The Salmon Canyon is located on the southern flank of Mt. Hood. This Wilderness Area has some of the most rugged terrain in the Oregon Cascades with steep canyon walls and cliffs that hide the Salmon River several hundred feet below any hiking trail. The river through this section contains numerous waterfalls ranging in height up to 70-ft.

Back in 2001 there was a flurry of activity among some kayakers about whether it was possible to kayak the Salmon River Gorge. At the time, I took multiple scouting trips out to the river to try and figure out the logistics and get an idea whether a kayak run was feasible. As part of those trips I found a way down to the base of the second biggest falls. After finally running the Gorge in a kayak, I put the area on the back burner and didn’t think too much about another trip. Finally this summer, the lure of such a special place lured me back.

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