# Westwater Skull Hole



## anjarnold8 (Mar 9, 2017)

Anyone have thoughts about what the best level to make a run through the hole at Skull Rapid would be? I've done it by accident before coming out after a scout, but what level is best to just go right into it for a big hit?


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## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

These levels.


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## Liquido (Feb 27, 2012)

Around 2300 imho


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

I had a buddy go over the meat of skull sideways in his 14' cat at around 5-6k, and came out unscathed. But this is also the guy I've said numerous times has the best of luck. He's pulled permits for us a slew of times.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Nice pictures Rich P!!!!

A level where you can get back out of the Room of Doom? 

I don't know why you would want to hit that particular hole for getting a big hit though, lots of better spots in WW for going big. 
Bigger rapids that have seen a fair bit of attempted rope rescues, kind of sketch me out as places for a swim. 
I have talked to at least one SRT, who was there for an 8 year old kid drowning in Skull, rope around the leg, and water rising. 
I think Skull has seen a few throw bags deployed, kinda like the left side of Gore, just makes me not want to swim there.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks for the pics Richp, I haven’t seen those posted before! 

The OPs question doesn’t lead me to an answer. Only more questions that could be taken wrong. Better to just look at the pictures 🙂


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## Easy Tiger (Jun 22, 2016)

A buddy of mine ran the Skull meat line last year when we were in there at 13k. We all got a good look at the entire bottom of his raft from below as he hit the hole. Pulled it off though.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

I intentionally gutted Skull in 2000 in a 16 foot aluminum dory, got stalled out in the hole, and then pushed up onto the rock of shock. Had it been in a rubber boat, it would have been a wrap for sure, but I managed to pull off the rock with the oars and made it thru, in the boat, at the bottom of the rapid. Not the smartest thing I've ever done, but as they say, bad decisions make for good stories!!


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## K.frazier91 (Mar 28, 2017)

I accidentally hit skull hole sideways at around 3500 cfs and came out of it right side up and was still able to row into the room of doom for a victory beer.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

MNichols said:


> I intentionally gutted Skull in 2000 in a 16 foot aluminum dory, got stalled out in the hole, and then pushed up onto the rock of shock. Had it been in a rubber boat, it would have been a wrap for sure, but I managed to pull off the rock with the oars and made it thru, in the boat, at the bottom of the rapid. Not the smartest thing I've ever done, but as they say, bad decisions make for good stories!!



Oh, I should have mentioned that the flow was 15K CFS... 



Distracted today, leave day after tomorrow for a Grand Trip LOL


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## MotorMan27 (May 9, 2014)

I've ran through it several times and have literally hundreds of westies whilst guiding. stay away <10000 as the entry is steep and the likelihood of flipping is much higher. between 10 and 14k I didn't even try to cheat..... keep in mind i was usually in an 18' with 6- 8 passengers 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Mountain Buzz mobile app


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## wayne23 (Dec 30, 2014)

Never a good level, when it is high enough to punch through without chance of flipping the rock of shock will get you or you end up in room of doom. It’s a great hole to float by an admire.


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## peernisse (Jun 1, 2011)

If you want to run it, I would say anywhere between 7500 and 11000 cfs it is a frightening but runable proposition. I ran it on purpose once in my kayak in 1993 around 10,000 cfs and I felt like I hit a train, but I did not even need to roll lol. That same trip cool gal on the trip ran it solo in her raft, she was a GC guide so she did not seem freaked out at all running it. In those days there was no permit required so we would run it Saturday and Sunday and just camp at the put in.

But yeah, somewhere between 7,500 and 12,000 cfs.

Above 12-15k cfs I would start to worry about the room of doom though.

Pedro


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## anjarnold8 (Mar 9, 2017)

My dad had a similar picture to the boat standing up. A newspaper photographer was there and it ended up in the paper!


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## CrazyCarl116 (Mar 19, 2012)

We hit it at 3,800 and it was pretty flushy. Went right through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBy2oG2v-0I


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## CrazyCarl116 (Mar 19, 2012)

Some friends and I hit it at 3,800. Flushed right out, no problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBy2oG2v-0I


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