POST a FORDYCE comment - 100 responses?

[webmaster]

If you left an AT at the Fordyce take out, send me an e-mail. Courtesy of the campground host...

October flows and v cool campground hosts made this Fordyce season epic. Thanks to all those who made the effort, seems some good headway was made with the folks up there. Feel free to post on the # of times you did or would this run, optimal flows, or whatever builds a case for Fordyce releases.

Before 2005, I've kayaked this run c. two dozen times. This year, I made seven trips. Fordyce is unique in being a late season subalpine class v run with two to three times the number of rapids of the well known 'Cherry Creek' run on the Tuolumne. Counterintuitively, I'd estimate the userdays this September and October as an order of magnitude higher than the Chili Bar and Gorge sections of the South Fork American River, which could arguably be the most heavily used section in the state between May and August. While not a commerical section, most kayakers doing this run make a considerable effort to support local businesses (I know I have!). Class V boaters also tend to boat more frequently and are less than seasonal than other groups. In addition to abundant glacial outcrops, this run has more old growths, cedars, and ponderosa pines than I have seen on other runs of the Yuba drainage. Others may differ, but I'd peg optimal flows between 425-550 with a range of 350-700 cfs.

IMO, it would relatively easy to deal with the river crossing issue for 4wd vehicles. One very raised Toyota barely crossed at ~375 cfs, as there's a 'hood' deep spot in the right center of the river twenty feet off the right bank. For those unaware, this run is often left at flows of ~200 cfs all summer to allow 4wds to cross. With 200,000 acre-feet being diverted out of Spaulding to the Bear River annually (i.e. the equivalent of ~100 days of 1000 cfs) and the subsequent dewatering of Yuba Gap and four sections of the South Fork Yuba, I would support efforts to have late summer or fall releases on Fordyce Creek. Apparently, we only had releases this fall since the dam was being worked on all summer-

Brett Valle
Truckee, California

[dabaker]

Fordyce is back up at a good flow. The boat shuttle is great, it cost a 12er of bud (although he said he likes Olympia as well) best of all he was on time willing to share a couple of beers. I would highly suggest this the caretaker likes doing it. Unfortunately he will be out of town on friday the 21st.

Posted by Mac Dad on CaliProduct page:

"All paddlers interested in running the Fo Dyce creek without the paddle out, here's where we luck out. Thanks to some really cool groups of kayakers(the last two weeks), the Guy in charge of Spalding lake campground (take out for Fordyce) is stoked to see boaters and not jeepers.
The last time me and Ben Zupo ran it, two sundays ago, we were the only ones left close to sunset. Chris is the guys girlfriend's name, I forgot the GUY's name. ANy way, he invited me and Ben over for a beer and some Corndogs. After a few minutes of turning the corndogs down, we decided to eat a couple after the 0 time they were offered to us. The guy and his lady were PUMPED to see some footage of that day. They never knew what was upstream. Its crazy how nice these two were.
SO next time you go run Fordyce, bring some beers or a flask, and talk to the DUDE at take out. He lives in the little RV in the campground. He's got an old pickup truck. Talk to the DUDE, and he'll pick you up at the Res. with beers. Its not any faster than paddling, but helps in a head wind. Last trip we waited for him, but it was a fluke and he assured us that he'd never miss another tow out, and that he apollogized to all boaters two Sundays ago for not showing up..(it was his sisters 55 birthday, go figure)..
A PERSONAL THANK YOU TO ALL BOATERS INVOLVED IN THE FUTURE OF FORDYCE CREEK. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW A LITTLE BIT OF FRIENDLYNESS CAN HELP OUT OTHERS IN THE FUTURE. "

If I remember correctly, the camp host's name is Jim. He stated that he will be the host for the upcoming year and maybe longer. He also stated that he knows the Dam operator. So you never know, maybe we have an in to get more releases!!

[Cornbread]

I was lucky enough to paddle Fordyce 3 times this year, which in addition to the 5 runs last year I've been able to paddle it at a wide variety of flows..... from about 275cfs to 550 cfs. I would say a nice minimum for the run would be 350cfs as less than that it seems to get fairly rocky below that level. Earlier this season we did it at 375-400 cfs which seemed on the low side of the optimum range as I think the extra water actually cleans up a lot of the rapids. At 550 it was a little pushy but everything was padded out and Donner Party seems to get easier at higher flows with a nice left line opening up around 400cfs. This is one of the most beautiful runs and probably one of my favorite in the state.

Six other paddlers and I (six from the bay area, one from Reno) ran fordyce this past saturday october 22. the flow was estimated at 320 cfs, definitely far lower than optimal. This was my first opportunity to get up there. I would go back many times a year during fall releases, especially at flows >400 cfs. We found the scenery and whitewater to be of the highest quality, even at this low flow.

[Zach Latham]

Although I didn't get on Fordyce this season, the 3 times I did it last year sealed this high alpine creek as one of my favorite class V runs. The scenery is amazing and mile for mile, the rapids are some of the best I have ever boated. I hope that in the near future, kayakable flows from 350-700 cfs will be released from Lake Fordyce to ensure that this top notch whitewater run will flow during portions of the summer kayaking season. I absolutely love this run and I can't wait until the next time I am shouldering my boat at the put in, Viva Fordyce!!

I got a chance to boat Fordyce for the first time with the October 22nd (~320 cfs) crew, and it was one of the best runs I've ever done. It's remote, it's gorgeous, and it has amazing rapids; the uglies are easily portaged, and the big drops feel clean and fun. I would love to get on there again with a flow closer to 400-450 cfs.

I'm from the Bay Area, and getting a chance to do the run once was worth every minute of the four hour drive up there. If there were releases during the late summer and fall, I would make the trip at least once or twice a month, and making an effort to support local businesses in the process. If I were a local, I'd be trying to hit the run nearly every weekend during the fall.

I have run Fordyce five times. This year I paddled it three times and had the pleasure of an october run. This most recent run was especially memorable due to the beautiful fall foliage (all the aspen and willows were brilliant yellow).

Reliable summer/fall releases would be excellent as more and more people become fond of the run. This year it was great to have a high quality class IV-V whitewater run long after almost everything else in the state dried up. It would be cool if this occured every year.

I think Lars's description of the run gives people the impression that not a lot of people run this creek. That may have been true in the past, but Fordyce has become a very popular run in the last two or three years. On my last two trips I saw over 5 groups of boaters on the creek each day. Some of these groups had over ten people in them.

Hopefully we can get more dependable summer fall releases in the future so more boaters can see this beautiful place!

[J.D.]

Fordyce is a definite classic!!! Few other runs of this caliber can be done without a serious hike or a night under the stars. Having driven 7 hours to paddle, I tried to make the most of it and was able to get in 3 runs over a 3 day period. The first two at the reported 300cfs which was good (personal minimum) but the third was somewhere around 400ish. The higher flow made for a cleaner and much more enjoyable run. If you've never been fortunate enough to catch this section of river when it's flowing, I suggest you put it on the top of your list for next year. You won't be disappointed!

J.D. Batove
Bakersfield, CA