California Sunshine 2011
by: Philip Kompass
A week or two tardy now, but in mid-June through mid-July the Five2Nine crew (and Ottawa PaddleShack Ambassadors) rallied to the west coast, extending the spring creeking season by grabbing some snowmelt along the Coast and Sierra Ranges. The West Coast had been hammered by snowfall this year, and there was no shortage of water. Plans for the High Sierra Classics (runs like Dinkey, Upper Cherry or Middle Kings) faded into lower elevation big water runs, but absolutely still an awesome trip.
This was my second trip out to California, and I was feeling pretty upbeat about it. My first trip was a real test for me, and mentally I wasn't on my game. This time round, except for some lingering back trouble, I was mentally feeling good and excited about what lay ahead.
The trip began for OPS paddle Mike McKay and LiquidLore.com author Steve Arns, knocking a few laps down the Little White and the Green Truss sections of the Salmon drainage. More importantly, they were able to help out in a small way with documenting the removal of the Condit Dam, an enormous 100-foot tall piece of concrete infrastructure that block the migration of salmon up - and sediment down - the White Salmon River. This dam removal is one of the largest undertaken in the US, and the first of many such projects that will again free the energy of moving water and return the rivers below them to life. Documenting this dam removal is a fitting choice for this trip the Five2Nine team - powered by Goal0 - used strictly solar power to shoot video, stills and edit for the latest edition of CURRENTS. It should be posted shortly, so be sure to check this site again in a few weeks.
[ Through use of alternative sources we can make the most of the resources we have at hand, and limit the destruction of many others. Solar may not power the world, not yet anyway, but through small wins like this – through technology and conservation – we may be able to save some of our favourite rivers, particularly some of the small-scale or micro-hydro projects that threaten so many places we, as kayakers, hold dear. ]
Anyway, back to the action. With the snowpack melting and waters rising, Mike hit up Brush Creek for some low-stress waterfalling. This creek is what you picture California being. Teacups. Granite. Sunshine. Beautiful, I’m jealous I missed it. They then got into the serious business of Big Kimshew and the South Branch Middle Fork of the Feather.
Myself and Van-island local Shayne Vollmers joined the crew on Canada Day (July 1) and rallied up to Cody Howard’s (www.HuckingHuge.com) pad in Auburn for a night’s rest before a run down the Upper Middle Cosumnes the next day. Steep gradient, gorgeous white granite and hard white water makes for a great day. Even though I knew what I was in for, I’m still always surprised at how physically demanding steep creeking can be. I've definitely gotten soft paddling local runs because, to be honest, they isn’t that much scouting to do, and even less portaging. And, when you do have to get out of your boat, there is usually a pretty decent trail to follow. Not so in Cali (or BC, WA, OR...). You portage here; you work for it. At any rate, UMC was at a low flow, so we had to skip a couple of manky ones, which would have bee really great rapids with a bit more padding. Mike fired up Skatepark, which is a pretty big one about 3/4 of the way down. Good to see.
With the state in a week long heat wave, levels continued to rise. A quick check of South Silver – on everyone’s hit list – confirmed that we needed to look elsewhere and rallied to the nearby Slab Creek Section of the South Fork of the American. This is an outstanding section of read and run, big water class IV+ that was nobody’s second choice. The next day, a high water run of the bottom portion of Lover’s Leap and the Kyburz section of the South Fork American.
With some logistical stuff sorted out, including finding a replacement vessel (cracked boat on Kimshew) the crew gathered supplies and began the monstrous shuttle into and out of Milsap Bar to run the class V- multi-day Middle Fork of the Feather and a medium flow of 2000 cfs. With the normal access point blocked due to construction, this standout classic section of river now has a four hour shuttle. Thankfully, it is three worthwhile days on the water and three spectacular canyons (unnamed, Franklin and Devils).
Everything you have – or will – read about this section is true. I won’t repeat it, but there is a reason why this was one of the first rivers in the United States to be protected with the Wild & Scenic River designation. It is stunning. I would put it at a comparable difficulty to the Nielson, maybe a bit harder and certainly more closed in, but for three days straight. It is one rapid after another, with only a few short breaks, particularly on days 2 and 3. So much good whitewater with so little "dealing". Almost everything goes, and there is tons of great read and run 4+ in there. It is by no means the hardest thing Cali has to offer, but I for one can easily say I would go back in a heartbeat.
With bellies full of pizza, and the epic shuttle drive dealt with, we headed up and over the still-snowy range, dropping into the Yuba drainage and heading towards Auburn. The ultra-classic and very popular 49-Bridgeport section of the South Fork of the Yuba was running a healthy 1500 cfs, and we put on in the late-afternoon for a few hours of class V. Again, this run lives up to the hype. Big drops, big holes and stark granite lined riverbanks for 7 miles of excellent, pushy creek boating.
With the crew in various states of disrepair, we grabbed a solid night’s sleep in Auburn and began the long trip back to reality.
In all, despite the changing flows, we managed to paddle new rivers or sections for 10 days straight, and all within a few hours of Auburn. It may not have been the teacups of the High Sierra’s but it was a week well spent. Can’t wait to get back there.
