Cal Salmon
Location: Northern California (about 270 miles north of San Francisco; about 75 miles north of Redding).
Length of trips: 18 miles in one or two days. Shorter trips are also available.
Season: Year-round, depending on rainfall. The water flow usually peaks between late May and early June.
Weather: Be prepared for cold (50° to 60°F in spring), refreshing water and lots of rain. The Pacific isnt far away, and ocean storms can quickly move inland and dump rain or snow. In spring and summer temperatures sometimes heat up to 100°. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, scorpions, and poison oak.
Lodging: Only a few campsites in the main gorge. Campgrounds at Nordheimer Flat and Oak Bottom, as well as a lodge near Forks of Salmon.
Boats: Kayaks, oar boats, paddle rafts.
Rapids: More than 50 rapids, including numerous Class IV and several Class V. Cool (mid-60s in summer), clear water.
Special features:
- One of the finest white-water rivers in the West.
- Flows through one of Californias most isolated regions.
- Mixed forest of Douglas fir, madrona, and canyon live oak.
- Hanging gardens of sedum, firecracker flower, paintbrush, and monkey flower adorn the inner gorge.
- Black-tailed deer, river otters, black bears, Roosevelt elk, raccoon, bats, ospreys, American dippers, mergansers, kingfishers, turkey vultures, bald eagles, peregrine falcons.
- Excellent swimming in summer.
- Fishing for chinook salmon and steelhead in autumn.
- Solitude.
- Most outfitters require that rafters be at least 16 and have Class IV rafting experience.
Nearby excursions:
- Ishi Pishi Falls overlook.
- Marble Mountain Wilderness.
- Siskiyou Wilderness.
For a list of outfitters:
- USDA Forest Service, Klamath National Forest, Happy Camp Ranger District, P.O. Box 377, Happy Camp, California 96039-0377; +1 916 493 2243, fax +1 916 493 2212. Try to book at least three to four weeks in advance.
- USDA Forest Service, Klamath National Forest, Unonom Ranger District, P.O. Box 410, Orleans, California 95556-0410; +1 916 627 3291, fax +1 916 627 3401.
For more information:
- California Division of Tourism, 801 K Street, Sacramento, California 95814; +1 916 322 2881 or 800 862 2543, fax +1 916 322 3402.
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