Van Duzen River -- Forks to Dinsmore

Explore Six Rivers

Upper Van Duzen

This was a huge day for us involved in the Six Rivers Source to Sea Expedition, as we would be completing our final leg of the Van Duzen, and checking off the first of the six rivers on our agenda!  Our plan was to paddle the 25 miles from the confluence of the East and West Forks of the Van Duzen River near Hettenshaw valley, due north through a canyon and into the valley before passing Dinsmore and taking out at the Highway 36 bridge where our mission began.  

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

Water levels were dropping out slightly from the previous storm and it was supposed to get cold and snow so we feared things were going to be low.  Before heading out in the morning I checked the Mad River Gauge above Ruth Reservior, which was flowing at a reasonable level of 600 cfs and instantly felt great about our day's plan.  Then the crew arrived and we loaded up in a manner like we were getting used to paddling or something.  The drive to Dinsmore was also surprisingly fast and a reminder that it really is close to home.  This is a really great section of river that hardly gets paddled but with the easy access, low elevation, and fun rapids it makes for an excellent cold-wintertime option.  I owe Silent Ed full credit for turning me onto this run, here's to Local Paddlers everywhere for the reliable information they contain!

It was a foggy, damp morning following the cold night and a hard rain was forecast for later that afternoon, perfect paddling weather but not so great for pictures.  Add a little condensation inside the lens and next thing you know, the pics are all blurry.  I'm mostyly disappointed because it is a beautiful stretch of river that needs to be represented justly.  Our first view of the Van Duzen from Highway 36 was promising and combined with the rain to create a positive vibe.  We followed the river up the valley,  before turning onto Van Duzen River road.  This area has a unique variety of tree species from cedars and firs to ghost pines and oaks, and we figured there must be some sort of microclimate causing the diversity.  Looking upstream at Mad River Rock on a nice day.

I have been to the Upper Van Duzen once before, paddling a much shorter stretch between the bridges along the shuttle road and was excited to return.  We drove past the second bridge and soon the road left the river and climbed through the misty forest towards Hettenshaw Vally.  The Van Duzen is unique in that its two forks are very different from each other.  The East Fork Duzen drains Hettenshaw Valley which is surrounded by relatively low-lying hills and is essentially a plateau.  The West Fork comes down from the Lassic Mountains and is much more of a mountain stream.  Here is a view of (L to R) Red Lassic, Black Lassic and Mount Lassic

We passed through Hettenshaw valley and quickly spotted Forest Road 2S17 taking off to the right where we left pavement for the first time.  Immediately we began driving through patchy snow which was fortunately soft and wet from the moist storm.  One mile later the road dropped down towards the confluence, ending at the West Fork where we put-in.  It was a beautiful spot and the trees were covered with lichen, ideal for bigfoot sightings.  "I ain't scared of no Bigfoot"

View of the West Fork at our Put-In

Photo: Wes Schrecongost

The West Fork was running a clear blue color and we enjoyed its 150 cfs through several small rapids before arriving to the East Fork confluence.  The Boys swirling around at the confluence with the East Fork

This doubled our flow and the river continued along through a beautiful small canyon section downstream.  The gradient was steep enough to keep us busy through here as the tiny river makes many twists and turns and Paul had a big green booger hanging out of his nose all day long like a second grader.  We eventually reached our first log portage, this log is totally jammed and doesn't look to be going anywhere soon.

After the addition of several large creeks it finally started to feel like we were paddling on a river.  One more logjam required another easy portage and soon we found ourselves at the V.D. road bridge where I'd put in before.  The water levels were slightly higher on this trip and it translated into a very fun continuous style with more push.  Shortly downstream from the bridge, the first rapid left us grinning.

Here is the first rapid from my previous trip, it had substantially more water the second time around.

  

Before long the swift current had carried us to the second rapid where the river also jogs slightly left.

This one is recognizable by a steep cliff on the right bank and comes shortly downstream of the first drop.

Will Setting Safety

Due to the higher flows, this drop had a nasty pocket on the right wall that should be avoided.  There is an easy scout on the left.  Downstream, the river keeps up its pace for several miles until arriving at the lower bridge.  If all you wanted was to run the best rapids, the bridge to bridge section is best.  However,  adding miles to either end of this run makes for excellent scenery and more of a full-day affair.  When the canyon opens and the road finally returns to the river there is easy access and good camping, as you are primarily on National Forest Land from here upstream.

We reached the Upper Van Duzen Valley and paddled quickly through its braided channels and occasional willow jungles.

Although this section was in a valley it generally had good gradient and before we knew it, we were right back, full circle where our mission started one month before, the put-in for the Bloody Run.  CHECK!  one river down, five to go...

Lower Van Duzen River--Grizzly Creek to Fortuna

Explore Six Rivers--Six Rivers Source to Sea Expedition

This leg of the Journey was unique in that it combined a section of river with which we are very familiar, The Grizzly Creek Run, with the Lower Van Duzen just downstream.  After another much-needed storm the Duzen was flowing at 8,000 cfs at Bridgeville and we looked forward to some big water play and easy miles to the confluence.  A low fog hung in the river canyon and it was drizzling when we put back on the Van Duzen River at Golden Gate bridge, the take-out for the Goat Rock section. 

 Immediately we were surfing waves and playing our way down class II rapids towards Grizzly Creek.  We stopped at the Grizzly Creek mouth to get some shots of the beautiful old-growth forest and the clouds parted to make for an unexpected bluebird day!

The Grizzly Creek section is classic 2 mile play run that can be a snaky class III rock garden at low water, or a class IV huge-water extravaganza after big storms.  The playboating on this section of river is fantastic and I usually paddle the whole section facing upstream, trying to catch any and all waves.  After the Willow Hole and a good playwave, you round Devil's Elbow and the real fun begins...its basically a 2 mile long rapid full of exploding waves and holes.  The river reaches a head at the Corner rapid, where a solid rapid drops around the corner with a big cliff along the right bank and landslide on the left.  Downstream from here a couple of smaller rapids remain before reaching our normal take-out at the low-water bridge site.  Here Wes exits the Corner Rapid.

Rant: At this point I would like to genuinely thank Paul Gamache, for giving me a reason to paddle all of these rivers in their entirety.  I have driven to and paddled the Grizzly Creek section close to 30 times, every time we usually do a couple of laps to make up for the short distance of the run.  Not once, however, did I think about paddling downstream from here.  Nobody ever talked about it and we pretty much assumed it was uninteresting flatwater.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Even to a youngbuck kayaker chasing the whitewater dream, rivers have more intrinsic value than simply their whitewater alone!  The major discovery of mine is that the Lower Van Duzen has some of the most amazing redwood scenery I've ever seen after 12 years of living on the coast.  There is no better way to see these trees than from the river, where the open canyon allows full views of the trees from trunk to top.  We stopped to take a break and walk through the forest at Owen Cheatham Grove.

The towering trees stand so majestically and create a unique quiet, you can hear the crunch of the soft needles beneath your feet as you walk around.  Occasionally a bird would chirp but the Redwoods literally are like a vacuum of sound.  The light was beaming through the trees creating beautiful shadows and I was stoked to be exploring a new grove of trees.  It turned out this was a filming location from Star Wars Return of the Jedi, but no Eewoks were seen.  It was a little squatchy though.

Paul realized he had left the keys to our shuttle rig at put-in and he and Wes took off to go get them.  They were picked up by the fourth car that passed, as I firmly stand by Highway 36 as the best hitchiking road I know of.  I was happy to have an excuse to hang out in the redwoods for a while longer, and so was Will who took advantage of the opportunity to get some beautiful shots.  After our extended break, we continued on downstream to more amazing scenery.

I don't know which particular Grove of Redwoods these are, but they are Magnificent!  Can't complain about the weather.

Impressive Sandstone bluffs along the Van Duzen River 

I always love being able to paddle into overhanging spots like these. 

There is no other way to describe the scenery but amazing.  When the river passes beneath huge sandstone bluffs with enormous old growth trees it makes you feel very small.  I was feeling a natural high from the en-dwarf-ines.

And suddenly the Van Duzen scenery opens up as you have left the Redwoods behind in the Van Duzen's final push toward the Eel.  The Van Duzen enters its wide floodplain with braided channels, landslides and wood hazards.  It starts to smell like cattle, as Dairy is a major livelihood in the area.

Confluence of Yager Creek downstream of Carlotta 

The finish line of sorts, Highway 101 bridge just before the Van Duzen meets the Eel.

 Paddling both the Grizzly Creek section and the lower section below it are highly recommended although I wouldn't continue past the Strong's Station area next time since the scenery drops off and there are no more good access points until the Eel.  We had lots of water and the float went very quickly, at lower water I'd expect more pools and a much longer float time.  Occasionally the river flowed towards some dangerous wood hazards, though they were mostly easily spotted and avoidable.  The abundant flows were nice and I wouldn't personally return with less than 1,000 cfs.  During the summer, however, many of these pools make for excellent swimming and the water becomes warm and clear.
On to the next river!