Silver Creek, S.Fork

Ran 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

This one is right out of the put-in eddy.

Blasting the eddy wall is the hard part on this one.

From just above the Ice House Rd Bridge the run gets brush for about a mile

Grinder in the right is good to go.

This is the entrance to the final gorge.

Last rapid, in sight of the take-out bridge.

This run is packed with class III rapids, loaded with good surf waves.

Everyone should have at least one rapid named after them.
Tree, this one's for you.

Biggest rapid on this run

Tons of fun, fast class III in the middle section.

Ran it 6/23/18 at 500 cfs. Fun and fast. Still a bit shrubby along the banks. Very few eddies. Launched at the campground at the bridge a mile or so below the dam. Big river-wide log just upstream of the campground. Two semi-submerged logs just downstream in slow moving water sections. Floated easily over the top. This same section is also choked with willow/alder, but manageable. Then things open up. That was the last of the logs. Thanks AW. Pretty fun river segment.

This is the first rapid of the last gorge on the run.

Ledge just above the take out.

Steep sections just above the burn area.

Brendan is really in there you just have to look for him.

MMM lunch