Far Northern California - Cal Salmon & Smith.

After a brief tour through Colorado, we arrived in California to find the rivers raging high. We got a few runs on the Edwards to Purdon's stretch of the South Yuba at a variety of nice flows and caught the Slab Creek section of the South Fork American, which also seldom runs. With levels so high, we realized that a few runs we've always wanted to see in the far north of the state which usually run much earlier in the year would be going at good flows. Figuring this was our best chance to check out something new, we motored north to check out the Smith and Cal-Salmon.

We drove up through the Trinity Valley, taking in the beauty there, and then on to Arcata where we had some lunch and laundry. Moving further north, we drove into the Redwoods and along the coast to Crescent City, drove up the Smith a bit, and found a campsite by the South Fork of the Smith.

Peeling out onto a glowing aquatic magic carpet.

When we awoke the next day, we were greeted with a glowing opalescent river rushing through a shallow canyon of dark rock. Huge firs and pines towered above, with the occasional giant redwood tree looming tall above the rest of the forest. Although the river was running at almost twice the level recommended in the guidebook, we decided with the advice of some locals that the lower gorge on the South Fork looked pretty reasonable, so we hitched a shuttle and put on. What we found was a great class IV run with amazing scenery and water quality, with only one hole that was really big at the high level which we decided to walk.

Andria entering the lower gorge on the South Fork Smith.

Same spot, closer view of the water.

My favorite shot of the summer - glowing water, blue skies, super fun rapids!

Further down in the little gorge with the trees towering overhead.

After a great run on the South Fork Smith, we drove 5 minutes from the take-out to a huge grove of redwoods to check out some more big trees.

Checking out a little California sapling.

After another great night of camping high in the Smith drainage, we made our way deeper into the wilds of northern California, heading to the legendary Cal-Salmon. After many miles of back roads, we arrived one evening in the deep valley of this mighty river, and found an out-of-the-way place to camp.

A little friend near our Cal-Salmon campsite.

The following morning, we drove along the river to check out the run from the tiny crumbling road high above the canyon, then made our way down to the Somes Bar store to check the levels. With no electricity running up the Cal-Salmon, and no cell service anywhere nearby, the wireless hotspot at the Somes Bar store is the only form of communications around. We found that the level was a juicy flow, but were a bit distressed that there didn't seem to be any other paddlers about or enough traffic on the secluded backroad for proper hitching. We decided the best bet was to drive to Otter Bar Kayak School and see if any of the instructors had a day off and might want to paddle. When we got there, we found that everyone was on the river teaching - although Peter did take time to give us a tour of his amazing place there on the Salmon. If you ever get a chance to spend some time at Otter Bar, I strongly advise you to take it!

The Somes Bar Store - a great place (the only place?) to get supplies and find wireless internet near the Cal-Salmon.

After the tour, we figured that we were pretty skunked on getting to boat so we headed on down the canyon to move on to a new area, happy that we had at least gotten to see the place. As were were driving by the Butler River access we saw a group with a raft and a kayak about to put in. We pulled over to get some beta, and were quickly asked to come along on what turned out to be the Somes Bar Store staff rafting trip. Store owner (and boater) Chris was guiding some of his employees down in the raft, and his buddy Sam was running safety in a kayak. Some of the store employees had lived in the valley their whole lives and never been on the river, so it was an exciting day for everyone.

Andria putting in for the classic class III/IV Butler Run on the Cal-Salmon at a healthy flow.

The Somes Bar Store staff raft trip in the first rapid of the Butler Run.

Sam and Andria blasting through some fun bigwater.

Andria peeking over a horizon line.

Sam using his paddle as a spout to drink from a clear flowing side stream.

Another good line by Chris and the Somes Bar Store staff!

All in all it was an amazing experience traveling to these new areas and rivers and making new friends along the way - a big part of what keeps the adventure fun for us as we travel around. We had so much fun that we stayed another night and caught one more Butler Run with Sam before we left the wilds of NorCal behind and headed back down to the Yuba drainage, where we (major bummer) needed to have some van problems worked on.

Chilling out on a rock bar at the lower take-out that we used for the Butler Run.