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It was warm but overcast the moment I knocked my copy editor into the roaring currents of the White Salmon River.
At least, that’s how he has always tried to frame how he ended up overboard during our whitewater rafting adventure last summer. I blame gravity, and not any annoyance over edits I’ve received, for the incident.
But if you’ve got a grievance with someone—or just want to enjoy a fun day on the water together—few experiences compare to rafting on the White Salmon. Just over an hour’s drive from Portland on Washington’s side of the Gorge, the river has a reputation for some of the best rapids in the Pacific Northwest.
If you’re prepared to get soaked, a number of rafting companies stand ready to make an otherwise daunting sport feel welcoming for newcomers like me.
For my first-ever whitewater experience, five of us boarded a bright aqua raft for our adventure with PDX Rafting (25 BZ Glenwood Highway, White Salmon, Wash., 971-380-1204, pdxraft.com; $88; ages 10+), accompanied by our fearless river guide Sage. Don’t let the firm’s name deceive you—PDX Rafting is not in Portland, a detail its owner, Scott Cascella, is more than good-natured about. Cascella has been rafting on the White Salmon for about 16 years, starting as a guide before opening his own venture in 2018.
The river is a special treat for rafting because it is fed by glacial runoff, meaning it’s free flowing rather than dam fed. Without human control of the water, the river’s tempo is completely dictated by Mother Nature. Snowpack, heat and big rainstorms can all affect the river’s flow and how rafters experience its many rapids. “It’s not the same river day by day, so every time you go see it, it represents new challenges and new opportunities to explore,” Casella says, adding the ideal time to go is the early part of summer, when the White Salmon flows 4 to 5 feet deep.
I took to the river in the late part of the rafting season, when the waters were just 1½ feet, meaning it was perhaps much less dramatic. But that was maybe for the best: I don’t think my half-day adventure that day could’ve been any better. (You can also do full-day rafting tours for $150.)
As a runner who is thoroughly attached to my fitness watch, I can give you the following breakdown about our trip along the White Salmon River. My Garmin recorded that we traveled 7.87 miles, largely alongside Route 141, for two and a half hours. Our average moving pace was about 14 minutes per mile, and at our fastest we cruised at a 5:56 mile pace, speedier than any mile time I’ve ever logged on the track. My average heart rate was a relaxed 71 beats per minute and my maximum heart rate was at 115, where I am typically on a strenuous portion of a hike.
But those stats are buried in a fitness app. What I remember most about whitewater rafting is far more emotional: As someone who likes to be in control of my movements and actions, I felt myself give over control of my body to the water—something bigger and much more powerful than me. On the school bus ride back to our cars, I felt a release, as though I had shed all my big worries and they hadn’t come back.
That seems to be on par with what Casella hears from other clients. “It can be a pretty impactful experience,” he says. He emphasizes that 99.9% of the time, following a guide’s directions and wisdom will ensure a safe journey. But the knowledge that there can be actual consequence and risk to the activity, he says, stays with people.
“The first time people fall out in a rapid, like that will be in your dreams,” he says. “It’s a moving experience. Rafting is emotionally charged, people are present, they feel like they’re connecting with each other, with the guides, with the river. It can be this beautiful experience.”
For how thrilling rafting can feel, the preparation was refreshingly easy. I brought with me a tiny tote bag where I’d stuffed a bathing suit, a towel, and a change of clothing for the drive home. All my other gear and training was provided. There’s quite a bit of layering: We were given a wetsuit to slide into and splash tops—a long-sleeve version—given it wasn’t too hot out. There was a life vest, helmet, special boots and, of course, a paddle.
Training was also easy to follow, even for me, a member of Generation Z who lacks a robust attention span. The key piece of advice Casella has is about falling into the rapids: You should flip onto your back and keep your feet up.
Rowing itself is something better learned on the job. The strokes themselves were simple ones. Most of the time, rafters are in charge of moving the boat forward and backward, while the guide controls turns.
After launching off at BZ Corner, we quickly hit a series of fun rapids, which shifted our raft around slightly and were over as quickly as they’d started. Sage pointed us toward native flora and fauna whose names I hardly remember, and plucked crab apples from some trees, sharing them with us. We made our way through a small cave. Occasionally, the overcast sky would part and light would stream onto the raft and our scenery, giving the river a soft glow.
The big highlight of what White Salmon offers came about halfway into our journey. From the start, we’d occasionally used quiet moments in the water to drill in preparation to tackle Husum Falls, a 12-foot-tall waterfall designated as one of the biggest drops for commercial tours in the United States. We’d practiced ducking into the middle space of the raft multiple times in a short time frame on command, gripping our paddles, and putting them parallel to the raft.
We’d watched a couple of rafts hurl over the falls, and braced ourselves in case we fell out. But our descent was smooth. With it came the weightlessness you’d typically feel on a roller coaster, and then the loud crash of the falls. By the time I opened my eyes, we’d fallen most of the way. (According to photos, I did not grip my paddle properly, so I remain amazed it didn’t bend in half like a few others did.) I should also note that when the water levels on the White Salmon are too high, Husum Falls at times becomes impassable.
Most of the journey after Husum was pretty calm. The river extended westward and the ride became more of a lazy drift.
But the river still had one trick up its sleeve. Suddenly, our raft crashed up against a rock, and I slid toward my colleague as he simultaneously shifted to the water, alongside another one of our co-workers. Suddenly, my copy editor was splashing into the river as we drifted away. As trained to do, he flipped onto his back and propped his legs up, starfish style, waiting until rowers in another raft quickly hauled him to safety.
While he lay there catching his breath, the last-minute shock had woken us up as we made our way to the final docking station near Northwestern Lake Road. It was a good reminder to stay present and not get too comfortable amid all the fun.
Rafting Recovery
On a recent Saturday morning, I swung by White Salmon, the small Washington town located where the same-named rafting river meets the Columbia. With its cozy vibes and unmatched view of Mount Hood, it’s a great spot to visit either before or after your white water trip and near popular hiking trails like Coyote Wall and Dog Mountain. White Salmon itself has just a couple bustling streets, with most shops concentrated on Jewett Boulevard. My favorites included a used bookstore, The Book Peddler (134 E Jewett Blvd., 509-493-4644), crammed with reads on every shelf, and a little boutique, ArrowLeaf Workshop (150 E Jewett Blvd., 509-281-3329, arrowleafadornments.com) with products like mint lip oil and locally made jewelry. There are also places to sip wine by the glass and buy tea by the pound. I spent a good 15 minutes browsing eclectic, colorful furniture and artwork at a home goods store, Marcel Good Goods (163 N Main Ave.), and walked past Everybody’s Brewing (177 E Jewett Blvd., 509-637-2774, everybodysbrewing.com), which has a back patio boasting stunning Gorge views.
Ultimately, I landed at White Salmon Baking Co. (80 NE Estes Ave., 509-281-3140, whitesalmonbaking.com), sitting on their patio with an Italian sandwich ($10) and a strawberry shortcake ($8), alongside a glass of iced tea ($2.75). The breads were top-notch, featuring the classic hard exterior and fluffy interior that gave the sandwich—packed with flavor thanks to capicola, salami, pickled onion, and pepperoncini, among many other ingredients—a delightful chew. The strawberry shortcake featured a biscuit base with a fresh whipped cream that had just the right level of sweetness, and the strawberries added a sour component that balanced out the powdered sugar dusted on top.
This story is part of Oregon Summer Magazine, our annual guide to refreshing destinations, cool escapes, and the best ways to stay hydrated all summer long. See more stories from Oregon Summer Magazine here, or check this map to see where you can pick up a free copy of the magazine.
