Big Kimshew Creek

Big Kimshew is one of my favorite creek runs in California…being only a day run this has got to be up there in the “most fun” category of all the rivers on planet earth. With the right flows and group, you will enjoy a mix between the Little White Salmon, and Upper Cherry…you can’t go wrong. The rapids start out fast and hold to the class V character all the way to the last take out falls.

The trick to this guy is, finding the put in, and timing the water levels…both of these factors make this an untouched river some seasons. Getting lost multiple time on the way to the put-in is part of California kayaking, it's why I love it so much, NOT. I was stressing and thought we may not get to paddle. A mile or so of walking through the snow and we made it to the Upper Kimshew Creek. We just went ahead and put on the mank infested ditch and made our way a few extra miles down to where I normally put in. It was an adventure and made our day longer, but all the work paid itself off in GOLD! With all the snow pack in the mountains out here, I think we will have plenty of days out on this puppy this Summer. Here is a small taste of the sweet treats you get to sample when dropping in on Kimshew creek…

The Island at the normal put-in of Kimshew is a rapid that does get fired up, but most the time it's only Chucky that does that!

Kimshew falls! This is just the first in the stage of a triple set that will get ya goin'.

It's about 20 feet of sliding and maybe 12-15 feet of vert...don't want to boff out to big, or you will end up giving yourself a crooked nose for the rest of your life, like me. I broke it here in 2008! This line was much better.

By the end of the goods the level had risen a lot and we had some high flows for Frenchy's Falls. Make this thing better, I swear.

Pillows...PILLOWS I tell ya.

Nate Klema giving a nice line to the bottom of this one. This is a kid we met in our travels from Durango, CO. He has been boating for a long time now, and getting out with on the CO-gnar with Matt Wilson. He was "THE" kayaker where I grew up in Bozeman MT, it showed when I got to know Nate.

And come on...If you are in the area and you don't go and rally a lap on the South Branch? Well that's, that's just not right!

Griff boofing while I watched on...glory in our eyes and a steep rough trail in front of us.

Had to get it!!! We were out there Running Brown.

Erik Johnson throwing his paddle off the 50 at the take out of day 1 section.

Mr. Klema lining up a huge boof off 99 Problems. Damn sick rapid!

I hope that you enjoy taking a look at the shots, Thanks to Nate Klema. Two of the greatest rivers in the world/cali. The water is now still rising here and doesn’t seem to want to mellow out. The California Love Tour 2010 continues as the crew searches for the next watershed to attack. We have not slowed down at all. Wait until you see the photos about to come in the next few posts! Good Stuff!!!

Later E.G.