This is one of the most gourgous steelhead rivers in the state. It is heavily forested, plenty of cut trails to explore, easily accessed to the public, plenty of wildlife, and a great bottom composition. Like all our rivers, it is made of shale. However, the shale to gravel ration is very good. From what I've seen, its ratio is 60:40. It has classic riffle/pool areas, solid holes that range from 3 to 7 feet deep, and cut shale banks with 2 shelf drop offs. Upstream portions have plenty of gravel/pool locations and moerate amounts of shale. The middle section have  bit of everything. You can hike a half mile of nothing but flat, unproductive shale and the BAM!, a great river turn with gravel above and below a slamming 4-5 foot hole. The lower section is shale cut and holes with less gravel but solid depth and shale 2tier cuts.