West Walker
3. Hwy 395 Bridge to Walker
| Difficulty | III-V |
| Length | 11.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 106 fpm |
| Gauge | W Walker Rv Blw L Walker Rv Nr Coleville, Ca |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 666 cfslow runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 17, 2022 |
River Description
20+ years of erosion and flows have begun to reshape the riverbed, following the devastating 1997 flood. Boulders have fallen to the canyon floor, and sediment has shifted. Rapids and features are once again becoming distinct, boofs exist, and eddies can be found. Every year the river improves a little, and in some ways becomes harder, in some ways cleaner. It's become a super unique run, and is great fun for a quick lap or two! Thumb shuttles are also easy here.
Rapids are starting to become more distinct, though most of the run is still one continuous section with harder/easier bits. After the pool with big tree stumps at mile 1.8, it's 'game on' for about 2.5 nonstop miles, followed by more boogie/rapids all the way to Walker. Even the calmer sections will have you constantly paddling to avoid shallow spots/holes and choosing lines. Don't put on if you aren't physically fit enough to actively paddle for 45+ minutes straight! This is not a joke, even physically fit paddlers will be tired by the time they hit the crux, and this run is NOT the place to swim.
500 cfs (minimum): The run is class 4 and quite bumpy. Expect to spend lots of time smashing rocks and avoiding pins. Holes are small but may contain badly placed rocks.
800 - 1200 (optimal): Most of the run is pleasantly engaging class 4, with fun boofs and constant moves. A few badly placed rocks exist, but are mostly covered. The harder section definitely ramps up to 4+ simply because of its continuous nature and many holes which could trip you up. As flows get higher the run quickly gets faster/harder.
1600+ (gnarly): Extremely continuous with big holes, and less rocks. Water at the 'tree stump pool' will be ripping downstream about as fast as flatwater can go, and the run will be one nonstop rapid once you peel out of it. The hardest section certainly borders on class V at 1600, and the rest of the run is an absolute riot. Upper l
...River Features
Tree Stump Pool
Alternate put-in, and the last calm water before the run really begins in ernest. Large tree stumps in the riverbed are left over from past drought and/or landslide events.
Putting in here ensures virtually no warm up. Upstream are a couple class 2 & 3 rapids you will skip, but not much.
Shotgun
The whitewater starts off with a bang! A nice boulder garden with some boofs, leads into a long and fast runout with some holes and boofs. Most lines are generally good to go, but some holes may be bigger than others.
This rapid is about 1/4 mile long before letting up into some continuous class 2 & 3.
Campground
Marks the start of the hardest section, the river starts to steepen with some big boulers midstream. Hope you're feeling fresh, because from here there is no let up until you are at the bottom of the Crux (approximately 200 fpm in the next mile of whitewater).
El Boa
The river begins to steepen and gets mankier. At a hard left turn cut inside the inside left line.
A 1/4 mile of continued big holes and waves follow the rapid, leading to the lip of the Crux section.
Crux Line
The hardest individual section, comes on a straightaway with white boulders, after El Boa. Continuous steep waves and holes lead up to a big rock which splits the river. Left is faster, right is sneakier at high flows. Drop past the rock which forms some laterals, hit some ledges, and punch several large holes in a row. Don't get stuck
Reccomend scouting this from the road beforehand.
Milk
A nearly 1/2 mile long runout follows the Crux. This section is notable for many chaotic back to back holes and boofs, very splashy! It has a red cliff towards the bottom right, with eddys that can be seen from the road.
Eventually the pace slacks somewhat, but be on your toes for a few sleeper holes before you pass Shingle Mill Flat Picnic Area.
Shingle Mill Flat Picnic Area
Alternate put-in/takeout.
Rebirth
The river starts to pick up again and goes into small and pleasant gorge. This rapid is the first return to real whitewater, on a steep right hand bend right next to the road. The typical line is to stay middle/left through a series of chaotic ledges and holes.
Boof Nursery
Big boulders and many boofs on a straight away. So Sick!
Speed Gorge
Last section of distinct whitewater, and probably the first thing you'll notice when driving up the road. The river gets pinched into a small and fast narrows with some weird wave features.
The river maintains steepness for a bit below here, but features become less distinctc.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportRan this section today at a little over 1000CFS. Clean with no channels blocked with wood. Rocks were well padded and holes were mostly wave holes. Really fun run but really felt like one big long rapid. A swim would be very consequential due to the continuous nature. We put in at the bridge where the W. Walker goes under 395 and took out at the river park just south of Walker. The AW Description does not mention that Large changes occurred to the streamed after the 1997 flood and apparently much of the river was altered to give it a similar but easier character to things like the N. Fk. of the Payette.
I felt like it had bits of class IV munchiness with Class III moves but Class V consequence at this level. Higher flows would make it considerably more scary, and lower flows would make it more technical. we felt like the 1000-1200 level was optimal flows for this run.
This run... so sweet, So good.