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Santa Ana RiverDeer Creek to diversion dam at confluence with Bear Creek |
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Santa Ana RiverDeer Creek to diversion dam at confluence with Bear Creek |
| SUMMARY | |
| Location: |
San Bernardino National Forest, northeast of Redlands, California |
| Put-in: |
1/4 mile upstream of confluence with Deer Creek (3816'). |
| Gradients: |
1) 300 |
| Take-out: |
Diversion dam at confluence with Bear Creek (3440'). |
| NOTES | |
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This was the first exploratory run we did on the upper Santa Ana. It is the last mile of the 5.3 mile run that starts at the bridge on Seven Oaks Rd. We thought it would be a good idea to do this segment before commiting ourselves to steeper, more isolated reach upstream. Even though it is "only" one mile long, it seems much longer. Everything is compressed. Necessairly, the number of "drops per mile" increases with the gradient. Here's one way to look at it. If there were a drop every 100 ft. of the run , there would be about 50 drops, with an average height of 6 ft! There are no big waterfalls to expend the elevation, so it has to go somewhere! The character of the boating in this reach is typical of other small creeks we have done in this gradient range. Even without a lot of water, things happen quickly. Rocks play as much of a role in reading a line as water features. You might bounce off a rock to shorten a drop or improve a line. It's common to "hook" rocks to tighten a turn. It's also common to fiend off a rock with one hand while holding the paddle in another, and then have to quickly switch to lift an alder or push off a rock with the other hand. It's not the type of boating that everyone enjoys. Here is a Trip Report that combines the segments from Seven Oaks Rd. down to The Bear Creek diversion dam. Related information: |
| PICTURES | |
