Rafting thrills on the wild White Salmon River

 

HUSUM, Wash. (AP) - The rope swing looked a bit lonely, and more than a little hazardous, hanging over a cliff high above the White Salmon River.

Three years ago the swing would have dropped you safely into the deep waters of Northwest Reservoir, while today it would result in broken bones or worse during an 80-foot plummet into the gorge of this transformed Columbia River tributary.

The lowest section of the White Salmon has changed in many ways since the removal of Condit Dam in September 2012. It replaced a century-old reservoir with a totally new stretch of river, restored salmon runs and made historical landmarks out of old rope swings.

"The crazy part is how quickly the river has recovered," said Zach Collier, who guided our 12-foot raft down this new stretch of river. "Unless you knew the story, you'd never ...more