I think the gauge was around 5' when we first did this run. We had done South Fork Salmon the day before, and camped out at the trailhead to Wooley. When we hit the trail in the morning I quickly figured out that my backpack system sucks. The initial mile of this hike is a pretty brutal elevation gain, and in the sun too but once you make it up around the ridge its not too bad. We put in right above the bottom gorge, a total hike in of 2-2.5 miles. The scenery on this run is great, its one of the most beautiful places I have ever been



A run on this section of Wooley Creek is very fast. You'll most likely spend more time hiking than kayaking, but it's still worth it with the scenery. The culmination of this section is "fat lady sings" a big, fun rapid best run left of center.



  Access further up Wooley Creek for another class V section can be had via more hiking on the same trail ( relatively level up here) or by first running Bridge Creek, which will make Wooley Creek a hurried frenzy. The upper section is in general a little tougher than the lower. Wooley Creek is a major tributary of the Cal-Salmon, one of  five creeks in California which support a summer stealhead run, and forests of poison oak and ticks of course. To reach the trailhead you drive about 4-5 miles up the Salmon from Hwy 96 and park at Wooley Creek trailhead and then hike on in and takeout directly across from the trailhead at Brannon Bar. It's best from 5'6" to 6' on the Salmon River gauge seen on the drive up, or 1,500 to 3,500 on the Salmon River Gauge.