Wanting to seize one more opportunity to fit in some boating before I inevitably had to shift focus with my summer, I joined Keith and Eric for a quick day trip up to the Kern. The release from Lake Isabella was putting the lower Kern at 2300 cfs, which seemed quite a bit higher than I had ever run it so I was feeling a little more nervous than I perhaps needed to be. After meeting up with Geno with his mini-catamaran and a merry band of kayakers at the Democrat takeout, we drove up to Borel Powerhouse as our put-in, giving us a 12.5 mile run. This distance was enough that we started with the stench of campfire and smoke-hued skies. Already by our post-mid-morning put-in the day was heating up. Combined with the pleasantly warm river waters straight from the reservoir, I probably could have gotten away with some thin neoprene instead of my air-trapping drysuit. After an atypical week of packrafting exclusively with other packrafters (a weird novelty!), it was somewhat comforting and familiar to go back to being the token curiosity to a bunch of hardshell boaters.
Miracle hot spring looked quite different than the last time I passed through with the forest service destroying tubs and preventing all access. A short distance further Remington hot spring was quite busy; the lowest pools were in the river due to the high waters.
I had a clean line through White Maiden, the first Class IV rapid. One [probably unnamed] rapid caught me off guard with a curling wave creating an unusually deep pocket that I did not notice until it was too late; it was the first of several deep braces and quick strokes I would have to take in rapids to stay upright. With a few III and IV rapids behind us, I was starting to feel a little more relaxed by the time we reached the Royal Flush portage and had a social snack in the shade. This was actually quite a nice flow level for this section of the river. As we worked our way along, an upcanyon wind brought the dry heat of Bakersfield and extra effort paddling the flats but made up for it by holding the smoke at bay for the rest of the run.
With the nearly a dozen strong group, I was having difficulties keeping space between myself and the kayakers going into rapids and several times had to take evasive action to not end up on top of them. One instance was in the rapid above the highway bridge where despite starting with plenty of space I ended up on a kayaker in the middle of a rapid and was forced to take a less desirable line sideways through a hole, resulting in my deepest brace and most desperate recovery of the run. I am still not completely sure how I managed that one and remembered thinking for sure that I was going over. Below the bridge were the "big 5" rapids, which were good chaotic fun, especially Hari-Kari, Horseshoe Falls, and Pinball. I wanted to pull over to check out Delonegha hot spring but found it to be particularly rundown looking and did not want to hold the group up so we passed by. Despite the lovely water temperatures I was thrilled to get through the run without a flip. I am sure I am jinxing myself but I do not think I have had a flip yet this year. Thanks especially to Eric and Keith. It ended up being a great day out.
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