Ultra Classic!

Driving over the pass.

First camp on UCC.

Smoky sunset from camp.

The classic Upper Cherry Creek still reigns as one of the most popular runs in California and definitely the most trafficked high Sierra run. Offering spectacular scenery and equally impressive whitewater, UCC lives up to all the hype and media attention it has seen in the past and inevitably will far into the future. I'll spare all the beautiful pictures of UCC I'm sure you've seen many times before and instead showcase a few older photos of a run not as illustrious, but more fun, if you ask me. 

Okay, actually a few UCC photos before anything else. 

Jeff, a little center.

Jeff, uh oh. 

It can happen anywhere to anybody. Always a humbling experience to see something like this happen, especially to a good paddler. All was well in the end, just a few shaken nerves and wide eyes.

Chris Gabrielli firin it up.

And soaking it in.

Packing up to go to the put-in of Fantasy Falls.

The beautiful reservoir paddle out. I can't imagine how epic this run would be without this reservoir. Or, for that matter how epic many of the high sierra runs would be without their respective reservoirs. 

Running one of the early ones.

Lizzy probing the one that got us all.


Trying to avoid the pocket beatdown. And Failing.


Grants hand and I show the results of a good days paddling.


And reap the rewards with an amazing camp.


With incredible views.
 

And superb whitewater in the early morning.
 

And in the early morning of the last day, Evan fires off the runs namesake, Fantasy Falls.
 

Run two to start the morning off right.
 

There was something mighty frightn'in in that canyon.


And with that scared look in our eyes, we probably walked through manzanita tall and thick and granite open and hot to avoid what was within that gorge. We had a happy ending and moved on to more pressing missions from there.

The Bewilderbeast: Dinkey Creek

Well we've been busy little bees since the Fantasy Falls trip. Soon after taking off Fantasy and heading back to Grass Valley to run a few errands and check water levels we were back on the road south to Dinkey Creek.

The drive proved to be a little more taxing than we were expecting, so upon arriving to the take-out we promptly slept with high expectations for the following day. The drive to the put-in turned out to be longer, more complex and confusing than any of us were expecting, but we managed to make it to the hike in point in decent time after a good few wrong turns and 8 point turnarounds on the maze of FS roads. We hiked in the heat, but were soon rewarded with the granite goodness Dinkey offers to all comers. 

Boofing into one of the many, many awesome bedrock drops.

Getting into the maw of the double pothole rapid.

Someone in the group behind us dropping a nice 20.

Evan fired up for the second run on the Nikki Kelly slide.

Paul Stamilio on another of California's many perfect 20 footers.

Fantasy Falls

After the South Merced it was back on the road and a day of hectic planning and re-planning as we checked levels and waited for phone calls from missing group members. We managed to get everything and everyone together on one plan and made our way to the North Fork of the Mokelumne River for Fantasy Falls. We were a little late to meet with Reno legend of the slopes Grant Korgan at the put-in, but he was there waiting for us in good faith that we would stick to the plan. With a crack of noon arrival and entry into the river an hour or so after that, we made our way down to the same camp we used last year after a sweet watermelon seed slide in the middle of the first major gorge. 

Early arrival and plenty of sun on the granite led us to a lazy afternoon with plenty of rest for the next days gorges and portages. 

Good morning on the Big Boy Pants rapid. The river turns around that house rock in the middle and slides way down on a buttery smooth piece of granite. 

Day 2 we rallied way down below the third gorge and huge cataract portages and camped on another granite slab with an amazing view of the massive un-run rapid. 

We had a very leisurely morning sipping coffee, eating cereal, and sitting in the sun.  

We started the morning with the Green Monster big boof off a wave over the top of a giant boulder. After that it was time to get ready for the big three on the last day. A good section of boulder gardens led us to the first of the goods. 

Grant on the dreamy Fantasy Falls. 

Next up was the infamous Island slide. We looked at it for a good long time and finally Evan fired it up and styled through the whole thing. 

Me about the take it in the hole at the bottom of The Thing. I almost made it through but trying to roll pulled me back into the hole to a savage cartwheel or two then pulled the cord and went for the deep line out the bottom. 

Evan went next and miraculously made it through no questions asked with a nice roll off the top of the boil. Solid day of paddling for the young beast. 

We paddled out nice and early against a strong headwind but made it to the end in good time and celebrated in the sun before heading straight to Dinkey Creek for some smooth waterfall action. 

More Merced

A few more fun South Merced photos from Chris Gabrielli.

Prime camping after a primo day of whitewater. It was HOT by 9 in the morning. Cali at its best.

Coming in hot!

Evan comin out hot. Out of the rapid, of course.

Jono and I blue angel style down the super slide. He's just behind me if you look hard for his paddle.

There we are. Good stuff.

So we've been doing far too much driving, and are now heading south again for the Dinkler and more time at the Kaweah. Good things come to those who wait though and Dinkey should be perfect and should set us up perfectly for a great run on Fantasy Falls. Another group just got off Fantasy with good flows but very cold temps, so we are hoping that the coming week will see rising temperatures and sunny skies. 

Tension has been high, so getting a bunch of days on the river is exactly what we need. Sun, water, and tasty smooth granite will do us well.

Unfortunately Jono has work obligations and will be leaving to Poland this weekend then maybe coming back here for BC. Or Norway. Or New Zealand, or Nepal. Rough life he has. 

Chris is taking a few days off to go back north for some tlc and rest, but he's already fired up to get back here and on with the pilgrimage. At least I'm expecting him to be after a week of luxury and missing Dinkey and Fantasy. I'm not sure either, but I guess there's no good time to leave California until it's dry so you have to pick and choose if you have to.

Stay tuned for tales of the wild beasts on Dinkey.

South Fork Merced

Briefly flowing through Yosemite National Park then skirting its way around the park boundary, the South Merced retains much the same feeling of taking a guided nature walk through the park. After driving for far too long and sleeping far too little, we arrived, tired and hungry, at the put-in mid afternoon and leisurely made our way to the river. 

After a good bit of fun boulder strewn rapids we came to some good bedrock and found what the South Merced is most well known for, the Super Slide. 

Lizzy probes again.

Chris G follows suit with a great line.

CG going hole bustin.

The one recommended portage, and I manage to do it all on the wrong side after pushing too far down to the last eddy. I was unhappy with the route and recommend the right side alternative.

The South Merced has many rapids and much good scenery. Evan enjoys both. 

After a little surf, there was a slide on which I wanted to be farther right.

And there was a rapid where CG wanted to be farther left.

Lizzy dropping through another great rapid. 

Evan enjoying another slide...

and his massive guns.

All photos Jono Ramsay. Look here for the same photos and different words.

Royal Photos

All photos by Jono Ramsay.

Probing the first of the Heath.

Evan same.

Evan hole bombin.

Lizzy dropping in to the gorge above Rattlesnake.

Chris G boofing below the bridge.

The Rattler.

Evan scoping the line. 

And dropping.

Lizzy getting down into the perfect 20 gorge.

Chris G about to go deep.

It was a bit cold and everything was a little damp, but we got a raging fire going and dried right out.