The South Fork of the American has approximately eight sections of boatable whitewater ranging from class II to class V.[10] The most commonly run section of river is the class III stretch between Chili Bar Dam and Folsom Lake. At 3pm, we encountered a lone kayaker, Dan, 48, swimming in an eddy on river right in the Upper Haystacks. I want people discussing what they would do in situations like this. We did not have a river map with egress points. Our most experienced kayaker, a class 5 boater, did wear a drytop, but not a drysuit. I didn't want him in the water trying to lift and drain his boat. We helped a fellow kayaker get home safe. I wanted to support the raft and help it find safe lines. SAR told us to hang tight and keep Dan warm. Our expert traded her hand paddles to Ellis. The decision to leave Jeff's headlamp was tough. During the months of Nov-Mar, low temperatures are to be expected (45-60 degrees) as well possible precipitation. Rescue scenarios evolve. Paul used his Verizon phone to contact Dan's family. If you have a rand skirt, don't assume it will fit over any cockpit. 11446030 South Fork American River near Pilot Hill, CA—Continued — 2 — TEMPERATURE, WATER, DEGREES CELSIUS WATER YEAR OCTOBER … He collected plenty of wood. No helicopters were available (probably fighting wildfires in SoCal). Dan's group was here. [8], The South Fork drains an area of 840 sq mi (2,200 km2),[3] or about a third of the 2,150 sq mi (5,600 km2) American River watershed. He had nothing else to worry about. Take the initiative, but don’t try and be a hero. In Spring the hillsides of the upper Chili Bar section are adorned with stunning California poppies and other wild flowers. [7], The river begins at Nebelhorn near Johnson Pass about 10 mi (16 km) south of Lake Tahoe. I have to emphasize that Paul was outstanding here. 6. I could have attached these to my PFD, increasingly my visibility on the egress. Don’t let other people, including yourself, become victims. Verizon markets itself has the cell phone company for rural areas. Maybe we should have had Dan paddle his own way through Bouncing Rock, charging hard right to cheat the hole? We left for Satan's with about 30 minutes of daylight and an hour of graylight. We immediately knew that Dan's hypothermia was moving from functionally cold to dangerous. Paul supported Dan, keeping him talking and in good spirits. Ask if they are comfortable with the next rapid, can roll, and know the lines. 5. They transported him, in the river, downstream to the bottom of the Upper Haystacks. The South Fork provides habitat for threatened and endangered fish and some of the state’s best expert-level whitewater. There are also interesting historical sights on the river such as grinding holes made by the Nisenan people that once inhabited the area and diversion channels blasted out during the gold rush. The diabetic expert is a Wilderness First Responder. NWIS Water Temperature in Celsius (Where Available) for the Week in South Fork American - HUC 18020129 ; Sacramento River Basin Study Unit, NAWQA; USGS Drought Watch - U.S Map of Drought and Low Flow Conditions; USGS WaterWatch - Real-time Streamflow Map for the California Region- HUC 18; USGS WaterWatch - Real-time Floods and High Flow Conditions Map for the California Region - HUC … The only member of the Dan's group without a drysuit was Dan, the swimmer, himself. Kevin DeLano - Geologist, Boater, Dungeon Master. Therefore, I knew the bonus class 2 rapids below Surprise were in. To Dan's credit, he hung on like a champ through the wave train. To avoid confusion, I told everyone why I was whistling before I did it. Make sure the phone is charged and/or bring a fully charged USB charger. After one swim, the whole group thought Dan was capable of more paddling. Our diabetic expert kept what she needed to maintain her blood sugar. Dan and Ellis brought Dan's kayak and paddle downstream to us. I asked everyone if they were comfortable running the upcoming rapids. Therefore, I’m proud of my group’s actions. After I kayaked across the river and back, his hands were warmer than mine. Our expert only had one arm to paddle two kayaks because the Dan was hanging on with both hands. On river left, across the river and upstream from Bouncing Rock, Weber Creek flows into the SFA. Building a fire kept Dan stable and kept Paul and I from getting cold and becoming victims too. Dan's hypothermia was getting worse. The EMT and I rafted-up with our expert, forming a three kayak raft. We were tired, hungry, and cold. Our group of nine saddled up and ran Lower Haystacks and Scissors. No moon. At the diabetic’s expert’s instruction, I fed Dan snacks from the diabetic's spare snack reserves. Ellis, Jeff, and our expert, the WOOFR without the dry-suit and with diabetes, decided to leave. The summer months are … There are two dams on the South Fork proper: Slab Creek Dam, which forms Slab Creek Reservoir near Camino, and Chili Bar Dam, located north of Placerville. Dan got to talk to his wife and daughters and tell them everything was ok. Also, a hypothermic person is slow. Dan swam bouncing rock. For the rest of the day, Ellis ran clean routes with the hand-paddles while our expert used Ellis's paddle. Pack more water and food then you think you need. The raft guide knew as well I did, but he wanted the backup. Define what whistle blasts mean. SAR told us they were launching a raft from Kanaka Road across from Bouncing Rock. Our second Verizon phone was upstream. American River weather, Kangaroo Island, SA - 7-day weather forecast and current temperature and Adelaide weather radar The fall colors reflecting against the river take one’s breath away. 7. My immediate concern was that Dan would swim Ambulance Run, lose consciousness, and get a foot entrapment.

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