Washington Fly Fishing Forum banner

Wild Ride E Cle Elum Boat Launch

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Greg Price 
#1 ·
Warning, if you plan to retrieve your boat at at the WFDW boat ramp, East Cle Elm near the Teanaway it is difficult in high summer flows.

There is a strong sideways current from a side channel right at the ramp.

I turned my boat backwards and rowed like hell to make the ramp, but the strong current pushed me downstream away from the ramp.

I did a last minute ditch and threw half my body out of the boat, desperately grabbed a few roots from undercut bank, and muscled the boat back upstream inch by inch and root by root. Whew!

I landed here in the mid 2000s with no problem, but i am guessing it was in the fall during low flows.

Any others experience this? What is best operating procedures(s) for landing a 16ft aluminum drift boat at this ramp during summer flows (it was running 3500 cfs yesterday at Cle Elm
 
#2 ·
It's a tricky one. I usually just try to point the back of the boat up into that channel then spin the rear end into the launch and land it backwards. You have to dig pretty hard.

While on the subject, for anyone thinking of putting in at that launch. Just a short ways down from there the river is completely blocked by a log jam. You have to take the side channel on the right or you will be in trouble, or walking your boat back up to it.
 
#4 ·
I live right near there on the Teanaway and failed miserably my first time there in 2000. Broke an oar. Some guys at the ramp saved my bacon. Since then, I check it before putting in and save a little in the tank for the end of the trip. The last part of the float to there is pretty mellow. I hug the left side heading into the channel and spin just after entering the current from the channel. There is an eddy there generated by the current in the channel and the river current. if you get in that you can row back up the channel and drop your anchor right next to the ramp. Takes a cocktail of strength, oarsmanship and courage but it can be repeated, even by a spastic like me.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top