07. K’účasčas / Fall Creek Access to Iron Gate

In the Iron Gate Run, the river finds a happy medium between the mellow meanderings of K’íka·c’é·ki Valley and the steeper sprints of Big Bend and K’íka·c’é·ki Canyon upstream. In this final stretch of the formerly dammed reaches of the Klamath, the river flows through a semi-arid canyon dotted with oak, juniper, and pine above the former reservoir footprint. The run ends below Iron Gate, the scenic red-rock narrows for which the dam that once stood here was named. From 1962 to early 2024 this reach was flooded by the 173-foot-high Iron Gate Dam. The dam's low level outlet was opened on January 11, 2024 and the draining of Iron Gate Reservoir began. The dam was fully removed by late September 2024. This reach combines good summer flows with enough gradient for year-round intermediate whitewater. It is long enough for a day trip or can be combined with adjacent sections for longer runs. The first four miles descend at a brisk 30 feet per mile as the river courses through a narrower canyon. Three miles above Iron Gate the canyon broadens and the gradient eases to 16 feet per mile, with good current but milder rapids in the final stretch. The run’s proximity to I-5 makes it a great option to see and experience a restored segment of the Klamath River just eight miles off the interstate. making it the most accessible intermediate whitewater on the entire Klamath and much of it is away from roads. As with Copco Reservoir, draining Iron Gate Reservoir has exposed 1,000 acres of previously flooded land, but unlike Copco there are no homes along the shore. With proper stewardship, Iron Gate could will continue to offer excellent scenery and seclusion.