Baker Falls

Start right of river center. Align the right side of your raft with a barely visible patch of frothy water on the right to guide you into the correct position for the drop. There are few other visual reference points. Enter slowly, as last-second course corrections are nearly impossible. Scouting is essential, as the runnable slot is only about 6 to 8 feet wide. At flows above 1,000 cfs, the rapid is best scouted from Baker Wayside before launching. Below 1,000 cfs, it can be scouted from river right. Hidden boulders guard the right side of the slot, while a pour-over ledge on the left is capable of flipping a raft. Below the drop, a boil and hydraulic can high-side rafts or roll kayaks, and a slow, clockwise whirlpool may recirculate boats or swimmers. At typical summer flows, skilled kayakers often run a deep-water boof on the right side of the main channel, but the hole below can be difficult to escape if the boof is missed. Consider setting safety before running the rapid. Rescue throw bags can be deployed from river right at the bottom of the falls. Kayak portage is straightforward on river left, while raft portage is nearly impossible.