Eel

This is a scenic run and class III, even at low flows. It requires technical boating of four bigger rapids. Recovery pools are present after these class IIIIs. At high water, class IV boating skills are required. When I first ran it, on January 3, 2024, one friend couldn't make it so two of us showed up to a chocolate-brown river that I discovered afterwards was flowing at 4500-5000 cfs. This is a hefty flow that requires class IV skills. Within the first mile I had a swim. I saw an almost covered top of a boulder too late and dropped sideways into a reversal backing up the boulder. I was worked for about 4 seconds, then spit into the main current where I remained about 4 feet underwater couldn't get purchase to roll after another 4 seconds and had to exit my large Scorch. With a newfound respect for the the stretch, my paddling partner and I continued downstream with trepidation. Between large ponds with massive boils, we ended up portaging three class IIIs, which were firmly IV/IV+ at this flow, as the main middle channel flowed right into sieves created by broken boulders, not a place to wind up, especially with one friend to count on and dark water where you couldn't register a throw bag. To avoid the sieves would involve paddling for your life to the left, where one would drop into offset holes. No thanks, we said. I returned to the run twice more since, same time of year but on sunny dry days at low flows (880/697 cfs). At these low flows the IIIs are technical, with rocks to avoid and preceded or backed by holes but forgiving. Enjoy the long ponds. The scenery is excellent, with the decommissioned Northwestern Railroad in a state of arrested decay on river left. If I give myself more time on future trips, I'd like to explore this, provided it's not on private property. Dan Menten's 'The New School Guide to Northern California Whitewater' is an excellent read and a fascinating and illuminating guidebook on runs that were formerly undocumented or scantly documented. His Outlet Creek to Dos Rios writeup is vague. For a more detailed and helpful writeup please see Cacreek's website, where local boater Paul Futscher gives a thorough description: https://cacreeks.com/eel-outa.htm. I only found it after my initial run. This is a must if exploring the Ukiah/Willits/Fort Bragg areas or Eureka/Arcata. The run is off of Highway 101 and down Covelo Road (Highway 162) a 20-minute drive, some of it windy. The shuttle is 6 miles long. The run can be done in just over an hour on river if you're fast.

The takeout (N.B. an approximate pin) is at: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6tcop4vg38bbCYkE6?g\_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

The put-in (right by the ubiquitous (?) 'Eel River Bridge'): https://maps.app.goo.gl/jdMhEy7PirFNCNC69?g\_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

The initial set of photos is from the first run described, at 4500-5000 cfs, the others a combination of photos from two runs two days apart at 880 or 697 cfs respectively.