Upper Middle Consumes

After a few days of paddling on the South Yuba and partying at the Auburn River Festival we checked flows and all signs pointed to the Upper Middle Consumes. The character of this river is more low volume steep creeking in a sort of pool drop fashion. Barny and I got on this run two times in the last couple of days. The first trip was a late start on a sunny day with the Kiwi/Auburn boys, where we got down pretty quickly with smiles all around. The second trip, thanks to Charles King, was a long day in cold wet weather, a large group and a variety incidents. However, all made it to the take out before dark and only gear was broken. Anyway, here are some photos of this amazing little creek. Enjoy.



- The boys getting ready for our first trip down the UMC (P. Barny)


- Jared M waiting for the line (P. Barny)


- Me running a sick double drop early in the day (P. Barny)


- Me smashing into an eddy through a big hole (P. Charles)


- Barny running the big ski-jump type drop (P. Charles)


- Barny running what we called UMC Cess-pit (P. Charles)


- Me running the blind 25+ footer (P. Charles)


- Skux coming on down (P. Barny)


- Me dropping over ANOTHER horizon line (P. Barny)


- Barny on the class IV+ boogy (P. Charles)

The Upper Middle Consumes is a great class V run, with nothing too hard or stacked but a few things that are there to fire if you want it. Our first run was at around 325 cfs and the second was over 400, I think there is room for a bigger flow but you'd want to know it, have good granite gripping shoes and your big set for that day!

First Run in USA - 49 to Bridgeport

After flying to Auckland to meet Barny, flying to 12 hours to San Fran and dropping off our boats, flying to Seattle to pick our car, driving 13 hours back to San Fran to get our boats and driving to Caloma to set up camp we were ready to get down to business. My good mate Skux suggested a run down 49 to Bridgeport on the South Yuba River, so that is what we did. Here are some pics of this classic low elevation run.



- Barny boofing through one of the many classic drops (P. Jordy)


- Me coming through the same rapid (P. Barny)


- Barny boofing through a tight slot (P. Jordy)


- Skux feeling small in a big river valley (P. Barny)


- Barny going crazy horse (P. Jordy)


- getting ready to launch (P. Barny)


- Barny charging into the "bishy-bashy" stuff (P. Jordy)


- Me on the lead into the "bishy-bashy" (P. Barny)


- Barny eating the meat (P. Jordy)

This is a super classic that reminded me of the Whitcombe but with a greater number of and diversity of drops. We also got on the Purdons section of the South Yuba, above 49 to Bridgeport, but because we we're travelling at MACH - Justin Pat I only got to take photos from one point.


- Justin doing his crazy boof (P. Jordy)