Clavey Falls
Tuolumne - 4. Lumsden Campground (Merals Pool) to Wards Ferry Bridge (CA)
Gauge Conditions
Approximate - nearest available gauge. Use as general reference only.
CDEC Flow Data California
Photo
Description
The first of two drops in this staircase rapid are the biggest. An 8-foot sem-verticald rop on the right, called "The Falls" takes boats into a foaming current that pushes them toward the left wall. The second drop is guarded by a boat-crunching hole across the left half of the river. There is a left-side run that avoids the Falls but also leads to the big hole. Portage on the right, Set safety downstream. The most dangerous part of this rapid is "Dinosaur Rock" at the bottom of the rapid. Few people rarely walk down to scout it and many boats hit it. It is fairly easy to wrap or flip on this rock at flows above 2,000 cfs. Even if you miss the rock to the left, there is a steep eddy line that will flip a raft or throw a few paddlers out. Kayakers that float over this line may end up in a tricky eddy behind the rock. There have been two deaths on this rapid, both above 8,000 cfs and both kayakers. Kayaks that paddle over the top of Dinosaur end up getting caught in a part of the rock that split off on the back side. This would be horrible place to swim, but it's worse in a kayak, because a kayak can easily pin here.
Location
Other Rapids on This Run (19)
Rapid
N/A
Rapid
IV
Rapid
IV
Rapid
IV
Rapid
IV
Rapid
IV
Rapid
IV
Rapid
V
Rapid
III
Rapid
N/A
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
American Whitewater