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HAZARD! - Scott:
| | Posted Apr 17, 2004: |
Gay Baxter of the Happy Camp Ranger District reports that there is a log
blocking the main channel in a Class IV rapid called Complexity by some, and The Doors by others.
This is on the lower portion of the most commonly run section of the Scott.
Gay reports as follows:
"The log is located in the boulder garden nine tenths of a mile downstream of Townsend Gulch River Access and six miles downstream of Canyon Creek River Access.
The log is a large Doug fir, about 100 feet long and 24 to 36" at the butt.
The top end is submerged, with several stout branches sticking out of the water.
The log floated in taking the usual rafting line and wedged butt end into the boulders to the left of the large center boulder in the rapid.
Most of the log is invisible as you approach from upstream.
The log lays parallel to the current, until the current makes a hard left turn at the center boulders and flows through/over/under the log.
The approach to this log is in fast, steep, standing waves.
The normal move was to go left of the center boulders.
The log now prevents this move.
In its current position it has the potential to wrap and flip any and all rafts or kayaks that make contact with it.
Loose wood has wedged against the log in the main channel, making a swim here particularly dangerous.
The log is visible with binoculars from the Scott River Road at milepost 21.
Look for it in the rapid one half mile downstream."
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HAZARD! - Cal. Salmon:
| | Posted Apr 20, 2005: |
Bob Hemus of Six Rivers National Forest, Orleans Ranger District, reports as follows:
"I have had several boaters tell me that there is a strainer on the Cal Salmon.
It is located just above Otter Bar below the Forks of Salmon.
It consists of a tree that fell into the river on river right."
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| Posted Apr 22, 2005: |
Scott Harding provides the following information on the hazard reported Apr 20 above:
"A large live oak has fallen from the river right bank into the water and blocks about 3/4 of the river on the right.
A clear channel is open on the left.
The fallen tree is in the runout of a class 2 rapid locally known as Lipke's about one mile downstream of Forks of Salmon
(or about halfway between Forks of Salmon and Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School).
The water is fast but flat.
Kayaks can easily negotiate the hazard by staying far left but rafters will have to pull hard to make sure they make the channel.
As the water drops, the open channel will narrow.
| | Posted Dec 27, 2005: |
Scott Harding provides the following update on the hazard reported Apr 20 above:
"The hazard tree on the Salmon below Forks is gone as of 12/23/05.
A lot of wood has moved lately but I am unaware of any problems for paddlers
(but I also haven't paddled the entire drainage since the last flood)."
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HAZARD! - No. Fk. Trinity River:
| | Posted Mar 31, 2003: |
Tristan Ragsdale reports as follows:
"I ran the North Fork of the Trinity last weekend and there is some new wood to report.
The big log that you once passed underneath a mile downriver of Hobo Gulch put-in has become choked and clogged up by numerous new logs;
effectively invalidating the move and creating a nasty strainer at high flows.
It's easy to see from above, and the portage is now made from the right side."
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HAZARD! - Trinity River, Burnt Ranch Gorge:
| | Posted Jul 8, 2002: |
Rowan Gratz-Weiser reports a potentially dangerous situation in Burnt Ranch Gorge,
and would like to warn paddlers not to run the slot known as Showerhead at the bottom of the 1st falls (a.k.a. Burnt Ranch One,
or simply as Number One).
During the winter a rock got wedged in the lip of the drop, and some of the water is now flowing under the rock at flows lower than 800 cfs.
What can happen is that the bottom of your boat hits the rock and stalls you out, while the water that is flowing under the rock
catches your tail and begins to suck your boat down and backwards.
This happened to someone very recently.
The paddler was able to work his way free, but another time things might not turn out so well;
clearly things could get ugly very quickly, and rescue would likely be difficult, slow and dangerous.
You are urged to run the left side (known as "The Jaws"), which is safer - and for most of us, more fun anyway.
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HAZARD! - Navarro River:
| | Posted Feb 28, 2003: |
Tom Frye reports three logjams, about three miles upstream of Paul Dimmick State Park.
Tom wasn't on this run himself, but is reporting on behalf of other paddlers who were.
The first two logjams should be easy to spot in time except perhaps at high flows, but the third is around a blind corner.
They portaged around the first logjam on river right.
Here's a different perspective on the first set of logs.
They portaged the second logjam on river left.
The third "logjam" (a single log) is 100 yards downstream, around a blind corner, so they portaged these two hazards together.
They warn that portaging around all three logjams took them 1.5 hours (with fully loaded canoes).
Consequently, be sure to allow time for these portages on your run.
Otherwise, you might find yourself unexpectedly camping out - or worse, trying to negotiate these logjams in the dark.
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| Posted Apr 28, 2005: |
Robert Payne reports an update on the three logjams reported Feb 28, 2003 above:
"Navaro River, Hendy Woods to Paul Dimmick State Park, 4/24/2005 at 315cfs.
The first jam is still there and looks just the same as pictured.
The second is now passable but still a hazard.
The third as descibed I did not see, but there are more in the making as the banks of the river in the area are coming down and taking large trees with them.
We did a number of other portages to avoid difficult must make moves to stay clear of brush and logs in our very heavy
but lightly loaded aluminum canoe, yet we did the run in 7.5 hours including a 30 minute lunch stop.
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HAZARD! - East Fork Russian River:
| | Posted Dec 15, 2001: |
There is a hazard reported for the East Fork of the Russian, above Lake Mendocino.
There is a dead Cottonwood about 2 feet thick, spanning the entire river half a mile below the bridge that bisects the run.
A large group of houses on river left provides another marker for this hazard.
While you can apparently safely boat under the tree at up to 900 cfs,
it would start to get very tight and much faster at higher flows - until at perhaps 1500 cfs, the tree would be unavoidable.
For more information, contact Rick Rizzolo.
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| Posted Oct 26, 2004: |
Bill Self reports a new hazard on the East Fork of the Russian, above Lake Mendocino.
A big tree spans the whole channel about half a mile below the "Death Trap" signpost.
The hazard is obvious, but only on short notice after passing through a curved rock garden section above it.
Bill reports that when members of his group tangled with the tree, there was about 200 cfs in the river.
He estimates the hazard will get worse with more current.
| | Posted Nov 1, 2004: |
Bill Self reports more information for the hazard on the East Fork of the Russian, above Lake Mendocino (reported Oct 26 above).
The tree is really about a mile below the "Death Trap" signpost, and about 200 yards below the McKee Park put-in (on road into Potter Valley).
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HAZARD! - San Lorenzo:
| | Posted Apr 29, 2005: |
Marcus Rhoden reports a new hazard on the San Lorenzo as follows:
There's a tree across the entire right channel immediately before the take-out in Santa Cruz.
He advises you to take out before the last fork, as it's not possible to reach take-out if you go left.
This hazard is really not visible from upstream - the fork is concealed with low hanging branches and once you start you are committed.
You can't avoid it as it crosses the whole channel.
They ran it at 200cfs Thursday the 28th and Marcus could barely slide under it,
but it has a lot of branches and for some poeple it could be a real ugly spot to get stuck.
Marcus is trying to find a chain saw to cut it out, and will let us know what happens.
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| Posted May 2, 2005: |
Bill Tuthill comments on the San Lorenzo hazard reported Apr 29 above:
"There continue to be downed trees in a left-hand channel around an island,
near where the trail (Rincon trail?) leaves the river and climbs to highway 9.
The right channel remains passable though willow-shrouded."
Bill goes on to mention that there have been downed logs at this spot for a few years.
They keep shifting around.
Happily, the current is slow there.
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HAZARD! - McCloud River:
| | Posted May 9, 2003: |
Rick Schaefer reports a hazard on the McCloud river, shortly below the Hearst Run put-in, as follows.
At typical flow, 100 yards from the Fowler's Campground put-in, nearly all the water goes left and down a boney, narrow chute (the right is a nearly dry streambed).
There is a potentially serious or deadly situation with two large logs, another 20 yards downstream, basically blocking the only navigable channel.
Unless one sees the hazard from the top and aborts the run, there could be serious consequences.
It is not easy to recognize from the top.
Rick recommends portaging down the dry streambed on the right.
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| Posted Apr 9, 2004: |
Chris Rosamond reports that the log, mentioned in the report of May 9, 2003, above, has washed downstream about a mile.
It's still a huge log, but it's in a much safer place, in river center of a class 2, and can easily be avoided on either side.
It's currently just a few drops above Big Springs, but could easily move further downstream if flows rise.
In that case, who knows where it will end up - and it could become a significant hazard again.
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HAZARD! - Mill Creek:
| | Posted May 11, 2003: |
Mike Samson reports a hazard on Mill Creek, Lower Run, as follows:
"There is a new Oak tree across Mill Creek.
About 5 miles down and less than a mile below the old tree that is across the creek.
It's in the middle of a class 4 boulder garden and completely blocks the creek.
Can't really see it until you're pretty damn close.
It can be portaged on the right but a better bet would be to walk the whole rapid on the left.
It's a real bad deal."
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HAZARD! - Deer Creek, Lower Run:
| | Posted Mar 3, 2004: |
Martin Roland reports a hazard on Deer Creek as follows:
"I was on Lower Deer Creek (Ishi Falls) this weekend at 1,100 CFS and had a damn good time.
The bad news is, around mile 7 or about a mile upstream of Ishi Falls there is an underwater
log that blocks the right channel that is difficult to impossible to see.
It is smack in the middle of a class IV rapid that appears clean from upstream.
The log is just to the right of a large 30 foot rock that is free standing in the middle of the creek.
The left sneak route channel (to the left of the large rock) is bumping but certainly the way to go.
The rapid has been responsible for several pins and nasty swims in the last year.
Currently there is a boat pinned against the log that is barely breaking the surface.
We spent hours tugging on it from every possible angle without luck.
Hate to see someone else suffer the same fate.
Fortunately, we had an oar frame with us and were able to get everyone to take out."
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| Posted Mar 18, 2004: |
Roland McNutt reports that the kayak, mentioned in the report of Mar 3 above,
has since washed free and is now tied to a tree a few rapids down.
The log hazard, presumably, remains.
| | Posted Apr 9, 2004: |
Chris Rosamond reports that the log, mentioned in the report of Mar 3 above,
"... is alive and well and looking for new people to play with.
It appears to be Oak, and it's wedged really good, so it should be there for awhile."
| | Posted Apr 20, 2004: |
Ian Rice reports that as far as he can tell,
the log reported Mar 3 above is one that has been there for several years.
This information doesn't detract from the hazard, but may help old-timers to better identify which one we're talking about.
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HAZARD! - North Fork Feather - Rock Creek Run:
| | Posted Oct 1, 2003: |
Paul Quiroga reports a hazard in the very first rapid on the Rock Creek Run on the North Fork Feather.
This rapid is marked by a big boulder in the middle see photo.
This rapid is usually run river left of the boulder, but in the past a narrow channel on the right provided an alternate route.
However, the bottom of the right route is now obstructed by a small boulder see photo.
Here's a close-up.
Any type of craft can easily slam into it and hang up, and anything not hardshell is likely to wrap, with dangerous consequences.
You are therefore advised to run the left channel.
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HAZARD! - North Fork Feather - Cresta Run:
| | Posted Sep 30, 2003: |
Rorie Gotham reports a very serious hazard for the Cresta Run on the North Fork Feather, especially for rafts.
The hazard is a deadly undercut, in the third rapid after County Line Rapid.
This rapid was called Cow Catcher, though it's now been renamed to Cave Rapid.
This is a major rapid, and should be easy to identify.
There is a huge boulder, approximately half-way down, in the center of the rapid see photo.
DON'T take the chute to the right of the boulder (especially not in a raft),
because that side has submerged rocks which will likely push you off line, pile you up on the right bank, and flip you.
Once you're out of your boat, you're in deadly danger of being swept out of the eddy, downstream into the main current,
and all the way across the river into the undercut on river left see photo.
If you do end up coming down this way anyway, head river right and get out of the current as soon as possible.
Although the wave train in this area looks benign on the surface, the undertow is very strong and deep,
and creates an apparent subsurface toilet bowl that will drag a swimmer down immediately.
A rafter was swept into the undercut this last Saturday, immediately disappeared, and was held under.
Rescue was impossible see photo.
Reports are that the suction down into the undercut is incredible, even at very low flows.
You DO want to enter the rapid on the left, then stay left of the boulder (which in a raft involves a hard back-paddle).
Paddle aggressively left to right after clearing the center boulder, and stay completely away from the left bank and outcropping.
You will then be heading in the correct direction, with sufficient momentum, to miss the undercut.
Of course, if you screw up the left chute you could still be in trouble.
Be sure to scout this rapid before running, and don't be afraid to walk it.
One easy, safer alternative to running the entire rapid is to lift your boat onto the large flat boulder at the top of the rapid on river left,
and put back in below the split move.
From there paddle left to right to miss the outcropping slab and undercut.
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Note - North Fork Feather Scheduled Releases:
| | Posted Jun 24, 2004: |
Check the NF Feather Release Schedule, published by American Whitewater.
However, note that this schedule doesn't always reflect recent changes, e.g. last-minute cancelations.
So, be sure to visit the AW website homepage and check the news flashes,
just to make sure that a release has not been canceled for biological or other reasons.
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HAZARD! - Middle Fork Feather:
| | Posted May 20, 2002: |
Steve Rock reports a very hazardous log in a rapid in
Franklin Canyon on the Devils Canyon run of the Middle Fork Feather.
This is the 2 or 3 day wilderness run, and Franklin Canyon is the second canyon of three.
The directions to the rapid in question are as follows.
At either Bear Creek or Carpenter Creek (Steve forgets which) there's a significant rapid.
After that there is an insignificant class 3; then a class 4; then the class 4 rapid with the hazard.
Steve marked the top of this rapid on the right side with red flagging tape, and there was an existing small rock cairn.
A few limb stubs poking up out of the water on the left side at the bottom also mark the rapid, though they are not the hazard.
The hazardous log is hidden at the bottom of the rapid.
It is just above the water but just below and hidden by the final three or four foot ledge on the right.
It would be very easy to commit to running the ledge.
Reportedly, it has been there for several years and at one time had the remains of a raft on it.
For more information, contact Steve Rock.
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WARNING - Fordyce Creek:
| | Posted Jun 5, 2002: |
Robert Payne paddled Fordyce Creek yesterday and urges you to:
"Beware tree on right channel of narrow-slot canyon rapid half-way down the run.
The rapid is runnable but the tree is sharp."
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HAZARD! - North Fork American River:
| | Posted Mar 7, 2002: |
A reminder that there is a hazard on the Giant Gap run of the North Fork American.
It's been there a while (I think two years), but for those who are new to the run, here goes.
The rapid in question has a large (room-sized) rock river center after a short cascade.
It's the second rapid of that general construction in a short space, and is before Nutcracker.
In fact it's probably about half-way through the easy stuff before the gorge.
A tree extends from the large rock at river center towards the right-hand bank.
In the past this tree has been easy to paddle around if you're paying attention, but it could have shifted.
In any case, please pay special attention in this stretch.
For more information, contact Adcoit@aol.com,
or Chris Shackleton.
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| Posted Apr 3, 2002: |
Chris Schulze reports that the tree hazard on the
Giant Gap run of the North Fork American (reported Mar 7, see above), is still there.
Apparently it hasn't shifted since last year: they ran it at about 1,000 cfs on March 26,
and were able to get around the river right side of the tree.
At that flow, the opening was approximately 6-8 feet on the right.
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HAZARD! - South Fork American River - Kyburz Run:
| | Posted Apr 20, 2005: |
Joel Bingham reports a hazard on the Kybyrz run as follows:
"Steel girders from a pair of makeshift footbridges span the river, where FS road 111N8 intersects the river.
I nearly bought the farm yesterday at 675cfs?
First girder should be covered with more water; but the second will become more hazardous.
I am trying to get in touch with the right people at the FS to get it out of there."
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| Posted Apr 21, 2005: |
Joel Bingham reports an update on the hazard (reported Apr 20 above) as follows:
"I emailed the wrong FS road number before.
It is 111N48 and the Hazard can easily be scouted by driving down to the bridge construction site.
Additionally I talked to the Forest Service; they are planning on removing the upstream hazard and
raising the downstream one to a level that would not pose a threat to river runners.
This should happen within the next couple of days."
| | Posted Apr 22, 2005: |
Kim Fondrk reports on the hazard (reported Apr 20 above) location as follows:
"Just before the put-in, at the former roadside rest, is a road that goes down to the river where a bridge washed out some years ago.
The road is marked "Road Closed", and the bridge can be viewed from there.
On the river, you eddy hop one rapid after put-in, then there is a bit of a break and the next drop has a nasty pour-over/pillow rock
that causes more trouble than it should.
This leads into a long rocky stretch that culminates at the downed bridge/makeshift bridge site.
This is probably 1/4 mile into the run."
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HAZARD! - South Fork American River - Kyburz Run:
| | Posted May 17, 2003: |
Right below Sand Flat is a tree almost all the way across the river.
That's easy to see and avoid (at higher flows like now you can even paddle around it on the far right).
However, there's a much harder to see tree about another half mile further downstream.
It's in a rapid right above a bridge across the river, and stretches from the left bank almost half the way across the river.
Someone got pinned in that tree today, and managed to work free, but it was scary for a while.
Better to run that particular rapid on the far right.
There's plenty of wood on this run this year, so please pay particular attention at these higher flows.
For more information contact Chris Shackleton.
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| Posted May 23, 2003: |
Mike Bean reports that on the Whitehall to Peavine section there are several
new logs and downed trees, but nothing that cannot be avoided with one exception, which is as follows.
There is one gravel bar between Whitehall and Riverton where the river splits into three routes.
The middle merges with the left, but the right route is completely blocked by a large log.
You can see the clear left and middle routes from the road.
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HAZARD! - South Fork American River - Golden Gate:
| | Posted May 29, 2002: |
Torrey Carroll reports that the 8 ft entrance boof to Upper Drainpipe has changed
for the worse and should be scouted.
They ran it yesterday - no-one scouted and all came through okay, but it was sketchy.
It was 8.15 ft on the gage, and it felt like 900 to 1000cfs.
The entrance boof will become worse at lower flows.
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HAZARD! - South Fork American River - C2L or C2G:
| | Posted Mar 25, 2005: |
Steve Ruhnau reports a hazard on the Coloma to Lotus (or Greenwood) run as follows:
"Just below the Hwy 49 bridge on the C2G run there is a small river left channel that is often run when the water allows.
This channel ends in a pool at the end of a long island where it merges with the main current.
There is a river wide full size tree across this channel, that previously lay out of the way near the mouth of this channel.
At today's flow (3500 cfs) it obstructed the channel with very little room on each far end of the tree to possibly maneuver around.
At higher flows this log could pose a significant hazard to anyone taking this side channel ... especially Class II boaters."
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Note - Cosumnes River:
| | Posted Feb 28, 2005: |
Steve Ruhnau reports as follows:
"The first portage around the Class V+ waterfall on the lower Cosumnes (Ko-Sue-Mees) run (below Latrobe Rd) has had a significant change of status.
The prior landowners, who still own much of the surrounding land, have been gracious enough to let kayakers exit on river right
above the falls and portage on the old water ditch for about half of a mile to a put in below.
These landowners recently sold a parcel of their land which includes much of the portage ... where the children's jungle gym was located.
The new landowners have a very hostile view of anyone traversing their property and will no longer allow any legal passage on river right.
If you are caught on this property expect to have a very negative experience.
It is possible to portage on river left but it is far more difficult.
You can exit on river left from the same pool above the falls that is normally exited on river right.
Several hundred yards downstream there is a ramp to the water before the sharp left bend in the river.
There is one minor rapid followed by a pool above the Class IV rapids.
If you are not a Class IV boater you must find a way to exit on river right in the area above these two rapids.
I have not seen a nice exit point here on river right ... although it might exist.
Portaging on river left to a point below the Class IV rapids means climbing a couple of hundred feet up,
walking a quarter of a mile, and then climbing down to the river.
That does not look like a pleasant route."
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Warning - Mokelumne, Electra Run:
| | Posted Oct 21, 2003: |
Paul Quiroga reports a potential hazard on the Electra run.
There's a fallen tree on river right, perhaps a tenth of a mile above the Hwy-49 bridge.
It extends almost half way out into the river.
It is easily avoidable, but the current in that section is fairly fast.
A novice capsizing above might be in for trouble.
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Note - North Fork Stanislaus River, Ramsey Run:
| | Posted Aug 1, 2001: |
Both of the dirt road entrances off Hwy 4, leading to the road down toward the Ramsey's put-in,
are currently gated and locked.
They apparently have been all year, and show no sign of opening.
The first gate is a private family's, while the other belongs to Sierra Pacific Industries.
Therefore, (when flows rise, of course!), you should expect to hike in from essentially the highway
to get to the Ramsey's put-in.
This is a distance of about 4 miles.
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HAZARD! - Tuolumne River, Cherry Creek Run:
| | Posted Aug 31, 2003: |
The very last drop in Flat Rock Falls, on the right side (i.e. the final drop after the three doors), has suddenly changed for the worse.
There used to be a more-or-less flat horizon line that you could easily and safely launch off.
Now, a section next to the pyramid rock is missing, and the water dynamics have changed, such that running this route is dangerous and should be avoided.
Barry reports that several boats today stalled against the pyramid rock, and their tails were sucked down towards the sieve just to the right.
Only by face-planting against the pyramid rock and rotating their boats sideways were they able to break free and complete the drop.
Most folks will therefore want to portage the bottom section of Flat Rock Falls from one of the eddies on the left side.
Alternatively, at current flows (around 1250 cfs), the far left side of the main falls has a fairly clean ramp.
However, getting there might be problematic - so be sure to scout first.
For more information, contact Chris Shackleton.
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| Posted Jun 28, 2004: |
Keith Kishiyama reports that there's now a 4" dia. log in the slot of the very last drop in Flat Rock Falls, on the right side.
At 1500 cfs, you can just barely see the branch (pointing up) as the current surges over the top, so it's hard to tell what exactly is in there.
In any event, this hazard looks like it's pretty bad right now.
Presumably the hazard is even more serious, though correspondingly more obvious, at lower flows.
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HAZARD! - Tuolumne River, Lower Run:
| | Posted May 19, 2004: |
Zach Collier reports a hazard below Grey's Grindstone on the Lower "T" as follows:
There is a new strainer hazard on the Main Tuolumne.
Just below the entrance to Grey's Grindstone on the right bank a dangerous tree is lodged in the river.
At lower flows it may not be a problem, but we haven't seen those low flows yet."
Zach says this hazard is definitely worth noting, and is especially dangerous at 2000 cfs and above.
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| Posted Jun 2, 2004: |
Dale W. Zelles reports that the hazard below Grey's Grindstone, reported May 19 above, has gone.
It was flushed out during the 12,000 cfs spike last Thursday/Friday, and didn't lodge anywhere again downstream.
| | Posted Jun 23, 2004: |
Bill Tuthill reports that a log is currently stuck in Thread the Needle,
so a left-side sneak is recommended.
(Maybe this is the same log as what was stuck in Grey's Grindstone?)
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Hazards - Tuolumne River, Lower Run:
| | Posted Jul 1, 2003: |
Marilyn Tahl ran the Lower "T" Saturday, and reports as follows:
"There is a strainer in Ram's Head.
It's about 1/3 of the way down, center/left center.
It was subsurface, but I could see a couple wicked-looking branch ends.
It probably wasn't even noticeable earlier in the season, but will definitely come into play as the water drops to regular summer flows.
I couldn't tell how much of the river it spans (went by too fast) - hopefully someone else can provide more detailed info."
So - if you have an update on this potential hazard please share!
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| Posted Jul 9, 2003: |
Scott Cochran reports that the hazard first reported Jul 1 (see above) is now exposed.
It is a long (20' to 30'), largely branchless tree stuck on a small rock right of center, but obstructing the middle of the rapid.
It is really not much of a hazard as it is very visible at current flows (1200 cfs or less).
It is at the top of the rapid, and the flat entry pool leading into it is slow.
There is a sufficiently wide channel on each side of it.
Note however that the tree is longer than it first seems and extends surprisingly far to the left; the left most 15 feet are mostly underwater.
There are two sharp parts (where limbs broke off) that make any boofing of the tree not recommended.
| | Posted Jul 9, 2003: |
Scott Cochran notes that the strainer at the bottom right of Upper India is still there.
However, little current passes under it at current flows (1200 cfs or less) so it is easy to spot and not much of a hazard.
| | Posted Jul 17, 2003: |
Reports are that at current flows the tree stuck at the top of Ram's Head (first reported Jul 1, above) is easy to see and avoid.
In other words, while technically a hazard, it's a relatively minor one.
If the situation changes, please contact Chris Shackleton.
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Note - EF Kaweah:
| | Posted Jul 9, 2003: |
Tom Meinholz ran the EF Kaweah last Saturday (5th), and has this to say:
"What a spectacular trip.
The scenery is spectacular and the drops are fun with lots of character and super photogenic.
The closest thing to the NF Kings canyoneering trip so far.
We put in a couple of miles below the Oak Grove bridge so as to cut out all the technical portaging in the upper section.
We parked in a large turnout exactly 5 miles up Mineral King Rd from Hwy 198 in Three Rivers.
We left a take-out vehicle about 1 mile below the Gateway bridge.
At the put-in there is a steep trial down to the river from the turnout, it is about a 15 minute walk/climb.
We took 7 hours at a leisurely pace taking lots of photos, lunch, and even a nap.
Lots of scouts your first time down.
The flow was nearly ideal, some rapids could have used a little more water but not much more.
400 cfs at Three Rivers (on the Kaweah) would be the ideal flow, we had 360 cfs.
Some people say it goes as low as 200 cfs but to me that would make for an arduous trip, especially in the numerous rock gardens.
300 to 600 cfs is a good range.
Take lots of water as it is very hot down in all that reflective granite.
It is similar to the SF Silver Creek but in a much deeper, very committing vertical walled canyon.
I recommend doing the lower stretch before doing the upper and lower together."
Note that right now the flow is holding almost steady.
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Note - Camping On The Kaweah:
| | Posted Apr 27, 2004: |
Tom Meinholz reports as follows:
"Dave Hammond bought a campground on the river and has really done a nice job with it.
Has showers and everything you need and best of all it is boater friendly so no more driving way up the NF road to camp.
The campground is called Three Rivers Hideaway and is about a mile east/upriver of the Chevron station in three rivers, a half mile below the Dinely Bridge.
Best of all, it is directly across the street from We Three Bakers, a great breakfast place.
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HAZARD! - Kern River - Chamise Gorge:
| | Posted May 19, 2003: |
Tim Perry reports a hazard on the Chamise Gorge section of the Kern.
He has this to say:
"There is a log in the last significant rapid before the river swings out of the canyon and back to the road.
I do not know if it is named.
There are a couple riffles after that and the river bends back towards the road and there is another little riffle/rapid that you can see from the road.
I'd say the log is 1/4 mile upstream from the spot where the river disappears around the bend into the canyon.
The log is located in the bouncy drops on river right.
There is a completely clear easy route on river left.
If you decide to run river right anyway, the root burl is located down near the bottom pourover and the trunk goes straigt up the rapid.
SCOUT!
It may shift as the river is coming up."
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Note - Idaho River Permits
| | Posted Jan 2, 2005: |
Bert Welti writes as follows:
"To possible Idaho river permit applicants.
If you are interested in applying for a permit on such Idaho rivers as the Middle Fork of the Salmon or the Selway, go to the following web site:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/recreation/4rivers.
You should note that applications have to be there in Idaho by January 31.
As the successful applicant has to be on the trip, please choose dates that are most likely to work for you rather than asking someone else,
like me, what dates to choose."
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