North Fork Smith River Headwaters

This run was definitely not on my radar.  My motivation to run something new however, caught my interest immediately upon talking to J.R.  He was the brains of the operation, and had already roped Bearfoot Brad, potentially the worlds most weathered shuttle driver into aiding our mission.  Allow me a minute to plug Brad's Shuttle service on the Smith River.  Brad is a virtual black hole for knowledge about the Smith River; he absorbs all and will tell you as much as you are willing to ask...Be careful, the stories are all true!  He takes shuttle driving to a whole new level, tricking out his truck to maintain the shuttle road, and exhuming the courage and willingness to drive shuttle that you wish your girlfriend had.

According to Brad, it had been approximately 5 years since he took a crew to the Upper N.F.  Apparently they got separated and wound up hiking through wilderness in the dark.  This I tried to laugh about on our drive to put-in, but you can't help but wonder.  After leaving Gasquet at close to 11:00 A.M. our drive took us to the Ray's in Smith River where Wes purchased a delicious cut of Tri-tip off the BBQ outside and I was lucky enough to find some granola bars (past their expiration date).  The place was a total madhouse...there was about 75 random kids and all their parents in attendance for a planned 'easter egg hunt'.  Free coca-cola for everyone!  I must admit, beer in hand, I felt a little out of place.

But then we were gone like a whirlwind, and driving up the Winchuck River Rd.  It was a beautiful drive through unfamiliar territory, where the pretty girl (she was pretty) seemed to be impressed with Wes' large truck.  We averted the potential situation and continued up the road unabated, for we were on a mission.  It turns out the Upper NF shuttle road is actually lower than the normal put-in road.  We were able to follow our map and turn onto the proper road (290), and were immediately driving through overhanging bushes and trees weighted down with 6-inches of snow.  After a couple of miles of this we reached an impassable fork close to 2-miles from the river.  It began to snow as we declared this the put-in and geared up quickly.

After a mile hike down the road, we reached its terminal end.  

Unable to find any real trail, we dropped into a gully on the right that proved to be fairly easy going.  It was steep and woody for about 1/2 mile until we reached a flat spot and the river.  The forest was completely old-growth virgin, enormous douglas-fir trees, hemlocks, port-oroford cedars and possibly redwood.  We devoured the tri-tip, and put-on probably close to 2:30.  The run was entirely the opposite of the standard North Smith Run, with beautiful healthy forests on both banks and smooth dark mudstone rocks.

This section felt more like the middle fork run above siskiyou gorge, though not quite as difficult, and with more wood.

In all, we portaged about 4 times due to wood, but had another 8 log ducks or so.  Our level was ideal for ducking wood, without being too low.  The river grew in size gradually, and passed through 3 separate gradient sections before its meeting with Baldface Creek.  One of these had a sweet bedrock pinch with several ledge drops and mellow holes.

  I had been waiting and waiting for the Chrome Creek confluence, though we passed it without making any visual contact.  I did notice a sudden increase in water, and mile or so later we reached a large horizon line.  No time for pictures, we charged through the best and longest rapid of the entire run, a big and sweet class IV.  Upon our arrival at Baldface Creek we stopped for a well-needed break.  Baldface creek was easily larger than the North Smith at the confluence.

Cold times call for cold beers...Baldface coming in on the right side of the frame

Below here the character of the run changes completely and assumes the standard N.F. feel for the remaining couple of miles.  Props to Brad for coming through, waiting at Major Moores...good trip

East Fork Trinity: Mumbo Cr. to Lake

We paddled this run on April 24, 2009 when the Trinity was flowing 1,000 cfs above Coffee cr.  We all felt it was the perfect level for class IV boaters yet had some serious potential for big water play at higher flows (Lochsa style).  This run can also be rafted (experts only).   Right off the bat the river drops through a steeper section of gradient, followed by a very fun bedrock drop.  After this it backs off for awhile, though it maintains a constant gradient throughout (in upper Trinity fashion) beautiful cedars line the banks.

Occasional larger drops are peppered throughout the run.  There are two memorable drops in this middle section, one that funnels into a large hole, and another steep rock garden.

Towards the end of the run is a 1/4 mile gorge gorge, signaled by an old dam.  This is the best part of the run, and feels like the Feather River drainage with beautiful granite and a mini-gorge-chunk style.  It was class IV+ at our flows, but develops into class V material at high water.  The best scout and portage seemed to be on the right, though an eddy exists on the left after the Dam Rapid.

  The Crux is next, which split around a huge rock at our flow.  The right was a boily, backed up hole, with the left side offering a perfect boof banking off of a pillow.  Lining a raft through here wouldn't be an option at flows much higher than ours.

  Two more quick drops brings you out of the gorge.  It would be wise to scout this entire gorge before dropping in.

After the gorge class III-IV rapids continue all the way to take out including one very fun low-angle bedrock slide.

This run is worth doing and deserves some attention.  Mumbo Creek and some of the other Tributaries offer additional paddling opportunities making this a worthwhile place to spend a weekend in springtime.  Rumor has it that a shuttle route exists on the East side of the river, significantly shorter than driving over Ramshorn Rd.  This misses the first rapids, but still puts you above the best stuff.  There is also excellent camping at take-out, just downstream from the bridge where the East Fork meets Trinity Lake.  2010 should be an excellent year as Mumbo Basin has received ample amounts of snow (42.5 inches snow-water content as of March 16).

Swift Creek Gorge

This is a classic run that flows later in the spring and always leaves you stoked.  I have heard it compared to Vallecito Creek in Colorado for its high quality and easy access.  Once the flow on the Trinity Above Coffee Creek drops down to the 500 cfs range, Swift Creek is on the verge of being in.  High water, however, makes for some scary hydraulics within this tight notch, and eliminates the eddy above "The Elbow Cruncher" portage.  Usually, the 300 cfs range on the Trinity gauge is a more managable flow for most people.  At higher water, though the gorge is not reccomended, the rest of the creek becomes a kick in the pants, and is runnable all the way down to Trinity Center.  The hike-in and paddle are short enough that we have done this as an after-work run, leaving Weaverville at 5:30.

The swift Creek trail is heavily used and a very nice trail, keep an eye out for the carnivorous pitcher plants and ladyslipper orchids.  

After 3/4 mile of hiking, the gorge will come into view, and should be scouted in its entirety before dropping in.  The ruggedness of the gorge will be immediately obvious, as exit would be extremely difficult and dangerous.  Be extra careful to check the eddy below the 20 footer, and immediately above the portage.  If you don't feel comfortable with catching the eddy, you shouldn't be dropping in. 

Looking down the lip of the 20 with the eddy (right) and Elbow Cruncher (left)

Keep going up the trail and put-in below the bridge at an obvious campsite.  There are several boulder gardens to warm-up, they are usually pretty chunky, as the flows should be low for the gorge.  The first falls into the gorge has a nasty recirculating hole feeding into a cave behind it.  Be careful with this drop, especially at higher flows.  

The next rapid is mank, with wood in it.  If you run the first falls, eddy out left and portage across this log.  

Damon Goodman keeping his balance

Below the mank portage, is the crux 20 footer with the mandatory eddy.  Right angle is mandatory coming off the drop, but the landing is green if you boof too hard right.  I prefer to roll off the drop without so much as a stroke, just maintaining a right angle.  The portage has been run, it is a slide into a crack, but not quite tempting enough for me.  

Damon Goodman - Speed Blur

Orion dropping the 20 during a thunderstorm

Two more fun drops lead you to the final falls, exiting the gorge.  This is run hard left, against the wall, and with slight left momentum to carry you away from the shelf bottom right.  This one is definitely a plugger, and can also be a chunker as the flows get lower.  If you have all day, this is where you get out and hike back to the top for laps on the gorge.  

Bigfoot guide Chris drops the Final Falls

The paddle out is more steep boulder gardens and a small section of hydraulically mined bedrock with small slides and sticky holes.  Check your take-out on the hike-in, I prefer to exit the creek where there is a large boulder on the left next to a bigger drop. 

Here is a short Video of Swift Gorge and the nearby Bridge Creek