Any trip reports out there for packrafting the McCloud River from lower falls to the reservoir? At 750ish cfs?
Hey Roland, thanks for posting your question! @CaliPackrafting do you know, or know who might know?
I’ve done it once, and Ted Couch and Dup Crosson (find them on FB) have done it a couple times. It’s one of the few runs that has the minimum flow on AW well calibrated for packrafts, I definitely would not go below 600. From what I can remember, we did it at around 650, and it was a lot of boat dragging until we got to Big Spring. Hopefully the section from the falls to Big Spring would be more fun at 750. Some of the upper section can be skipped with a use trail along the river, until you hit the Hearst private land. The first section is class III but at super low flow is pretty tame other than wood hazards. The crux rapid is a long class IV right after Big Spring, and is a bit of a meat grinder if you swim at the top. I’d say it’s class III moves, but it’s long and continuous and you should be thinking about class IV consequences (foot entrapment risk, bumps and bruises likely) if anyone swims it. Get your crew together and head in the game before you do that, it’s a real change in character with all the extra water. I think it kinda gets easier from there.
Please post trip reports and pics on the AW page, and then link that the here, if you do it.