Ashlu "Play Run"

Class: III+ (IV), some continuous stretches, two harder drops (IV)
Character: medium volume creek, many boulder gardens
Season: Summer and Fall
Time: 4 hrs
Distance: 10 or 7 km
Gauge: on river right, downstream side of the bridge at Mile 25.
1.3 is pretty high, 0.4 low.
Scenery: great - high mountain peaks, hanging glaciers, few other paddlers
Special hazards: There is always the possibility of wood. You may want to scout the two harder drops. Don't feed the bears.

Directions: At this time it takes a high clearance vehicle to get to the put-in (August 03). From Squamish drive North on Hwy 99. Turn left on Squamish Valley Rd. which turns into Squamish River Rd and eventually looses its tarmac cover. At mile 21 take the side road to the left, which immediately crosses the Squamish River and soon several small branches of the Ashlu. Enjoy the views of Ashlu on the right -this is not the 'Play Run'. After a steep climb the road crosses over a bridge to river left. Below is a huge waterfall, above a small one. You will find a gauge on the down-stream, right side of the bridge. About 5 km (3 miles) after this bridge, there will be a short double lane section (mile maker 28). This is the take-out. Locate the trail. Park here (as far out of the way as possible). The drive from Squamish will take about 1hr. There are two options for the put-in. You can either follow the road for another 10 km (6+ miles) to just before it crosses a steep creek. Bushwhack on creek left down to Ashlu - this will take 20-30 minutes. In the general opinion, this bushwack is only worth doing at higher levels. The other, far easier option is to shorten the run and put in at a bridge about 7 km (4+ miles) above the take-out.

Description: The extended version of the run adds a couple of steep class III/III+ drops before arriving at a bridge and the lower put-in. The first half of the run is a scenic float with small drops - II-III, the second half of the run is III+ with a couple of iV-ish drops (the first significant drop starts where the river squeezes between two big boulders) - really fun technical paddling and stunning scenery. The take-out is shortly after an island at a gravel bar on the left. The spot is usually clearly marked with flagging tape, but if its your first time you may want to walk down there prior to the run. Plan 20-30 minutes for the trail up to where you parked.