California

May/June 1999

California 1999

The Team:

Lee Rogers		Gary Randle
Mark Rigby	Catherine James	Pete Cropper
Dean Maragh		Roger Welch

Contents

Day 1 - Thursday 20^th May (Brighton to Ressot’s House) 4

Day 2 - Friday 21st May (Ressot’s House to CJ’s House) 5

Day 3 - Saturday 22nd May (South Fork America - Chilli Bar III) 6

Day 4 - Sunday 23^rd May (Truckee - Branch Run and Flourntee?? II-IV) 7

Day 5 - Monday 24^th May (North Fork American - Chamberalain Falls IV (IV+) 8

Day 6 - Tuesday 25^th May North Fork Yuba (Goodyears Bar IV (V+)) 10

Day 7 - Wednesday 26^th May E to P III/IV and The Bear IV/IV+ 122

Day 8 - Thursday 27^th May Lavezzola Creek IV+ 133

Day 9 - Friday 28^th May South Fork Yuba (Washington to Edwards IV) 144

Day 10 - Saturday 29^th May - South Fork Yuba (Kingvale to Indian Springs Campground

IV+(V)) 15

Day 11 - Sunday 30^th May - North Fork America (Chilli Bar III) 17

Day 12 - Monday 31^st May South Fork American (Riverton to Peavine III-IV+) 18

Day 13 - Tuesday 1^st June South Fork American (Kybutz to Riverton IV/V) 19

Day 14 - Wednesday 2^nd June No Paddleing (Notting Hill) 20

Day 15 - Thursday 3^rd June East Branch North Fork Feather (Virgilia to Belden III/IV) 21

Day 16 - Friday 4^th June No Paddleing (Mark went surfing) 22

Day 17 - Saturday 5^th June Coast to San Francisco 23

River Table 24

Gauges and River Levels 25

Day 1 - Thursday 20^th May (Brighton to Ressot’s House)

Met Gaz at Farringdon station. It was nice to be handed a can of Carling as we stepped onto the train. Back to Brighton to load the car and drive to Mark’s for the start of our trip.

Lee

Day 2 - Friday 21st May (Ressot’s House to CJ’s House)

Got up at 6am, loaded 3 boats and 4 people and all our kit into a Nissian Micra and headed off to Heathrow. Got the boats onto our BA flight with no hassle at all. We arrived 3 hours early and Gaz chatted up the check-in-chick (though I can’t believe that helped). We are now sitting in the Wetherspoons bar drinking beer and waiting for a large fried breakfast, and it’s only 8.30 am English time.

Lee

It’s 8.30 am, I’m sitting in the bar with a pint of John Smith’s in my hand at Terminal 4, Heathrow. My Topo is loaded on the plane and I’m about to go on a 2 week boating holiday to California. Life does not get much better than this!!!!

Gary

Been on the plane for 8 hours now, bored, bored, bored. Reached level 12 in Pocket bomerman on the gameboy after about 6 hours playing. Virgin would have been better! (but more expensive). BA films are crap, anyone for an animated cartoon of moses. Anyway, I’ll stop moaning, it’s better than been at work!!

Mark

It’s 7.10 pm (UK time). I’m sitting down with a beer in my hand. The California dreaming song is going round and round in my head. My topo is loaded on the plane and I’m about to arrive in California for a 2 week boating holiday. Life does not get much better than this!

Gary (Yes, he is pissed on those free drinks!!!)

Day 3 - Saturday 22nd May (South Fork America - Chilli Bar III)

Lee’s Birthday

We got up at 7.30, did some shopping and headed out to the Chilli Bar. The top wave was a good play spot, but the rest of the river was a fairly easy bimble with perhaps the exception of the last rapid which had a raft stuck in it. We ended the run with some river games which involved us all swimming in the river. It’s so warm and sunny.

CJ took us to a restaurant and bar in Coloma for loads of food and beer. Cool.

Lee

Chilli Bar is a good warm up section. Bouncy with lots of play spots. Cool wave to surf where we had lunch. U.S. Sandwiches are cool.

Mark

I’ve swapped my beer for a paddle and things are going well!!! The Chilli Bar was an excellent section to start with. Loads of choice play spots. Although it had to be said, I did feel a bit silly in my Topo!!

Gary

Day 4 - Sunday 23^rd May (Truckee - Branch Run and Flourntee II-IV)

The first section today was quite low and pretty straightforward (II/III) but was improved by the sight of a girl in just her bra and knickers. The 2^nd run was much better. We walked about ½ mile upstream from the get on bridge and paddled the grade IV rapid which was pretty big volume. The rest of the river was grade III, with some very large waves. There was a notable weir that we shot, which consisted of a near vertical 15ft drop into an enormous standing wave. We then portaged 2 other ‘weirie’ things which CJ says has metal and other shit in them. Cool day.

Lee

Truckee - top section, similar to the Onde/Claree. It will never be that good even with lots of water. Lower section was much better with a good bit at the start. Lower rapids were a bit washed out but a cool weir to shoot (1^st weir) portaged the other 2.

Mark

Truckee - top section, similar to the Onde/Claree. It will never be that good even with lots of water. Lower section was much better with a good grade IV at the start. Lower rapids were a bit washed out but a cool wier (15ft slide) to shoot, portaged the other 2.

Gary

Quote of the day to Lee by bloke on campsite

‘You paddled the Chilli Bar in those boats’ (Pointing to the 2 topos!)

Day 5 - Monday 24^th May (North Fork American - Chamberalain Falls IV (IV+)

Mark’s Birthday

Excellent run. In many ways the first real section of the trip. We got on late about 4 p.m., having faffed around early on changing our sports car (Ponteac) to a 4x4 and doing a bit of shopping.

The section was grade IV, pretty continuous and with a few superbly named rapids. The first of which was Chamberlain falls. I remember sitting on the bank (inspecting) and thinking what the hell am I doing here! Having got C.F. under my belt, I settled down and enjoyed the rest of the paddle.

Gary

Chamberlain Falls is a clool section. We had plenty of water 3’4” on the gauage at the get on, and a few of the minor rapids were washed out, but the 3 main rapids were excellent. All have easy breakouts above and inspection is easy. Had a roll between the 1^st and 2^nd drops on staircase but recovered OK. Lee and Gary then ran the chicken shhot down the left. Camped at the get on. Cooled beer in the river, but lost 4 cans as it appears the level rose.

Mark

It wasn’t the chicken shoot, it was the ‘right’ line. Cool section though. Nice drive up and down to the get on and off, we were lucky to get a lift!!!

Lee

Young Sal dropped us off at Heathrow this morning. The height of the Heathrow outdoor shelters didn’t allow us to stand the boats up on a trolley and the chicanes meant we couldn’t put them flat either. Oh well it didn’t matter ‘cos we only had to carry them 20 yards to the check-in desk where the lady and the porter didn’t bat an eye-lid as out boats did the grade I elevator solo.

Then ……. IN A LAND FAR AWAY …………..

The airport roofs are higher at San Franscisco so we collected the boats, trolled them up and got into line and waited and waited and waited. When I (Dean) got to the front of the Queue I was hauled off into another queue having to negotiate more chicanes.

Roj was waiting for us with the Ford Explorer SUV.

So, off to the North Face shop to look at the lack of bargains - see map/appendix/ website

Fort point on the south side of the Golden Gate is an ideal surf spot (we surfed it back in ’97 when we came to Santa Cruz) but it was a bit overcast so we didn’t get on.

Down to pier 39 tourist zone to look at digital cameras, get some scran(????) and music ‘Sit on the Dock of the Bay, watching the tide roll away’

Off highway 680 looked at the US Navy reserve fleet then off to CJ’s house where Pete and myself quickly fell asleep.

Dean

Day 6 - Tuesday 25^th May North Fork Yuba (Goodyears Bar IV (V+)

A morning of total indecision. Planned last night to go to the Goodyears Bar, got up and were driving by 7.15 am. Checked out the Bear River (2’4” on the gauge but will probably go up later in the day) but decided the ferry will be difficult. Drove to Nevada city (cool café, loads of good food and coffee), thought about paddling E to P but have finally decided to drive along the 49 and do Goodyears Bar.

Mark

Got up this morning very early, drove out of the Chamberlain Falls valley off to the next section of the trip. What would this be? First of all we planned to do Goodyears Bar, then the Bear, then Goodyears Bar, then E to P, and finally we settled for Goodyears Bar. In hindsight a good choice. It wasn’t too far, the ferry was ‘easy’ and the section was superb. Lots of continuous grade IV paddling with one grade V+_ drop that we all walked. A good run.

Gary

I lead this section which was cool. I kept waiting for the really hard stuff, but the levels were quite high, so I’m not sure if some were washed out. The first drop mentioned in the guide book wasn’t there, but the 2^nd ‘twin drop’ (or something?) was good (IV+). It was then quite bouncy down to ‘Maytag’ which was a very big, powerful drop with lots of upside down potential. We all walked this and got in just below the drop. ‘Son of Maytag’ (V) looked horrid down the right, but we shot left under a tree and over a 6ft drop (IV).

Lee

Off to the REI shop in Sacramento - loads a bargains. Opens at 10am. - Map/appendix

Dean

Charged across to South Fork American on Highway 49. Note the turning right over a bridge at lake Folsom to follow the 49 (not clearly signposted). Arrived at 49 intersection with the river and dodged down the gorge section from Henniangson - Lotus Park, after a long wait for Roj to hitch the ferry. There is a superb playwave at camp lotus, and the gorge is a pleasant Grade III warm up to the week. Note a long paddle along the lake to the get out on the right. Drove back up to the campground, and met the ‘B’ team who were well into the two weeks paddling. A LONG walk ensued to the bar for food (which stops serving about 9pm), and beers were consumed before retiring to canvas homes.

Pete

Day 7 - Wednesday 26^th May E to P III/IV and The Bear IV/IV+

A brilliant day. Started on E to P. A straight forward section. Lots of III+ drops. Although I think everyone agrees that the canoeing was not the best part of this river. The native California wildlife lying on the side of the river was superb.

At 5 p.m. we were getting onto the 2^nd section of the day - The Bear. This really was superb. The hardest section of the trip so far. I think everyone was relieved when the gorge started to open up towards the end.

Gary

Edwards to Purdons was good with a least 5 naked chicks that we had to quickly paddle past. The river was grade III+ but fairly straightforward. The Bear on the other hand was hard. The gauge read 2.65 up from 2.4 a few days ago. I had my first trashing in ages near the start on an innocluous little drop. Didn’t paddle hard enough hit the boily eddy on the left which spun me round and back into the stopper. Looped, rolled, went over rolled, looped rolled and was out of it. There were lots of blind drops with one been notably bigger than the others. Cool section though.

Lee

E-P Naked chicks …. Cool. The Bear, an excellent technical section, to quote CJ quoting someone else, ‘This section kicks ass!’

Mark

Awoke unpleasantly early - told Gary to F off for the alarm call and dropped straight back to sleep. After a monster breakfast we took the 49 out to I80, and on to the E-P section of South Fork Yuba. The Ferry is a mammoth attempt and meanwhile we baked in the heat below the bridge. The following section is interesting not bad for the bankside scenery…..

Pete

Day 8 - Thursday 27^th May Lavezzola Creek IV+

This was a very different type of paddling. As the name suggest it was a creek. Had a good run although didn’t enjoy it as much as the rest of the sections so far.

Gary

Excellent, steep creek section which took 4 hours to run 4 miles. Lots of drops with big holes at the bottom. Everyone (except an American called Ben paddling a tank) back looped on this section. Two big drops at the end of the river required inspection and safety. The first was a double drop with a large stopper on the right and undercut on the left. I ran the left line 1^st, followed by Pete who proved the 2^nd drop went backwards. The 2^nd drop was a 8ft ledge with a shelf about 6ft down and 3ft across. Considered portaging this for about 15 minutes but was persuaded by Ben to ‘boof’ off the right side and jump the ledge. Cool drop with lots of air (would have portaged if the portage had been easier). Camped at the doss site at Goodyears Bar take out.

Mark

This was a good quite hard section, although I was pretty scared most of the way down. Had a back loop and a play in a hole (again!!!!). The river was pretty continuous with lots of drops. I think the levels were quite high. We were going to Pauley Creek next, but it was decided it was a bit high!!!! The guide book describes Pauley falls as bony, not the massive crescendo of white water we saw!!

Lee

Day 9 - Friday 28^th May South Fork Yuba (Washington to Edwards IV)

14 miles is a long section, even when it’s flowing that quickly. Nice Grade III paddle with a few bits of GIV, near the portage. Good section, but not as enjoyable as the Bear or Lavezzeloa.

Mark

I enjoyed this section. Mostly grade III getting harder towards the end with quite a lot of III+/IV. Again the level was very high. The drop we portaged was nasty. Pete nearly shot this by accident. It took us just over 5 hours to run, so we were pretty knackered by the end. Had a good evening, went out for burgers then went to see ‘Start Wars - Part 1’ in Grass Valley. Dean was very embarrassing trying to chat up the girl selling tickets in the Cinema. Star Wars was cool!!!

Lee

A good long section. Mostly class II with a few class IV rapids. I led this section so got an extra buzz out of that. No swims or trashings to report, although Lee and I both had an unintentional surf of a stopper half way down. Think there may also have been a few back loops, although they are becoming common place these days!!!

Gary

Day 10 - Saturday 29^th May - South Fork Yuba (Kingvale to Indian Springs Campground IV+(V))

Paddled with Jason (CJ’s bloke) and Shaun. The guide implies 6 portages but we did only 2 (very long though!). Lots of technical drops and everyone surfed a few stoppers on this section. Roj got a stuffing and rescue on one and quit after about 1 mile. This river is either flat or Grade IV+ drops, most paddled blind to keep up with Jason.

The big rapid (three blind mice) under the freeway bridge was paddled by the 2 Americans. Jason swam in the last of 2 huge stoppers on a big Grade V none of the Brits considered paddling.

Mark

This section was very different to all the rest of the Californian rivers we’ve done. I wasn’t as scared today, even though I was paddling behind the Americans, trying to see where they had disappeared too. I wasn’t paddling that well and ended up in a very large hole at the bottom of a drop and had to loop out in the end - I was lucky to get out. Also had another back loop, third in 3 days!!!! I think if we had been running this on our own it might have taken 5 hours not 3!!!

Lee

A good section. Guess we should have realised it was going to be cold when Jason was struggling to put on his dry suit, due to the number of fleeces he had on beneath. With my shorts, one thermal and a leaking dry cag I don’t think I was best equipped for the river. Despite this the river was cool, lots of solid class IV rapids, most of which we shot blind due to the ability of our local guides. This added to the buzz we got from this section. One of my favourite rapids was the last one. You could not see the line from the top and it was therefore difficult to see how hard to paddle. This made punching the bottom hole interesting. My Topo makes a great submarine.

Gary

Shaun on Three Blind Mice!!!

Jason on Three Blind Mice!!!

Day 11 - Sunday 30^th May - North Fork America (Chilli Bar III)

I took the day off. I’m sitting at the beachy get out, drinking beer (now there’s a surprise), and for the first time I actually feel like I’m on a real holiday. I couldn’t manage 2 weeks of this but one day is good.

Gary

Chilli Bar was cool again. Lots of playing, so I was pretty tierd by the end. Level was 3500 cfs.

Lee

Chilli Bar was a cool play session again. On the Grade IV we broke out next to 3 bikini clad babes. Dean produced a waterproof business card and after looping for their video, we got invited (invited ourselves, don’t you mean -ed) for beers at their campsite.

Dean, Pete and Roj headed back to Sacramento at about 8 p.m. while we settled down to some good old American hospitality. Was fed melon, beer and barbecue chicken in large quantities. Gary shotgunned some beers and collapsed at 10pm. We drank until 1.30 am. Cool night.

Mark

Day 12 - Monday 31^st May South Fork American (Riverton to Peavine III-IV+)

Didn’t paddle again today. Woke up a little hung over so decided to bin the paddling. We have found an excellent camp site on the side of a large lake. Looking forward to getting back into paddling tomorrow.

Gary

Had a good night last night getting drunk with some Americans. Me and Mark paddled what we thought was going to be an easy section. It started that way, but then we were faced with continuous big grade IV drops for the last 2 miles or so. Looks like the section continues after the marked get out, but you might not be able to get to the river. The road (track) to the get off is very bad, you need a 4x4, and the bridge is no longer there, so you can’t cross the river!!!!

Lee

Found a short section to paddle with a hangover. The guide grades this sections as III/IV. This means the first 2 miles are grade III and the next 2 are hard grade IV, quick recovery from hangover. Found a cool campsite next to Unom Valley reservoir.

Mark

Day 13 - Tuesday 1^st June South Fork American (Kybutz to Riverton IV/V)

What can I say about this section? … I was glad to see the get-out. 10 miles of continuous grade IV/V. The gradient was steep and the waves were big. Gary had fun doing the 3 biggest rapids upside down. At one point I was sure he was going to swim having been upside down for ages. Cool section though. We were all tired and exhausted when finished (it took 5 hours). Mark wanted a Mexican (for food!), so we went to ‘Taco Bell’. It was shite!!!

Lee

We got on this section and the water level seemed OK, but 500 meters downstream the silver fork enters and the volume doubled. The first 4 and half miles are very steep with no flat at all. First portage is marked by a yellow rope across the river, but the weir looked OK (we portaged anyway!). The second is after the campsite on the right and the river goes under the road. Portage right as the next 150 meters are grade VI (unless you like that sort of thing). The get in eddy will be the last flat bit for the next 3km with continuous IV+ including 2 notable drops. Gary surfed one with style and was lucky to get away with it. After half way the river is less steep but still a good grade IV with some big drops. Left this section tired, mentally and physically after 5 hours paddling 10 miles.

Mark

An awesome section. Probably the best and most demanding so far. It brought a new meaning to the word continuous. I had a few upside down moments (3 that I remember). Been upside down on grade IV/V isn't much fun!

I truly recommend paddling this section, the feeling when you get to the end is superb!!

Gary

Day 14 - Wednesday 2^nd June No Paddleing (Notting Hill)

We woke up to find the weather cold and miserable, not the California we had fallen in love with at all!! We drove North towards the Feather river and checked out the largest Dam in the USA at Oroville. It wasn't that impressive. Then we went to see ‘Notting Hill' at the cinema which was ace! I don’t think the Americans understood all the English humour, but I was laughing my head off. Then we drove up to the Feather to camp (It doesn’t seem to have much water in it!!!).

Lee

Notting Hill was good. It took the 3 of us about 2 hours to complete. Worth doing. May even repeat at some point!

Gary

Day 15 - Thursday 3^rd June East Branch North Fork Feather (Virgilia to Belden III/IV)

When we got to the Feather we weren’t at all impressed with the levels. At first appearance there didn’t seem to be enough water to paddle it, but appearances can be deceptive from the road 100 feet up. It turned out to be a fairly interesting section. It started with me and Gaz waiting in the rain(!!!) while Mark ran the ferry. The start was pretty straightforward, right down to where Mark swam after letting go of his blades in the middle of a grade IV rapid (DICK!). It was the first use of the trip splits after the blades disappeared from sight. After finishing the section we drove back up the bank looking for the blades, my eagle eyes spotted them on the far bank, and Mark proceeded to take Gaz’s Topo and ferry glide across the river in his gortex, tracksuit and boots. The blades were recovered and we headed off, just stopping long enough to clear a landslide from the road before several lorries ran over it!!!

Lee

The section was good fun, although we did not have the Californian weather that we had grown to love!!! Our team experienced it's first and what proved to be the only swim of the trip, although it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy (Mark)!

Levels on the river were low for us. Although the Feather basin has a lot to offer in the right conditions. The guide book tells of at least 7 different sections in the immediate area and I'm sure there's many more.

Gary

Day 16 - Friday 4^th June No Paddleing (Mark went surfing)

After a long drive along the coast, visiting some Giant Redwood Trees (not my idea!), we arrived at a beach campsite. Mark decided to go out surfing on some very messy surf, with lots of rip tide warnings. Gaz and I left him to it, hoping(!) he wouldn’t die!!!! He didn’t.

Lee

Day 17 - Saturday 5^th June Coast to San Francisco

We got up early and headed off along the coast road to San Franscisco. After a windy drive, we soon arrived at the Golden Gate Bridge, where we stopped to admire the view and look at Alkatraz (well we had to do some site see-ing). Then we drove into the City for some shopping at overpriced outdoor shops!!!!

When we arrived at the airport, customs were keen to investigate the insides of our boats until they reached Gary’s wet kit bag when the analysis was stopped short.

A uneventful flight back to the UK followed, with Gaz managing to get drunk while mark and I slept!!!

Lee

It was good to spend some time in San Francisco. It seems like a pretty cool city. It was a great end to brilliant holiday.

Gary

The Golden Gate Bridge

River Table

Date	Section	Lee	Gary	Mark	Pete	Dean	Roj	CJ	Grade	Distance (miles)
22 May	South Fork American (Chilli Bar)	a	a	a				a	III	5.8
23 May	Truckee (Branch Run)	a	a	a				a	II/III	4
23 May	Truckee (Flour)	a	a	a				a	III(IV)	5
24 May	North Fork American (Chamberlain falls)	a	a	a					IV(IV+)	4.8
25 May	North Fork Yuba (Goodyears Bar)	a	a	a					IV(V+)	8.5
26 May	South Fork Yuba (Edswards to Purdons)	a	a	a	a	a	a		III+	4
26 May	Bear	a	a	a	a	a	a		IV/IV+	4
27 May	Lavezzola Creek	a	a	a	a	a	a		IV+	3.3
28 May	South Fork Yuba (Washington to Edwards)	a	a	a	a	a	a		IV	14
29 May	Soth Fork Yuba (Kingvale to Indian Springs Campsite)	a	a	a	a		1		IV+ (V+)	8.7
30 May	South Fork American (Chilli Bar)	a		a	a	a	a		III	5.8
31 May	South Fork American (Riverton to Peavine)	a		a					III/ IV+	3.5
1 June	South Fork American (Kybutz to Riverton)	a	a	a					IV/V	9.6
3 June	East Branch North Fork Feather (Vigilia to Belden)	a	a	1					III/IV	10
										91 miles

Gauges

Here are the gauge readings/levels.

Chilli Bar 4200 cfs

Truckee ~1000 cfs

Chamberlain falls ~2000 cfs 3'4"

Goodyears bar 2900 cfs

E to P ~2000 cfs

Bear 2.65 on the gauge

Lavezzola 600 cfs

Washington to Edwards ~1500 cfs

Kingvale ~800 cfs

Chilli bar 3500 cfs

Riverton to Peavine 2700 cfs

SF American (Kyburz) 2750 cfs

Feather ~1000 cfs

The are several telephone lines available to give you flow information, some that we tried are:

(916) 368 8682

(530) 368 8682

(916) 653 9647

River levels can also be obtained from the net, try:

http://kayak.physics.orst.edu/~tpw/kayaking/display.cgi/California.html

www.ci.ceres.ca.us/ces/rivers.htm

http://s601dcascr.wr.usgs.gov/Sites/