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Yankee Jim's Run
slide show - Class 2
Iowa Hill Run slide show - Class 4
The
North Fork American
The 2008 spring snowmelt is
over. Not run able till spring 2009
 This is one of the few rivers left with
no dams on it's upper reaches. Because of this fact it must be
rafted during the spring runoff. Best times are May to early June. In summer you can still
float a raft down but you may have to walk it through the shallow
rapids. As the water level drops it gets warmer and warmer and offers the most inviting swimming holes in the area. It
flows into Lake Clementine which is perfect for our kayaks. This reservoir was built to contain the tailings from
the hydraulic mining era. Since it is not used for power
generation or water supply, it stays full all the time, giving it
a very natural look.
There is a trip on this river for every ability level from class
5 to flat water.
Ponderosa Way crossing:
Easy class 1-2, 5 mile run. Ponderosa Way can be reached
from Hwy 80, Weimar area or from the Forresthill Rd. Take
out is at Upper Lake Clementine (opens mid May to early June),
accessed from the Forresthill Rd. or if you want to do this run before
June you could paddle to the Lower Clementine access; another 4.5 miles on
the lake. Just very basic maneuvering skills are needed for this run.
Yankee Jim's crossing: Class 2-3
depending on flows. This road runs from the Colfax/Weimar area to Forresthill so you can
access it from either side. At higher flows the first
part of this run can be quite feisty so it's a good idea
to have some experience under your belt. The run is about
4.5 miles to Ponderosa way or you can continue to Upper
Lake Clementine if open. Click here for
Yankee Jim's Run slide show.
Iowa Hill Rd from
Colfax: Class 4. This run is for big boys. Narrow
canyon with lot's of boulders rocks and drops. Must be
really experienced for this one preferably having had a few seasons of
class 3 guiding under your belt first. Requires helmets & wetsuits. Best run at 1000 to 3000 cfs.
Click here for Iowa Hill Run slide show.
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