40' drop over Poe Dam on N. Fork of Feather River. The Big Bend...

40' drop over Poe Dam on N. Fork of Feather River. The Big Bend run is a class III / IV run about 7 miles long with levels on Lake Oroville at 728ft on the day we did the run. Included in video clip is Box Car Rapid which should be scouted. The box car is no longer sitting in the middle of the rapid but there is still train wreckage evident on river left. Flow in video is approx 1200 cfs but turbines can release up to 4000cfs and the waves get quite big at higher flows so the run has a fun big water feel. The run is only uncovered in the fall during draught years and when the Oroville Reservoir is low (best below 740ft). We hired a boat to tow us out of the lake otherwise you face a 7 mile paddle (give yourself 3 hours) to the boat ramp at Dark Canyon. And we won't talk about the group that paddled past the takeout in the dark and didn't get home until 5:00 AM (oops!) PS: When the lake is up it comes right up to the dam, buries the entire run.

Added: May 3, 2008
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