It has been a few years since I floated the Skykomish from High Bridge to Sultan. There used to be a nasty whirlpool up from Wallace Flats. Is it gone with all the high water we had last winter? Are there any other hazards to be aware of? Thanks for any info!!

Bugtosser, the upper Sky has changed in a few spots from the very high waters we had recently. The tailout coming into the gauge hole has changed for the worst and it is pretty gnarly on the right side and you can't get down the gut in the middle without choosing which rocks to bang off of. You used to be able to just cruise through right down the middle, but the high water washed all the gravel out of the tailout and rolled around a bunch of medium sized boulders. Some Sol Duc looking [Bleeeeep!] on the right in heavier flows and you have to be huffing and choose your path accordingly or you will get stuck like somebody did last year. A local told my buddy that they had to get the boat out of the rocks with a come-a-long and although it didn't flip, they lost a bunch of gear.

Nothing too bad for the rest of the float except that section you referred to above the Wallace has some swirly ass nasty whirlpools and reversals coming off of the riprap points that are not much of a concern in lower flows, but scary as hell for the inexperienced in higher water when you have to follow the seam to the left, spin around and huff it downstream and then double pivot around and hit the swirls head on again before it all flattens out. I saw some dudes just about go over when they went sideways towards the end of the season after the water came up and the river was on the drop but still pretty high. Sounds bad and it is when it's ripping at 5000 cfs or more.

Hope this helps you out some and I just want to make sure that people on the upper river are cautious and don't bite off more than they can chew if they are new on the sticks. Better safe than sorry, hire a guide and have a safe journey

Justin, I've always gone river left after the tailout above the gauge with no problems, there is one big rock but if you hit it you deserve it. Granted I haven't gone down since the last two high waters, though.

Bugtosser I think your asking about that big back eddy by the log jam that USED to be just above Gold Bar; that log jam blew out a couple of years ago so there's no problem any more.

That log jam was chainsawed out 2 years ago i believe. I was below it when the guy with the chainsaw hit the right log and it all went.

Too bad eh- the log jam made it nice

That log jam made it fun.....Nothing like being in the spin cycle for a little :p . The hole on top of the gauge is a piece just stay left.

Tight lines

Kevin

Actually Kev in low water stay right and pick through the big rocks, if thats not your gig rope it down the left at the top like most did in Febuary, u know who u are! It isn't the same as it used to be coming into the gauge hole, much less water goes left, its a small slot now that branches off up higher. A few bigger boulders got washed around. Although none of this even matters when the water is ripping through as it does in June. Perfect time for different areas of the river too at those flows in June and early July.