The Tip of the Iceberg

Some California Runs - By Difficulty

Rating Explanation

          The order of difficulty is an approximation. Please understand that at various flows runs can be more or less difficult. Many of the runs listed I have only run once or twice. Therefore, I of course cannot have a perfect frame of reference to compare all the runs. This however is meant only to be a general guide of runs to look at for a specific class of whitewater. You might also check what levels I have done each run at to see how well my ratings apply to the current flows.
          Also, you might notice that the order of difficulty isnt always in order with the difficulty which I rated the run. this is because I ranked compared to overall impressions. How tired was I after the run, how many rapids, were rapids portagable etc. So just because a run is listed below a class III run, it may still be class IV- or whatever.

River: Run: Difficulty: Whitewater Ranking: Overall Ranking:
American River, Main San Juan I to II 3.0 7.5
Trinity River Hawkins Bar to Willow Creek II 5.5 5.5
American River, North Fork Ponderosa Way II+ 5.0 5.0
Russian River Comminsky-Preston II 5.0 5.0
American River, South Fork C to G II+ 6.0 7.0
Trinity River Willow Creek to Tish Tang II+ 6.5 6.5
Kern River Kernville (At Low Water) II+ to III 6.0 6.0
Trinity Weitchpec Gorge II+ (III) 7.0 7.0
Sacramento River Dunsmuir to Castle Crags II+ to III 3.0 3.0
Russian River Squaw Rock II (III) 5.0 5.0
Pitt river Reach-4 IV- to IV (IV+) 7.0 7.5
Kern River Cables (At Low Water) III-IV 7.0 7.0
Smith River, South Fork Lower III- (IV) 8.5 8.5
Sacramento River Sim's Flat to Pollard's Bar III 7.0 7.0
American River, South Fork The Gorge III to III+ 8.0 7.5
McCloud River Wyntoon III-IV 4.0 7.0
Cache Creek Rowboat Rapid II+ to III 8.0 8.0
American River, South Fork Chili Bar III to III+ 7.0 7.0
Trinity River Pigeon Point III- to III+ 7.5 7.5
Feather River, North Fork Rock Creek II+ (III+) 5.0 5.0
Smith River, Middle Fork Patrick's Creek IV- 6.5 6.0
Salmon River, North Fork Upper IV- 8.0 8.0
Mokelumne, North Fork Below Tiger Creek Dam III to IV 7.5 8.5
Kern River Chamise Gorge (At Low Water) III to IV 8.0 8.5
South American, Riverton to Peavine Riverton to Peavine III to IV 9.0 9.0
Pitt River Reach-5, Lower III- 7.0 7.0
Klamath River Ikes Falls III+ to IV+ 7.5 6.0
Sacramento River Castle Crags to Sim's Flat IV- 6.0 6.0
North Feather, Big Bend Dam Big Bend Dam IV+ 9.5 6.0
Pit River Pit Falls III+ to IV- (V) 6.0 8.5
Silver Creek, South Fork Ice House Dam to Road 31 IV- (IV+)(logs P) 6.5 6.0
Merced River, South Fork Lower III+ to IV 8.5 7.5
American River, North Fork Chamberlain Falls IV 8.0 8.0
Yuba River, North Fork Goodyear Bar IV (V) 6.0 6.0
Indian Creek (E. Br. N. Feather Tributary) Lower III to IV 7.5 7.5
Kern River Ant Canyon (At Low Water) IV 8.0 7.5
Salmon River Butler Flat IV 9.0 9.0
Pitt River Reach-5, Upper IV-IV+ 8.5 8.5
Stanislaus River Goodwin Canyon III to IV+ 5.5 6.5
Feather River, North Fork Cresta III to IV 8.0 8.0
Canyon Creek (Trinity Tributary) Into the Trinty IV- to IV+ 8.0 7.5
Brush Creek Lower (At Low Water) IV to V 9.5 9.5
Bear River Below Dutch Flat III-IV (V) 4.0 2.0
Cosumnes River, Main Upper IV- to IV+(P) 7.5 4.0
Merced River El Portal IV to IV+ 7.5 7.5
Bear Creek (Cache Creek Tributary) Into Cache Creek IV to IV+ 8.0 8.0
Yuba River, South Fork Washinton to Edward's IV-(P) 6.5 7.5
Feather River, North Fork Lobin IV 8.0 8.0
Yuba River, South Fork Edward's to Purdon's IV 8.5 8.5
Sacramento River Box Canyon IV 9.0 9.0
Tuolumne River The Lower "T" IV to ... 7.0 6.0
Clear Creek (Sacramento Tributary) Below Whiskeytown IV- to IV+ 7.5 7.5
Feather River, East Branch of the North Fork Virgilia IV to V- 7.0 7.0
Lavezolla Creek Lower IV(P) 7.5 7.5
Coffee Creek To Clair Engle Res IV to IV+ 8.5 9.0
Kern River Thunder (At Low Water) IV to V 8.5 8.5
San Lorenzo River Henry Cowell Park to Paradise III-IV 7.0 4.5
New River Upper IV+ 7.5 7.0
American River, Middle Fork Tunnel Chute IV to IV+(P) 8.5 6.0
American River, South Fork Kyburz IV to IV+ 8.0 8.0
Cosumnes River, Middle Lower IV 8.0 8.5
Trinity River, South Fork Three Bears IV to IV+ 8.5 8.5
Smith River, South Fork South Fork Gorge IV+ 9.0 9.0
Yuba River, Middle Fork Our House Damn IV to IV+ (V) 8.0 8.0
Pauley Creek Lower IV to IV+ (V) 8.5 9.0
Smith River, North Fork Lower IV+ 9.0 9.5
Bear River Below Highway 174 IV+ 7.0 7.0
Cottonwood Creek, North Upper IV+(2P) 7.0 6.0
Deer Creek Lower IV+ 9.0 8.5
Smith River, Middle Fork Siskiyou Gorge IV+ to V- 9.0 8.5
Yuba River, South Fork Summit IV+ to V- 9.0 9.0
Smith River, Main Oregon Hole Gorge (at High water) IV+ 7.5 7.5
Salmon River Nordheimer IV-V 9.5 9.5
American River, North Fork Giant Gap IV to V- 9.0 8.0
Yuba River, North Fork Wild Plum IV+ to V- 9.0 9.0
Trinity River Burnt Ranch Gorge IV (2V) to V 9.0 9.0
Feather River, North Fork Tobin IV to V- 8.0 8.0
Yuba River, South Fork 49 to Bridgeport V- to V 9.0 9.0
Feather River, South Fork Little Grass Valley IV+ to V(3P) 9.5 9.0
Tuolumne River Cherry Creek V- to V 9.5 9.5
Feather River, Middle Fork Devil's Canyon V 9.5 9.5
Silver Creek, South Fork AutoBahn to the Lake V(P) 9.5 9.5

Some Idaho Runs -By Difficulty

Camas Creek Lower III- 6.0 6.5
Big Creek Lower III+ 6.5 7.0
Salmon River, Middle Fork Wilderness III (IV) 5.5 8.0
Payette River, South Fork Staircase IV 6.5 7.0

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