Winter is over and the snow is melting away, but the Desert Ski & Snowboard Club isn’t finished having fun. That melted snow running off of the Cascade Mountains provides a great opportunity for some scenic kayaking and rafting on the Upper Yakima River. This is not the muddy Yakima that we see in the Tri-Cities; this stretch of the river is pristine, beautiful, and relatively clear and calm (please note that this is not what is commonly referred to as a “whitewater” trip). River flows are controlled by dam water releases upstream and July is the peak flow month, so there will be plenty of fresh cool water for our trip.
We’ll be running the river with Rill Adventures, a well-reviewed Central Washington Outfitter in business since 1996 and the longest running outfitter on the Yakima River ( About Us - Since 1996 | Rill Adventures). The “Main Event - Upper Yakima River” is Rill Adventures most popular guided kayaking/rafting trip.
“Beginning just south of Cle Elum on the Teanaway River, pine forests surround your group as you later descend into the drier shrub-steppe of Eastern Washington. The open landscape is ideal for spotting wildlife. There are plenty of calm areas to swim as well as some smaller rapids to get your adrenaline pumping (if you want, the guides can show you easier ways around the edges of the rapids). Highlights of the trip include a 20 foot jumping rock, a railroad tunnel, lots swimming and the only set of Class II rapids on the Yakima (Class II: Rapids of moderate difficulty with clear river passages, great rafting for families with very small children or for people looking for an introduction to kayaking.)”
Kayak/Rafting Costs:
Lodging and Social Event Costs:
We’ll be staying at the Timberlodge Inn (www.timberlodgeinn.com) in Cle Elum. We’ll meet at the Inn at 7:00 PM for a Friday night group beer, wine and pizza party. Lodging and social event costs are as follows.
Transportation:
Drive yourself or carpool. Cle Elum is approximately 105 miles from the Tri-Cities and a 2 hour 10 min drive.