The Auburn Run - Lower North Fork - Class 2
Open Now !
Incredible canyon scenery. Long quiet sections and fun rapids!
A river finally resurrected from the ruins of the abandoned Auburn Dam project!
The starting point is at the confluence of the North & Middle forks of the American river near the hwy 49 crossing. There are some good rapids right at the starting point and about a quarter mile below that just past the historic Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge. There are fantastic sculpted greenstone rock formations in this area. For the next three miles you will have a meandering float through a wilderness canyon setting. When you get to the dam site area you will come up to a series of manmade drops created as a kayak play zone as part of the intake area for the Placer County Water Agency Pump Station Project. This might be a good place to hang out for a while and watch the action. There is a portage trail here and you can run it more than once! About a quarter mile below this is a take-out option for those desiring to avoid running the more challenging rapids below this point were the river becomes steeper and rockier before settling down again. On the left is a nice scenic side canyon where Knickerbocker Creek cascades down the canyon. After a quiet float you approach Oregon Bar, the last rapid if you are taking out at the Oregon Bar Takeout (open weekends only). The river takes a leisurely path through rocks until finally a chute appears to the right and which provides a final climax to this section of the run. At this time there are no signs indicating takeout access but you can see the road cut and there is a rock pile to mark the spot. After running the chute you should stop on the right, carry your boat over the gravel bar, raft over a 20' section of water and carry up the bank. The loading area is about 600' up the road. If you should raft past the take-out you will have to paddle your boat back upstream or carry along a trail to get back to the road. You can also continue rafting down into Folsom Lake to the Rattlesnake Bar boat ramp (four miles). Although you will get to run more rapids if the lake is down, you will also need to paddle the lake, which takes 1 to 2 hours depending on your crews paddling strength, the wind conditions and the guides ability to maintain bearing.
Your guide will need decent guiding skills to handle this run. You should at least have mastered the Middle Fork run first to gain some experience.
Water flows will vary with time of year and time of day in the summer. In spring expect high flows after spring storms and snow melt as the run is fed by the two river forks. If you want to taste the excitement, this is the time to go! On summer afternoons it's a lazy float with shallow rapids in some places. After 4:00 in the afternoon the hydro release from the Middle Fork gradually arrives and the run changes character to a quicker pace with more waves. The sun starts to hide behind the canyon rim. This is probably the nicest time to do this run. Take your time and enjoy the evening.
Logistics
Canyon Raft Rentals is in the process of working with state agencies to get the proper permits to provide shuttle service for put-in and take-outs. We are hoping accomplish this by mid June.
Until then each party will need to bring an extra vehicle(s) and leave it at the take-out area (pay park fee). Then you all squeeze into your other vehicle(s) with all the rafting gear and head to the put-in and start pumping up the raft. The starting point at the confluence of the North & Middle Forks is a very popular swimming hole area on summer weekends and parking can be difficult to find (even before the advent of rafting in this canyon!). At the take-out point you must hike up to the parking area on a trail to get your vehicle (a 380ft elevation gain) and drive down to the loading zone to load the gear. Then you must go back to the beginning and get your other vehicle out of the canyon.
Water flows will vary with time of year and time of day in the summer. In spring expect high flows after spring storms as the run is fed by the two river forks. If you want to taste the excitement, this is the time to go! On summer afternoons it's a lazy float with shallow rapids in some places. After 4:00 in the afternoon the hydro release from the Middle Fork gradually arrives and the run changes character to a quicker pace with more waves. The sun starts to hide behind the canyon rim. This is probably the nicest time to do this run. Take your time, enjoy the evening and let our shuttle van take you back to Auburn.