White Salmon: Farmlands

Looking back up into the heart of the canyon below Lava Dam.

Back for another White Salmon weekend, the crew crashed near Husum and met up with Portland area boaters for a weekend of fun. The crew included Nick Borelli, David Chatham, Eric Klein, Steve Munk, Mike Novak, Shaun Riedinger, Scott Waidelich, Mark Yauney, and myself. After some back and forth on whether to split into two groups on not, we decided to stick together and hit the Farmlands run.

This run flows through a fantastic narrow gorge for much of the first half of the run. Many class III drops abound, with a few larger drops.

Photos from the day are in the Gallery.


Shaun and Mike in the canyon; Steve and Eric in the distance.

Video: Above Sidewinder


Mike drops in above Sidewinder.


Eric rides a brace above Sidewinder.

Video: Sidewinder


Mark melts through the meat in Sidewinder.


Fish hits his line. Sidewinder.

Video: Below Sidewinder


Nick left his brace in Jamaica, mon.

Below Sidewinder, the next significant drop is Doorbell. In light of having wrapped my boat in this drop on our last trip, I was interested in scouting. Nobody else seemed interested except Fish, so we set up for photos. Now, normally I hate to dwell too much on carnage to protect the fragile egos of the gentle folk with whom I boat, but this was just too amusing to keep to myself:

Video: Doorbell


Doorbell. So named for the perfect wrap rock in the bottom of the picture.





David, Mike, Steve, and finally, Mark ringing the doorbell. I guess nobody is home?


Fish gets it done right, running left ar Doorbell.


Nick in the ledge below Doorbell.

Next up are several fun steep drops leading into Little Lava. These drops are short, but a lot of fun.


Mark hits a sweet boof while David picks up the pieces.

Video: Little Lava


Eric hits his line at Little Lava.


Nick nails his boof. Little Lava.


Nick enters the canyon above Lava Dam.


Fish gives us some attitude.


Eric in the canyon.


Fish shows off his playboating skills.

Nestled in the heart of this intimate canyon is Lava Dam. This drop was pretty friendly at these flows, and we ran many laps on this great waterfall.

Video: Lava Dam


David boofs at Lava Dam.


The author drops Lava Dam.


Shaun hits his line.


Steve works out of the right side hydraulic at Lava Dam.


Fish, giving a shout out, mid-run.

Below Lava Dam are a few fun drops through the last part of the canyon. These drops eventually ease and the canyon opens up for a little over a mile.

Video: Below Lava Dam


Mark, Fish, and David below Lava Dam.


Shaun's unique off-side brace.

Video: The lower canyon


Shaun punches a hole near the end of the canyon.


Nick comes through clean, while Shaun lines up for the drop.

The last major drop on the run is Offramp, sometimes rated a V+. The line was pretty friendly today though, well ... for most of us.

Video: Offramp


Mark lines up in Offramp.


Fish carves the turn above the boof flake, Offramp.


Mike nails his boof.


Shaun drops stern-first into the fold in Offramp. No brace is gonna help in there!


Nick calls it "hot-dogging" but the rest of us call it a blown line. Offramp.


Nick redeems himself in the last big drop.


Shaun makes the final charge.


Fish braces through the final ledge drop above the takeout.