... 'cause it's all about the water.

[Einar]

I thought I would post a midwinter snow pillow graph that is used locally to measure the accumulated potential water. It measures snow weight, not depth, and is posted by the regional electrical utility to calculate potential hydro flow.
The measurement is taken near Vancouver, B.C. at 3000' within sight of the Pacific salt water.

Sort of self explanatory; we are heading for a run off close to the lowest ever measured.

Sort of interesting cause what you paddle in is less relevant than what you paddle on... it's all about the water.

[truckeeboater]

definitely one of the most ominous water-years in history unfolding here in CA as well. dunno if i'll even get much dam-release boating this year, let alone rafting work.

[cheajack]

There's always ALF. We're a friendly bunch us southern boys.

[valhallalongboats]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would advise you not to panic...yet. It is, after all, only January here on the West Coast. I can recall quite a few years where we got bailed out by some heavy-duty stuff in the late winter and the springtime. February is still to come, and we may yet get hammed by the wet stuff.
I'll panic if this keeps on into March.

-Rob

[johnd]

The SF American is probably going to be running, and that's about all I paddle anyways, because there is not much Class 2-3 or Class 3-4 in California, mostly CLass 4-5. Meh.

[valhallalongboats]

The SF American is probably going to be running, and that's about all I paddle anyways, because there is not much Class 2-3 or Class 3-4 in California, mostly CLass 4-5. Meh.

You're correct, except for
The Upper Sacramento, Sims to Lamoine
The Upper Sacramento, Box Canyon
The Happy Camp run on the Middle Klamath
Tree of Heaven Run on the Middle Klamath
State-Line Run, Upper Klamath
The Ikes run on the Lower Klamath
Pigeon Point on the Trinity River
Main fork of the Smith River
Upper Cottonwood Creek (Tehama County)
Battle Creek (Shasta County)
Clear Creek (Shasta County)
Butler Creek run of the CAL Salmon
Lower Feather River
Lower Scott River
Hearst Run on the McCloud River
Lower Indian Creek (Siskiyou County)
Shasta River Canyon (Siskiyou County)
Upper Eel River (Humboldt County)
Mad River (Humboldt County)

This is all class II-IV stuff, and I've barely scratched the surface. There are plenty of class II/III/IV runs in California besides the American River.

-Rob

[truckeeboater]

looks like we need someone like Rob to host us CA/OR/WA boaters for some class II-IV stuff north of Sactown !

[Einar]

Thanks for the list of CA runs Vahlhalla, I've grabbed it off.

I made it down to the Umpuqa, OR last September, (close to CA line), courtesy of friends and was looking further south but didn't make it. Too late in the season?

Legend says that one time there was group of B.C. paddle bums that "chased the meltwater", starting in CA and ending in northern B.C. near Smithers before running out of gas.

[johnd]

Well, maybe there's some sour grapes on my part because other than the Trinity River it seems like it would be pretty hard to connect for a canoe trip on a lot of the rest of them. Some of them on the list above are not Class III-IV, such as Sacramento Box. That is a IV, according to the guide books. Lower Feather is a I. Also, it seems like most of them on the list ought to be classified as Oregon, as far away as they are. Or maybe Jefferson. But I wouldn't mind running some of them, particularly the Class II-III stuff.

[valhallalongboats]

As to the runs,

The Klamath is Dam-Controlled, so all of those runs are available all year long. Its a longer drive to get there, but in some ways its actually way more fun than the Trinity. For one thing, the Klamath is like 70 degrees in the summer-time (top-feed dam) so you don't need any cold-water gear(in the summer). Its all II and III, but plenty of fun and several well-known playspots, oh, and I forgot, there is a third II-III run there called the Savage Run, and below that is the Cade Canyon, which isn't hard, but is very beautiful with several good 20 and 30 foot diving rocks. Basically, on the Trinity, you just have Pigeon Point for class II-III, and then Burnt Ranch Gorge for class IV-V. The Klamath has a long list of II-III runs, you could spend four or five days on it and still not run it all...and it has a ton of tributaries you can also paddle. If you visit at the right time (when the water's in), you could, say, run Tree of Heaven on day 1, you could do the Lower Scott on day 2, maybe do the Shasta River Canyon on day 3, drive all the way down to Clear Creek (Siskiyou Co) on day 4, do the Cal Salmon on day 5, the nearby Ike's Run on the Klamath on day 6....which still leaves you the Happy Camp Run, the Savage Run, Cade Canyon, Indian Creek and the Hamburg run to do on another trip. Its a great canoe river.

The Upper Sac from Sims to Lamonine is a great class III run, and its just 40 mins or so north of Redding. Usually a spring-early summer run. I have done it at mid-summer levels, but its pretty much just a rock-scrape. Upper Box Canyon is very tight, but I would still call it III-IV...you are correct in that Lower Box Canyon is solid IV...and at the right levels, its class IV with one very gnarly V+...but you can get out before then.

The McCloud is kinda intense, very long rapids, the water is deathly cold (its glacier-fed via rock tunnels), the scenery is amazing. At 2 different places these massive waterfalls come straight out of a cliff wall and pour into the river. Each of these falls pretty much doubles the flow of the river. I've never seen anything quite like it. Later on you have the famous Hearst Castles to stare at, and they are cool too.

The Scott River feeds into the Klamath, and how much of it is Class II-III depends on the water level. The lower 5 miles or so is always class II-III, and you can paddle out of it and into the Klamath where there is another short class II-III run to continue on. At lower water, you can put in and run the lower 10 miles of the Scott and its all II-III. At higher levels some of those III's become solid IV's, and one Rapid, Schuler Gulch, becomes a serious class V. Portage is not TOO horrendous though.

I ran the Butler Creek run of the CAL Salmon one time at 1200 cfs...and it was an amazing canoe run. Good class III-IV, lots of technical stuff, and some breathing space between rapids. At higher water it is less technical, but also less breathing time. Its still a blast.

Clear Creek (Shasta County), Battle Creek(Shasta County), and the Shasta River Canyon are highly dependent on the water levels. Clear Creek is a class III-IV run, pretty exciting, technical. The Shasta River Canyon is busy class III, usually only doable in the spring. Done it just once. Battle Creek is Class III, and its just straight awesome. When Battle Creek is flowing, everybody's going...which reminds me, I haven't been there in a decade. Time to change that!

I've never done the Upper Eel, I'm just going off a friend I trust who says its a fun class II run. I always meant to get up there, but just never quite made it.

I'm always down to host a trip, anytime anyone wants to come up.

-Rob

[Paddle Power]

lots of snow in Manitoba and it keeps coming

there will be good paddling water this spring

[truckeeboater]

Hey Rob! If we don't get much more in the way of natural snow through the springtime and the mountains start to close early, I might just take you up on your offer to host some State of Jefferson paddling trips !

[valhallalongboats]

It's gonna rain tomorrow!!!
Woo hoo!

[Larry Horne]

Hey Rob, where is the Upper Eel you speak of?
The only Upper Eel I know is class five and it's in Mendocino county above Lake Pillsbury.
Maybe you mean South Fork Eel below Legget?

Johnd- true we could use some more good III runs in the sac area. but not at the expense of the IV-V If you're willing to step it up just a smidge from Chili Bar, then there's: Goodyears Bar, Washington to Edwards, Edwards to Purdons, Chamberlains, the Cosumnes, Tiger Creek, The T. etc..

[johnd]

Thanks, Larry. I would like to run Edwards to Purdon, that would be a really good run, and if it's only a smidge harder than the So. Fork American.... maybe some of the other runs as well.