Little Wenatchee
Fall Creek to Lake Creek Campground
| Difficulty | IV(V) |
| Length | 3.6 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 94 fpm |
| Gauge | Wenatchee River at Peshastin, Wa |
| Flow Rate as of 42 minutes | 3920 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 6, 2020 |
Projects
The Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests encompass more than four million acres and are jointly managed with headquarters in Wenatchee, Washington. The rivers flowing through these forests are essential to the whitewater paddling community—both as close-to-home runs for Washington residents and as classic objectives for paddlers traveling from across [...]Read More
River Description
The Little Wenatchee boasts a wide range of desirable flows, long season, crystal clear water, great class IV/V rapids, beautiful scenery, an easy shuttle, and close proximity to other runs.
The run starts off with short warm-up that leads to a clean and powerful 8 foot vertical drop called First Ledge. It's an obvious horizon line and an easy scout on river right. After First Ledge the river continues with some easy class II and just as you're starting to wonder when the action will pick up you reach some fun class III rapids and enter the First Gorge.
The First Gorge starts out with a couple of fun rapids before you reach The Flume and with it the action cranks up to some great class IV. The Flume is a series of holes and waves in a tight mini gorge that requires a sharp left hand turn at the end to avoid the headwall on river right. It's an impressive view from upstream as the river appears to dead end in the wall at the bottom. You can scout the whole gorge from river left and this is recommended if you haven't been down before as wood has been known to collect in the narrow slot at the bottom.
The action continues with great class IV whitewater and continuous action. You will eventually come to Let's Make a Deal. This rapid is marked by a big wall on river left and starts out with a tricky entrance slide towards river left that is hard to see from above. You then want to work your way over to river right and a small eddy above the river right slot for Let's Make a Deal. Routes through other slots are possible depending on flows and your skills.
Shortly after Let's Make a Deal the canyon walls peel back and the run continues with a short class II section. Just as things start to pick up again you're at the entrance for the Second Gorge. Use caution here as things start off as class III but quickly build to what most consider the one class V drop on the run. You can portage this section on river right (easier than the river left route m
...River Features
Put In
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportClean as of 6/3/2018.
Due to a navigation error on my part, we accidentally ran past the normal takeout to the Rainy Creek Campground - located on river right. Lots of class II in this area, but a very nice class IV gorge that is a step easier than the stuff up above. Totally worth the extra ~45 minutes on the water.
The river is completely clean of wood as of June 2017.
Omar sets up for the right hand slot on Let's Make a Deal.
After the first ledge the river flows through some easy class II before it hits the first gorge.
As of spring 2007 the run was totally clean with no wood portages (aside from a log across the last drop at Lake Creek Campground). Of course this situation can chance at any time and you should still scout the blind corners on your first run down. Awesome run!!
We ran The Little Wenatchee in May of 2005 after confirming the rumors of the run being fairly free of wood. We were pleasantly surprised to find great IV - IV+ action at the levels we were there (800 - 900 cfs). We thought those levels were about perfect. We chose to put in on river left based on some locals input. We took out at (decommisioned) Lake Creek Campground. The put-in/take-out instructions in the guidebook and how they look on a Gazetteer seemed confusing. Simply drive up the river-left side after leaving Lake Creek Campground. Once you see a Forest Service Gate, about 3 miles up the road, (open or closed doesn't matter), park on the outside of the gate, and hike directly down to the river. This puts you a short ways above the first good drop (7 ft ledge), and the action doesn't stop until Lake Creek Campground. We did the run with zero portages, but one or two might be prudent depending on ability, water level, and any shifting of logs that may occur. I've put a couple of series of pictures in the gallery, showing where we encountered a few logs of note. I recommend this run as one of WA's best class IV - IV+ rivers.
The Little Wenatchee (WA) is one of those rivers you see in the guidebook and you just know it's going to be a jewel. Lots of Class 4 and some 5 in a technical, steep gorge in a remote area waaaaaay up in the mountains above Lake Wenatchee. In Jeff Bennett's guidebook, Gary Korb wrote the description and calls it'one of my favorite runs.' Must be a classic.
Here's the unfortunate reality:
Currently, there is bad wood in every major drop except Let's Make a Deal. We're talking total closeouts. There's also must-walk wood in other reaches of the gorge sections. Expect arduous portages around some fantastic rapids - it's a true heartbreak, really. Some of the sticks are tough to see from upriver and committing to an unrunnable, unportageable situation is a frighteningly real possibility. It's probably gonna need at least 15K to 20K on the Wenatchee gauge to clean it out. Maybe more.
BTW, we had plenty of water with the main Wenatchee flowing 4,100 cfs, but it would get scrapy with any less water. The road to the put-in is impassable about 1/2 mile short of the end. It's an easy but long hike to the end of the road and across the clearcut to the river.
Mike Arnold
6/12/01
As of July 4, 2006, there is only one mandatory portage that our group found. We had been told about the wood in 'the Flume' so we were looking for it. It could be very scary if you didn't know it was there or didn't scout. Consider 'the Flume' mandatory portage at this time. Everything else was good to go, but things can change.
Latest report is that as of spring 2004, the Little Wenatchee is free of wood and well worth a visit.
The put-in requires a hike down the hill from the road that takes about 10 minutes. On the way you pass some massive trees.
Deep in the forest of the Little Wenatchee gorge, First Ledge marks the start of one of the finest whitewater runs in eastern Washington.
Entering the first gorge section on the Little Wenatchee.
One of the many fun rapids on the Little Wenatchee.
Dirk lining up for the right side slot on Let's Make a Deal.
This is the view from overhead of the crux move in the Second Gorge. The river necks down to this narrow slot that features a double hole combination.
Dirk heads into the first hole of two at the narrow slot in the second gorge.
One of many beautiful pools on the Little Wenatchee.
Looking downstream from the entrance to The Flume on the Little Wenatchee.
Looking upstream at The Flume.