The trip meets at the Marblemount Boat Launch, just outside of Marblemount, Washington, by traveling East on Highway 20 until you reach the town of Marblemount, then taking the bridge across the Skagit River as the road curves to the left. Our crew prepares you at the Marblemount Boat Launch, where temporary restrooms are available. From here we transport our guests up Highway 20 to Goodell Creek, which is located about 14 miles upriver from Marblemount.
Our Skagit River safety talk is just as involved and detailed as any of our other whitewater trips, and it's vital that new whitewater river runners listen in and ask any questions about how to deal with possible rescue scenarios while on the river.
Once everyone is ready to go, with a paddle in hand, we get ourselves nestled into the rafts. A great trip for families, the Skagit River usually runs deep enough that we can take our larger boats, so even larger groups of 6 or 8 can fit into one raft. When we are all set to go we start out with our first class 2 rapid, called Goodell Creek, just like the boat launch.
As we meander downriver we are always within a mile from highway 20, but it never seems to bother us, and we are likely to never hear it. All we see are the trees and the beautifully clear water as we float on down towards the highlight of the trip, the class 3 Shovelspur rapids, also known as the S-Bends. There are 4 distinct sections of whitewater here, with the first two being the most intense. While still dangerous, these rapids give most new whitewater enthusiasts just enough, without taking them completely out of their comfort zone. Perhaps that's why so many families choose to take their children on this trip.
After the S-Bends the river slows down and we are left to tell stories of the whitewater runs through the biggest rapids of the day. After the rapids are over, many people decide to go for a swim and bob alongside the raft for a while as the rafts float through the deep river corridor, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the North Cascades.
The trip ends at Copper Creek, which makes the total length of the trip just about 9 miles. Here at Copper Creek is a restroom facility, and here your guides will shuttle you 5 miles back to your cars, which await you back at Marblemount. From here you have some local lunch or dinner options at local cafes, as well as several local hikes. Some people like to take a trip into the Cascade River drainage, where astounding views of the North Cascades can be found, and large peaks such as El Dorado and Triad Peak lurk around the tops of the Cascade River corridor. This trip is the perfect stress free getaway, and is our recommended trip for those who are timid, or have less experience with whitewater rafting.