Green

Paddled this section at around 1300 cfs yesterday. We were in 2 IK's, 2 hardshell kayaks and a cataraft. This was the first time on this section for myself and one other.
I have a couple of notes about it:
1. The warning posted on this description about the Headworks access is no longer needed. There was no wood in the water at the boat ramp inside the security gate. There was not a lot of wood on the whole route and nothing I would consider worthy of note on this date.
2. The description for this put-in led us to believe that the only way to get in the water is from the boat-ramp inside the locked gate. This is not true: there is a perfectly easy put-in next at the lot just before the gate.
3. There is a warning posted about wood on river left after the takeout. I did not see this, but since it may be farther downriver, let me clarify: The take-out at Kanaskat-Palmer State Park has a big red sign warning paddlers to exit before the next stretch. If you take out right at that sign, there is no strainer. Just after the sign there is a big ledge drop, class III. The easiest line is all the way to river right. There is wood in the water there, but it didn't keep four kayaks from breezing straight through it yesterday. Both there and farther down, I did not see the strainer river left which is in this warning. Perhaps at much higher flows, the trees on the bank I was standing on are actually in the river, blocking the use of river left and forcing paddlers to find a line in the center or river right.

All in all, it was a delightful paddle. We had some experienced paddlers showing us the rapids and (most helpfully) how to get through the railroad bridge drop. (That was easy in an IK, but I was very glad there was someone there to tell me where the line was.) Fellow paddlers are the best! We are learning from some terrific people. I am more eager than ever to get trained on my hardshell so I'll have that extra maneuverability.