After four portages on the left the river went completely underground, and it looked like there was an easy portage down the right while we were already committed on the left. We started working our way through a brief stretch thick manzinata, which opened up to a blessing and curse of open granite. Not dealing with the horrible plant was great, but the portage route was a four inch wide ledge over a thirty foot precipice falling directly into the river moments before it disappeared. Then the portage got a little worse, requiring delicate friction climbing across a steep slab, but we all made it back down to the river safely. The key to this portage is starting earlier on the right, where it's harder to get out but overall, easier to portage.

One small flat led to another large sievey rapid we portaged the top of on the right, and ran the bottom into the final flat above the Crucible.




Portaging into “Purgatory Camp” we decided to break up into teams of two, wanting to make sure there was plenty of eddy space in the Crucible. Confidence in our ability to navigate the Crucible combined with desire to make downstream progress, we opted to skip the normal scout that requires hours intense friction climbing and rope work. Most groups also spend a lot of time portaging the first consequential rapid in the Crucible.



To quote the Seven Rivers Expedition again: “Paddling into this place has been defined as the defining moment in a kayaker’s career. Who ever said that was right.”



Scott ran through the drop with no problems while I got setup and ran the drop down to the final eddy above the Crucible. While I was running the rapid Charlie and Taylor ran “Broken Arrow Falls”, the first drop of the Crucible. From our eddy we couldn’t see Taylor or Charlie, nor had Scott or I seen where they had gone off. Having not scouted we weren’t sure if this was the first one where you go right or not, but the upstream group had seen them run it so we waited for them.

Evan and Ben came down, and Ben had seen Taylor go right paddling hard, and have to keep paddling too long for comfort to get out. Charlie went a little more left than Taylor, and it was better, but they had signaled for the boys to go even further left, so Ben and Evan took off while Scott and I waited. Rush and Tyler came down with no problems and we all took off left of center on Lost Arrow Falls, a nice slide to boof shaped like an arrowhead, and named after a climb on Balloon Dome far above us.

While waiting and running Broken Arrow, Tay and Charlie had probed the next two drops and gave hand signals to the group, drive right against the wall, go right again and then move hard left at the bottom. From the top all I could see was people disappearing down the right side, and the eddy started to thin out until it was eventually just Ben and I. With Ben peeling out of the eddy and heading down the right, I was suddenly extremely isolated, sitting alone in a walled out gorge, no one in sight, two rapids and a lifetime from the group downstream.

Driving hard to the right I was rejected at the bottom of the slide, getting stuck in a eddy pocket on right wall. I was able to keep it upright and get far enough into the outflow to sink my paddle blade in, pulling me down into an alley way leading into the second right slide, punched the hole at the bottom and scurried into the eddy on the left.

Experience has proved that at higher flows it's best to take the center channel driving right for the blind drop below Broken Arrow.

Charlie and Tay got out in the small crack on river left to scout and set safety above the pothole drop while the rest of us lined up in the eddy.


Scott and Rush disappeared over the horizon with no problems, and I opted to go next in hope of getting a picture from below. While Scott and Rush got setup Taylor ferried into the middle and got out in a sketchy spot to set some great safety for the pothole.

Dropping into the pothole drop I hit the classic line, a delayed boof that feels great, but the sloping slab caught my tail and penciled me in just like it did to the others. Unlike the rest of the group, instead of going deep and resurfacing out of the pothole I was rejected and did a pogo into the left wall and was upside down. I thought things were going to get really bad here, but I was able to push off the wall, roll up and paddle out.



Everyone else finished the Crucible with no problems and we took an obligatory break at the Shangri-La falls of Granite Creek, which is right below the Crucible and an epic spot to take a break after the stress.



   We knew it wasn’t over after the Crucible, and the San Joaquin just doesn’t let up. The river went underground two more times before the confluence with the South Fork. Our backpacker told us that he had hiked almost all the way to the South Fork, and that it was mellow all the way to it. I guess not, but there were some big pools.


Well, the river certainly didn’t let up below the South Fork confluence, and in the name of making time Charlie and Taylor were charging ahead with aggressive boat scouting and the occasional one person scout. Sieved out rapids requiring arduous portages over large boulders and long demanding rapids started to wear us out. The only time to snap a shot was during the portaging. Charlie and Taylor boat scouted some of the largest rapids I have ever ran, without these guys I have no doubt we would have been out for another day.




   The San Joaquin didn’t let up in its tough character until half a mile above the lake, where one long pool led into another large class V drop, one more pool and a class III drop into Mammoth Pools Reservoir.




At 4:30 we arrived at the lake dog tired after three days of demanding whitewater and thirty total portages. We then reaped the rewards of pushing hard to come out on a weekend, and started catching rides off the numerous fishing boats, ecstatic about avoiding the six mile paddle out and successfully finishing Devil’s Postpile.

For all its hype, the Crucible is very manageable and we felt the other gorges are just as tough, if not tougher. Every day contains locked in gorges where consequences are high. I’ll throw out a few more quotes that say it better than I can. “It’s like Dinkey Creek on crack and in a gorge” – Taylor Robertson. “The hardest thing I have ever done in a kayak” – Jules Campbell. “This is the most demanding run I’ve ever seen” “If you’ve done all the other high Sierra runs, and want more, this is for you. – Holbek & Stanley. “This run is one of the most beautiful and scary there is. It’s full-on adventure.” – Hayden Glatte.

We didn’t have to do any rope work or technical portages, although like all the modern descents we were forced to run a few V+ somewhat marginal drops. Like all things this challenging, kayaking Devil’s Postpile is also incredibly rewarding and we all have plans on returning.

After having seen portions of the Middle Fork San Joaquin three times, I think flows make all the difference. This is a river with a lot of sieves, at high flows more water goes into the same sieves that are present at medium flows. 

The Middle Fork San Joaquin is a challenge. If you are looking for a fun run with lots of time in your boat there are better options. If you want one of the ultimate kayaking challenges, full of sketchy portages and locked in gorges, this is the run for you!

There is now a gauge on dreamflows. Look for flows around 150.