Company Creek Road
Written by Jake Courtney
Early AM of December 11th 2025
The Stehekin river peaks, reaching its 2nd highest Cubic Feet per Second flow ever recorded (21,000 CFS).This event destroys most of a levee that protects the Company creek road. The destruction of the levee wipes out several hundred feet of the road and the river begins to cut a channel to the south west, down Battalion creek, across the Stehekin valley to the west. It cuts all the way to the southwest side of the valley. Against the hillside, the river bounces off rock bluffs and turns back to the northeast, before, crossing the Company Creek road again at “Lesh’s” corner – 1.2 miles by road from where the levee was destroyed. Wendy Garfoot’s house is inundated with 21 inches of water. Multiple full time residents are completely surrounded by swift water, and cut off from any access.
December 15th.
(day 4 since flood)
The Stehekin river has another event. Although this does not reach the same level as the December 11th event, it causes more damage as the ground is already saturated and the water recedes slower than before. The remaining structure of the Company Creek road levee is completely destroyed, and the river begins to “back cut” onto the private property just to the west of where the levee was located.
December 19th
(day 8 since flood)
Using donated funds, Stehekin residents organize helicopter loads to be dropped in to other residents who are stranded. This includes groceries, animal feed, fuel and Christmas presents.
December 22nd
(day 11 since flood)
Residents stranded above the washout of the levy begin constructing a corduroy road. This involves cutting logs, that have washed in and formed a log jam on the river bank, to lengths that can be handled by an excavator. The logs are then stacked perpendicular to the direction of travel, close enough together that a tracked vehicle can travel over them. A wheeled loader is used to begin hauling cobble from private property to top the corduroy road. The road route is as close to the river bank as it can be.
December 23rd
(day 12 since flood)
Power is restored to all but one of the residences above the levee washout.
December 24th
(day 13 since the flood)
The excavator is able to finish placing logs in the corduroy road to the end of the first washout. Although it is not an easy crossing, foot travel is now possible. On the lower end of the washout, where the new river channel crosses the road at “Lesh’s” corner, the water drops enough that local crews are able to spread enough spalls in the road bed to make a crossing by a vehicle possible. Vehicle access is now possible to within ½ a mile of the upstream residences.
December 25th
(day 14 since the flood)
Christmas is celebrated above the washout with visitors hiking in for the first time since the flood.
January 5th
(day 25 since the flood)
NPS officials visit Stehekin for the first time since the initial flood. They survey the damage and meet with some of the locals.
January 6th
(day 26 since the flood)
Power is restored to the last residence above the washout
January 13th
(day 33 since the flood)
The Stehekin river has another small flood event -peaking at around 3500 CFS at noon on the 13th. This small amount of water prior to the levee being washed out would have barely been noticeable. Without the levee the river follows the new channel it has begun cutting into Battalion creek. It takes out part of the corduroy road, temporarily stranding residents again, and flows across the road at “Lesh’s” corner once again, taking the top of the road that had been patched over the culverts.
January 15th
(day 35 since the flood)
NOCA superintendent and other NPS officials visit Stehekin for the first time since the December 11th flood. They tour the flood damaged areas, and meet with some locals
January 22nd
(day 42 since the flood)
Residents of the Stehekin valley travel to Wenatchee to present a plan for repair of the washed out part of the Company creek road to elected officials and representatives of NPS. This plan was written by people who have lived in Stehekin their entire lives, and have worked in and on the river more than anyone else. This plan would armor the north bank of the Stehekin river, protecting private properties on that side of the river. It would restore the river to it’s proper channel, and it would rebuild the road in the proper and original alignment. The cost estimates are between $250,000 and $400,000. The plan was received well, but there was no commitment from any agency. This is the first time that anyone has publicly presented any kind of plan for restoring road access to upper Company creek road. This plan recommends that all construction be completed by March 15th to assure that spring run off has not begun.
January 23rd
(day 43 since the flood)
Residents above the washout are able to pull the logs that washed out of the corduroy road on January 13th back into place and finish topping the road with cobble from off of private property. Once that is completed vehicle access, though difficult, is possible. Residents are able to move vehicles that have been stranded since December 11th down to the road below the washout. It is not a route to be used for commuting with a vehicle, but access is much easier.
January 28th
(day 48 since the flood)
An email is sent by the NPS advising that their belief is there are “no simple or immediate solutions” to the situation.
February 10th
(day 61 since the flood)
Representatives of NPS, Army Corp of Engineers, Chelan County and WA Department of Fish and Wildlife travel to Stehekin to assess the situation. Locals who had written the plan presented to the political representatives in Wenatchee on January 22nd are told that they are not allowed to be a part of this walk through and assessment. A hydrologist, who had been hired by an outside environmental activist group that has historically opposed any work being done in the Stehekin river, is invited and accompanies the representatives of these agencies on this walkthrough. Also occurring on February 10th, a public meeting is held in Stehekin. It is advertised that representatives of Chelan county, NPS, Army Corp of Engineers and WA Department of Fish and Wildlife will attend. No NPS representatives attend although there is at least one in the valley at the time of the meeting.
February 7th-14th
(day 65 since the flood)
NPS places a “trail camera” across the river from the private properties directly affected by the flooding. This camera is pointed directly at the private properties. It is placed by a federal law enforcement officer, and is apparently placed so that any “illicit” work in the river by locals could be documented, and presumably prosecuted. Up to this point, it is the only visible action that NPS has taken.
February 18th
(day 69 since the flood)
Chelan County has begun purchasing 5000 tons of rock. They do this in good faith, believing that the NPS is working to design a road that will benefit county residents. Because of NPS policy, no local large rock is able to be used. This means that to get the rock to Stehekin, it must be barged up lake Chelan. 250 tons at a time. Chelan County recognizes that time is becoming critical. To wait until the NPS has come to a decision on what type of road to build would mean potentially months of delays while waiting for material to be delivered. The first barge load arrives today. NPS refuses to allow it to be stockpiled on federal land. Private residents agree to let it be piled on multiple pieces of private property.
March 5th
(day 84 since the flood)
The NPS releases its first public plan of where they believe a new road would need to be located. There are multiple possible routes shown, with all of them crossing, or terminating on private property on the west end. Several of the proposed routes are very long. They are proposed to travel over a mile of the Stehekin valley that is virtually untouched. They would be crossing Battalion creek multiple times, as well as many beaver ponds and through a stand of old growth Douglas fir. Two of the 5 proposed routes cut across 6 pieces of private property, between two domestic wells, and through large gardens They do not show any protection on the east end for a clearly fragile section of road. If the river is not controlled on the east end of the washout, there is a high likelihood that another ½ mile of road could be lost, as well as multiple pieces of private property.
March 20th
(day 99 since the flood)
The Stehekin river experiences a “10 year” flood event with the river reaching peak flows of just under 12,000 CFS at 4:30 PM. This is caused by a combination of rain and warm weather melting the low level snow. Although this was one of the highest CFS recordings for the Stehekin river in a March event , it should be noted that it is not an uncommon level for the river to reach, and it took place 5 days after the community plan had recommended all construction be completed. This event completely washes out the corduroy road, and widens the new river channel down Battalion creek. Residents are stranded again. The road at “Lesh’s” corner is again impassable. Properties that prior to the levee being breached would never have water surrounding them at this CFS flow are completely surrounded. As the waters recede it is obvious that there is no hope of restoring the corduroy road, with the equipment and material that is on the up river side of the washout.
March 25th
(day 104 since the flood)
The NPS announces a contract has been awarded to ECC to build the new road.
April 1st
(day 111 since the flood)
Contractors begin clearing trees along a road reroute. This route includes taking over 110 trees down, ranging from 6 inch diameter dogwoods, to 5 foot diameter old growth Douglas fir trees. This route is a significant distance from the river bank, and it terminates on private property. Meaning that legally the only property owners who will have access to this new road route would be that property owner. There is also no plan for how to deal with the east end of the road. It is terminated in the woods, with no structure to keep the river from continuing to cut until it reaches the raised road bed. This will dump massive amounts of cobble and trees into an already full river bed. There is also no structure shown in the plans to prevent the river from following the road down valley, wiping out many more feet of road, as well as potentially destroying at least 6 pieces of private property. The route is understandably met with local disbelief and resistance.
April 2nd
(day 112 since the flood)
Local moms organize a peaceful protest. “Moms with Muffins” and “Ladies of the Lake” sit in the proposed route and pass out muffins. They peacefully refuse to get out of the way of the equipment and tree falling. Work is stopped.
April 3rd
(day 113 since the flood)
The protests continue.
April 5th
(day 115 since the flood)
NPS officials arrive to walk the route and talk to locals. “Moms with Muffins” grudgingly call off the protest with assurances from NPS officials that at a minimum the east end of the road will be protected in a version “1.5” of the current plan, hoping that at least work on the lower, and undisputed, part of the old road could be rebuilt while waiting to hear a final decision on the upper, and contentious, reroute of the road.
April 9th
(day 119 since the flood)
Work is at a standstill until the situation is resolved. Residents above the washout are completely cut off. Young children are walking 40 minutes through the woods to get around the washout and to school. Vehicle access is completely impossible. When NPS officials are asked about emergency access, they respond that they have been told to stop all work. They have access to 400 bulk sand bags already filled and sitting in their rock pit, less than two miles from the washout. If any resident is not physically fit, the only possible travel out of the area above the washout is via helicopter.
SYNOPSIS: Saturday April 11th
exactly 4 months (121 days!)
since the original flood occurred.
To this point the only visible work that the NPS has done to find the solution to the problem, is to put up a trail camera pointed at private property and lay out a road route that winds through, and will take out old growth timber. This route will terminate against private property. It is estimated that it will cost close to three million dollars. It will solve virtually none of the problems Stehekin residents have been dealing with for the last 4 months.
2025-26 was one of the mildest winters that Stehekin has ever recorded. Work could have been ongoing all winter. The same day that the flood destroyed the Company creek road levee a massive landslide came down across the main Stehekin valley road just above the boat landing. Local contractors working for NPS in Stehekin were able to move almost 7,000 cubic yards of material, and have the road reopened in just a couple of weeks. Large scale projects, and cooperation between NPS and locals, are possible. And possible to do in a timely fashion. The hold up is the NPS, those in positions superior to the NPS employees that live and work in Stehekin.
NPS officials have stated that they will not work in the river, but not returning the river to its channel means that any potential road route will have to cross approximately 1/3 of the river, by volume, where it now spills over into Battalion creek Historically work has been done in the Stehekin river. Stehekin is not a national park. The Stehekin river is not a “wild and scenic” river. Work can, and has in the past been done. The situation, as it sits right now, has no end in sight. To provide temporary emergency access while deciding on a long term solution, should be a minimal starting point for the NPS.
Temporary emergency access should not cost 3 million dollars. The corduroy road that was put in by the locals, used nothing but a chainsaw, an old excavator and an old loader and cost virtually nothing. Although it was quite rough, it accomplished everything that is needed for emergency access. It was built in just a few days, with limited resources available, and it lasted 5 days longer than what locals stressed to all officials -that construction on the new road needed to be completed before mid March.
The route that was used for the corduroy road was approximately 700-900 feet long. If 3-4 locals working with very limited resources and materials can provide emergency access over that distance in a matter of a few days, I think it speaks very poorly to what NPS has been able to accomplish in 4 months.
Until something is done, residents are now forced to wait. Above the washout are 3 families. Their children make up 1/3 of the total Stehekin school students. Every school day morning they have to walk 40 minutes through the brush and bluffs, just to get to a vehicle to drive the rest of the way to school. Every afternoon it’s reversed. Almost an hour and a half hike every day. The youngest student is 8 years old. Residents who have livestock above the washout are within 2 weeks of running out of animal feed. Propane that is used for cooking and heating water is going to become an issue within the next several weeks.
If there were to be a medical emergency, and the weather is not good enough for a helicopter to fly, residents have no way of transporting any patient. A disabled Vietnam veteran and his wife have a home above the washout. With the limited access provided by the corduroy road they were able to still travel in and out. Now that is no longer an option, and he is unable to go to his home.
A home that is on property homesteaded by his grandparents. Below the washout several properties are surrounded by swift knee deep water. One of these is owned by a retired couple who can not leave their home without wading through a substantial amount of water. They are dependent on renting out a small cabin on their property for their income. They will be unable to do this if the situation is not resolved.
There are two families below the washout at the levee, but above where the new channel cuts across the road at “Lesh’s” corner who have school age children. They have had to skip school multiple times or risk wading through cold swift water to reach their vehicles that are parked on the far side of the washout. All the properties that have been impacted by the flood, were invested in with the expectation that the NPS would maintain the road and levee. They have clearly failed to do this.