett, J. and T. Bennett. 1997. A guide to the whitewater rivers of Washington, second edition. Swiftwater Publishing. Portland, OR.
• North, D.A. 1992. Washington whitewater. Mountaineers. Seattle, WA.