Drivers Flat Run

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Driver's Flat to Mammoth Bar Run

A good class 2, seven mile afternoon run in a scenic canyon. Upstream power release arrives around 2:00PM once the spring melt is under control. Crystal clear cool water. The run takes about three hours. These pictures are some of the highlights of the run.

Click for larger map.
This map has the run plus shows Lake Clementine; a good place to kayak.
The run is in the Auburn State recreation Area. Put-in is from Driver's Flat Road.

Looking into the canyon from Forresthill Rd.

This place feels quite magical in the evening when you come back to retrieve your vehicle. It's nice to linger a while if you can. If it's the early part of the season, you'll get to drive though this creek. If you arrive early you can bushwhack up this creek and find a great pool at the bottom of a cascade to cool off in. The creek follows an interesting fault line.
The put-in spot is just beyond the campground and the gravel lot that the commercial rafters use to take-out from the upper run.

If you are willing to go another half mile up the road and another creek crossing, you can start at this great sculpted rock pool. You'll need good ground clearance on your vehicle. The Middle Fork is a good place to learn.

Just below the campground is this rapid with lot's of choices. You can scout this from the road on the way in and choose your path. I recommend entering the right channel even though there are some guard rocks at the entrance. The middle fork is ideal for small boats which get the best ride in the relatively small waves.

You will need to avoid hitting these rocks about a mile from the start. The current is fast! From upstream they look like watery humps. Much of this run is an easy float interspersed with gravel bar rapids.

Oops, stuck in the shalows!
At the end of the long straight section is this wide shallow zone. The current best route is just left of the island.
Hey; we're cool...we can do this!

Pulled over at a secret side creek. This is the largest hole on the run. You can blast through it if you have enough speed or sneak around it on either side. If you hit it make sure to enter at 90 degrees to avoid flipping.

Sneekin around on the right side of the hole.
If you run this hole about 15 feet to this side you can get everybody wet.
From upstream it's hard to see the best clear path through the rocks on this one. You can pull over on river right to take a look first.

These beginners all made it down this run. Just around the corner from Mammoth Bar take out is this place they call Murderer's Bar, a class 5 rapid to stay out of! Watch for signs & parked vehicles indicating take-out.
Park your vehicle so you can see it from the river!