Class III Whitewater Paddler

Badge

Class III Whitewater Paddler

To encourage members to explore Class III rivers in western Washington, this badge recognizes the significant achievement of Mountaineers members who have successfully paddled a variety of Class III rivers.

EXPERIENCE, PREREQUISITES, & TRAINING

To go on the trips necessary to earn this badge, the member must have the Basic Whitewater Packrafting course badge, obtained either by taking and passing the Basic Whitewater Packrafting course or the Basic Whitewater Packrafting equivalency course.

This badge helps vet participants for Class III and entry-level Class IV river trips that require leader permission.

HOW TO OBTAIN

Complete 10 of the Class III river trips listed below, in any order. These trips are generally done as day trips from the Seattle area but are often paired together and done over a weekend while car camping nearby. Each paddle must be done as a Mountaineers trip and follow the specific routes described. All past Mountaineers trips are accepted. The route may be included as part of a longer paddle.

Class III River Trips

Nooksack NF: Horseshoe Bend to Warnick Bridge, 6.5 miles
Skagit S-Bends: Goodell to Copper Creek, 8.5 miles
Middle Sauk: Whitechuck to Backman County Park, 8.5 miles
Stillaguamish SF: Boardman Creek to Verlot, 8 miles
Skykomish NF: Trout Creek to Confluence, 6 miles
Snoqualmie (Middle Middle): Mine Creek to Tanner, 5 miles
Green (Lower Gorge): Franklin Bridge to Flaming Geyser, 7.5 miles
White (Middle Reach): Crystal River Road Bridge to Mile Marker 38.3, 9 miles
Cispus (Lower): Twin Cedars to Copper Canyon, 6.5 miles
Quinault NF: Halfway House to NF Campground, 6 miles
Chiwawa: Huckleberry CG to Beaver Valley, any 6 miles
Wenatchee: Peshastin to Leavenworth, 9 miles

The list may be updated by the committee from time to time due to changing river patterns and as we explore additional suitable routes. To be included in the list, the route must:

  • Be located in Washington state
  • Be a Mountaineers route
  • Have more than one named or otherwise significant Class III rapid

Apply for the badge

To apply for this badge, be sure to document your paddles, then alert the Seattle Packrafting Committee of your request. Applicants can report their completion of the trips by filling out this form. To complete the form, you will need:

  • A link to your Mountaineers profile
  • The date of each qualifying trip and trip leader’s name
  • If the trip does not appear in your history, please include the trip leader’s name and a brief description of the route

Finally, alert the current Seattle Packrafting Committee Chair, whose contact information can be found on the committee page.