A Wet State
The Tip of the Iceberg

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
Mokelumne Electra II 7.0 7.0
Trinity River Hawkins Bar to Willow Creek II 5.5 5.5
Mokelumne Middle Bar II+ 6.0 8.0
American River, North Fork Ponderosa Way II+ to III- 7.0 8.0
Russian River Comminsky-Preston II 5.0 5.0
American River, South Fork C to G II to III- 6.0 7.0
Trinity River Willow Creek to Tish Tang II+ 6.5 6.5
Kern River, North Fork Kernville (At Low Water) II+ to III 6.0 6.0
Trinity Weitchpec Gorge II+ (III) 7.0 7.0
Trinity River, Stuarts Fork Lower II+ to III- 6.0 6.5
Kern River, North Fork Fairview II+ to 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
Kern River, North Fork Limestone III+ 7.0 7.0
Kern River, North Fork Cables (At Low Water) III-IV 7.0 7.0
Trinity River Tangle Blue III- 7.0 7.5
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
Middle III-IV 6.0 5.5
American River, South Fork Chili Bar III to III+ 7.0 7.0
Eel River Pillsbury (High Water) III to IV 7.0 6.5
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
Stony Creek (Sacramento Tributary) III to IV+ 5.5 5.5
Yuba River, North Fork Below Highway 49 III+ to IV 7.5 6.5
Pitt river Reach-4 IV- to IV (IV+) 7.0 7.5
Pitt River Reach-5, Lower III- 7.0 7.0
Salmon River, North Fork Upper IV- 8.0 8.0
Feather River, North Fork Big Bend Run III+ (IV+) 7.5 6.0
McCloud River Ah-di-na Camp III-IV 8.0 7.5
Mokelumne, North Fork Below Tiger Creek Dam III to IV 7.5 8.5
Kern River, North Fork 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
Mark West Creek To Santa Rosa IV 6.0 6.0
Walker River, West Fork Above Walker IV- to IV+ 6.0 6.0
Klamath River Ikes Falls III+ to IV+ 7.5 6.0
Sacramento River Castle Crags to Sim's Flat IV- 6.0 6.0
Feather River, North Fork 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, North Fork Ant Canyon (At Low Water) IV 8.0 7.5
Squaw Valley Creek (McCloud Tributary) IV 8.5 8.5
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
Kaweah River, Middle Fork Gateway/Dinely 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
Trinity River, East Fork East Fork IV to IV+/V- 7.5 7.0
Yuba River, South Fork Golden Quartz IV- to IV+ 8.5 8.5
Eel River, South Fork Ten Mile Creek IV 8.5 8.5
Feather River, East Branch of the North Fork Virgilia IV to V- 7.0 7.0
Wolf Creek (Bear River Tributary) To Bissel Ct. IV to IV+ 5.5 5.5
Yuba River, South Fork Jolly Boys IV- to IV+ 7.5 7.0
Feather River, West Branch Naked Lady IV to IV+ 8.0 7.0
Lavezolla Creek Lower IV(P) 7.5 7.5
Coffee Creek To Clair Engle Res IV to IV+ 8.5 9.0
Stanislaus River, North Fork Boards Crossing/McKays IV then IV+ to V- 9.0 8.5
Kern River, North Fork Thunder (At Low Water) IV to V 8.5 8.5
Mokelumne, North Fork Devil's Nose III+ to V 8.0 8.0
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 Dam IV to IV+ (V) 8.0 8.0
Pauley Creek Lower IV to IV+ (V) 8.5 9.0
Pauley Creek Middle IV to IV+ 8.0 8.0
Smith River, North Fork Lower IV+ 9.0 9.5
Yuba River, Middle Fork Plumbago IV to IV+ 7.0 6.5
McCloud River Ash Camp IV+ 8.5 9.0
American River, South Fork Slab Creek IV+ to V-- 8.0 7.5
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
Hayfork Creek Lower IV to V 8.0 7.0
Stanislaus River, Middle Fork Dardanelles III+ or IV to V 5.5 5.0
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
Putah Creek Upper (at High water) IV to V 8.5 8.5
Salmon River Nordheimer IV-V 9.5 9.5
Kaweah River, North Fork Lower IV to V- 8.5 7.0
American River, North Fork Giant Gap IV to V- 9.0 8.0
Kaweah River, North Fork Upper IV+ 8.5 7.0
Yuba River, North Fork Wild Plum IV+ to V- 9.0 9.0
Tuolumne River, North Fork Lower IV to V- 7.5 7.0
American River, North Fork Generation Gap IV to V 8.0 8.0
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
Stanislaus River, Middle Fork Donnells IV to V 9.0 8.5
Kern River, North Fork Forks of the Kern IV-V 9.5 9.0
Canyon Creek (South Yuba Tributary) Arctic Mine IV+ to V- 8.5 8.0
Kern River, North Fork Salmon Falls V 7.0 7.5
Yuba River, South Fork Spaulding IV+ to V+ 6.5 6.5
Clavey River Upper IV to V 9.0 9.0
Feather River, North Fork Poe Canyon IV+ to V 7.5 7.5
Yuba River, South Fork 49 to Bridgeport IV+ to V 9.0 9.0
Feather River, South Fork Little Grass Valley IV+ to V(3P) 9.5 9.0
American River, South Fork Lovers Leap IV+/V- to V 8.0 8.5
Tuolumne River Cherry Creek V- to V 9.5 9.5
Feather River, Middle Fork Devil's Canyon V 9.5 9.5
Dry Meadow Creek Tea Cups V 9.0 6.5
Silver Creek, South Fork AutoBahn to the Lake V(P) 9.5 9.5
Canyon Creek (South Yuba Tributary) Upper IV+ to V+ 7.5 9.0
Cosumnes River, Middle Upper V to V+ 9.0 8.5
Kaweah River, Middle Fork Hospital Rock V to V+ 9.0 9.0
Tule River, Middle Fork Middle Tule V 9.5 9.0
American River, South Fork Golden Gate V to V+ 9.0 9.0


Some Idaho Runs -By Difficulty

River: Run: Difficulty: Whitewater Ranking: Overall Ranking:
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


Some Mexico Runs -By Difficulty

River: Run: Difficulty: Whitewater Ranking: Overall Ranking:
Rio Ojo Frio Damian Carmona III to IV- 6.5 5.0
Rio Tampaon 5th Canyon III to III+ 7.0 8.0
Rio Valles Micos III to IV 9.9 9.9
Rio Valles El Salto III+ to IV 9.9 9.9
Rio Santa Maria 3rd and 4th Canyons IV-V 7.5 8.0

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