tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-145800592024-03-07T15:36:32.452-08:00Copyright © 2006, Darin McQuoid. All rights reserved.
<br>d_mcquoid@hotmail.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-62149037379766850162011-01-25T13:34:00.001-08:002011-01-25T13:34:36.099-08:00Three separate websites is simply too many. After an embarrassing amount of time, the work is done it's all be condensed into one. Nothing fancy, but it's all in once place with many river descriptions updated too. Now blog updates will return on a regular basis and can be found at: <a href="http://darinmcquoid.com/">DarinMcQuoid.com</a><br /><br /><img src="http://images58.fotki.com/v511/photos/4/1050194/9392303/_DMM3482-vi.jpg" alt="" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-49226996463518534762010-10-13T15:08:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:16:45.783-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;"> Day Three on the Grand Canyon of the Stikine</span><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/stikine3.html"> This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-49783988414115689622010-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:14:41.510-07:00Grand Canyon of the Stikine V-V+<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/stikine.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-40669708926833732642010-10-03T09:43:00.001-07:002011-09-30T10:18:02.205-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Homathko River - V-V+ Day Three & Four<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/homathko3.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-40592508386131853042010-09-29T20:46:00.001-07:002011-09-30T10:17:31.189-07:00Homathko River V-V+<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/homathko.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-28213812473303380712010-08-23T10:34:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:18:39.197-07:00North Fork of the North Fork American V-V+<br /><br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/nfnfamerican.html"> This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-68570651961529060572010-07-29T17:30:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:19:17.220-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /> Royal Gorge of the North Fork American River V-V+</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/royalgorge.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-24736777573286607312010-07-27T07:33:00.000-07:002010-07-27T07:38:43.763-07:002011 Whitewater Calendar<br /><br /><img src="http://images22.fotki.com/v837/photos/4/1050194/8534296/Cover3-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> As anyone following this site knows, I take a massive amount of images every year. I really wanted to do something with them this year, and considered quite a few options, and decided a calendar would be the most cost effective way to share my work. So if you enjoy the photographs I take during the year and would like to see them on your wall, consider picking up one of my 2011 Whitewater Calendars, which contains twelve of my favorite images. Thanks!<br /><br /><a href="http://kayakphoto.com/calendar.html">2011 Whitewater Calendar</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-83453612100986315572010-07-14T11:21:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:20:28.505-07:00Dinkey Creek - SuperDink "Infinislide" V<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/superdink.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-26674460662910383472010-07-14T09:09:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:20:49.295-07:00Dry Meadow Creek - V<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/drymeadow.html"> This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-50888958747457175792010-07-13T12:54:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:21:31.719-07:00South Branch of the Middle Fork Feather River - Lower V<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/southbranchlower.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-35007808343618526822010-06-26T10:23:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:22:33.818-07:00Rio Piaxtla Expedition Day Seven and Eight<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla7.html"> This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-92119175728320228762010-06-09T17:58:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:22:53.552-07:00Rio Piaxtla Expedition Day Six <br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla6.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-68508272171914922602010-05-31T12:37:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:23:38.707-07:00Rio Piaxtla Expedition Five<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla5.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-53282682946324253432010-05-24T17:36:00.001-07:002011-09-30T10:24:17.429-07:00<a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla4.html"> This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-28781236680185809892010-05-24T13:57:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:24:41.170-07:00Rio Piaxtla Exploration 3<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla3.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-22611146465038473562010-05-20T17:07:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:25:24.769-07:00<a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla2.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-51591385381788544292010-05-20T13:36:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:25:45.490-07:00Rio Piaxtla 1<br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.kayakphoto.com/darinmcquoid/piaxtla1.html">This page has moved</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-23830935421746417262010-04-30T10:08:00.000-07:002010-05-08T12:15:36.492-07:00South Fork Middle Tule V<br /><br /><br /> Over the years the Tule Indian Reservation has become less friendly to kayakers, and the river has not been run in many years, and our trip would follow a common trend; ask for permission to access the South Fork Tule, get rejected and head far up highway 190 to the South Fork of the Middle Tule.<br /><br /> Access to the South Middle Tule is easy, if you can find it. A few miles up the South Middle past the confluence of the South Fork Middle Tule and North Fork Middle Tule, is a small pullout with boulders, which marks parking for the faint trail to the river.<br /><br />Danny Salazar heads down the trail.<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v242/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1624-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> The second southernmost large drainage in California, the South Fork Middle Tule bears a striking resemblance to <a href="http://darinm.blogspot.com/2006/06/bridge-creek-v-v-wooley-creek-trib.html">Bridge Creek</a> in the uppermost end of the state. Super clean drops interspersed with steep abusive mank.<br /><br /><br /> We put on with low flows, certainly the creeking category of whitewater. Gradient is such that another inch of water would have been nice, and two inches would have started to get scary. <br /><br /> Putting on with a large group we made quick downstream progress through rocky channels and lots of brush, before a quick scout for the first bedrock drop, which ended up being a fun affair run down down the left. <br /><br /> Just downstream of the first piece of bedrock was an unusual drop, a slide where we all drove right to narrowly miss an overhanging stalactite. I wish I had a picture but we were in go mode and I was one of the last to run the said drop.<br /><br />From the looks of the river during the drive up I was expecting slippery granite, but at water level it was travertine and very sticky, but thankfully it channelized well for the larger rapids.<br /><br />Jason Hale enjoying the first larger drop, a slide in the twenty foot range.<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v1593/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1651-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /> Will Pruett on the same, the at water view makes it look small.<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v565/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1664-vi.jpg" /><br /> <br /><br /> Our day continued on a predictable path. Run or portage a manky rapid or two, enjoy a clean bedrock drop, rinse and repeat.<br /><br />Will Pruett runs a not quite as clean drop the rest of us portaged.<br /><img src="http://images53.fotki.com/v546/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1675-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /> More boulders and a portage here and there led us to one of the more marque drops run here by Drew Duvall.<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v543/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1678-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /> More mank and then we were above what we all expected to be a sweep double drop, which was actually a narrow triple set of sliding falls.<br /><br />Taylor Robertson and Jason Hale getting left.<br /><img src="http://images17.fotki.com/v523/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1713-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> A short ways downstream we got out above the largest single drop of the run, which is very obvious from the shuttle road. It looked like higher flows would have made it much better, and Taylor's story of taking a big hit and breaking a camera on the falls dissuaded any of our group from running it. After a ten foot climb there is a nice portage trail on river right, and we continued down past a manky gorge that lies below the falls.<br /><br />It's been run...<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v559/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1742-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Many more boulder piles led to a nice clean one where I took the lazy option and shot from my boat. Hale having fun while Pruett hops out.<br /><img src="http://images53.fotki.com/v545/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1751-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /> Taylor told us the lines on the largest set of the run, a nice slide to falls both run down the right, so I quickly probed and hopped out for pictures.<br /><br />Drew Duvall enjoying the best of the South Middle Tule.<br /><img src="http://images56.fotki.com/v542/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1799-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Taylor Robertson and Danny Salazar peel out from the pool below the fun waterfall.<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v242/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1859-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Below the final falls the river had just one more slide, which wasn't quite as clean as others, and many boulder piles before we reached a small diversion dam. From the diversion dam we portaged a few hundred yards into the North Fork Middle Fork Tule and put on, running it into the true Middle Tule and kayaking about a mile downstream before taking out at a nice, well marked access point.<br /><br /> Was the South Fork Middle Tule worth kayaking? Undoubtedly yes, at least once. It will also take at least a year for me to forget all the mank and get in there again. While not a classic, the South Middle Tule has unique rapids that require a lot of work, but are rewarding enough to justify the effort.<br /><br /> We had about 300cfs on the <a href="http://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/day.425.php">gauge at Springville</a> and I think around 400 would have been ideal.<br /><br />Gradient by mile according to Google Earth: <br />393<br />475<br />261<br /><br /> Great free camping up the North Fork Middle Fork Tule.<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v1593/photos/4/1050194/8684800/_DMM1879-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://jscreekin.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3843/bloggersidebarid6.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-61329150439816288112010-03-25T17:16:00.000-07:002010-03-29T17:54:04.616-07:00 Upper North Fork Kaweah
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<br /> One of the best things about paddling with more than one group of people, is that you end up paddling on a variety of whitewater. <a href="http://www.awetstate.com/">Daniel Brasuell</a> is on a mission to paddle seemingly every piece of water in the state of California. So when he arranged some time off work and planned for some paddling in the North Coast area, I knew we'd get on some new stuff.
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<br /> As the time came, the water did not, and it was obvious that if we headed North we'd be very limited in our options. Looking over <a href="http://dreamflows.com">dreamflows</a> it was obvious; Kaweah time.
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<br /> The Kaweah watershed has become one of my favorites over the last few years. It has one of, if not the shortest drop from the headwaters to the valley floor, gorgeous scenery, warm weather and some classic California kayaking. One of the best things about the river is that you can arrive in the afternoon after driving, and still paddle the <a href="http://darinm.blogspot.com/2007/04/kaweah-river-middle-fork-hospital-rock.html">Hospital Rock section</a>, which leaves one feeling like you accomplished a full day on the water, because in a few miles it has more good rapids than the state of Colorado.
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<br /> Enjoying the warm sunshine at take-out, we were dismayed to see three small cracks in Daniel's boat. They were long expected, but bad news at the beginning of a week long trip. The good news is that they were just three, one-inch long horizontal cracks under the seat. Nothing worth going home for at least!
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<br /> All my previous trips to the Kaweah had a V-V+ focus, but when Daniel suggested the Upper North Fork of the Kaweah I was sold, having seen some good looking stuff <a href="http://kayaknickyb.blogspot.com/2005/11/upper-north-fork-of-kaweah.html">online</a> a few years before.
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<br />Sequoia National Park, where the city meets wilderness.
<br /><img src="http://images56.fotki.com/v1597/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0416-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> The North Fork Drive is a long, windy road with lots of potholes, but it was okay for "Scrat" my Toyota Previa. On the way up we stopped at the bridge to check the gauge, which was just over 1' at the lowest point of the daily cycle. I ran out of steam on the drive up and we made camp at a nice side creek, unbeknown to us just five minutes from the trail-head.
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<br />Daniel Brasuell crossing Yucca Creek.
<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v727/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0429-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> The Upper North Fork Kaweah requires no shuttle, but a considerable amount of hiking. 4.75 miles to be exact. Like other sources report, the hiking is in general quite easy after the first mile of well graded climbing. The entire hike is on an overgrown road, and for the majority of it we enjoyed dragging our boats over grass while relishing abounding bouquets of wildflowers.
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<br />It matches!
<br /><img src="http://images56.fotki.com/v548/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0434-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> On the hike we couldn't help but mention how glad we were to be hiking this early in the season, as later in the year it's probably over 100 here.
<br /><img src="http://images43.fotki.com/v1505/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210442-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> You'd want a very early start later in the year...like a few months earlier.
<br /><img src="http://images56.fotki.com/v1598/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0442-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Typical low-sierra scenery, except the tall kayaker of course, although they may become a more common sight on the North Fork Kaweah.
<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v560/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0454-vi.jpg"
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<br /> Hiking through a sandy part of the trail I notice Daniel's boat must be dragging a rock or something and have him stop. Uh-oh, it wasn't dragging a rock. The three small cracks were close together, and two decided to merge into one hole. Armed with duct tape and at Burnt Point Creek, aka four miles in, we decided to push on to the river and give it our best shot.
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<br />Dropping in through the grassy fields. Put in is very obvious on this run, since you can see the put in slide from the trail, but people have hiked past it...
<br /><img src="http://images9.fotki.com/v450/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0458-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> At the waters edge we were both tired from the hike, an easy four point seven five mile hike with a 40lb kayak and gear is still a four plus mile hike with a lot of weight!
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<br /> With only minimal beta on the run, Daniel wasn't too ecstatic about the condition of his kayak: paper thin under the seat with a significant blow hole.
<br /><img src="http://images112.fotki.com/v189/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0465-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Lacking the proper tools to take out his seat, we were reduced to pogies on the inside and duct tape applied externally...this should last on a low volume, slide filled run right?
<br /><img src="http://images53.fotki.com/v439/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0468-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> I had my doubts it would last past the put-in slide but held my tongue. Not wanting to waste time due to the envisioned amount of boat draining ahead, we geared up and Daniel probed the put-in slide, a nice fast smooth slide that drops more than it would appear from here.
<br /><img src="http://images12.fotki.com/v252/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0492-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> The author follows.
<br /><img src="http://images112.fotki.com/v173/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210454-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Rounding the corner below the slide we were surprised at the significance of the boulder gardens for what was reported to be a Iv to IV+ run. The next two boulder gardens might have been considered optional portages, as they certainly verged on class V (mank). I had low expectations and assumed this would be the norm with one or two more bedrock rapids, but was cheerily happy to see that our next scout led into a bedrock gorge guaranteed to contain several rapids.
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<br />Daniel boofing a falls at the bottom of a slide.
<br /><img src="http://images39.fotki.com/v1290/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0501-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> More bedrock? The author probing another fun drop.
<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v566/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210457-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Daniel follows on the same with a lone pine standing sentential.
<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v560/photos/4/1050194/8580514/danieltemp-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> How smooth is the granite on the North Fork Kaweah? Amazingly the duct tape patch was still on Daniel's boat after nearly a mile of kayaking, and it was still more sliding goodness...
<br /><img src="http://images12.fotki.com/v236/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0522-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> From high on the trail we'd seen one slide that we knew about, it has an ugly sieve on the right wall and the main channel slopes steeply into it. Thankfully there is a side channel that doesn't slope in too badly...Daniel Brasuell slidin the smoothness.
<br /><img src="http://images12.fotki.com/v213/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0532-vi.jpg" />
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<br />Author doing the same...at high flows there would be a bold and unnecessarily zesty line from center to left. I think I'll just stay left from the get go.
<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v452/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210460-vi.jpg" />
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<br />The pools in this section are just incredible, it's like a IV+ version of Dinkey Creek or Upper Cherry. Nice sized drops landing in perfectly calm pools of water.
<br /><img src="http://images22.fotki.com/v519/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0545-vi.jpg" />
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<br />Burnt Point Creek enters from river left and we assumed the bedrock would be done at this point. A large rapid lies below and is worth scouting; Daniel on the lead-in.
<br /><img src="http://images54.fotki.com/v242/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0551-vi.jpg" />
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<br />Still the same rapid, about to punch the center hole.
<br /><img src="http://images12.fotki.com/v197/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0559-vi.jpg" />
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<br />The crux of the rapid is really the bottom hole, which looks worse than it is (but a swim would be sketchy here).
<br /><img src="http://images56.fotki.com/v1597/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0562-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Past the large rapid we were dismayed to see the expected boulder gardens, knowing they would take a toll on the patch. Considering the flow they were fairly well channelized, and after only a few of them we were gleeful to see a bonus section of bedrock, starting off with a nice big class II slide.
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<br />Easy does it on what seems to be a big class II.
<br /><img src="http://images17.fotki.com/v274/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0571-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> A long pool led away from the slide, and we paddled off with low confidence in the continued quality, but the long pool finished swiftly with one of the foremost cataracts of the North Fork Kaweah.
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<br /> Prime NFK action!
<br /><img src="http://images23.fotki.com/v765/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0588-vi.jpg" />
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<br />Downstream view of the said fun falls.
<br /><img src="http://images9.fotki.com/v449/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210468-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> Following the fun falls was one of the more commonly portage rapids of the run, due to the prominent location of a sieve at the bottom, which the author avoids.
<br /><img src="http://images17.fotki.com/v295/photos/4/1050194/8580514/P3210471-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> The river braided, twisted and turned through countless boulder gardens in the next two miles. Only a short ways into them the patch was gone, a second was applied but it quickly fell to the nature of the river in just a few minutes. The toughness mellowed to IV in nature, and we would push as far as possible downstream before draining Daniel's boat.
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<br /> Even with the bailing breaks, it didn't take us too long to run the rapids and round the final ridge line marking the confluence of Yucca Creek.
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<br />Beyond patching...
<br /><img src="http://images114.fotki.com/v634/photos/4/1050194/8580514/_DMM0596-vi.jpg" />
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<br /> I would certainly consider kayaking the North Fork Kaweah again, but only consider it slightly classic. If the boulder gardens were easier I'd recommend it to class IV boaters looking to step up, but their unfriendly character gives the run a solid IV+ or even V character at times, while the good rapids are the easiest.
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<br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=36.5451,-118.89479&ll=36.5451,-118.89479&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1">North Fork Kaweah trail head on Google Maps.</a>
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<br /><a href="http://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/day.175.php">Dreamflows estimate for the North Fork Kaweah</a>
<br />We had around 300 and thought it was accurate.
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<br /><a href="http://jscreekin.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3843/bloggersidebarid6.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-7239844824065577532010-01-21T10:32:00.000-08:002010-01-21T14:06:08.511-08:00Putah Creek Upper IV-V (very flow dependent)
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<br /> I had my expectations set low as we headed to Upper Putah Creek. This obscure creek is located in Napa Valley and doesn't flow off any major peaks. The run starts at the crossing of Highway 29 and ends above Lake Berryessa. Flows are relatively unpredictable, as the river rises and falls dramatically with rain.
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<br /> Beta is quite limited, with a <a href="http://cacreeks.com/putah.htm">low flow report</a> from California Creeks, and a terse but accurate high water description by Lars in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Whitewater-California-Guide-Runs/dp/0966528905">The Bible.</a>
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<br /> <a href="http://awetstate.com/">Daniel Basuell</a> motivated the mission, as the run was not on my radar. Driving through pounding rain and several flooded sections of road, it was obvious that although the water level had been dropping early in the morning, that wasn't too likely at this point. We reentered cell coverage in Middletown and checked water levels one last time before putting on. 5,000 and rising, sounds like a nice perfect level.
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<br /> At the bridge it's apparent the river is high, and very brown. Almost impossible to tell how high it is really, clarity is only 2-3". Daniel and I push off into the current and enjoy the swift flowing water, we are averaging at least 5mph through the flat section. The infamous brush is no problem. Even though some willow stands are still above the brown deluge, it's easy to switch from channel to channel through gaps in the branches.
<br />
<br /> Sticks and flotsam are constant, the most debris either of us have seen on a river. The occasional full sized tree is in the mix too...hmm. Soon enough we fly by the Basalt cliff that marks the beginning of the first gorge. A big water splashy class III behind us and we catch a rare eddy on river right and catch our breath.
<br />
<br /> Not having read any guides for the run I go for main channel on the left. Boy I'm glad I just returned from a month long big water experience in India, because reading big water on the fly is a whole new game. Once ferrying across the river it's apparent that we're committed to the rapid, which appears to be a big wave train ending with...a massive wave above what appears to potentially be an even larger hole. The lead in waves are peaking at six feet, but from the crest I still can't see if it's a hole or wave below. The only thing to do is assume the worst and start driving right, punching a curler that feeds into the feature.
<br />
<br /> Pulling through the curler I look left and see the feature, a fifteen to twenty foot crashing wave is friendly, and much more akin to a big water feature in India than California. Jetting downstream I check and see Daniel is still in good shape behind me, and we push to a small eddy on the right to catch our breath and get a quick shot of the rapid.
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<br /> Looking back upstream at "Numero Uno"
<br /><img src="http://images17.fotki.com/v522/photos/4/1050194/7804514/DMM_6756-vi.jpg"></a>
<br />
<br /> From our rest point visibility is limited due to brush, but the gradient doesn't look too extreme around the corner, so we peel out and are right into "Numero Dos". We're driving right again because the "huge rock lurking in the middle of the channel" is once again either a large wave or hole...too risky to tell from above, but I glance over as we speed past on the right and it's another epic breaking wave. The third and last rapid of the gorge is just a big fun wave train. In reality all the rapids blend together, and none are harder than IV but a swimmer would be forced to swim them all, stepping up the hazard rating.
<br />
<br /> Walls open up and gradient cools off, we float through swift open sections with no remarkable rapids. Soda Creek tumbles in from the left, marking the start of the flattest section. Tumbles in might be an understatement as the creek adds in one to two thousand more cubic feet of water each second. Now that we're on what seems to be 8,000-10,000cfs the flats go by faster, and we run a big class III rapid, wondering if it was part of the final gorge we are anticipating.
<br />
<br /> Just a minute later and we are at the brink of another drop, the first that looks very dubious from above. Opting to play it safe, we get out to scout on the right and surprised to see what looked like a ledge is just a nice ramp, one more fun class III rapid. Having just two of us and no pictures of people on the river yet, I coerce Daniel into going first.
<br />
<br />Daniel Brasuell, it's kind of like an ocean out there...
<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v734/photos/4/1050194/7804514/DMM_6770-vi.jpg"></a>
<br />
<br />Same rapid, just zoomed out. Gigantic eddy lines and boils abound!
<br /><img src="http://images47.fotki.com/v1589/photos/4/1050194/7804514/DMM_6783-vi.jpg"></a>
<br />
<br /> Floating downstream the hills open up to a valley filled with a vineyard. Knowing civilization and take outs go hand in hand, we surmise that must have been the last gorge, a bit of a let down.
<br />
<br /> Crusing on, we know we aren't done as the rock walls rise from the sides and the river turns into a big wave train...looks good to go so we drop in. The wave train is splashy and fun, it leads into another large wave train, big enough we move to the right in case there are hidden holes. The bottom of the rapid feeds into slack water that isn't as slack as expected. Downstream all I can see is a giant rapid that wraps around the corner, but looks relatively good.
<br />
<br /> Moving into the rapid it's apparent there are large holes down the center, and a cliff defines the right side. We move right, avoiding the holes, but quickly have to run a fine line between a big pourover on the wall and a thirty foot wide hole in the middle. Whew, it's all big water fun as the rapid turns into a long, wide wave train. The river bends to the left and we find one rock in the middle to eddy out behind, agreeing that the rapid verged on class V at these flows.
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<br />California Creeks photo of the same rapid. This one had no rocks showing at all...
<br /><img src="http://cacreeks.com/photos/putah12.jpg" />
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<br />
<br /> At high flows we had no chance of finishing in the left channel, so we worked down the right and then ferried across to avoid all the bushes at the bottom, and were quickly headed into the next rapid. Numero Quatro and Numero Cinco down in one fell swoop, now for Seis. Once again we were driving right, but not too right, as the right wall had several depressed pockets and center was full of big holes. We threaded the needle between the features and emerged into a big wave train.
<br />
<br /> Berryessa was low enough that there was no slack water, and there certainly was no chance of paddling up Butts Creek as recommended, so we bushwhacked downstream, trying to avoid all the houses on the hill.
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<br /> By the time we ran shuttle and were at 29, the river had already dropped a foot. We couldn't check gauge info until we returned home, where we saw this:
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<br /><img src="http://images53.fotki.com/v444/photos/4/1050194/7804514/0060_20100120_20100121_1_0_p50-vi.png" />
<br />
<br />We must have put on right at the peak flow of 7,500. <a href="http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/queryF?s=PCG">The gauge</a> is just downstream of the bridge, and the tributaries were dumping in water, for what must have culminated to 10,000cfs by take out. Three hours from put-in to take-out with no flatwater paddling and one scout, not bad.
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<br /> If you can catch it on a flow window like this, Upper Putah Creek is really a hidden gem of big water in California, honestly the best I have paddled here yet, even if it only has six rapids in sixteen miles.
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<br /><a href="http://jscreekin.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3843/bloggersidebarid6.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-89804822871379449932009-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:002009-09-23T15:08:06.843-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Fordyce Creek IV-V (V+)<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2492-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Fordyce Creek is a wonderful run surrounded by <a href="http://www.cacreeks.com/fordyce.htm">outdated beta</a> and hard to find water flows. Thanks to <a href="http://www.americanwhitewater.org/">American Whitewater</a>, Fordyce is back after a several year hiatus from scheduled releases. This run is a wonderful introduction to High Sierra boating, and a nice introduction to class IV-V if someone in the group knows the run well. Scenery and rapids similar to many of the classics, without committing gorges or a remote location.<br /><br /> Portaging is always fairly easy and generally consists of "granite sidewalks" with some bush whacking. Getting to the put in varies from year to year, depending on how recently PG&E has had to do work on the dam at Fordyce Lake. As of 2009 the road was rough, requiring a four-wheel drive vehicle. <a href="http://www.guttersoftheearth.blogspot.com/">Taylor Cavin</a> squeezed his Subaru Forrester up the road, but higher clearance is advised, I bottomed out my trusty '89 Nissan truck.<br /><br /> A long seven miles of rough roads leads to rewarding views at the put-in.<br /><img src="http://images44.fotki.com/v1581/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2255-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Ten minutes or so of hiking and you are at the heli-pad and gauging station, aka the get in.<br /><img src="http://images43.fotki.com/v398/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2257-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Just around the corner is a log across the river, avoidable on the left, which sets you up just right for Eraserhead, the first and longest slide of the run.<br /><br />Robbie Hogg<br /><img src="http://images41.fotki.com/v1577/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2264-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />A nice train down Eraserhead.<br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v1582/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2263-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Below Eraserhead is a exciting stretch of IV-IV+ that links together at higher flows. Eventually it mellows out into a large pool above Atomic Piton, which can easily be portaged on either side.<br /><br />Atomic Piton is the most rarely run rapid of Fordyce Creek, due to its namesake, a shallow ledge at the bottom. Charlie Center boofs over the ledge.<br /><img src="http://images41.fotki.com/v1580/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2283-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Taylor Cavin on the same.<br /><img src="http://images44.fotki.com/v1581/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2297-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Typical boogie on Fordyce downstream of Atomic Piton. <br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v1582/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2302-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> This nice rapid leads into Bishop's Balcony, which is generally run on the far right, and occasionally on the tougher left line. Bishop's Balcony goes into a fun mini gorge that class IV boaters will want to scout and or portage from above Bishop's on the left.<br /><br />Exiting Bishop's mini gorge, the river takes a steep bend to the right and maintains class IV character right to the lip of Rotator Cuff, a clean but potentially sticky slide to vertical fall. Eddy, scout and or portage on the left.<br /><br />Taylor Cavin demonstrates a nice boof over Rotator Cuff.<br /><img src="http://images19.fotki.com/v36/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2310-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Once past Rotator Cuff the gradient eases off, with a few nice drops mixed between several miles of meandering meadows. <br /><br />Shannamar Dewey scouting one of the larger meadow rapids, "Big Squeeze", free of logs in 2009.<br /><img src="http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2581-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Taylor Cavin getting left on "Where's Barry", also wood free as of 2009.<br /><img src="http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2324-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />A mix of rapids and flats lead to Insanity Falls aka Bad Seed, commonly portaged on the right. This drop is run more often than Atomic Piton and goes better than it looks. Charlie Center.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1573/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2336-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Flat water maintains with a few rapids for the next mile or so, until the pace picks up with some fun slides leading into Fordyce Falls aka In Your Face. A class IV entrance leads to a wide and fun 10' falls that should be finished on the left.<br /><br />Shannamar Dewey on the entrance.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1584/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2591-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Shannamar Dewey finishes on the left.<br /><img src="http://images41.fotki.com/v1577/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2597-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Just a few rapids lead into Split Falls, which can be portaged on the right but has proven to be cleaner than it looks and is normally run.<br /><br />Taylor Robertson enjoying one of the best on Fordyce.<br /><img src="http://images43.fotki.com/v398/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2421-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Showing how split falls got it's name. <a href="http://www.jesseshimrock.blogspot.com/">Jesse Shimrock</a>.<br /><img src="http://images43.fotki.com/v398/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2438-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Bending through a meadow with nice pool drop rapids, the river picks up gradient again as it plunges over "The Hole that Ate the Donner Party". Terrible at low flows, the line opens up beautifully at 500cfs. <br /><br />Ben Stookesberry getting left on the hole that ate donner.<br /><img src="http://images30.fotki.com/v38/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2515-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Knobs lies below Donner, a solid class V rapid that can be portaged on either side, or run with a strong middle to left move. The run out from Knobs leads into Just a Big Class IV, a fun slide before the mank begins.<br /><br />A legend runs a legend, Deiter King exits Just a Big IV.<br /><img src="http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2541-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Devin Knight on the same.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v177/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2561-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Just a Big IV marks the end of the good stuff, and the river turns into a manky boulder garden until reaching Spaulding Lake. It can all be run, or portaged via a trail on the left.<br /><br />From the confluence it's a two mile paddling across the lake to the boat ramp. <br /><br />Getting done with a great day on Fordyce. <br /><img src="http://images110.fotki.com/v1582/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2401-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> A bonus to the summer weekend release is close by climbing for those who find it to be too mellow of a day...<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v177/photos/4/1050194/7982565/004_2455-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://jscreekin.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3843/bloggersidebarid6.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-31107331334911271692009-08-11T17:16:00.000-07:002009-08-11T17:17:38.245-07:00<a href="http://mattthomasraffle.blogspot.com/">The Matt Thomas Rehab Raffle.<br /></a><br /><a href="http://mattthomasraffle.blogspot.com/">It's all here.</a> Support a great person and win some of the best gear available.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-56251643504941274062009-08-10T14:58:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:10:49.642-07:00Blogging, hm...exploits? I am sure any followers of Jefferson State Creeking have noticed the gradual switch from a blog to a run listing.<br /><br /> I still do blog though, although I don't think too many people are aware of said thought repository. You can follow my random ramblings, reviews, and other such assorted assimilation of abstract deemed marginally worth making assessable to the general public at <a href="http://worldkayakblogs.com/jscreekin/">River Lover</a>. <br /><br />This is also where many photos end up from runs I repeat.<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v1551/photos/4/1050194/7804514/CAL_41712-vi.jpg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14580059.post-17312598136376553622009-07-30T10:31:00.000-07:002009-07-29T18:24:21.230-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">North Fork of the Kings V-V+</span><br /><br /><br /> <img src="http://images33.fotki.com/v1142/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1012-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> A small amount of dubious beta existed for the North Fork Kings above Wishon Reservoir. From three different sources we didn't have much to work with. Two said simply "it looks good in there" and when they checked it out flows were either too high or too low. Our other source said they had done the run, it was class IV except for one gorge which they portaged, but at the end of the portage they looked upstream and the gorge was good to go.<br /><br /> Earlier in the year we had consider the run, but through some misinformation came to believe the <a href="http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/dv/?site_no=11214900&PARAmeter_cd=00060,00065">Wishon gauge</a> would reflect water levels in the North Fork Kings above Wishon. It doesn't, as the hydro project is of the more complicated variety. Courtwright and Wishon Reservoirs are in close proximity. There is a powerhouse at Wishon, powered by water from Courtwright. There is also a powerhouse downstream at Black Rock Reservoir, powered by water from Wishon. Straightforward stuff. Except that Courtwright is also used as a forebay for the Wishon powerhouse, and in the hot summer nights, PG&E will pump water from Wishon up to Courtwright, so they can make more power when people down in the valley switch on their AC in the afternoon, aka peak demand. Thus, the gauge below Wishon isn't much of a reflection on the inflow to the reservoir.<br /><br /> This lack of flow information is the most likely culprit for lack of exploration on the North Fork Kings. Upon arrival at Courtwright we hiked two miles cross country to get a glimpse of the river.<br /><br /> Somehow we decided that dropping over this dome would be a nice quick route. Perhaps a little too exciting, Charlie Center climbs down in flip-flops.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1525/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_0988-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.rev-inn.com/">Rush Sturges</a> overlooking the North Fork Kings and John Muir Wilderness. The river flows through the shadowed crack to the left.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1543/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_0997-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> The closest section of river visible was at least a mile away, if not too. A little zoom action and we thought flows looked ok.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1529/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1000-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> On our way back to the car we opted to skirt the big cliff face, then drove up the road to Maxon Trailhead. From the trailhead map we estimated a six to eight mile hike was ahead of us the following day, so we found a nice campsite and called it a night.<br /><br />Amazing place, you can drive to 8,000' and enjoy some nice views.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1529/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1006-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Hiking, we all hate it, but sometimes it has to be done. Rush Sturges getting his system setup.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1547/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1015-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Although we didn't get an early start, we were making good time and continually looking for a fork to the right at Post Corral Creek. We didn't have a map for the area and were relying on the Gazeteer and trailhead map. Five or six miles into the hike we decided to take a break with a group of boyscouts in this beautiful meadow.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1546/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1018-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> One of their leaders had done the hike before, and said we had six miles to go. A little disheartening since we thought we were within a mile or two of the river. Most of the hike is perfectly flat, but there was one last climb before we finally got to drop to the river. I thought the hike was a lot like Upper Cherry, a touch longer but flatter too. As easy as hiking eleven miles with a fully loaded boat can be. It's not easy.<br /><br /> Only too glad to see the river, which looked a bit low. But hey, Post Corral Creek confluence should only be a mile downstream and it's a major tributary.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1546/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1022-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Glad to be on the water, we were all dismayed at how much scraping we were doing, but optimism remained high and within minutes were standing at a large horizon line. So much for the class IV, it was on. A multi-tiered slide that looked like more flow would pad it out nicely. Having cracked my boat the week before I opted to walk due to potential (mandatory) boat abuse the slide dictated.<br /><br />Charlie Center probes the first larger drop of the North Fork Kings.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1528/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1032-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Rush Sturges on the same bouncy slide.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1529/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1043-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> We pushed our way through many low water boulder gardens, able to stay in our boats but doing a fair amount of gorilla boating too, until we hopped out at an even larger horizon line. Scouting the drop we were all sure of one thing, that it would be epic with about four times the flow. Once again citing the cracked boat as an excuse, I portage again.<br /><br />Rush Sturges probes the second bedrock drop.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1524/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1062-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Rush had a great line, and Charlie Center follows.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1523/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1083-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> The boulder gardens got considerably steeper, but with the low flows we were able to stay in our boats and aggressively boat scout our way down another half mile of river. Class II culminated into a tough drop that had a narrow three foot wide goal post move at the bottom. Missing the line would be a massive piton, and not wanting to risk ankle damage we all portaged down the right, putting in right above Post Corral Creek and what turned out to be a beautiful camp site.<br /><br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1543/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1087-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /> Up and out of camp we were forced to gorilla over more boulder gardens. If the North Fork Kings is low, Corral Creek equally is. To our relief after only a short bit of boulder gardens the river entered a gorge.<br /><br />Charlie Center soaking up the scenery.<br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v1495/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1092-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> I'm sure that at higher flows the gorge would have been pretty tough, but have no mandatory portages. As it was, the slides were fun but some almost covered sieves required portages.<br /><br />Charlie Center making a splash.<br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v1495/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1093-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />A quick sieve walk...<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1527/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1100-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> As we pushed deeper in, the gradient accelerated, tragically flows did not correspondingly increase. <br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1541/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1103-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> We couldn't help but imagine how fun this section would be at the right flow. As it was, the deep crack stole all the water.<br /><img src="http://images51.fotki.com/v1542/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1107-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Some cracks were wide enough though, and this one offered up more slides and pinches than a day in grade school. Charlie Center.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1522/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1122-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Post pinch slide, the gorge walls scaled back and we entered over half a mile of Upper Cherry styled low angled slides. With the low flow Charlie led a read and run charge, but I had to hop out for one quick picture for posterity's sake.<br /><br />Charlie Center enjoying some low stress slip n slidin.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1528/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1129-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />RKS.scenery.NFK<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1528/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1132-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> A little more low angle slide action and then Charlie hopped out, signaling down the middle with a big thumbs up.<br /><br />Charlie Center enjoys the slide to freefall.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1526/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1137-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> We were on our toes for the gorge we had heard about, it always seemed to be looming around the next bend. Thankfully there were a few fun ones mixed in with boulder gardens.<br /><br />Rush Sturges about to auto boof a nice ledge.<br /><img src="http://images112.fotki.com/v1532/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1146-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> With a wall only on one side, Rush below the boof.<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v1553/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1153-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> As we floated around the corner, the gorge uncloaked itself and was every bit as intimidating as we'd imagined. Below few technical boulder gardens we were scrambling out at the last access point to reconnoiter the situation. Immediately below us was a portage, but we could work around it just above river level. After that the gorge looked manageable, and besides, we had certain beta that the last cascade was "good to go". Of course, our inaccurate beta also indicated that everything above here was class IV...<br /><br />Portaging into the heart of the gorge.<br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v394/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1154-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Rapids are always look flat from above, and the mellow section was more challenging than we had anticipated.<br /><br /> Charlie Center gets up and over while Rush Sturges looks on.<br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v394/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1159-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Scurrying into eddies above the gorge's final drop, things looked dubious. None of us particularly like crack drops. Hmmm...<br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v1556/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1163-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Scouting unveiled a crack worse than we had feared. After dropping fifteen feet into a crack marginally wide enough for a kayak, the river stayed in the crack for another twenty feet before exiting into the pool. The good news was that you wouldn't need your paddle for the whole rapid, it was too narrow.<br /><br />Not wanting to lose a boat into the "crackamole" we passed boats up to a ledge on the right bank and portaged into a nice throw and go below the niche. <br /><br /> Beneath the throw-n-go gorge walls spread open and we got out to scout the cascade we'd seen two days before while scouting. From a few miles away it looked like the line was on the left, but we weren't surprised that at river level the line was quite different.<br /><br />Rush Sturges skips down the smooth granite. <br /><img src="http://images49.fotki.com/v1556/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1174-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Charlie Center lines it up.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1557/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1179-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> It was obvious that several drops lay in quick succession downstream, and we hopped out to scout the series. As we walked further down river, our grins grew proportionally with each slide scouted. Amazed that everything was good to go, we took turns linking all the slides and getting footage.<br /><br />Rush Sturges on the entry drop that could use a little more water.<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v1552/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1192-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Clean enough that flows don't matter, RKS.<br /><img src="http://images112.fotki.com/v1532/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1197-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />I went next and was grinning ear to ear by the bottom, and got setup while Charlie hiked to his boat.<br /><br />Charlie Center boofing the best of the North Fork Kings.<br /><img src="http://images52.fotki.com/v1551/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1213-vi.jpg" /><br /><br />Celebration slide - Charlie Center.<br /><img src="http://images50.fotki.com/v1557/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1227-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Mellow boulder gardens set the tone below the slides, until Helms Creek added in a paltry 20cfs and we got to enjoy one last bedrock drop.<br /><img src="http://images112.fotki.com/v1532/photos/4/1050194/7746617/004_1240-vi.jpg" /><br /><br /> Once again a few more boulder gardens were scraped through, and we were on Wishon Reservoir early in the afternoon. We exchanged waves with fisherman on the mellow paddle out, glad to have explored the North Kings. As Rush embarked on the odyssey of hitch hiking the shuttle we commiserated about the flow window for this section. A consensus was reached that when <a href="http://darinm.blogspot.com/2008/09/upper-cherry-creek-iv-v-p-clich-shot-of.html">Upper Cherry Creek</a> was at or around a "perfect medium flow" that the North Kings would be at a similar perfect flow. Another classic like this should hopefully spread out the user load on Upper Cherry, or at least be an alternate for those looking for great whitewater with a bit of solitude.<br /><br /><a href="http://caliproduct.ning.com/video/north-kings-final">Video by RKS</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://jscreekin.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3843/bloggersidebarid6.jpg" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2