White Salmon

American Whitewater staff Kevin Colburn, Bethany Overfield, Evan Stafford, and Tom O'Keefe joined local board member Megi Morishita for a trip down the Lower Gorge of the White Salmon River. Flow was high but manageable and the run was class III with the exception of Steelhead Falls which we portaged. It was possible to make use of the installed handholds and pass boats over and launch below the second hole downstream of Steelhead Falls. There were a few pieces of wood in play and one log spanning the river that we were easily able to get under as we approached the former Condit Dam site.

An evening site visit to the former site of the Condit Dam nearly a decade after the dam was breached and removed. You can hardly tell where the dam and trees are quickly growing up in the former reservoir lands.

As of August 2014 the only riverwide wood on this section was a new piece in the class I-II section immediately below Northwestern Park. The log jam below Steelhead has cleared, but could reform after any high water. The wood in the narrows after the right bend below Steelhead is still present, but can be avoided.

A celebratory run down the Lower Gorge of the White Salmon River following the complete removal of Condit Dam. This event was filmed by Patagonia and appears in the film DamNation.

Log jam that formed from debris associated with the Condit Dam breach.

With Condit Dam nearing completion, American Whitewater had the opportunity to scout out the entrance to the White Salmon Narrows.

Site visit and tour of Condit Dam as part of a field trip associated with River Rally co-hosted by American Whitewater.

On October 30th, 2011 Condit Dam was breached with an explosive blast that drained the reservoir in an hour.

Confluence of the White Salmon with the Bonneville Pool on the Columbia River.

A trip through the Lower Gorge prior to the removal of Condit Dam.

The Lower Gorge of the White Salmon River below Condit Dam.

The White Salmon River below Condit Dam.

Photo from October 1992 trip to study whitewater recreation potential of the reach downstream of Condit Dam in response to a study request American Whitewater submitted during the relicensing of the Condit Hydroelectric Project. From American Whitewater image archive.

Condit Dam shortly after construction.

Photo of dam site prior to construction of Condit Dam. Looking upstream.