Deer Creek

Deer Creek is the first self-support multi-day trip I have done and it really exceeded my expectations. Deer Creek runs out of the Ishi Wilderness in the northern Sierras. Due to its lower elevation headwaters, it has a short season, but we were able to catch it at a great flow in early May. Deer Creek is divided into two halves. You can do just the lower or both sections, but just the upper only is not recommended due to an extremely long shuttle. The upper section is harder, and also better than the lower, and both have great scenery.

Most of the Upper section is fast Class IV through a forest, with read and run lines, an surprisingly little wood. One big exception to this is Fishladder Falls, which is a pretty much mandatory portage. You portage on the right and there is a nice trail about 50 feet above the creek. There is probably also a better way to get to the trail if you stop further upstream, but if you go to the lip, the climb is pretty steep and slippery.

Re-grouping post portage.


Typical upper section scenery.


Lots of this.


Around mile 12, we began looking for the great campsite noted in some of the online guides. We floated through a canyon with spectacular rock spires, but no apparent campsites. Around 7 PM, we floated though a vertically walled-in rapid and past the point of no return for the section described by cacreeks as the "V+ Maxi-Gorge." After another large, but clean rapid, we had a brief meeting, where group members expressed opinions such as "there is no way I am sleeping in this fucking gorge tonight." Fortunately, the gorge was only about five rapids long and not V+. This was actually the best section of the run with surprisingly clean drops considering the geology (large volcanic boulders). We ran the first four rapids and portaged the last. The last drop looked alright, but we were in a bit of a time pinch.

The only photo I took in the gorge.


We eventually found a place to camp right as dark was falling. The next morning, we woke up and after an alpine 11AM start, ran the Antipenultimate, Penultimate, and Ultimate section of rapids. I am not sure which was which, and it seemed more like five rapids, but this was a very nice section of whitewater. Less boxed in and more continuous than the gorge upstream, but also very clean.

Kevin somewhere on the morning of day 2.


Soon, we crossed under the Ponderosa Way bridge into the lower section. The first mile of this section contained good Class IV, which eventually mellowed. Class III and IV rapids are scattered throughout the next several miles. It should be noted that there is a bad wood hazard about 5 miles into the lower run. Scout carefully in this area.

Mellow section.


After several miles, there is a final flurry of action with several class IV-IV+ rapids, and Ishi Falls, the largest rapid on the lower section.

Ian boofs into Ishi Falls.


The river eventually mellows into a long and scenic paddle out. We camped somewhere in this section and paddled out on an easy day 3. Overall, I thought Deer Creek was a fantastic run. The upper section is better than the lower, but the combination makes for great trip. This run could be done in two reasonable days with an early start or a guide. We about 600 cfs for the entire trip, which seemed like a really good level. 450 is probably a reasonable minimum. More than 600 would be great if you could catch it at that level.