The Last Drop of California Goodness

Leading up to the Middle Kings, we had been throwing out all kinds of ideas for how to get shuttle done efficiently.  We found out JJ and the Kiwis would be meeting up in Truckee to start their shuttle, then having a driver meet them at the take out for return to Truckee, so we agreed to meet them up there to get it done.  Then we started thinking all sorts of crazy thoughts and trying to figure out how we could sneak in one last Cali run near the Middle Kings take out, the South Kings.  Turns out our buddy Daniel Brasuell was into South Kings as well, so we hatched a somewhat ludicrous plan to make it all work.  Tom and I would meet up with the boys in Truckee, leaving Tom's Jeep at his friend Matt's place.  Then on Friday, the day we were taking off the Middle Kings, Matt would pick Daniel up on the way to the Kings area while we would attempt to meet them in Fresno.  Then, Matt would drive our shuttle and hike in to camp with us at the South and Middle Kings confluence.  Trouble was, JJ and the Kiwis were hell bent on finishing the Middle Fork on Thursday and we had no interest in rushing to get out of there just to spend a night in the hell hole of Fresno.  So, Tom and I would just have to figure out how to get a ride for us and our boats from the middle of nowhere about 2 hours to Fresno.

Like usual, these things just sort of work themselves out if you let them.  As we were winding down on our run through Garlic Falls to finish our Middle Kings trip, Tom and I were discussing how far we should keep paddling past the normal take out to look for a ride.  But then, we ran into a group of 3 paddlers who were finishing up an overnighter on the Garlic Falls section.  We paddled with them for the last of the class IV and they were kind enough to take pity on us and offer us a ride to Fresno.  We cruised the rest of the run out to the Garnet Dike trailhead where we piled into the their truck for the long dusty ride to Fresno.  Huge Thanks Fellas!

Tom and I decided we needed some real food after 6 days of caloric deficiency, so we had the boys drop us off at a pizza place in a strip mall.  We ordered an enormous pizza planning to share with them, but they were in a hurry to get back to the real world and didn't want to wait for it to come out.  Fortunately a post Middle Kings appetite is a crazy thing, and that huge pizza went down like nothing.  The ravenous appetite continued as we went next door to get a half gallon of ice cream to split.  About when we finished our ice cream shopping, Matt and Daniel showed up to take us up towards Boyden Cave and the put in for the South Kings Horseshoe Bend (Fear and Loathing) section.  Between the four of us, the ice cream did not last long.

The start of the Horseshoe Bend Canyon as seen from the road.  Photo: TJ

Moving downstream as the walls rise up.  Photo: TJ

After a night spent sleeping alongside the South Kings upstream of the put in, we lazily made our way down towards the put in.  Putting in at a tourist trap like Boyden Cave is about as far as it gets from launching on the Middle Kings in Leconte Canyon, but soon enough, the whitewater was building along with the walls.  The road was still in sight, but it was a world away.  Fortunately, the name sake rapid of this section, Fear and Loathing, which used to be pretty marginal and unportageable, has changed significantly for the better in recent years.  It's still unportageable, but it's pretty safe and chill.  Plus, there's quite a few other high quality rapids squeezed between the walls which are good fun and portageable if you don't like what you see.  It's not your typical high Sierra granite bedrock run, but it's got plenty of great boulder rapids that are on par with what Garlic Falls offers downstream, just with a little more commitment.  4 hours after we put on we arrived at the confluence and found a nice camp.  It was the first night in California the whole trip that it was truly hot.  Tom and Matt went off to try a little fishing while Daniel and I sat around and swam.  They came back with tales of big fish and an enormous rattler that Matt had stepped on in flip flops.

The authoring airing out the first nice drop.  Photo: TJ

Bracing through the splashy pinch.  Photo: TJ

And boofing the bottom on the slide.  Photo: TJ

Or plugging it.  Photo: TJ

Daniel looking down into the unportageable Fear and Loathing.  Photo: TJ

Fortunately there's nothing to fear or loath as it boats quite nicely these days.  Photo: TJ

JJ blasting through the first slot of a nice double drop.  Photo: TJ

And off the sweet second tier.  Photo: TJ

Daniel on the first drop from below.  Photo: TJ

Daniel plugging away.  Photo: TJ

Nice table top boof.  Photo: TJ

And ensuing slightly dirt run out.  Photo: TJ

Nice roll to vertical over a sticky hole at the top of the last major rapid.  Photo: TJ

Right as it was getting towards dark and we were settling down to cook dinner, we got a huge surprise, the Taylor Cavin birthday party (not to be confused with his bachelor party: http://thenexthorizonline.blogspot.com/2014/08/north-kings.html) came rolling into camp.  We had plenty of room, so the party joined us, making for a great last night on the side of the river in California for 2014.

The next morning we bid the birthday party goodbye and headed down into Garlic Falls.  As Tom and I had just run it 2 days earlier, we were able to give Daniel lots of verbal beta and with a few scouts we made it through.  This run is really top notch and has fabulous scenery despite its low elevation, making for an excellent end to either a Middle or South Kings trip.  We got to the take out right around noon and Matt was nowhere to be found.  We waited for a long time, hoping he hadn't gotten lost.  Finally he rolled in, rocking a donut tire on Tom's Jeep.  The California season had finished off Tom's tires so it was back to Fresno to see if we could find someone to sell us tires at 4:30 pm on Sunday afternoon.  Again, it all worked out and soon enough we were on our way back to Sacramento, Truckee, and then Durango.

For Daniel's video of the trip check: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Iw_FfN9Wo.

The first major rapid of Garlic Falls is a little chunky.  Photo: TJ

Cassidy Falls is one of the sweetest drops in the whole Kings drainage.  Photo: TJ

Daniel boofing over a sticky ledge hole.  Photo: TJ

Soaking up the scenery at Rough Creek Falls. Photo: TJ

More good stuff.  Notice the trickle of Garlic Falls proper downstream river right.  Photo:TJ

The author on the last good boof of California 2014.  Photo: TJ

Finally at least one photo of Tom.  Photo:JJ

It was a hell of a California season, despite predictions from naysayers that nothing in the Sierra would run in 2014.  Instead, we had gotten on pretty much everything we had wanted to with the exception of the Royal Gorge and the North Fork of the San Joaquin and the water held out until June 22nd.  For anyone who loves creek boating and especially hard multi-day trips, California is unrivaled in the world for the combination of long quality runs, great wilderness, reasonable logistics, and great weather.  Although it might not happen in 2015, I can't wait to get back out to the Sierra again.

Southeastern Overnighters

While the Southeastern US may not be known for overnight kayak opportunities, there are certainly quite a few that are great as practice for their big brothers in the Western US and are absolutely worthy of exploring in there own right.  Over the past year I've been fortunate enough to dabble heavily in the available options.  Starting last September, I've been able to overnight the Gauley River, Raven Fork, Clear Creek, Obed River, Daddy's Creek, and Chattooga River.

As everyone knows, the Gauley is classic.  I'm fortunate enough that my Dad has been rowing a raft down the river at least once a year since before I was born.  I'm also fortunate enough that he agrees to put up with me and my kayaker friends as tag alongs in exchange for helping with rigging and breaking down rafts.  This results in a night in the lap of luxury on the side of a beautiful river with better food and drink than I ever get at home.  While the 26 miles from the damn to Swiss can easily be paddled in a single day, there's still plenty to be offered for a two day trip.  Despite the less than ideal camping (rafting companies own most of the nicer camping spots) and less than full on wilderness (logging roads in the canyon are frequented by locals on ATVs), the Gauley as an overnight offers a great opportunity to experience the river in a new way.

I won't say too much about the Raven Fork overnight trip here other than it's the best class V overnighter in the Southeast.  This is also the most true overnighter.  It could be done in a day but it would be a long day and the water levels work out better if it drops for the second day.  The logistics are a little difficult as you need high water, good weather, and an open straight fork road.  The upper section is rarely paddled and is some of the best class IV wilderness paddling around.  The campground at Enloe Creek is one of my favorite official campgrounds anywhere.  The lower section is the best class V creek on the east coast.  It's all tucked in one of the most remote areas of the southeast.  It's as good as it gets.

Ben Warf killing it on Caveman on a non-overnight trip through the lower Raven Fork Gorge.

The upper section of Clear Creek between Clark Range and Barnett Bridge is somewhere between a float trip and a whitewater run, but the scenery and over all experience make up for the lack of exciting rapids.  Great camping in rock houses and a cool hike to a nice 50 ft. waterfall round out the experience.  For class II-III paddlers wanting an overnight wilderness paddling experience, this is where it's at.  I don't think I'd do this run every year, but the overall experience is good enough that I'll go back again.

Kirk Eddlemon enjoying the serenity of Upper Clear Creek.

Sometimes the scenery is big too.

The comforts of rock house camping.

Priorities...

Four Mile Creek Falls is just a nice little bushwhack away.

One of a few spots where the family canoe is not the vessel of choice.  Still, it works.

The Obed River from Potter's Ford to Nemo might be the longest stretch of bridgeless whitewater in the Southeast.  While there are a few rough access points in between (hiking or 4 wheelers), a full twenty miles of canyon, protected by Catoosa WMA and the Obed WSR, await you between the two bridges.  While the whitewater in the upper is not classic, it's enough to keep you entertained between the cliffs.  The second day, below the Daddy's creek confluence, passes through the main Obed canyon and its classic class III rapids.  This is the best overnight trip in the Obed system, and probably all of Tennessee.

Mark Newton drives into the awkward pinch at Billy Goat Bluff.

This photo tries to make it intense.

Glamor shots at camp.  Look at that body...

Classic whitewater in the main Obed Canyon.

Daddy's Creek from Antioch Bridge to Devil's Breakfast Table is a classic Tennessee class III+ run; however, add in the extra 12 miles through the Obed Canyon and you've got a great 18 mile day or short overnight trip.  This year we chose to do it as a quick overnighter, putting on at 6 pm and taking off by 8:30 am the next morning so we didn't miss any work.  The whitewater is fantastic in both the Daddy's Creek and Obed Canyons, as is the great plateau scenery.  While not really a true overnighter (the run can be done in 3-4 hours with good water), the camping is great under the main Obed wall and there's no reason to rush through this place. 
 

Daddy's Creek Canyon is classic.  Even when it's low.

Camping in the Obed Canyon does not suck.

The Chattooga River from Earl's Ford to Lake Tugaloo was the first overnighter I did after moving to the Southeast.  Alongside great scenery and camping, this river just has soul.  Section III is a nice adjustment to loaded boats and the Narrows is magical.  Section IV has great camping (right below seven foot if you've got a small group) and a great finish with five falls.  This river also runs when little else is going in the summer time, which means great weather.  All in all, it's a classic.

Full moon camping on the Chattooga is where it's at.

That's it folks.  Just a few ideas on where to go to find some overnight whitewater enjoyment.




Jim