Catch the runoff on the Wenatchee

With mountain snowpacks back to normal or higher, river rafters and kayakers are ready to rock and roll.

Nobody’s happier than the floaters headed for the Wenatchee River, where the snow pack is 135 percent of normal after three years of below-average runoff.

The Wenatchee River between Leavenworth and Wenatchee, has something for everyone, ranging from Class II thrills for the moderately adventurous to serious Class IV challenges in Triple Shot and Tinley Falls rapids.

The river running season on the Wenatchee is likely to last from May to late July this year, locals say.

Info: Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, (509) 548-5807 or www.leavenworth.org.

Rich Landers

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Increase detected in ferrets

Black-footed ferrets apparently are reproducing across the West after nearing extinction less than three decades ago.

A wild-born female ferret found in Colorado is one of several indictors, biologists said.

Once abundant across the West, ferrets began disappearing at the turn of the last century because of disease and prairie dog eradication efforts.

Wildlife experts thought the ferret was extinct until a small group was found in northern Wyoming in 1981.

To save the species, the last 18 ferrets were trapped between 1985 and 1987.

More than 2,000 captive-born ferrets have been released in six Western states.

Associated Press

RIVER RUNNING

Record interest in Smith River

A record 4,478 applications were received this year for 740 trip permits in Montana’s spring and summer floating season on the Smith River near Great Falls.

The applications were up about 600 from 2005, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said.

Rich Landers