# Westwater at lower levels (2,150 cfs)



## sfluckiger (Aug 18, 2018)

We just spent the weekend on Westwater and it was a fantastic trip. I was concerned before going about the low water levels which were fluctuating just above 2,000 cfs and how much fun it would or would not be for rafts. About 20 years ago I ran it in a kayak at around 1,250 cfs and remember getting out and standing on Skull rock and noting how bony it was. So, I was worried that we were in for a long day full of pins and potential wraps for our group. I have to say though that I was pleasantly surprised at how fluid all the lines were at just over 2,000 cfs. All of the drops above Skull seemed to have more character than they typically do at higher water and some of the really fun rapids below Skull are typically not even there at higher levels. The best hit of the day was Bowling Alley which is just below Skull and typically gone above 5,000 cfs. The move left at Skull is definitely challenging in a 16 foot raft but doable at low levels. I contrast this low level with two springs ago when we ran it at 35,000 cfs which was definitely scarier but I think the low level was a lot more fun in general. I still think my favorite level is right around 5K-7K but I don't think there is any level on Westwater I've found that isn't fun. The motor was a must and even with it we were still on the water about 7 hours each day. I hope to run it again later this fall.

Happy Boating


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## Treswright3 (May 20, 2013)

Agreed, the low water makes for some surprisingly fun and challenging rapids.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

I have run westwater about 20 times, and have run it at the 2000-2400 level 4 times or so. I think this level is a blast but Skull always worries me at this level, whereas at 3-6K, the move at Skull is no big deal. At 2000-2800 I usually opt for the right slot between skull rock and the right side wall and have never had a problem but always worry. The thing that makes Skull particularly tricky at this level is the lateral hole that forms just right of razor rock. I have seen several boats lose passengers and almost flip on that hole as they try to make the right to left move if they go too early or don't anticipate the hole being there. There are some good YouTube videos including ones linked through mountain buzz to show how this hole can really screw people up (there's a great one of a newby passenger successfully high siding a big oar boat and using an oar as a paddle to run the rest of skull that I find particularly enjoyable - cheers to you if that is you!).

I think that Bowling Alley and Last Chance are awesome at this level. I agree that Bowling Alley is an awesome hit. For Last Chance, when I last ran it at about 2400, instead of setting up my paddleboat just off the left short and moving left to center, I set up just left of center and ran center to left to intentionally hit the hole on the bottom left of Last Chance. It was a huge hit and worth considering as long as it looks clean to you.

I have also run Skull at 1200 and 1800. At one of those levels my friend pinned his Jag nose-to-tail between skull rock and the cliff wall. He was stuck for a few minutes before popping out without flipping.


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## jeffro (Oct 13, 2003)




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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

jeffro said:


>


Yes Jeffro, that is the one! I looked around for a few minutes and couldn't find it - thanks. Yeah Daniel!

And scary swim for the oarsman, glad he was ok. He really was down for a long time.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Yeah, Don't underestimate it just because it's low. It'll still eat your lunch.....


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I think I prefer 2000ish Westwater to most other levels. Its a bit more technical, but it still feels like a high flow river somehow. All the rapids are more out of the water and there is just a lot more fun stuff to hit. 3000-5000 cfs is super easy and clean and pretty low consequence. 6-7k felt like a Class III cake walk to me. Even 8000-10000 is pretty easy as long as you make the move left at Skull...most other stuff is washed out. I've ran it at 17,000 once and it was moving super fast but wasn't a huge deal, again, as long as you made the usual moves. I remember Last Chance being the biggest rapid at that level. I swear it was like 5 minutes or less from Funnel to Skull.

Anyways... its definitely fun at low water...really fun. I definitely have healthy respect for Skull at those flows. I've had my ass handed to me a few times in there at these flows when I tried to go center. Tried it in my 14' raft once and got surfed, spun and stuck on the rock and ended up washing through the right slot against the cliff. No harm no foul...but far from graceful.

The other time was when I was in my Mini-Max and tried to go left but for whatever reason the eddy rejected me. I only had a few seconds to try and get a few strokes in to get momentum, but the first gaurdian hole slowed me down and the second stopped me HARD. I ended up surfing in it and spun 2 or 3 times where I was trying to high side but it eventually got the better of me and I flipped. I think I went to the left of the rock and the raft went right into the Room of Doom (just a mellow eddy at this flow). My buddy picked me up and we went and got my boat and flipped it back over (harder then expected given it being a MIni-Max). Did I mention it was February? I was completely worn out but in the end it was ok. That is still the only time, so far, where I've flipped a raft.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

So funny! Go daniel go yeah!!! I have only done it once but it was 2600 In early spring and I thought it was for real! It was my first real whitewater I ran in a raft and I was pretty freaked lol. I got through everything but sock it to me. I went into the v wave crooked and wasnt braced good or holding on right (funny I think you can hold on to a oar that moves lol) and I flung out of the boat. I remember seeing brown bubbles then I see me 16 yr old daughter in the front of the boat laughing and screaming " get your ass back in the boat!". I know you guys probably think its tame but it was real for me lol!! Fun stuff. My kid allways makes fun of me cause in my go pro footage iam all ," ugh ugh oh ugh oh ugh" like the dude in disaster at lava !!! Bawaaaha. Good times


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

I actually remember one of my October runs in a 11 foot paddleboat at 2400 or 2800 cfs. We got to Skull rapid and I was the one who hit the wave hole just to the right of razor rock. We didn't flip, but the boat stalled and everyone on the front came rolling back onto me and we all went out the back. Next thing I know we are all butt-skooting over the Skull rock. 

We were all laughing afterwards but pretty sore on the backside.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Skull at 2000 and below is super easy, just start out right, stay right, ship your oar and float right of Skull rock... Have done it many times without incident. One of the rangers from the 90's, Kyler called it "The old toaster slot move"....


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

Yup, hug right wall and ship oars when you pass the hole beside Razor Rock... more a bumper pool move, helpful to have folks who can fend off with their feet!


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

B4otter said:


> Yup, hug right wall and ship oars when you pass the hole beside Razor Rock... more a bumper pool move, helpful to have folks who can fend off with their feet!


 I've done it a lot, and never once hit the wall... it just flushes you through


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## Kristi_lora (Feb 9, 2020)

Thank you for sharing! I will be running it for my first time mid October and will be back to this thread and others to prepare!


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

Kristi_lora said:


> Thank you for sharing! I will be running it for my first time mid October and will be back to this thread and others to prepare!


Hi Kristi - by the way, keep an eye on the flows going in to October. Often, as irrigation decreases and/or fall rains come, Westwater often hops up from September levels of 2-3K, to 4-5K, which makes it an easier run but still demands respect. But it also may stay around 2200-2500 as well. I have a permit for October 3rd - should be fun. I think of all the Westwater trips I've done, 15 out of 20 or so have been in October - kind of a Fall tradition. Be prepared for cold water, it can be a bit chilly, or it can be outright cold water depending on the year.


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