I am planning to float the high bridge to sultan run in the morning about 9 30 . i have never rowed this section . the water is dropping down to what it was before the storms last week. is there anything i need to know about before i go? i have floated the two lower runs several times this year and have had no trouble with them. how should i line up for the first two corners??

It's at 5300cfm now. That's definetely floatable, a little high for my taste, but floatable. Right out of the launch start back rowing to slow yourself down through the rapid and into the first right hand sweeper. Go straight through the pool and tailout. Stay hard left through the next rapid. After that it's all normal stuff.....Until you get to the Burlington Northern rip rap (three rock fingers). These are a threat at higher flows like this. Stop up above on the left hand side and walk down for a look. Last time I went at this flow there was a whirlpool about 12 feet across and about 3 feet deep. Needless to say it was quite a site before I figured out how to shoot free without sticking an oar and rolling the boat over. Won't do it that way again! The only other gotcha is the confluence of the Sultan at higher flows. You definetely want to turn your boat sideways in the Sky, so that your rear end is facing upstream of the Sultan when you hit that current. Taking that straight on the side can be scarry. Then back row like hell to get to the takeout, or it's a long walk from Ben Howard!

thanks kyle . i will be watching the river flow tonight and in the am. hope to catch a late silver for my birthday.

I'm thinking about also doing this float for the first time on Sunday. I plan on spending a few hours grouse hunting in the area tomorrow. Is there some place I can eyeball the three finger dyke from the bank. I haven't been up there in a few years but from past discriptions it seems to me it is about half way between where the road crosses the railroad tracks and the parking area for the mouth of the Wallace. Is this the general area? Thanks in advance!

starcrafttom,
Since this will be your first float going thru the three fingers. And the flow is high enough that the water will be boiling over fairly hard at three fingers. My suggestion is to have the bow line ready and just walk the boat on the left side of the river going thru three fingers.
And have a good look at it.
I've gone thru the three fingers enough times now to know when it becomes very dangerous or easily floatable.
During high flow like it is now, it's very uncomfortable and the side flow dumping into the main flow will raise one side of the boat and you'll find yourself doing side to side dance on the rower's seat to maintain level of your boat.
When the river flow is lower like summer flows then it's much easier to get thru the three fingers.
Hope this helps and just remember Kyle's previous advise also.

BB, That is the area.

Wish I was going tomorrow.

Thanks SR and Kyle. I've got no problem walking it.

High Bridge to Sultan! That has a nice ring to it: Kind of like Zeplin's "Stairway to Heaven."