Tuolumne

Sometimes getting to the rapids is more dangerous than the rapids themselves! On this dirt switchback bus rideto the put-in at Meral's Pool, SUVs were racing up the hill at 15 mph, almost careening over the side of the cliffs or crashing into the bus while we were descending into the canyon....on these one-way 'roads' courtesy, cooperation, and slow speeds are critical to getting to the fun.
Scouting Class V Clavey Falls is critical, but you must catch the eddy after the Confluence of the Tuolumne and Clavey River first. At the flows in this picture, that was not a problem, but when both rivers are cranking, there's little precious time to get across the mouth of the Clayvey before the current sweeps you into the Main Tuolumnne's most significant rapid.

Even at this unusally low late spring flow, Clavey Hole is still unavoidable and packs a wallop. The current immediately below the Falls sweeps you into this powerful reversal. All Forward!!
Michiganrafter, a.k.a. Matt Urdan, grinning with delight before running the highlight of the Main Tuolumne.
Hummingbirds at feeder outside La Casa Loma Store on Highway 120 just past Groveland and before Yosemite National Park. La Casa Loma is the meeting place for virtually all Tuolumne and Cherry Creek Raft Trips.
For every whitewater enthusiast, there are certain mythical places. Lumsden Campground is one such place for me. I started planning to raft Cherry Creek over a year ago. And while I will not raft it until next summer, I did get to raft the Main Tuolumne last week. Lumsden straddles these two sublime sections of the same river flowing out of Yosemite National Park.
Meral's pool is the ending spot for Cherry Creek trips, and the beginning place for trips down the Main Tuolumne. It's a beautiful, isolated, calm pool for swimming and practicing paddle strokes just prior to Class IV Rock Garden immediately downstream; or in the case of Cherry Creek, the place to relax and catch your breath.

Right after the confluence of the Clavey River with the Tuolumne, Clavey Falls awaits just downstream....Paddle hard to eddy out past the mouth of the Clavey River, or be prepared to run the Rapid and the boat-crunching hole immediately below.
Unavoidable Clavey Hole awaits immediately below Class V Clavey Falls