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Rapid CA Class III+

Two Holes Hiding

San Joaquin - 3. Horseshoe Bend (Redinger Dam to Kerckhoff Reservoir) (CA)

Monitor this Rapid
Gauge Conditions
SAN JOAQUIN River Above WILLOW Creek Near AUBERRY CA Upstream Primary
Runnable: ? – ? CFS

Approximate - nearest available gauge. Use as general reference only.

Data from American Whitewater & USGS
CDEC Flow Data California
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER NFW Primary
Elevation: 5,200 ft
Data from California Data Exchange Center (CDEC)
Photo
Two Holes Hiding
Photo courtesy of American Whitewater
Description

Boulders on river right block your view of this sharp right turn. Rocks in the middle of the entrance force boaters to go far left at lower water the paddle hard to get back right.  At 2400 cfs a left of center chute is open that reduces the effort of getting right.  Around 3500 or 4000 cfs a steep drop on center right is open.  At lower release flows the current pushes boats towards a big hole on the left. Paddle hard to get right. Another large hole hides in the middle in the tail waves below. Scout or portage on river right. Boat scout on river left. There is a long recovery pool below. A few boaters have had deep dark swims here after being separated from their gear.   One boater reports swimming underneath a boulder after dropping into the upper hole.

At 1600 cfs both holes are exposed bolders and there is even a narrow waterfall route to the left of the first boulder.

At higher flows (4000 cfs) the lower hole washes out and dissapears, but the upper hole gets bigger and bigger.

Location
Type
Rapid
Difficulty
Class III+
Mile Marker
2.3 mi
Directions
Navigate
View Full Run
3. Horseshoe Bend (Redinger Dam to Kerckhoff Reservoir)
San Joaquin
III-IV(V) 7.0 mi
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater