In fall 2023 we caught the Lower Santiam at high water, and I filmed the whole run in four parts: three from my Super Puma and one from a kayaker's view. All four videos are below, in order.
Disclosure: SOLWYRX Paddle Gear sells Sawyer and Oar Snubber gear, and I earn money when you buy it here.
High Water on the Lower Santiam, Part 1 (Fall 2023)
Part 1 of a fall 2023 run on the Lower Santiam at higher water, rowing my Super Puma.
Video: The Lower Santiam High Water part 1 fall 2023 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Filmed: Fall 2023
The Lower Santiam is normally a mellow river. When the fall rains bring it up, it gets faster and pushier, and the easy stuff starts to matter. At higher water, eddies shrink, waves get bigger, and the river carries wood that wasn't there last week.
That day we checked the level before we went, kept the group close and watched for wood, which matters more than any rapid at high water. Days like this are why I'd point anyone toward rescue training; more in Picking Your Boat.
High Water on the Lower Santiam, Part 2
Part 2 of our fall 2023 high-water run on the Lower Santiam, still rowing the Super Puma.
Video: High Water On The Lower Santiam Part 2 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Filmed: Fall 2023
The middle of a run like this is where you settle in. The river's moving fast, so the job is staying ahead of it: reading downstream, picking the line early, and making every stroke count. At higher flows a lazy ferry turns into a long one in a hurry.
A rig you trust makes that a lot easier. I row the Super Puma on Sawyer DyneLite XD MXS oars, and an Oar Snubber keeps an oar from popping out and floating off when you bump a rock. My MXS oar guide covers the whole setup.
High Water on the Lower Santiam, Part 3: The Unusual Channel
In Part 3 of our fall 2023 high-water run on the Lower Santiam, we followed a kayaker down an unusual side channel that normally isn't floatable at all.
Video: high water on the Lower Santiam part 3 fall 2023 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Filmed: Fall 2023
High water opens up places you can't usually go, and that's part of the fun. It's also where you need to be the most careful. A side channel that only runs at high water hasn't been cleaned out by regular boat traffic, so it can hide trees, fences, low branches and other strainers.
The kayaker went first, giving us a probe and eyes downstream. Footage can't show everything (wood, undercuts and exits change), so treat this as one day's run, not a route. His view of the same run is in Part 4, below.
High Water on the Lower Santiam, Part 4: The Kayaker's View
Part 4 of our fall 2023 high-water Lower Santiam run, filmed from the kayaker's camera instead of the raft.
Video: The Lower Santiam, High water part 4 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Filmed: Fall 2023
Same river, totally different perspective. From a kayak you're low to the water, waves look bigger, and you see the raft from the outside: how it moves, where it drifts, and how much room it really takes up in a channel.
Second angles are one of the best learning tools there is. Watching yourself from another boat shows you what your line actually looked like, not what it felt like. If you film your runs, trade footage with your group.
Catch the whole series: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Curious how kayaks and rafts compare? Read Picking Your Boat: Raft, Cataraft, IK or Packraft?
Personal trip report: flows, wood and hazards change, and what worked for me that day isn't a rule for your boat or group. Check current conditions, scout, and boat within your training.
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Updated October 31, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
