Well, freedom for Crain, just another week of searching for work for me.
The Eel River is one that’s been on my list for a few years now. It’s a 53 mile Class III wilderness run, right here in our back yard. The put-in is just 3 hours North and the float takes you almost directly North from Mendocino into Humboldt (careful not to stray too far from the river – if the poison oak doesn’t get you the illegal pot farmers might). The fortunate and unfortunate thing about the river is that it is just a winter/spring float that you have to hit after a spike in flow from one of our winter storms. Most guidebooks recommend floating it between 2k and 10k, but when the rains come, the thing spikes well past 50k and on some occasions past 100k. Following storms the river drops pretty quickly from the torrent that it becomes to a manageable flow, then right past there to a trickle. So, hitting it right takes a little bit of luck and some last minute & flexible planning. Getting it with 70 degree sunny days is more or less a gift from the river gods.
Crain and I watched the storms & weather and decided to give it a go. Coming into our time-frame, flows were still up in the mid-teens (dropping from a 60k pulse on the 29th), and we were definitely a bit nervous to tackle a new river that was flowing brown and cold from bank to bank. We put on at 11k – our first day was a mellow one and nerves were calmed before we dropped into the canyon for the fun, big waves & handful of Class III rapids. At our flow, many of the rapids were washed out, and new ones that weren’t mentioned in our research appeared. It will be fun to get back and see it closer to 2k, and maybe even try it up a bit more, just below 20k. Camp spots just got better and better as we dropped into the river, and the scenery was nothing short of spectacular the whole way as we floated through N. Cal ranch land.
Built in the early 1900’s, a Northwest Pacific Rail line ran up and down the river corridor for 90 years – the line was built primarily for redwood logging but also used as a passenger route. In the quite wilderness section we were on, countless train accidents occurred from different floods
and washouts, the carnage has been left to nature to deal with. The rail through the Main Stem Eel officially ceased use in the 90’s, and though there is debris scattered, it’s pretty amazing to see what nature has done in just 20 years to reclaim the river valley – shredding train cars, and washing out full sections of track. Proof that, in the end, while we will definitely leave our scars, nature will win.
A very worthy river trip just a hop-skip from SF, but takes some last minute planning and a good amount of luck. Look forward to getting back there again another year.
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| Crain taking a break during the LONG haul of rigging – see boats all the way down there... |
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| Loaded up and ready to push off at put-in – on the Middle Fork Eel in Dos Rios, CA |
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| Crain in his happy place |
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| Nature reclaiming the railway |
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| Landslides up and down the corridor covered up tunnels |
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Looking at some of our first turbulent water
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| Checking out the old, abandoned track |
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| Nice little lunch spot – Eel river running high and brown |
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| Lined up in the slot |
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| Just a couple of happy dudes on the river |
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| Crain getting healthy on the river |
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| His & his meals – a little compromise for the cleanse |
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| Drying off from the rain after our first night – at Spy Rock |
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| Fortunately the previous inhabitants to our camp didn't return while we were there |
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| Oars sunk in to push through |
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| Taking a little water on in some tail waves |
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| Back on the river & passing box cars |
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| Crain playing in some bigger water |
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| And getting covered up |
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| Drying out at lunch at the North Fork |
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| Riding a few playful waves |
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| And even a few over-the-bow splashes |
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| Getting cleaned in the 45+ degree water |
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| Camp spot for night two among some huge boulders |
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| Not a bad cleanse if you can crush guac... |
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| Sleeping out, well, under a huge overhanging ledge |
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| Another 'cleanse' meal |
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| Light dropping on the rio |
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| Evening fire lights up our shelter |
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| Boats beached above Island Mountain Falls for our scout |
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| First view of Island Mountain Falls – Class III+ |
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| The crux move caused a little debating |
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| Crain navigates the middle move in Island Mountain |
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Me taking the v out the tail of Island Mountain Falls
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| Passanger car sits just above high water at Island Mountain Peninsula |
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| Crain getting splashy |
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| Crain putting his bow in a little hole |
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| His view the other way around |
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| Me following closely behind |
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| Gorgeous spot for camp at Pipe Creek |
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| Doms game on the precipice – a lucky spot for me |
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| About to score at the confluence |
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| Crain on the one-two's |
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| Tending fire a mere stones throw from the river |
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| Blue sky and wispy clouds as the sun drops |
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| Spiked tea-time by the fire |
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| Doing our best to represent TS in the outdoors |
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| Rocking and rolling in one of our last rapids |
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| About to get a little wet |
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| Some splashy water with some nice weather |
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| Beach games for our 70 degree afternoon |
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| Is the toss enough? |
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| Sandstake 17 court – some good lie's for the red team |
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| Crain, man of the river |
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| Getting settled in for evening four around the fire |
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| Boats secured up in our final camp |
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| Stoked after a great trip on a new river |
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| Hit the flow just right in our first go at the Main Stem Eel |
