RIMROCK — Roll on, mighty Tieton, roll on — at least through the end of the month.
September is rafting time on the Tieton River. That annual time when the gates of Rimrock Dam widen, creating a surge that gives whitewater enthusiasts one last run before the end of the season.
That rafting got under way the first weekend of September, a couple weeks after the federal Bureau of Reclamation first began slowly opening the gates at Rimrock Lake.
The adjustment typically happens after Labor Day. This year, operators got an earlier start, increasing flows by small increments since mid-August.
By putting more water for farmers into the Tieton, river operators can reduce flows in the upper reaches of the Yakima River to protect spring Chinook salmon spawning habitat there. It’s called the flip-flop.
“We don’t increase the flows for rafting,” said Quentin Kreuter, the bureau’s river operator in Yakima. “We increase flows for irrigation and fish demands. The rafting is a sidebar of our flip-flop operation.”
It’s a popular sidebar. Approximately 6,000 rafters from throughout the region — including many from the Seattle and Portland areas — are drawn here each year. The “flip-flop” makes the Tieton one of the last rivers open for rafting in the state and can triple the amount of water on the river.
That extra water means a wild ride for the rafters. But it’s no place for amateurs. The Tieton is a Class 3 to 4 on the international scale of whitewater classifications, which goes to 6. That’s “moderate to exciting,” with “longer rapids with powerful waves and strong currents.”
The season is short, anywhere from two to four weeks, says Kreuter, who starts getting calls about the Tieton rafting season in mid-August. He updates a hotline with river conditions Monday through Friday. (Call 509-575-5854.)
“Expect excellent rafting conditions this weekend,” he told callers Friday as Jerry Michalec of the Arlington-based North Cascades River Expeditions was preparing for his first Tieton run of the season.
He’s been running the Tieton for 26 of his 28 years in business, so he knows the river well.
“It moves pretty fast,” he said. “The rapids come bang, bang, bang. There’s no flat water in between.
“There’s a lot of tight turns. There’s a lot of ups and downs, lots of action, lots of maneuvering required.”
About 100 people each September maneuver the Tieton with Michalec’s outfit. They pay approximately $60 to $100 for a guided tour, depending on the number of people. Groups get discounts. It costs more for meals and other services, such as wetsuit rentals. But the ride is worth it to many recreationists.
“They really enjoy this river,” Michalec said. “People come back year after year to do it.”
The river should still be rocking the last weekend of the month.
Overall, it’s been a good year for whitewater rafting in Washington state, Michalec said. And that goes for the Tieton, too: “Whenever we have snowpack like we had this season, the river’s quite exciting,” Michalec said.
Plus, “It’s a gorgeous valley,” he said. “There’s a lot of good color on the trees. The camping is excellent. It’s a great way to get away for the weekend. It’s your last run.”
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