The Scenic Giant Gap

After a final low water Kimshew run we came south to the American and Yuba drainages to keep up with the spring melt and make our way to the first of the High Sierra summer runs. After a few days of late afternoon high water runs on the upper South American and the South Yuba, we all liked the idea of heading south to the Kaweah river and Dinkey creek.

It rained. It was cold. We looked at big trees.

Photo: Jono Ramsay

We had an epic day on the East Fork Kaweah with maybe the most carnage I have ever seen in one day. The days tally included a good few surprising swims and definitely some scary ones. All but a few pieces of foam and ego were recovered by days end and we were all smiles once we got to the cars and some warm clothes.

We checked levels that evening and thought driving all the way back up north to the American would be a great idea. It feels a lot farther driving back north after kayaking one day.

Evan and Justin Patt ran Chucks slide on the Middle Fork Kaweah.

Evan killin it.

Photo: Jono Ramsay

Back up to the American and to low water Royal Gorge. I think we just wanted to get it too bad and couldn't wait for flows to come up a little more to make everything more runnable. Still super fun and we can't wait to get in there again.

The site of epic carnage in the morning before we arrived.

In the morning of our planned departure for Royal Gorge we drove nearly all the way to the put-in, got scared away by the cold and rain and imminent decrease in flow and turned around. By mid afternoon just when motivation was reaching record low levels, the four of us who turned around heard that the rest of our group had continued to the put-in to find sun and decently warm temps and had put on.

Time to hustle. Within ten minutes we were back on the road rallying back to the sunny bridge over the river.

It was low, but we made it down to Heath Springs in good time to find the rest of our group roaming around looking despondent and cold. After some war cries and warm hello's, we heard the grim news of a lower Heath run gone wrong and a boat stuck in the cave below the final drop of Heath Springs gorge. Thankful the only thing lost was the boat and gear it held, we camped and prepared for a long second day and possible boat recovery.

Come morning, the boat moved a little further down the wall but still in a terrible place we all deemed unrecoverable.

The boatless party decided to hike out from Heath, but instead of hiking straight back up river, he thought it would be a good idea to hike straight up the mountain and make the hike way harder than it should have been. Yes, all this after deciding to run all of Heath by himself and with a small group. Very poor and self oriented decision making led to this, and I hope everyone involved learned a lot from the situation, especially the solo superstar.

Evan and I still wanted to run upper Heath falls but deemed the lower Heath too low and sketchy to warrant a safe run.

Upper Heath falls.

Evan pointing to the wall.

Lizzy in the awesome white granite gorge above Rattlesnake falls.
Jono ready to boof a nice little slider.

Me and Jono below the bridge.

Evan and I gave Rattlesnake falls and the nasty ledge sticking out about half way down a good look and decided to fire it up. There's a lot to think about when considering running a big drop with the kind of exposure these multi-day runs present. It's definitely more of a commitment than a park and huck and even the smallest mishap could end in an amazing amount of trouble and grief not only for the paddler, but for the whole group.

Evan and I talked about the risks of the drop and decided we both liked it and could hit the line and stay safely distant from the ledge in the falls.

The Rattler!

Evan tuckin up.

We both came out smiling and fired up! I punched myself in the nose a little with my elbow and got a little cut, but it stopped bleeding in less than a minute. Small price to pay for such a fun drop.

Downstream, we portaged.

And ran more amazing whitewater. Evan with the consistent tuck.

Every trip has a broken boat. Corey's boat exploded. We ate lunch. We paddled a long way down Generation and Giant Gaps to the take-out.

All Photos Chris Gabrielli

Come On Vacation, Leave On Probation

So after our Kimshew experience, we thought it appropriate to take a bit of a slower day and hit up Ben & Jerry's on the West Branch of the Feather. We were still licking our wounds and sore muscles from the day before as we pulled in to the take-out expecting to wait a while for Darin and Devin to show up. 

We pulled in to find a few locals also enjoying the sun.

Little did they know we were about to go kayak class 4/5 as they gifted us with some high quality brews. It was impossible to say no to the glistening cans dripping ice as we sat in the shadeless parking lot. 

Mike says: what you gonna take a picture of me?

Well we ended up waiting a while as Darin drove from Chico and our new buddies invited us to a barbecue that night just up the road. Promises were made of huge pieces of meat, pretty girls, and an abundance of high quality golden drink. Cultural experience second to none to say the least. 

Just some of the locals. Right.

Well back to kayaking. The next day we rallied back to the South Branch hoping to do the two day section after camping on the island above the portage of Seven Falls. 

The first day went well again, with the brothers Knight running the second and third decents of the chunky 40 footer above the real portage. 

The lead-in to the chunky 40. 

The river getting its revenge.

We got down to camp in good time and watched the group behind us bomb off the final 50 in good style. The days destructometer totalled two paddles and one chin out of twelve people on the river. Our group had eight, with six planning to continue for the second day down to Milsap Bar. After the rigors of the day though, the group dropped to four. 

Maybe it was seeing the portage route that scared people off?

We have to portage where?

Drying gear on the island below two amazing waterfalls and at the lip of a 150 foot falls. 

Boat repair after day one.

One of the most amazing places I have ever been. This was just across from where we camped and about 20 feet farther downstream. 

Devin boofing out on a sweet falls shortly after putting on. 

We began our portage in the morning and only feet from the river one of the group lost footing and slid towards the river. Arresting himself and his boat with one arm proved to be too much for his shoulder and a good hit to the knee took its toll on motivation. 

Then there were three. 

We continued the portage and made good time taking the previously unused left side route. Once on the river, Jono, Devin, and I worked our way downstream taking our time to scout things that Devin didn't remember. Devin and I ran a rapid that had never been run before and both of us got stuffed into a bit of an undercut, finding out first hand why it hadn't been run. 

Me getting down the triple drop. Shortly before a short ride in the bottom hole.

Stroking till the bottom.

Takin 'er deep off the Headhunter.

Getting ready for another day on the Kimshew.

The Kimshizzle

If you see this, we are near.

Ben making the move.

Me not making the move and going into the eddy of doom. 

Luckily Devin was standing guard at the eddy with a rope just in case someone missed the line.

Humbled by the complexity and power of the slide, I sat on the rock wall above the eddy and contemplated what had gone wrong and why I hadn't made the all important left driving move away from the eddy and into the outflow. This was my biggest missed line on something so consequential and I definitely feel lucky to have emerged at the bottom with little more than lightly bruised elbows.

Everybody says, "Good line Ben."

"Oooooooooohhhhhhh," with grimacing faces for my line.

(you should view the Picasa album after clicking this photo)

With only lightly bruised elbows after the slide gone wrong, we continued down Kimshew until the West Branch, took out, then got ready for the South Branch overnight. 

All went well on the upper South Branch, but the group still dwindled from eight to three for the second day. Devin, Jono, and I rallied and were rewarded with what Devin said was the highest run to date, a new portage route around seven falls, and a perfect sunny day. 

Still around the Feather and off to something fun tomorrow.

It Goes On...

Photos by Jono Ramsay unless otherwise noted.

After the Salmon we rallied straight to the Feather drainage where the goods are as densely packed as the poison oak and the snow has been melting and providing great flows. First stop was the South Branch of the Middle Fork of the Feather. 

Put-in scene.

Yard sale at the put-in. Cheaper than you might think.

Photo: CG

On good beta from Darin McQuoid, Chris, Jono, and I drove the excellent FS roads and camped at the hike-out point for the one day section. After an entertaining night around a great fire and a leisurely morning at the put in, we geared up and put on to what was to be one of the best one day runs any of us have ever done. 

From the bridge, the river starts slowly with mellow boulder gardens and slowly picks up the pace with a few more complex drops before the first bedrock section. 

The first falls after a great warm up.

Photo: CG

After a mandatory rapid and another short, mellow, and incredibly scenic section the river picks up the pace and every corner holds the sight of what could very well be the edge of the world. 

Dropping into the mandatory.

Hitting the boof at the bottom, avoiding the spicy hole. 

Photos: CG

I don't even know how to begin to explain the steep section of falls, slides, and rapids that make up the steep part of this run. It truly is an amazing place and one that defies description. Imagine standing at the lip of a twenty foot waterfall, looking downstream, seeing another twenty footer, then a horizon line and tree tops. Imagine this for a mile and all but one drop is runnable. Paradise indeed. 

Dropping into the steeps.

Chris G trying not to boof.

And again.

Just around the corner...

Coming in hot.
Photo: CG

Right into this

It goes on

And on.

This one was a little more consequential than most of the other drops on the run, as it flows rather quickly into a usually portaged falls. 

Stacked is what we like to call it. 

Photo: CG

Dropping the final slide above the mandatory portage around a 150' falls. This is likely the most consequential, oft run drop on the South Branch, with the pool leading directly over the lip of the 150' falls.

Photo:CG

Looking down the portage falls at the nice slide and the lip of the perfect 50 downstream.

Photo: CG

The perfect 50.

Chris G choosing the right place to go for it.

The day after the South Branch we rallied over to Big Kimshew creek and had another great day, though my boat might tell a different story. 

Post Kimshew.

CK