Road Trip Part 2:
Clear Creek Cali., and South Fork Umpqua Campbell Falls Section
After a great time on the Cal. Salmon we headed North towards home, but we could not pass up a trip down Upper Clear Creek! We had hooked up with Dan out of Ashland Or., to show us the lines, he had told us that the run was a fun class 4-5 classic! We were excited to check it out. After hard rains the sun popped out, we were stoked to see it after nearly continues rain over the last 3 days. We arrived at the bridge over looking a small gorge on the run. Dan had told us we could check the flows at the bridge, and when we peered down into the gorge his face lit up with a smile! "Looks like a great flow", said Dan.
As the rest of the group looked into the gorge we all were happy at what we saw. We jumped back into the van and continued upstream to the trail head. We arrived at the trail head and prepared our gear for the 1 mile hike to the river. It was a nice short hike up to a bridge crossing Clear Creek.
At the bridge we looked at the water level and what had appeared to be a nice flow now seemed to me to be a full or what I like to call fluffy! Dan took a second look at the flow and informed us that it would be juicy and probably as high as his first time down the run which was the highest he had run it! We put on and headed down to the first big section of rapids. Although Dan had been on the run a few times he didn't give us any guarantees that he remembered all the lines at this level. We approached the first rapid and eddied out. Dan told us to start left and cut right finishing on the right side. We peeled out and dropped in! I started working right and was pushed back to the the left side and over a 5 foot ledge. As I dropped over the left ledge where I wasn't supposed to be I noticed the reason why I was instructed to be on the rights side slot. A nice large pour over hole awaited my arrival. My complacency had awarded me a side surf in a big hole! I braced in the hole and struggled to work my way out. I hung on and eventually worked got out unscathed. I paddled down to the next eddy thinking to myself that I better step it up a bit. We regrouped and anxiously awaited instructions as to where the line was for the next rapid. "Start middle and work left", said Dan. Off I went following Dan, this time I was ready and had a nice line. We eddied out and looked back up just in time to see Tony flip and take a couple of nice head shots. Then came the next paddler who also flipped and took a few nice shots to the head and shoulders. Ouch I said and made the signal to confirm he was ok. He gave me the I'm ok and came down to the eddy. A bit shook up, he got his dose for the day and decided to walk out! The rest of us continued down stream and finished the run. Since we put on late and had a stout flow I concentrated on my lines instead of photos. There were to portages one around a manky rapid and the other around a flume style rapid into a huge hole. The first of the two was definitely runnable at the flow we had. Because of the high flows we started our portage an eddy above the normal one. The normal eddy looked a little risky. This made the portage longer and required us to rope the boats and do a little tricky foot work on the cliff. Total portage time was around 30min. After the portage the run continued to dish up nice read and ru rapids! We made our way down towards the final gorge with no problems! The finale gorge was also a bit intimidating. The only possible place to scout was on river left above the rapid. It was also not easily portageable according to Dan and I would have to agree. However this is an awesome rapid, despite its intimidating looks at these flows. The entrance was kind of a sliding ramp that lead paddlers down through a hole, some mank and then into a large horizon line. After the large horizon line we could see more stout runout and then a pool. This gorge was one that you just need to look at the line, then run it. No need to look too long! The gorge marks the end of the run and I would say it goes out with a bang!
After Clear Creek we headed back towards Ashland and toward P-Town. The next day we made our way south to the S. F. Umpqua where we ran a section from S.F. Falls down to Campbell Falls. This run is kind of a novelty run. A few big easy drops with not much else. I will say that this is a very scenic area and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
This section of the S. Umpqua has two waterfalls, a ledge, and a sliding falls/rapid. Not super hard, but fun and with low consequences. Paddlers put-in a S.F. Falls (pictured above) park.
Peering into the gorge below from the bridge
As the rest of the group looked into the gorge we all were happy at what we saw. We jumped back into the van and continued upstream to the trail head. We arrived at the trail head and prepared our gear for the 1 mile hike to the river. It was a nice short hike up to a bridge crossing Clear Creek. The Put-In
At the bridge we looked at the water level and what had appeared to be a nice flow now seemed to me to be a full or what I like to call fluffy! Dan took a second look at the flow and informed us that it would be juicy and probably as high as his first time down the run which was the highest he had run it! We put on and headed down to the first big section of rapids. Although Dan had been on the run a few times he didn't give us any guarantees that he remembered all the lines at this level. We approached the first rapid and eddied out. Dan told us to start left and cut right finishing on the right side. We peeled out and dropped in! I started working right and was pushed back to the the left side and over a 5 foot ledge. As I dropped over the left ledge where I wasn't supposed to be I noticed the reason why I was instructed to be on the rights side slot. A nice large pour over hole awaited my arrival. My complacency had awarded me a side surf in a big hole! I braced in the hole and struggled to work my way out. I hung on and eventually worked got out unscathed. I paddled down to the next eddy thinking to myself that I better step it up a bit. We regrouped and anxiously awaited instructions as to where the line was for the next rapid. "Start middle and work left", said Dan. Off I went following Dan, this time I was ready and had a nice line. We eddied out and looked back up just in time to see Tony flip and take a couple of nice head shots. Then came the next paddler who also flipped and took a few nice shots to the head and shoulders. Ouch I said and made the signal to confirm he was ok. He gave me the I'm ok and came down to the eddy. A bit shook up, he got his dose for the day and decided to walk out! The rest of us continued down stream and finished the run. Since we put on late and had a stout flow I concentrated on my lines instead of photos. There were to portages one around a manky rapid and the other around a flume style rapid into a huge hole. The first of the two was definitely runnable at the flow we had. Because of the high flows we started our portage an eddy above the normal one. The normal eddy looked a little risky. This made the portage longer and required us to rope the boats and do a little tricky foot work on the cliff. Total portage time was around 30min. After the portage the run continued to dish up nice read and ru rapids! We made our way down towards the final gorge with no problems! The finale gorge was also a bit intimidating. The only possible place to scout was on river left above the rapid. It was also not easily portageable according to Dan and I would have to agree. However this is an awesome rapid, despite its intimidating looks at these flows. The entrance was kind of a sliding ramp that lead paddlers down through a hole, some mank and then into a large horizon line. After the large horizon line we could see more stout runout and then a pool. This gorge was one that you just need to look at the line, then run it. No need to look too long! The gorge marks the end of the run and I would say it goes out with a bang!After Clear Creek we headed back towards Ashland and toward P-Town. The next day we made our way south to the S. F. Umpqua where we ran a section from S.F. Falls down to Campbell Falls. This run is kind of a novelty run. A few big easy drops with not much else. I will say that this is a very scenic area and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
S.F. Falls South Umpqua R.
This section of the S. Umpqua has two waterfalls, a ledge, and a sliding falls/rapid. Not super hard, but fun and with low consequences. Paddlers put-in a S.F. Falls (pictured above) park.Me at S.F. Falls
Christie S.F. Falls
Tye O. 
One of the 4 rapids on this run Christie G.
The Slide Allan S.
Tye gett'n surfed at the slide
The final falls on the run is Campbell Falls. It is very straight froward and has at least two lines and maybe 3. The take-out is just down stream at the next campground on river right.
Campbell Falls
Me at Campbell Falls
Allan at Campbell Falls
The Slide Allan S.
Tye gett'n surfed at the slide
The final falls on the run is Campbell Falls. It is very straight froward and has at least two lines and maybe 3. The take-out is just down stream at the next campground on river right.
Campbell Falls
Me at Campbell Falls
Allan at Campbell Falls
Till next time!
