Stillaguamish, N. Fork

This run just barely hits class II for the first 10 miles, but the scenery is nice and the current keeps things moving.

At the recommended levels, this is a long run. From the Swede Heaven Bridge to the Whitman Road bridge is a 5 hour trip at 1500cfs, and that's only 2/3 of the run. You don't want to take out sooner because the best rapids are at the bottom, but there aren't any really good put-ins below Swede Heaven. The water at the put-in is clear, and you can see the rocks in the riverbed as you float. You won't get much more water than this until around 10 miles into the trip, when several creeks have added to the flow. When the Boulder River comes in on the left, it adds a bit of silt to the river, but it makes up for it by adding a lot of water.

This would be a good run on a sunny day with a big picnic lunch - get an early start and enjoy the day.

Be aware that there may be a few logjams, but the river is slow and you should have plenty of time to react. Also, there are several braided sections with non-obvious channels - be patient and boat-scout all of the options before commiting.