Clackamas River

My friend Thom lives on this river and so I’ve seen it more than I would have otherwise because he’s a guide. I love the Clack. It’s clean, beautiful, and always worth a day’s escape, especially in summer time!
Word to the wise: if you catch a salmon DON’T FEED IT RAW TO YOUR DOG! My poor little dog almost died. I had no idea that salmon in Oregon and Washington have fluke worms with a deadly virus for dogs. People’s stomach acids kill the virus, but dogs’ don’t, believe it or not.

Oh Clackamas, you are so beautiful and so clear. You make all of my worries disappear. (I didn’t even mean for that to rhyme. Woo!)
But really, this river is so serene. It made me feel like I was back home again on a lake. The water wasn’t too rough or too still to where you could kayak all the way to Barton Park. However the water is cold. Like ice cold. So cold that if you jump in without a life vest, you could probably drown. I was there at the end of May and when I jumped into that water, I could not feel anything. Not even my thoughts. All I could hear was Lisa H. yelling «GRAB THE PADDLE! GRAB THE PADDLE!». So grab the paddle is what I did and back into the kayak I was.
I would do it a hundred times over if I could.
There is just something different about bodies of freshwater versus the ocean. I feel much safer going in the water for some reason.
You also get great views along that way and way too many photo ops to the point where you run out of storage on your phone. No complaints, that’s for sure.

Went for a hike on the Clackamas River trail, and I actually live in Gladstone, two blocks from the Clackamas River. Just went for a more in depth hike to Pup Falls today. It was a little more rocky and arduous than I had expected but it was beautiful. The dip into the river at the end was well worth the effort! Love the river! The clear blue water was so inviting.

The Confession: I’m a masochist. Despite being clumsy and lacking any visual depth perception (seriously, it’s clinically proven), I can’t really use those excuses when it comes to my persistent ability to get injured. If you see me, chances are I have band-​aids on. So, I’m pretty sure it’s just that I actually LIKE getting hurt. This is a case in point:
The Prelude: Since I was about 3 years old, I have enjoyed exploring the depths of the woods, especially near some giant, rushing body of water that drowns out all the mundane commotion in my head. I like being surrounded by towering trees, waist-​high ferns, and little, precious wildflowers. I’ve run into grizzly bears while huckleberry picking, yet never, ever have I been afraid in the woods. Not even at night when I have to go pee. I actually want to get lost and find my way home. This is my idea of fun, especially if I have a cold beer in hand. Problem is, I usually get hurt while I’m out there. In fact, I judge my excursions as such: the more I get hurt, the more fun I had.
The Rub: This is where the Clackamas River is GOD to me. Yeah, I love to come here to swim, hike, camp, float down the river, picnic, etc. But I always leave with excessive scrapes, bruises, scratches, and bloodied body parts. Could be I just play hard. But I think it’s more than that. It’s as though the river gives me so much pleasure, it demands a little sacrifice from me. Not all rivers have this affect on me, mind you. Yesterday, it took a few pieces of skin from my arm when I fell down a hill, clambering to get to the water on a hot day. Last weekend, it took a chunk out of my leg when I foolishly attempted to mount a log in the river. Painful, yes. But these are battle scars of love, people. This is my idea of heaven. No other river has loved me this much and, I must say, vice versa.
The 411: If you want to kayak, raft, camp, hike, lay on the rocks, float in an inner tube, or whatever… check out the Clackamas. Drive straight through Estacada and follow Hwy 224. Or take the fork at the Ranger Station and head down Forest Road 46. There are tons of campsites, both official and just off the road. The water is cold, but refreshing on a hot day. Or, you can head south on 46 to it up Bagby Hot Springs. But please be careful out there, kiddos. People do die on this river every year (in fact, a young woman just drowned 2 weeks ago), so treat it with respect and be aware of the dangers. And if you like getting (safely) beat up by nature, like me, take your neosporin and head out. You’re going to get your ass kicked and you’ll keep coming back for more.