Memorial Day Weekend 2008

It's been pointed out to me that I haven't blogged in months - since about the time I put in my notice at work that I would be quiting! Two months was a long time to train someone and wrap up a job! I worked with a great bunch of people and wanted to leave everything as well documented as possible. I'm a bit compulsive about that stuff. So I wore my love for writing out during the work day!

But as of May 22nd I am officially retired! I want to thank family and friends for the cards, best wishes, flowers and plants I received Thursday! My work fellows furnished a day long potluck to celebrate my good fortune at being able to retire at my "tender" age! From beginning to end it was a wonderful day!

Jack and I left Friday for 4 nights at the Trees of Heaven Campground and enjoyed Memorial Day Weekend with Mike. I got to share my enthusiasm for inflatable kayaking with my youngest son on the two Klamath River runs adjacent to Trees of Heaven campground Saturday, even though it was a bit chilly and overcast. And I got to take my "new" IK on the river for the first time.

Sunday we drove about 30 miles down river to where the Scott River runs into the Klamath River with the intention of running the 3 mile class III- section just before the confluence. Before going up the Scott we scouted the 1 mile section between the confluence and Sarah Toten Campground take-out that California Whitewater lists as an optional extension of the Scott run. There's a set of BIG rollers that Mike and I took time to really look over and a small take out at Sarah Toten that we were afraid we could easily miss so we'd dismissed that option and returned to the bridge at Hwy 96 to find the Scott River takeout.

That did not begin or end well! Where the book says the take out is the Lost Ductchman's Mining Association (LDMA), has taken over the entire junction and posted Private Property and No Trespassing signs everywhere. We took a dirt road that looked like it ran right in front of all their signs and might go to the river but the road ended at a group of shacks a little above the river. I got out and was explaining to a woman sitting there that we were looking for the public access to the river when we were joined by a "Hatfield" looking man who gruffly informed me we were on private property, that the signs said "No Trespassing", and since we aren't members we had no business on the site, repeatedly. I explained to him why we were trying to make our way to the river and asked if he knew where the public access was. He just repeated his statements. We left with the feeling a shotgun could come out at any moment!

Glancing at the river as we left we saw that the option of "continuing on down to Sarah Toten Campground takeout" wasn't an option! The Scott is split by a gravel island right before the Hwy 96 bridge. On river left there is a waterfall that would separate an inflatable kayak from it's kayak er and on river right the gold prospectors have channeled all the flow through a series of sluice boxes. It is not navigable anymore.

Traveling up Scott River Road we spotted a little sign that said "River Access" and we went down that road - skirting another encampment. The sandy beach is overgrown with willows where we think the takeout used to be. A machete would be needed - which we didn't have.

We went on across the bridge and went down the road on the opposite side of the river to check out what looked like a possible take out spot. When we turned the truck around to head back to the main road this is what we saw. Those are Rottweilers. Two more joined the four you see as we started back up the road! Can you imagine trying get your gear loaded after a river run and being greeted by a pack (6) of rottweilers! We decided that we would not be doing the Scott River run.

Mike and I are planning on checking out other runs on the Santiam this summer... if there are put-ins and take-outs where Soggy Sneakers says they are!

It's been grey and raining since we returned to Klamath Falls on Tuesday afternoon! So strange for our area! It's nice to reflect on the past weekend from the couch!