Tributary - Green River
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| Put-in: |
Cascade Creek |
| Take-out: |
Gauging Station |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
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| Length: |
11.7 miles |
Main Toutle River
|
| Put-in: |
Hwy 504 Bridge |
| Take-out: |
Tower Road Bridge |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
|
| Length: |
9.5 miles |
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A rafting trip down the Toutle River is an adventure through rumbling rapids in the shadow of Mt. St. Helens. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the 1980s created enormous mudflows that charged down the valley, destroying almost everything in its path. The flood plain is littered with downed trees and scarred with empty river channels. The geographic implications of volcanic aftermath only add to this rivers beauty.
The constantly shifting silt of the riverbed creates unpredictable and exciting rapids. There are huge bolder gardens, big waves and bottomless holes. This is a unique whitewater-rafting trip with a landscape unlike any other in the state.
Some paddlers may choose to run the 10-mile stretch of the North Fork Toutle River, which is also full of volcanic debris. Splashy Class IIs come up every year and change as the riverscape shifts. Rapids may be a challenge to read because of the opaque gray of the waters. The South Fork Toutle is a little more exciting with fun rapids and a few play spots for kayakers. At high flows, this section takes on the characteristics of a big water river with giant haystacks and swirling whirlpool eddies. The most popular section remains the Main Toutle, which has some Class IV rapids at higher flows.
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