Tuolumne River (Cherry Creek)
| Stretch: | Cherry Creek to Meral’s Pool |
| Difficulty: | Class V- to V |
| Distance: | 7.75 miles |
| Flows: | 600 – 2000? cfs. Current Dreamflows (est) gauge |
| Gradient: | 108 fpm average, section up to 200 fpm |
| Put-in: | Cherry Creek |
| Take-out: | Meral’s Pool |
| Shuttle: | 30 miles, 5 on a primitive-dirt road (over an hour) |
| Season: | Spring into early autumn, from dam release |
Since I began my boating career on the Trinity river, I had always heard that Burnt Ranch Gorge was the second hardest commercially rafted run in California, second only to Cherry Creek.
So with that entrance, I will say that I am not that great of a boater, I was gripped the entire run. If it weren’t for spot on lines from my friends, I would have been screwed. As it were, the rapids were all straight forward enough, just very big and very intimidating. With all that said, I don’t feel that I am credible enough to tell you lines (plus there are so many rapids that I cant remember them all). But I will give my impression of the river, and my impressions of some of the rapids. I don’t think I was told of all the bad spots on the river, so just because a rapid seemed like class IV to me doesn’t mean that it actually was, for all I know I narrowly missed a whale sized sieve or something.
As far as the run itself goes, it was much more beautiful than I thought it would be. My only other experience in the Tuolumne drainage was on the Lower T a few years ago, as I remembered it was ok, but nothing spectacular as far as scenery goes. Cherry creek is much more green and forested which was very nice, plus looking back up river seeing a very large canyon and very large rapids make it all the more beautiful.
The rapids on this stretch are stout. If you have done Giant Gap or Burnt Ranch one time at low flows, this will not be enough. Once on the river, all of the biggest drops are walkable, especially Mushroom, Lewis’ Leap, Flat Rock, and of course Lumsden. Although the walks aren't hard, all at river level, the boulder size can make them a bit tedious.
One final note, be careful on this river. One in our group who is very experienced on this run took a very bad swim in Sky King, and ended up swimming for a good ¼ mile. His boat did about 1 mile and 2 class IV+ to V- rapids. If it weren’t for it eddying itself out at the lunch spot, the boat would probably have been lost. The paddler was alright, but very shaken up. At the beginning of the swim he narrowly missed going into a caldron of sieves on the river left, but the other (better) option was class III-IV for the entirety of the swim. So, small mistakes can have consequences, so just be careful and don't go in unless you are really ready.
No exact mile by mile will be given, just approximates, there is just too much going on in there. And no ratings given as I don’t have the frame of reference to accurately convey this, you can look at cacreeks or the Cassady/Calhoun book for their impressions. Also, these are only the biggest and most define rapids. Also, there are numerous class IV rapids that are not making the write up because they are just manky boulder dodging affairs.
For a nice rapid by rapid video check here: youtube
For more pics check dreamflows
For more pics check raftsiberia
Here too, click "enter" then "other photo adventures" then "Cherry Creek" lynnmyersphotos
Mi 0:
- The first half a mile is actually on Cherry Creek.
There are a few good warm up drops on this. The first drop is not a big deal but has a pin rock on the far far right.
Initiation. The last rapid on the Creek itself, this rapid has an easy enough line down the right side, or a boof line on the left over a pour over. My friends make anyone they are taking down for their first time boof the left to make sure they are bringing their “A” game.
After a half mile, you meet the Tuolumne.
Cascade. The first rapid on the T, big waves and big holes, avoid the later on the left.
- Guillotine. This is a fun low stress rock slide.
Corkscrew. Just below Guillotine, this rapid has a slide into a boof in the left channel.
- Jawbone. This is the first big rapid on the run. Half way down there is a large
wall of water on the right half of the channel, don’t go over it. Go to the left or
it and ride out the holes.
Mushroom. This is the biggest rapid on the run (besides Lumsden). Kayaks usually run over two boofs on the right. Both second channels from the shore. Then one way or another end up left of Mushroom rock, then cut right and drop in the massive hole. Easy to portage on the left.
Toadstool. Immediately below Mushroom is this tricky drop, if you do everything correctly then it is not that hard. The idea is cut right across the entrance and get to the right of the mid river rock, from there boof the exit. The left side of the mid-river rock is ugly.
- Innocuous. This is an easier looking rapid that is blocked at the top by boulders.
The idea is to get left and stay left with the idea that you can never be far enough
left. Several large holes back each other up on the center and right.
Halfway though this mile starts the “Miracle Mile.” This stretch is absolutely continuous whitewater with only a few calm class II moments. It drops over 200 fpm and has a few class V moments mixed in with almost continuous class III-IV drops. Below are the moves which have been named within the section. Unknown Soldier. Bolder constrict the river. Shoot through the left channel aiming
at the rock at the end, boof that rock over the large hole below. Then run out through some holes.
Blind Faith. A large pour over hole can be avoided by driving onto the right flake in the middle of the river and boof over it.
Sky King. Although not the biggest rapid, it is one of the scarier as the run out is sieved out and long. From the eddy on the left just at the lip, peal out and boof the curler on the right side. Cross fingers and hope you don’t get pounded in the hole. Easy to scout/portage on the left.
- Eulogy. I actually don’t remember this one at all as I was trying desperately to
catch up to my friends who went off to get our swimmers boat.
Coffin Rock. I certainly remember this one as I bombed into it blind with no info on it. Apparently there is an easy line down the left side the whole way. I entered right and cut across a hole left to then avoid a mid-river rock. All I remember from there is dropping down amongst many rocks.
- Christmas Hole. This is a large hole that can be avoided on left or right. Either
way though required boofing the edge.
Richard’s Hole. A huge hole lies in the middle of the river after a steep drop. We ran to the right of it. There was also a sneak which some did way left amongst the shallow rocks.
- Lewis’ Leap. This steep drop consists of two boofs. Both on the left side. The run
out is fine. There is one ledge 40 feet below the rest of the rapid.
© Chris Shackleton
Flat Rock. A junky entrance leads to some chutes which leads to the Flat rock itself. The drop is not steep but lands in front of a rock which water dives under, very dangerous and usually portaged. The pictures are at low water...
- Lumsden Falls. Huge is the only way to describe it. Portage left.
Horseshoe Falls. A eight foot vertical drop on the extreme right was fun our flow.
Hole on left. This rapids does not look like much, and is not much unless you go left in which case you end up in one of the biggest holes on the river.
Take out: Drive East on Highway 120 out of Groveland. Before you get to the ranger station, turn left onto Ferretti Road ( you will also see a parking lot probably full of cars and a café both on the left). After about one-mile and the second cattle guard, take the immediate right onto Lumsden Road. This road is dirt and very rough at times, high clearance is recommended but not necessarily required.
It is best to meet someone who is doing the Lower T, and arrange a car swap. They drive down to their put in and leave their keys somewhere. Then when you paddle down to the same point, you bring there car out. Everyone wins. It saves over an hour of shuttle time for both as the dirt road is about 30 minutes each way.
Put in: From the take out, drive east on 120. Stop at the ranger station to pick up a permit. Continue up 120 until you one of the forks of the Tuolumne via a high bridge. Turn left just past this, not sure the name of the road. Continue follow to Early Intake. This leads you down to the T. Continue on. At one point you come to a Y, take the left. You climb up and over a ridge. On the way back down you come to a little dirt lot just before the bridge over Cherry Creek. Put in here.
