Darin McQuoid Blog Reviews Tutorials River Directory

Stepping Stones: V+


Let’s just say these runs are in general harder/more dangerous than the previous V-V+ Stepping Stone. See the whole list here to get a relative scope from IV-V+. Some are not perhaps so much harder, but a different character, I don’t really feel that the Upper Middle Cosumnes or South Branch is harder than Golden Gate at 1,000, just different.  I get excited just thinking about these runs. Sometimes the best part is just some of the unique easy rapids.

Yuba Gap

Upper Middle Cosumnes ** Short, early season run.

Kinetic in Stasis

Upper Middle Cosumnes

South Branch of the Middle Fork Feather ** Does it get any better than this? A personal favorite of mine. It's not really that hard but has plenty of tall drops.

Kinetic in Stasis

South Branch

Big Kimshew Creek ** The South Branch’s not quite as friendly brother.

American Whitewater

Oregon Kayaking

Big Kimshew Creek

Yuba Gap on the South Fork Yuba ** Can I give it three stars? This is action packed and possibly the hardest one day run.

Yuba Gap

Gutters of the Earth

East Kaweah * A bit over-hyped for how good it actually is, but it’s still pretty damn good. – if that makes any sense.

East Fork of the Kaweah

Overnights, some of the best in the world!


South Merced ** No hiking!

Same Deep Water

Kinetic in Stasis

Upper Cherry Creek ** A good bit of hiking, moonscape wonderland.

Oregon Kayaking

Upper Cherry Creek

Dinkey Creek ** A personal favorite, too good to be true.

The Waterfalls of Dinkey Creek

West Cherry *

West Cherry

CKS – ed note if you come from Colorado you have no right to say “Don’t be fooled by all the hype around Upper Cherry Creek”

Next Up: Multi Day V+