Silver Creek, S.Fork
Icehouse Dam to Junction Reservoir(Ice House )
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 11.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 75 fpm |
| Gauge | Ice House (smud) |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 76 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | March 2, 2023 |
River Description
This section of the South Fork of Silver Creek is significantly different in character than most other runs in the Sierra. Its 75 feet per mile gradient is surprisingly low for a run at 5,000 feet elevation. The river channel is much more accessible in this section than in the steep canyons below Junction Reservoir. The reach is also unique in that the nine-mile shuttle is actually shorter than the 11.2-mile river run.
Most of the run is in the area burned by the 1992 Cleveland Fire, which has created multiple wood hazards in the river: always be alert and expect to do some portaging on this run.
If you choose to put in at the dam the first rapid, Pea Shooter, starts the run off with a bang. The water released from the base of Ice House Dam projects a forceful stream about 150 feet downstream from the release outlet. This makes entering the first rapid rather exciting. Some boaters choose to portage this rapid.
Below Pee Shooter, this first section was one of the only rapids on the run that seemed very rocky or boney at 400 cfs. Shortly below the stream flow gage are several class IV rapids, the last of which is clean on the far right. The next mile of the run is class II/III until a short class IV section just above the beginning of the Cleveland Fire burn area at river mile 2.1. In this section there are two class IV rapids and one class IV+ that has several ledges that lead into substantial hole. The next eight miles are very continuous class III with very few distinct rapids but an amazing number of surf waves.
The run changes character again at river mile six, just above Chicken Hawk Springs. Here the run enters a mini gorge and there are several large logs spanning the river. The amount of wood in the river increased throughout this section during the flow study, particularly in the area below Chicken Hawk Springs. While it is possible to maneuver around numerous other logs, many of these logs are quite mobile and will continue to
...River Features
Put-in
Pee Shooter
Paddle right out of the eddy into the spray coming out of the dam valve and into the Pee Shooter. Long bouncy rapid. Exciting way to start the run.
Gauging Weir
River-wide gauging weir.
Rocks
This is the begining of the steepest section of the upper run down to Ice House Road.
Ruckus
A busy little rapid. Tight eddie catch at the bottom before the next drop. Generally run river right, eddie left
Junior Chamberlain
Junky boulder pile on the left. Nice slab grind down the right. This is the last rapid on the upper section.
Triple Drop
Big rapid with a nasty hole at the bottom.
Tree's
River wide ledge. Run on the left or right.
Cushion
The last rapid is a short but fun one just above the bridge at the take-out. Enter center, go through some big waves and holes, and then plow into the cushion coming off the right bank to get thrown to the left side of the river.
Take-out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportRan it today putting on at the bridge at 400cfs. The log hazards weren't that bad or could be avoided except one that is in flat water that you can just climb on the log and lift the boat over. There's one rapid that has a log in a drop but you can go right over it as it is slightly submerged and it looked clean underneath the log if you somehow swam above it. It is a little bit tight through the bushes but smaller rafts still made it fine. A lot of logs or strainers could come into play if you were to swim but only encountered 2 that were impassable or you had to go over. Smud is counting boaters so consider getting on some of the other releases this month.
Ran the scheduled release with another boat and we had fun. Only one real log that was in some flat water, and it was easy to bump up against it, and step onto it and drag our raft over it and hop back in. Outside of that, unless you swam or were not paying attention, there wasn't any real wood to be an issue. There was one log (noted as Log #3 on the map) around a right bend, that if you went far river left, you would end up in trouble, but going middle to right, the log was submerged with just a fun pour over.
We put in at the bridge and there was a clean porta-potty there, the same with take out. Friendly people from SMUD doing user surverys. Please run this section, so they keep the releases going!!!
South Fork Silver Creek below Ice House
June 22 & 23, 2024
Please be sure to check-in with monitors at the Bryant Springs Bridge take-out that will be doing head counts and surveys of paddler experience. Results of these head counts will determine if SMUD will increase the number of recreational releases on SF Silver Creek in the future.
Log Hazard Update
Be aware that this run is known to have wood hazards that are remnants of the Cleveland Fire washing into the river. American Whitewater volunteer, Jeff Wasielewski, identified 3 main hazards for USFS and SMUD during a reconnaissance run in May 2024 and they are pinpointed on the map below. See Jeff’s report here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/11nyPO9XwSSh_FXDB-Dkqy3r1eHl7qGC9/view?usp=sharing
SF Silver Creek below Ice House Map
Log 1 has been cut into smaller sections by USFS and it is our hope that it will proceed downstream.
Log 2 is still in place. USFS has removed logs that piled on the top but the original log remains. It is on river left but not easily seen from river level.
There is a log leaning into the river upstream of the hazard on river right that you can use as a visual marker.
Hardshells and inflatables can pass the leaning log just to the left and then head all the way right to a channel right of a small island.
A video of the move is here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/15OBgSAf0e2ZZ0iNuTSNR3j_kn0rVbU8_/view?usp=sharing
LOG 3 is still in place as of this email. There is a sneak channel on far left.
Paddle safe and enjoy!
This is the lead-in rapid to Junior Chamberlain
Blasting the eddy wall is the hard part on this one.
Grinder in the right is good to go.
This one is right out of the put-in eddy.
From just above the Ice House Rd Bridge the run gets brush for about a mile
This is the entrance to the final gorge.
Last rapid, in sight of the take-out bridge.