Eel River Van Arsdale to Dos Rios--Six Rivers Source to Sea Expedition

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Explore Six Rivers

 In order to keep our momentum and take advantage of another wet storm the Explore Six Rivers Team decided to head south and catch a spill from Van Arsdale Reservior.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Upper Eel River, check out The Friends of the Eel River Website.  They also have a great link with info about the Potter Valley Project and its ecological effects, forming a total barrier for imperiled Salmon populations that historically spawned in the Tributaries above Lake Pillsbury.

Lichen covered Oak Trees surrounding Lake Pillsbury

Van Arsdale Reservior is created by Cape Horn Dam and is the second of two dams on the Eel.  The first is Scott Dam, forming Lake Pillsury.  Both of these dams are a part of the Potter Valley Project, owned and operated by PG+E which is the second largest water diversion we will encounter on our Six Rivers Expedition behind the Trinity River.  I don't think they produce power at Lake Pillsbury and it functions primarily as a water storage for diversions to the Russian River watershed via. the 

Potter Valley Project.  

Cape Horn Dam and Van Arsdale Reservior 

Because of the "need" to keep Lake Pillsbury full, and because of the unusually dry winter, this was only the third time this winter that a runnable flow level has passed Van Arsdale.  The last time we had checked the Eel River at Van Arsdale Gauge at put-in at 4 in the morning the river was about 1,500 cfs, although an extremely wet storm had just dropped up to 3" in some of the surrounding hills and the river quickly began to grow in volume.  By the time we arrived the flow was steadily increasing and it felt like way more than 1,500.  Turns out it was more like 3,000 cfs.

Because of the water diversions, during the summer only 5 cfs is passed down the Eel River beyond Van Arsdale.  The result is water too warm for native juvenile Salmon.  The unnaturally low flow has also resulted in many willows and alder trees growing into the riverbed.  To be honest, however, at our flow there were a couple of bad spots in the first couple miles downstream but then it cleaned up quite nicely.

 I knew this would be a factor that could potentially hamper our downstream progress--we were hoping to paddle 37 miles all the way to Dos Rios at the Middle Fork Confluence.  As such we intended to leave town early meeting up at 5:00 am to accomplish our goal.  5:00 came and I was stoked to see Victoria and Matt all bright and shiny, Paul arrived and we began gathering our equipment.  Our buddy Wes, who is always down to boat and usually on it, was nowhere to be seen.  Upon calling we discovered he was still in bed.  No problem, we all made another round of coffee and hung out watching Paul's helmet cam footy from the Milk Drop on the Lower Mad River.  Before we knew it Wes arrived with Will in tow and we were loaded and on the way.  Victoria and Wes drove for what was guaranteed to be a long shuttle and a long day.  We met up at a gas station in south Eureka for Aztec Breakfast burritos, and Matt suddenly realized he had forgotten his drysuit and had to return to Arcata for it.  No problems, such has been the way of the six rivers expedition thus far...that's why we meet at 5, right?

On our shuttle drive down to Dos Rios and back, we passed another group of floaters!  Honking our horn and waving we were stoked to see the first group of paddlers on the river since we had started out the Six Rivers Expedition.  After a beautiful, albeit long shuttle drive through Willits, up highway 20 and then through Potter Valley and over the pass to Van Arsdale we arrived at a nice and easy put-in below the almost-runnable dam.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Then we were off kayaking through the willow jungles of the Eel, the water was a silty blue and the clouds were parting to make for a beautiful day.  We charged downstream and found that the addition of tributaries caused the riverbed to clean up more quickly than we anticipated.  Before we knew it we were past the willowy stuff and enjoying some quality whitewater in a roadless canyon.

Photo: Paul Gamache

The geology was interesting sandstone bedrock mixed with some peridotite looking boulders and a nice forest lined the banks dominated by oak and grey pine.  A couple of large creeks came in from the right bank, adding to our level.  I was looking forward to the Tomki Creek confluence as I have never paddled it and figured it would contribute significantly to the flow.  Tomki added perhaps another 500 cfs and the recession lines on the sandy beaches downstream indicated that we were riding at perhaps the peak of the flow spike.  Downstream the Eel continued through a nice canyon with occasional class II and III rapids.

Eventually we arrived at one such rapid with a good boof that I crashed through.  The hole seemed a little sticky and I windmilled a few strokes to get through it.  Looking upstream I got to see Paul launch into it and get stuck, clocking a solid 25 second ride or more before he freed himself from the hole.  We were all laughing at the thought of Paul swimming in a class II.  Paul's Hole marked the beginning of an awesome section of continuous class II-III that continued for almost a mile.

Making good time with the additional flow we played our way downstream with many great features and soon arrived at the beginning of the Hearst Valley.  After some brief Wiki-research, Hearst is named after the senator George Hearst, and doesn't seem to have any connection to the Hearst section of the McCloud River, though I could be wrong.  This was also formerly known as Travelers Home, and I can see why.  We were quickly floating through one of the most beautiful valley scenes I have witnessed complete with snowy mountain scenery courtesy of Sanhedrin Mountain.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Before long we were passing the bridge and entering the 18 mile Hearst section of the Eel.  I was excited to paddle this section with high hopes for a potential addition to my guidebook-in-progress.    We passed a house at the downstream end of Hearst with a whitewater kayak outside and were stoked it is a rarity in these parts.  At this point we had already covered 12 miles but still had another 25 to go. 

Photo: Paul Gamache

 No worries, though, the flows at Dos Rios were 12,000 and rising the last time we had checked so we figured our pace would continue to increase.  The Hearst section started with some fun drops and several playspots and our high spirited group continued to have a great time.  Suddenly the geology shifted to some very interesting bedrock that formed strange spires that seemed to erupt through the murky water.  It is some of the most unique and stunning scenery through which I have ever paddled and combined with the unforeseen sunny day (it was forecasted for rain and snow) the stoke level was high.

  

We passed one final property and mountainous view as we had quickly arrived to the notorious "Ramsing Corner" Rapid.  I told the crew the story about the crazy notorious landowner, Mr. Ramsing who used to yell at, and threaten to shoot, floaters who attempted to scout the rapid on his prop-er-tie along the right bank.  Right away we were giggling and decided to take a break in the sun for lunch.

The river makes a 180-degree bend around Ramsing Corner

Photo: Paul Gamache

The Six Rivers Posse, on the rocks

Photo: Paul Gamache

Its amazing all of the places this mission has taken us so far and I have no regrets for paddling any of the "flatwater" sections of the northcoast that have escaped my attention to date.  We continued downstream through an awesome section of river that constricted through monstrous boulders in an awesome class II stretch reminiscent of my childhood runs down 'Swirly Canyon' on the South Fork of the Payette River.  This was some quality river and the whole crew was in awe.

  The river was quite large and we had covered many miles at this point, knowing that the Outlet Creek confluence must be getting close.  

The abundance of play spots continued, here Paul shows you how they used to do it before cellphones.

Eventually the pace slackened somewhat and we found ourselves paddling mellow water, though some more large tributaries continued to add flow and excellent play features appeared in nearly every class II rapid.  We took another quick break and before we knew it the river was speeding up again.

Victoria with her signature smile.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Time on the Water

Photo: Paul Gamache

Then we arrived at The V-Hole, an excellent training boof that I launched through, telling the crew it was good to go...because it is.  All the boys, including myself, had to paddle hard to escape the backwash after we boofed it, because it was a sticky hole.  Then we waited for a minute because Victoria happened to be in the back of the crew for once.  We gave her the boof signal and she approached it full steam ahead.  This was really funny because merely miles upstream Victoria was quoted asking "what's the difference between a wave and a hole".  Sorry V, I guess sometimes you learn the hard way (with Paul G and his helmet cam directly next to you)

Then we came around the corner to see the Highway 162 bridge, and the aforementioned crew of paddlers taking out, it was our first real paddler sighting yet.  They turned out to be the folks with the kayak we saw, who live in Hearst and paddle the section with regularity.  After parting ways we paddled downstream to the confluence with Outlet Creek.

Photo: Paul Gamache

 Clarification, Outlet Creek drains Willits...the Outlet Creek Run is actually on the Main Eel, starting at the confluence with Outlet Creek and continuing to the Middle Fork Eel confluence.  Outlet Creek can also be paddled but is referred to as "Outlet Creek Proper".  Confused yet?  Don't blame me it's the old-schoolers fault, but if you live in Willits and say lets go paddle "Outlet tomorrow", the chances are you're referring to the Main Eel below the Outlet Creek confluence.  Reason Why?  Its awesome!

Photo: Paul Gamache

I tried to get some friends of mine to help with our shuttle attempting to bait them with "you can paddle laps of the Outlet Creek run while we do our 'mission' thing".  I kinda felt that guilt that you always feel when you ask a friend to help you with shuttle "but you could join us for your final lap", I said.  Several friends I talked to had never done this stretch and seemed generally uninterested.  I wonder what forces of the earth have caused the Eel to get such an overlooked and undesirable reputation and general disinterest.  Our crew, however, looked forward to this section as the cherry on top of our long day.  The first rapid down from the bridge continued into the sunshine and was one big = er.

Photo: Paul Gamache

Will and I, both having paddling roots in Idaho, felt right at home.  I may as well have been in Chair Creek Rapid on the Main Salmon River at 13,000 Cfs.  Then, what do you know it, there were some awesome playwaves too!

Photo: Paul Gamache

And some more great rapids led us to the dramatic Middle Fork Eel confluence where the river becomes immense.  At our triumphant take-out downstream we had checked off another 38 miles of the Eel.  While doing our shuttle a friendly local welcomed us into his home by the fire and we felt truly gifted to have experienced such a wonderful day of paddling on a river none of us had paddled or had a good idea of what to expect.  The whole run was great, the Hearst section was awesome and the Outlet Creek Run was "the best play run I've paddled in the Northcoast" --Will Parham.

Photo: Paul Gamache

North Fork Cottonwood Creek

Wow!
I recommend getting on this run ASAP, before this ever-giving spring (2010) subsides.  However, clandestine and commando kayaker tactics will be essential to continued access to this run.  North Cottonwood is among the most unique creek runs I have ever paddled, and at flows of ~525 cfs, it is a must-run classic.  After an early start from Arcata, and long drive, we made it to take-out in Ono at approx. 11:00 A.M.  This is god's country, with the sweet green grass and flowers a bloomin'.  The mini-mule farm on the shuttle road only reinforces the fact that curious looking green and red boats on top of a subaru are indeed auspicious in these parts.  In accordance, my buddy J.R. prayed for perfect flows, and supple breast-like rock formations.
But that's beside the point, especially if you manage to make the right turn (left) onto Sunny Hill road, which will take you to the correct put-in.  We, however, arrived at the terminus of Rainbow Lake road, and were fortunate enough to meet an informative local who told us we were about to put-in above an 80' dam in a box-canyon that might make a difficult portage...we quickly decided this wasn't in the run description we had read and headed for the lower put-in.  Extra-special thanks to this guy (who wasn't "that guy").  More potential exists at this upper put-in, but we weren't looking for anything extra.
After re-routing, we arrived at the correct put-in approx. 12:00 and still needed to run a shuttle.  The flow looked absolutely perfect, with surf-able looking waves at put-in.  12:30 came round and the crew was on the water.  The first rapid comes quickly on a left-hand bend, drops into a crack, and had a somewhat backed up hole with a log in it.  This may have been the only wood hazard on the entire run.  Some sketchy lines through here set the tone for our day, as the team fell into our boat-scouting and communication groove.

The run has an excellent feel at 500 cfs, with class III-IV drops carrying you along between the big stuff.  A mini-gorge rapid with a log-duck tested our teams communication skills, though good eddies exist above the log-pinch.

Another sweet rapid with a sticky hole came on a left-hand bend downstream.  Matt Porter showing how its done.

The first major rapid comes shortly thereafter as you begin to drop into an obvious gorge.  We sent Martin (probe jr.) first, and he informed us that this was indeed the first sticky hole referred to in Darin's blog.  He communicated a center boof with right momentum was the line, and we all charged it blind.  At our flows, it was indeed a 6-8' drop, with a sticky hole at the bottom. Several plugs, a couple flips and one back-ender later we were all sitting in the pool at the bottom, stoked.

Eventually you get into some granitic rock, this marks the beginning of the Shon's Crack section.  First, we portaged a crack drop that Shon has run.

Then we ran part of the non-stop rapid that ends with a falls into a crack that Shon has also run.  This second drop was a challenging portage, requiring us to run a lead-in rapid and catch a small eddy on the right. There is no good eddy above this falls, just rapids.  We all agreed that this is a runnable drop, and it looked sick.  I'm sure Martin will have the same regrets as me looking at this picture, until next time...

This marks the confluence with Jerusalem Creek, meaning you are approx. halfway through the big drops on this section.  Jerusalem Creek looks badass, and adds plenty of flow.  Downstream, fun rapids continue until you arrive at the sliding-pillow falls.

This was probably the most fun drop in my opinion, with a lead-in rapid bringing you to the final 10' drop that slides into a sizable pillow, then drops through a bottom hole.  We all ran this left with no consequence...well, almost no consequence.

Next thing you know we're out scouting the Big Kahuna, the perfect 20 footer.  This took approx  half and hour.  The left line was a sweet plug line, with a more technical boof line on the right.  Matt Porter got tired of waiting and fired it off with a sweet line down the right, fighting his way out of the hole at the bottom.  Sweet line after sweet line, we were all stoked to have run the falls.  Martin runs right.

And Melissa runs left

The view Downstream

Downstream was a sweet sliding drop through hydraulically-mined conglomerate bedrock.

  Some more  rapids brought you to the possible river access at gas point road on the right.  This is also the location of the final portage falls, into a crack.  The eddy above this falls was extremely difficult and sketchy to catch at our flows.  We had J.R. go first and then be the "catcher".

The problem was a small tree sticking out of the bank right in our way.  This falls also looked to have a runnable line, but none of us were takers.

The paddle-out was thoroughly enjoyable, though it would suck at lower flows.  We were amazed at the hundreds of surf holes and waves created by the never-ending sandstone ledges.  There were many low-angle slides and sharp bedrock shelves to scrape on, but at 500 cfs they were mostly covered.

In fact, the run doesn't let up as the gradient is fairly continuous with a fun mini-gorge section to boot.  There are some very cool cliffs exposed where you can see the tilted sandstone layers.  I'm guessing these are deposits from when the central valley used to be an enormous inland sea during the pleistocene? age.  Upon our arrival at take-out, we generated our strategy.  The shuttle drivers (me & Martin) took off to our vehicle parked at the Ono grange building, 1/4 mile away.  The remaining crew trolled around under the bridge until we returned, and upon our return attempted to make a somewhat hasty departure (not really).  Maybe we just hit it on the perfect day, with perfect flows and sunny weather, but we all agreed this to be a run we wish to paddle again.

Shuttle is easy, just drive up Rainbow Lake road approx. 5 miles, and past the mini-mule farm until you reach Sunny Hill road on the left.  Take this road all the way to the end.  The creek should have some small surfable waves at the put-in.  The run took us approx. four and a half hours.  Did I say no consequences?

 

North Fork Trinity River

The North Trinity is still one of the steepest and most difficult runs in the Northern California mountains.  Reliable spring flows, classic rapids, spectacular wilderness scenery and emerald green water combine to make this one of my favorite runs.  Around the corner from put-in, the river starts dropping out in its push towards the Trinity.  Much of this section is visible from the shuttle road, high above—it’s much bigger than it looks from the road. Here is a short video of the North Fork Trinity

Limestone Ridge from Hobo Gulch Rd.

The first two miles pack in the fun drops, with a very continuous and steep nature.  The stand-out rapids are the first one (which has a nasty log in it) and the island drop.  When the river splits, and the left channel is clogged by a large log, take the smaller right channel.  Eddy out, and clamber down the island to scout. 

  

Chris Zawacki styles the First Drop at lower flows (500 cfs).

Paul Fritze boofing the next drop

After the initial 2-mile steep section which contains many ledge drops in steep boulder gardens, the river backs off for a while.  One rapid of note is a pinched out flume with a tricky seam.  This drop can sneak up on you as there are no large eddies above the tricky horizon line.

Fritze styles the Pinch

After this you reach paradise gorge.  Within this beautiful mini-gorge lurks one particularly sticky hole, that would be a rough surf.  Be sure and boof hard.

View from inside paradise gorge

Lunch Break below paradise gorge

Purple Lewisia Succulent, Endemic to Trinity Alps

Once through this gorge, you will be at the Cabin of Gaines Horn, who runs a business with his wife Karen making "climbing jewelry", and other fascinating trinkets.  The cabins are very beautiful and could be used as an emergency exit point (or put-in), as a trail leads back to the road here.  However please respect the private property by not stopping here unless it is necessary.  If you happen to see the landowners, they are very nice people, say hi to them for me.  Here is a link to their website and Karen's blog

http://www.ruggedcanyonjewelry.com/

Paul Fritze checking out the climbing jewelry

Fascinating Micro-hydro power generator

Many fun rapids are interspersed throughout the middle section.  Most are short, steep drops into powerful hydraulics.  There are also a couple of fun mini-gorges with sticky holes lurking around to keep you on your toes.  One of these we call "party time", though it really should be "scary time", after having three simultaneous swimmers out of one hole.  We boat-scouted directly into this drop, and had marginal success, with about 40% of our crew stuck.  Orion got the worst treatment, he describes being pinned upside down underwater, his wedged between his boat and an undercut rock with the current holding him in place.  Fortunately he was able to muscle his way out of the boat, which remained pinned after he exited.  Be careful not to blunder into this rapid on the left, an eddy and easy boof line are on the right side.  

Extricating Orion's Boat from "Party Time"

Beautiful wild azalea lines the banks

The river calms down for a while, and another access point exists, where there the Waldorf Crossing trail heads back to the shuttle road on river left.  This spot is recognizable where a small creek tumbles down a bedrock shelf into the river on the right.  Downstream you reach Mr. Squiggles…a classic drop where the river falls 8 feet into a crack, scout left and boof hard right.

Ben York airing out his boof at Mr. Squiggles

Miguel spawning

The final gorge contains several classic drops as well.  Of particular note is Leap of Faith—an 8 foot boof into a very sticky hole.  Even at 500 cfs I’ve been violently cartwheeled in this drop.  Portaging and scouting this drop can be very difficult due to the vertical canyon walls—be careful to set safety here as Arn’s Falls is just downstream.

Looking back up at the Leap of Faith

The left side of Arn's is a hideous sieved out cataract, the right has a classic line that collected a log several years ago making it unrunnable.  The portage on the right can be tricky, and this year we were putting in our boats in a small eddy on the right and paddling the last two drops. The portage route is along the cliff on river right…high water can make this portage much more intimidating.  Below here, fun rapids continue all the way to the take-out.

Looking Down Arn's Falls

John Warner running Arn's Falls

Beware of high water on the North Trinity, I wouldn't recommend paddling it with more than 1,200-1,500 cfs unless you are very comfortable in big water.  500 cfs should be considered the minimum.  The shuttle is rather simple, to get to take out turn at the sign for Helena, about 5 miles west of Junction City and drive about 1.5 miles to the take-out bridge.  To reach put-in continue up this road for about 3 miles to where the marked Hobo Gulch road veers off to the left.  Continue for 15 miles to the Hobo Gulch campground.  This road can be snowed in during winter, though it usually opens up during march or april. 

The boys payin' some dues after a rough day on the North Trin