No , I ’m not the mischief-maker here . But the ill-famed rapid on the South Fork American River certainly lives up to its name — a swerving Class IV with a knock-down slanted wafture threatening to flip any boat that goes over it , a swift - moving hollow , and a big drop next to Gunsight Rock ( unless you ’re capable to ferry across the hole past Gunsight Rock into smoother piss ) .
All of this mean nothing to a non - canoeist , and is much more exciting explained in picture anyway !
A couple week ago , the hubby and I made a trip up to the American River for a whitewater fix . Our local river , the Kern , was os ironic this season due to gloomy snow , and we want to get our kayaks in the water supply at least a few more time before draw back them to the service department until next time of year .
The South Fork American River runs all summer long when other river are juiceless , since its flows are controlled by dam release . That mean at the close of June , the water was flowing at a very fun 1,600 cfs — mountain of water for navigating its thrilling rapid .
Last year , we did the Gorge Run ( also known as the Lower ) , a 13 - mile stretchability of Class III rapid . Not only did we win over all our friends to do it with us , but they ’d only take an intro to kayaking social class the sidereal day before . They all rocked it — the classandthe Gorge . ( As for me , I meet a rock or two on the fashion down … )
This year , we decided to do the Chili Bar Run ( also lie with as the Upper ) , which is shorter but also a bit harder . ( Even though the Lower has much more threatening - sounding rapid with names like Satan ’s Cesspool , Son of Satan , Deadman ’s Drop , and Hospital Bar . ) The Chili Bar Run is menage to Troublemaker , an S - turn rapid that rafters do n’t even blink at but kayakers scout and sometimes even portage ( a boat terminal figure for pulling over , take out , and carrying your boat past the rapid , skipping it entirely ) .
I ran into a morsel of hassle on the Chili Bar , and it was n’t even on Troublemaker . Early in the streamlet ( as in only one mile in ! ) , a lateral wave toss my kayak on the Racehorse Bend rapid . I swam for a good share of that rapid and terminate up taking a slash to my shin . It literally knocked the wind out of me but I managed to draw myself up on a bowlder , roue dripping down my shin and stage throb in pain .
The injury did n’t even look that bad , but felt a hundred times worsened . I was pretty sure I ’d contuse my shin bone , and I sat on the riverside for at least 20 minutes , trying to get my fountainhead together . After all , I was only at mile one out of eight !
Racehorse Bend is notorious for being a bad place to float , and probably the worst on the entire 20 - mile stretchability of the South Fork . It ’s shallow , full of sharp rocks and sidelong - churning wave , and continues for quite a shipway ( it felt nearly as long as the previous rapid , Meatgrinder , which lam for a quarter - mile ) .
fortunately , the next mile or two was relatively mellow and I managed to get myself together enough to start the rest of the Class III rapid swimmingly .
Toward the end of the Chili Bar , we could justfeelthe intensity of Troublemaker out front … not to mention it ’s much a carnival , with lensman perched on the rocks for opportune mo ( ahem , flips ) , innertubers from the neighboring campground lolling lazily in the Mary Baker Eddy , and kayakers and rafters park on the side , look for a show .
Will and I pull up our boats onto the cant and hiked along a small path for a expert view of the speedy . We watched a few boat blaze out through and strategized our plan of action .
From what we construe , the rafts simply power through the speedy , while the kayaks eddied out before ferry across the electric current and gliding past Gunsight Rock , avoiding the big bead to the left of it . So , that was our Plan A. But in the back of my mind , I had a Plan B in place just in type I could n’t eddy out or ferry across fast enough , and had to face the dip psyche - on .
I wanted to go first so that my butterflies would n’t get the best of me . As I made my fashion closer to the speedy , all I could think about was paddling for my life so that my kayak would n’t get suck in and under by the swirling currents .
I swiftly totter through the seam ( a change in the stream where a visible stock is moving between the faster forward current and the dull slow-witted current ) but undervalue its force . The electric current rive me into the eddy and spit me back out in seconds , sending my kayak into the froth at full accelerator . ( Do you see how nervous that miss behind me looked ? ! )
I did n’t even have metre tothinkabout ferrying across the speedy , and an inflatable kayak is n’t made for such agile maneuvering .
Once I realized Plan B was instantly in effect , I establish myself express mirth out loud — whether it was out of jitteriness or bluster , I could n’t be sure . My kayak was heading straight toward the falls , perfectly aligned between two enceinte Boulder , and I gave it my all . My only idea was produce it through the rapid without flipping , because a river patrol guy had tell me that cockcrow that you definitely did not want to go through Troublemaker upside - down .
With a few mysterious business leader strokes , I charged the bead head - on … and screamed . ( Will told me later that he ’d heard my screaming all the way upstream where he was waiting his turn ! )
As soon as I felt my kayak slightly airborne , I made a few more power strokes and blasted past the twilight , over the hole , and through the roil whitewater .
I emerged on the other side to people hootin ’ and hollerin ’ , with a huge smile on my typeface . Class IV whaaaat ? Troublemaker who ? Psh , I corrode that up for breakfast .
( And just for playfulness , one of the photographer take in this natural action successiveness of me in the rapid , which I turned into a metre - lapsing . )
