NF Mokelume (Devil's nose, IV-V)

Devil's nose run is class IV ~ V run (14.8 mile). This run begins below Salt Springs Reserver and take out is above Tiger Creek Afterbay, Dam to Dam run. Above the Salt Springs reserver, there is Fantasy Falls run, one of seven rivres of The 7 rivers expedtion. I did Devil's nose run in June of 2005 with other three awesome C1 paddlers, Bruce, David and Larry. Flows were 1,000 cfs at putin and 1,900 cfs at takeout. We put in at noon but done at 8:30 pm due to many scouting. Many thanks to Paula, Bruce's wife, for her shuttle that needed one hour for just one way. See more info at Mokelumne River North Fork to Tiger Creek.

We put in at the Mokelome campgound. Just below the putin, classIV rapids began.


For a while, nice class IV rapids continued.






First classV rapid (at this flow). It was riverwide sticky hole except for the middle. In the right half, the drop was 6 feet high and we could see even riverbed at the bottom. For swimmers, it would have looked like almost meet-grinder. In the middle, a possible line was a 5-6 feet wide tongue between two holes on the both side. Off course, we portaged.




Last two miles had 100 fpm with absolutely four classV at the flow. This was the first classV of the last two miles.


Far left was undercut in the second classV. I took the snake line in the far right.


The third classV. Just I did this rapid, but took far left line for safety. I went over some rocks where the flow looked like comb.


Last classV was Mokelome falls (no photos). 1,900 cfs flow was going into small gorge. This rapid reminded me about the Hell hole of the trinity, but looked like much harder. Because it did not looke like sticky, I once thought doing it. Finally walked on the right bank.