Clear Creek (IV-V, P)

Clear Creek flows into the Klamath River just downstream from the town of Happy Camp on Hwy. 96. This is maybe the best class 4-5 creek in the area, and certainly one of my favorites. The entire run is chock full of high quality rapids consisting of good boofs, bedrock, and tight gorges.

The first mile of the run is the most difficult and continuous, and the first big rapid, although visible from the trail on the hike in, has a tendency to sneak up on groups, causing its fair share of carnage. Downstream from the bridge over Clear Creek is the one mandatory portage of the run. Portage on the right. Also, note that the eddy for the portage is right at the lip of the drop, and at higher flows (over 900 cfs on the Indian Creek guage) it may be necessary to eddy out up higher to avoid rolling backwards into the portage. Below the portage are a few small rapids, and then the final gorge of the run. The final rapid is a must run and one of the best on the creek.

Will Parham stoked to be hiking in the sunshine.

Peter Malkin boofing the right side of the first large rapid.

Will about to boof, and get chundered, in the entrance of the first big one.

Will with a nice rock slide.

Melissa DeMarie lining up the boof in the second rapid.

Martin Belden boofing away...

Will making the move through the curler, which feeds to the left into less friendly waters.

Martin in another classic Clear Creek rapid.

Melissa running right in the same drop.

Peter boofing big in the entrance of one of the larger rapids on the creek.

Take-out:

From Hwy. 96, turn west onto Clear Creek road, about 10 miles south of the town of Happy

Camp, just north of the Clear Creek bridge. Follow signs that lead to the Clear Creek trailhead.

After driving 5-6 miles, look for a Forest Service river access sign on the left side of the road.

Park here, and make sure to scout the take-out, as the trail leading back to the road can be easy

to miss.

Put-in:

Continue driving up the road until it ends at the trailhead. Hike about one mile upstream and

put in where the trail meets the creek.