MF Stanislaus (Dardanelles, IV-V)

MF Stanislaus (Dardanells run, III-V, 9 miles)
This run is divided into upper and lower sections by the hwy108 bridge and has upper 5 miles of class III plus two un-doable hard rapids and lower 4 miles of class IV-V, which is harder than the Mckay’s point run of N. Stanislaus. I don’t think the upper 5 miles are worth to paddle if the portaging labor is considered. Unlike the upper 5 miles run, lower 4 miles run is great particularly in the last 2 miles, which has continuous class IV-V rapids and is like miniature of Miracle Mile of classV Cherry Creek.

I did this run on July of 2006 with Jesse Costero-Good and Chris Colin, two solid class V paddlers. Flow was estimated between 400-500 cfs, a good flow to do this run. Only Jesse did it ten years ago. In our first plan, we intended to do Donnell run which is below this Dardanelles run, but the takeout road was blocked in the middle. Donnells run must have very nice class IV-V rapids that continue from the last 2 miles of Dardanelles run. I believe Donnells run deserve to do.

First three miles has class III stretch, in which section we portaged once due to logs.


This is the entrance of the first un-runnable gorge. There are three big drops here, at least one of them looked very bad.


Very narrow and scary gorge continues.




After the portage, we putin about ~600 feet below the gorge. There is 300 feet stretch of class IV rapids. Jesse is running the first drop.


However, we wrongly putin. We had to portage again since logs blocked the river.


This portage was very hard.


The second un-runnable rapids just above the hwy108 bridge. Huge rock blocks the rapids and water goes underneath it.


This is a view of rapids below hwy 108 bridge. There is a class IV boof and very hard (class V+?) rapid.


There is a rock under the water in the middle and very sticky hole in the left bottom.


Chris entered in this rapid in the left and went by the right side of the hidden rock. I portaged.


There was a huge log jam. I had not seen such a huge one. Portaged.



The last one mile section has 150 fpm gradient, and there were four or five nice class IV-V rapids, which were harder than Mckay’s point run of N Stanislaus. Because the other two are so solid classV paddlers, we scouted only once, and I just followed their lines.


Clark road bridge (Takeout).