Elkhorn Creek

I am amused at recent comments about the Elkhorn, most of which appear to be jokes or from folks who don't know the basics. The S-turn (a.k.a. Railroad) rapid is the first significant rapid after the dam rapid. S-turn does indeed have an impressive diagonal wave, which seems to be at maximum height around 1500-2000 cfs. If you know how to do an eddy turn, you can easily avoid it by eddying right. If you have good balance and rudimentary ferrying skills, you can eddy left, then cut behind that wave. You'll be parallel to some large waves below it (hence need for balance), and you'll need to keep a vigorous paddle going, in order to avoid being washed into the island. I was once, but no harm done. But, if you are that skilled (a solid class II paddler), you might find it more enjoyable to crash through the diagonal wave with a right angle perpendicular to the diagonal wave. That eddy left of the diagonal wave is good for surfers.
River info on this site is an excellent guide to running levels. It is possible to portage the dam above 2500 cfs. I have at 3500 cfs, but it is disconcerting because you cannot see where to exit at the dam (left side) until you are almost right there. The more important considerations are that at that level there is room there for only one kayak at a time, and that you want to be sure to put back in well below the dam to avoid being pulled into the dam hydraulic.
Basically, if you are a novice, you will need basic boat handling skills, and know how to catch eddies. And, you should go with someone who knows the river. Avoiding hazards is not difficult (hence the class II rating). A couple rapids (particularly Double Stump, below S-turn) can pick up strainers. Boat scouting is straightforward, and if strainers are present, portages are easy. So, a good responsible guide should make for a fun trip. No guarantee you won't swimm, but rescues aren't particularly hard. Again, this is a class II river, and a great one to learn on. The surf waves make it fun even for class IV-V paddlers, so it isn't difficult to get someone to guide you through. When there is water, just show up around 11 a.m., and the old hands will magically appear soon after. This is a good rule summer or winter, just make sure to “dress for the swimm” when it’s cold.