Hood, West Fork
3. Lake Branch to Punchbowl Falls(West Fork Hood)
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWe did this run today 12/23/2020 at 2,000cfs and falling at Tucker (5.8 feet and falling), which matched up with 1200cfs and falling at Dee (http://levels.wkcc.org/?f=2v3). This was a nice flow but after chatting with the rest of the gang we concurred that we normally have run this section a good bit higher, and that the flow parameters presented on this website do not agree with local community usage. We have run it a LOT when it would fall in the 'too high' range on this page. We have also run it a fair bit on rising water, not falling. At today's flow it was bouncy and intense in places with a few bad holes but mostly read and run. This run is GREAT when the Tucker gauge is at 7 feet (and falling), not too high. Because the run is well upstream from the Tucker gauge, 7 feet and rising is a flow to be wary of. At 9-10 feet it reaches next-level bigness meriting a class V rating but for a strong class V boater it is a fun romp, not scary. It is a gorged in, continuous, big-water style run and requires that paddlers have a solid roll. Swimmers will have a hard time getting out, and will probably lose their boats.
6/24/2020 We did this run at 3.7' on the Tucker gauge and 300 cfs on WF gauge. In the past, we have run this as far down as 3.5'/250 cfs and it still goes. Near and below 4', it's more of a 'creeky' run and very enjoyable for paddlers with the right mindset. On a nice day in late Spring and early Summer, it's a great alternative to yet another Middle White Salmon run. The first 2 miles to the fish-ladder can be a little tedious at very low flows, but the rest of the run is still very entertaining and everyone who Jacob and I have taken down at these levels has been pleasantly surprised and is always anxious to return. If you can scrape down the first small rapid at the lower put-in you'll be fine. I would only recommend the Lake Branch put-in with 400 cfs or more and the uppermost put-in at Lolo Pass at 500.
Wood portage still necessary about 15 minutes downstream from launch. Climb up the steep wooded slope on the right.
As of spring 2017, one wood portage in the first gorge (may be possible to get through at certain water levels). Otherwise the run is clean.
A trip to Punch Bowl Falls at low water.
Rafting one of the best drops in the first basalt gorge on the West Fork of the Hood River.