The New Klamath is my roughly 40-minute, rapid-by-rapid video of the newly free-flowing Klamath River in 2025, after four dams came out. It's the most content-packed whitewater video I've made.
Video: The New Klamath By Jacob Linkhart 2025 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Why it's "new"
For about a century, four dams blocked the Klamath near the Oregon–California border and created reservoirs like Copco Lake. The last dam was removed in 2024. Now the river runs free through stretches nobody had floated in generations, including Kikacéki Canyon (formerly Ward's Canyon) under volcanic basalt columns (Jefferson Public Radio). Guides are still learning the rapids and how they change with flow, which makes every trip a bit of exploration.
The trip
I went with my friend Travis on a guided trip with Indigo Creek Outfitters, one of the outfitters running the new river. Because the river is still settling into its old channel, I filmed it rapid by rapid so anyone thinking about a trip can see what it looks like right now. If you're planning to go, a guided trip is the smart way to see it first: the river is changing, and guides know where it's changed.
Why it matters
Dam removal opened the Klamath back up for salmon, and for boaters. It's one of the coolest things to happen to a Western river in my lifetime, and seeing it in person was a gift. For a small taste of the fish side of the story, watch salmon spawning on the Santiam river.
Source: Jefferson Public Radio, Whitewater rafting reborn on the Klamath River · KOBI-TV, White-water rafting on the "New Klamath" River
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 28, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
