Cle Elum
1 - Scatter Creek to Salmon La Sac Creek(China Gorge)
| Difficulty | IV-V |
| Length | 5.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 111 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 5, 2025 |
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
The Mountains to Sound Greenway stretches more than 100 miles along Interstate 90 from the shores of Puget Sound in Seattle, across Snoqualmie Pass, and into Central Washington. Encompassing over 700,000 acres of public land managed by local, state, and federal agencies, the Greenway protects an extraordinary landscape that [...]Read More
River Description
This major tributary of the Yakima is one of the most spectacular spring snow-melt runs on the eastern slopes of the Cascades. At high water the run is fast and continuous and the constant threat of wood keeps you on your toes. The payoff is east-side sunshine and some of the finest scenery in the region with beautiful bedrock canyons, open ponderosa pine forests throughout the gorge, and snow-capped peaks off in the distance. The overall character of the run is mostly IV+ although there are times that log hazards can create situations requiring class V skills. If you are borderline make sure to get a recent wood report from someone who knows the run or head down at the lower limit of flows. Many skilled paddlers have walked off this run when flows were too high. Once the river leaves the road, however, this becomes considerably more difficult.
The run starts out at class V Triple Falls. It's an easy scout just off the road and you can put in just above or below depending on whether you want to run it. Another option is to put in at the pool below the second drop to just run the final pitch as the first two ledges can be a bit stickier than they may first appear. This sets you up for the third drop in control for the river left line. If you get messed up on one of the first two ledges you risk ending up with most of the current in the nasty hydraulic and terminal eddy on river right at the bottom of the third ledge.
Once you've left Triple Falls behind the action is nearly non-stop with continuous rapids and small eddies. For the next couple miles, the river cuts through small boulder gardens and over numerous ledges providing class III/IV action at moderate flows. The action cranks up a notch at the higher limit of flows.
As the canyon walls squeeze together about 1/2 mile upstream of China Point, you enter the most significant drop on the run at S Turn. This class V boulder garden is hard to scout and even harder to portage. Expect to spend ov
...River Features
Put In
Access the river either just above or just below triple drop.
Triple Drop
A big rapid to start off the trip or you can put in just below.
S Turn
Challenging rapid to scout or portage. Wood can be a factor.
Davis Peak Trailhead
Intermediate access point.
Waptus Confluence
Major tributary that enters from the right. Those paddling the Waptus join the Cle Elum River here and need to be aware that China Falls awaits just upstream.
China Falls
Can be scouted or portaged on river right. A short distance below the Waptus confluence.
Salmon La Sac Take Out
Take out on river right upstream of the bridge at the day use area associated with the Salmon La Sac Campground. This is also the site of the annual Salmon La Sac Whitewater Slalom Race, held since 1962.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportAs of May/12/2011 there is bad wood in the 3rd rapid after the 10foot falls as you near the end of the run. Keep your head up, the river heads through a mini gorge where it gets squized through a nasty group of logs.
06-21-2009
Bad wood in the first major drop of S-Turn. Also, there was a river-wide log below the last pitch of S-Turn.
As of June 14th 2008 the run is the cleanest in a long time with no mandatory wood portages except in the runout of the second drop in S turn. We were able to portage drop #2 on the right but the eddy was marginal and will be gone at higher flows (approx 2000 cfs inflow) There was one other diagonal log that was submerged on the right and up on the left bank - somewhere above S turn but can't give a better location. We paddled over it on the right but with lower flows it may be a portage. We had approx 1,800-1,900 cfs inflow.
There were about 4 log portages between Triple Drop and S Turn (exact number will vary with flows). All of them came up pretty quickly with limited eddies so use caution and keep your spacing. The large pine log still spans the river above S Turn and makes the entrance move a bit more challenging. After S Turn it's all good.
Low water run through China Gorge. With Tom O'Keefe, Jennie Goldberg, David Wilson, and George Laird.
Nastiness just below Triple Drop. There is a mean hole on river right followed immediatly by this head knocker.
Downstream of Triple Drop
Gives you an idea of the river above China Point.