With water levels on the west coast winding down, paddlers are flocking to the few damn release rivers with gradient for entertainment. Paul Gamache, an Arcata, CA local has been putting on BurnFest on the Burnt Ranch Gorge section of the Trinity for the past few years to feed the hunger of the paddling community out here, and doing a great job at it. This event was one of the best grass roots events I have ever attended. There was a great turn out of about 75 paddlers + groupies, great weather, and a really beautiful stretch of river that can be run at a variety of water levels, so there is a really slim chance of getting skunked on this event. Here are a few pics of the event.
Watching some carnage
photo: Jason Barnes, paddler: Jesse B
Single File Across the Finish Line
Whoops
Paul Gamache and Friends
#3 Rapid, downstream from finish line
photo: Jason Barnes, paddler: Jesse B
Justin Patt sportin a IR Drydeck
Until next time!
~Jesse (IR)
Creeking in a dry deck is a bad idea.
Agreed- the Burnt Ranch Gorge is more considered "river running" however, and is often run in playboats as well.
~Jesse