Kaweah River Log: South Fork

SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOGS: Park Boundary to Confluence

by Bill Pooley.

The South Fork Kaweah was first run in 1998 and is still the most seldom run tributary of the Kaweah. It is not as clean as other Kaweah runs but it is much improved the last few years due to local boaters efforts annually to cut out the hazards. The runable range is narrow and there is not a level that is perfect for all stretches at once. If the saddle rock 100 yards above the Hwy 198 South Fork Crossing is spilling in the center of the saddle then venture up to the gauge for a better look before deciding on your run. The higher you go, the less water is needed.

SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOG: Park Boundary to One Lane Bridge

  • Stretch: Park Boundary to One Lane Bridge
  • Elevation at the Put-in: 3600 ft. Elevation at Take-out: 1850 ft.
  • Total Elevation Loss: 1750 ft
  • Length of run: 6.5 miles
  • Average Gradient: 269 ft/mile
  • Overall rating: Low water: Class 5+, High water: Not recommended
  • Gauge: Located on the Bridge on Sequoia Oaks Dr. at the take out to the Silver Truss run
  • Runable range: Who knows?! All attempts end in Carnage.
  • Portages: Many likely
  • Rafts?: NO!
  • Hazards: Trees, Logs, Brush, High gradient, Sharp Rocks
  • Difficulties: Everything, this section is insane.

    Rumor has it that this section has been attempted several times with varying degrees of success and disaster. If you're up for high gradient dangerous river exploring you'll figure out what you need to do. The river adjoins private land for it's entire length. A few glimpses of the river can be obtained from the road high above on the right bank. There is a 25 ft. falls in this section that is a favorite secret swimming hole for the locals.

    Mile by mile river gradient:

  • Mile 1: 400
  • Mile 2: 320
  • Mile 3: 400
  • Mile 4: 330
  • Mile 5: 270
  • Mile 6: 240
  • Mile 7: 210

    SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOG: One Lane Bridge to Silver Truss Bridge "The Shatner Ranch Run"

  • Stretch: One Lane Bridge to Silver Truss Bridge
  • Elevation at the Put-in: 1850 ft. Elevation at Take-Out: 1360 ft.
  • Total Elevation Loss: 490 ft
  • Length of run: 2.0 miles
  • Average Gradient: 245 ft/mile
  • Overall rating: Low water: Class 4, High water: Not recommended
  • Gauge: Located on the Bridge on Sequoia Oaks Dr. at the take out to the run below this
  • Runable range: 1.1 feet to 1.9 feet on the gauge. Above 2 feet and this section is blasting.
  • Portages: Two
  • Rafts?: NO!
  • Hazards: Possible Logs and the low bridge.
  • Difficulties: A lot of Scouting
  • Shuttle: From the Silver Truss Bridge described below, Drive 0.6 miles upstream on South Fork Dr. and turn right just before address 45258 on the private road that goes down to and crosses the river on a the low and dangerous bridge. Scout this obstruction before your run. To continue to the putin go back to South Fork Dr. and continue upstream 1.2 miles to where the yellow line in the road ends and go right on Mtn Rd M319. M319 is a county road and the one lane bridgeis a county bridge so you are totally legal to be there. You will arrive at the one lane bridge putin in 0.25 miles. The easy putin is on the left bank. June 2010 update notice: The access road to the one lane bridge is now behind a black iron gate and one can no longer access the bridge for scouting.

    There is easy access to both the put-in and take-out. A very Low Bridge a half mile above the takeout is VERY DANGEROUS AND UNRUNABLE. Scout the low bridge before your run. This section of river was explored in May 1999 at 225 cfs. We had looked at it the year before at 350 cfs and determined it might be a bit pushy for a first descent. Once on the river we were glad we had delayed the trip until the level was lower. The river was found to be narrow, tight, and steep. One stretch in the upper part of the run was set on solid granite, creating some big hydraulic action and one high speed sliding drop. 225 cfs was plenty of water. Eddies are small and there was only one pool I remember. This section of river is going downhill fast. The run passes by the ranch of actor William Shatner, Captain Kirk, on the left bank.

    SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOG: Silver Truss Bridge to Sequoia Oaks Drive "The Silver Truss Run"

  • Stretch: Silver Truss Bridge to Sequoia Oaks Drive Bridge
  • Elevation at the Put-in: 1400 ft. Elevation at Take-Out: 1080 ft.
  • Total Elevation Loss: 320 ft
  • Length of run: 1.85 miles
  • Average Gradient: 172 ft/mile
  • Overall rating: Low water: Class 4, High water: Not recommended
  • Gauge: Located on the Bridge on Sequoia Oaks Dr. at the take out to this run
  • Runable range: 1.4 feet to 2.2 feet. Yes, runable above 2.2 feet but is is bank to bank whitewater and no eddies.
  • Portages: None
  • Rafts?: NO!
  • Hazards: Trees, Logs and Brush
  • Difficulties: Scouting and Portaging
  • Shuttle: From the first bridge crossing (putin for lower run) continue upstream on South Fork drive 0.9 miles and turn left on Sequoia Oaks Dr. Go 200 yards to the bridge. This is the takout. To get to the putin continue upstream on South Fork Dr. 1.8 miles to the Silver Truss Bridge crossing the South Fork. The putin is on the right bank.

    This description is from a first hand run in the summer of 1998 at 350cfs. The run was combined with the run downstream. This section of river is, for the most part, runable. A quarter mile downstream of the bridge is the biggest drop of the run, a 4+ three decked affair we named Blackberry Slurry for it's impossible portage in over-your-head blackberries and a nearly as difficult scout from river right. Once in the micro eddy it is impossible to move upstream, downstream or across the river. The only possibility is get out and scout by wading hip deep to a large 10 foot boulder and then running the drop. We ran it without difficulty. The outrun is in a pool, one of few if not the only pool on this run. Two more bigger than normal rapids were encountered. We named them Turmoil and Pinball. There was a nasty log jam encountered at one point that had a single runable slot adjacent. Be prepared to get out and scout anything you can't see. There are few eddies on this stretch but for the most part there is good visability downstream. When you see the takeout bridge take the left channel above the bridge to the eddy on the left.

    SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOG: Sequoia Oaks Local Access Bridge to First Bridge Crossing "The Amazon Run"

  • Length of stretch: 0.9 miles

    This section of the South Fork is UNRUNABLE due to severe strainer hazard, overhanging blackberrys, brush, nettles, logs, braided channels and the like. You will not like it if you boat into this section below the local access bridge. The quarter miles sections at each end of this stretch are runable but the logistics and access through private property make it impractical.

    From the writup of the first descent of this section in 1998: When the river braids it's Time to head for the road on river left. We made the mistake of boating beyond the last take-out bridge and descended into the unrunable section. Unrunable means 10 foot high blackberries on both banks, steep drops, narrow channels and logjams. Our hike out of the Amazon Zone took an hour of hacking through blackberry vines, nettles (yes Nettles!!), fire ants, and poison oak to go 100 feet to the left bank. Save yourself the trouble and take out at the local access bridge before you enter the Amazon. It's a mile mile walk on the road to the next bridge where the boating begins again.
    2003 Update: There has been some improvement done in this section and it had been reported to be more passable as a result of the clearing.

    SOUTH FORK KAWEAH RIVER LOG: First Bridge to Main Confluence

  • Stretch: First Bridge crossing to confluence with Main Kaweah
  • Elevation at the Put-in: 960 ft. Elevation at Confluence: 740 ft.
  • Total Elevation Loss: 180 ft
  • Length of run: 1.75 miles
  • Average Gradient: 105 ft/mile
  • Overall rating: Low water: Class 3 Technical, High water: Not recommended
  • Gauge: Located on the Bridge on Sequoia Oaks Dr. at the take out to this run above this
  • Runable range: 1.4 feet to 2.2 feet. Yes, runable above 2.2 feet but is is bank to bank whitewater and no eddies.
  • Portages: None
  • Rafts?: NO!
  • Hazards: Trees, Logs and Brush
  • Difficulties: None
  • Shuttle:Eastbound on Hwy 198 turn right on Old Three River Dr. after crossing the South Fork. To get to the put in go .5 miles to South Fork Dr. staying right at the Y on to Blossom. Right on South Fork Drive another 1.3 miles to the bridge crossing the left channel. The takeout is the trailhead below the Holiday Lodge at the lake.

    This is the usual run that is done on the South Fork. It is fairly clean and worth doing if you haven't done it before. The best take-out is to boat all the way to the lake. The Hwy 198 bridge is 0.5 miles above the confluence.


    Copyright © 1996 through 2010 by Bill Pooley. All rights reserved.

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    Last modified: 06.10.2010