Kern River Photo Gallery

KVRC-Giddens Kayaking Clinic - 09/13/03

Long time national slalom team kayaker Eric Giddens and 2002 slalom World Champion Rebecca Giddens team up to demonstrate paddling techniques during a KVRC-Giddens Kayaking Clinic on the Miracle Hot Springs Slalom Course. Not just for slalom boaters, the clinic was a rare opportunity to learn from the best, and improve river-running skills.

C1 Kern World Cups Champion
Vladi Panato (Italy) on Limestone - 06/22/03

The Kern Valley River Council organized a grass roots effort of nearly 400 Kern Valley volunteers to put on the event. An Olympic style opening ceremony was held at the Kernville rodeo grounds. Residents opened their homes to athlete home-stays, community groups organized lunches, dinners and entertainment. Athletes and officials said the event set a new standard for wildwater World Cups. For complete results, photos, and more information, see KernWildwater.com.

39th Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival
Paul Armes- 2nd Men's Expert Freestyle

Sierra South paddling guru Paul Armes in his Wave Sport T2 at the 2003 Kern River Festival. Paul is doing a nice vertical cartwheel on his way to finishing second in the Men's Expert class in the Freestyle event. Additional photos from the 2003 Festival.

CNRFC Isabella Inflow Forecast
for conditions as of 05/06/03

The California Nevada River Forecast Center produces longer term flow outlooks for selected rivers including the Kern inflow to Lake Isabella. This forecast is normally updated weekly in season.

39th Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival
Scott Ostrem - TJ Slalom - 04/20/03

Scott Ostrem and Rob Logan paddled the slalom course exceptionally well, establishing a very high standard in the Men's Intermediate class. Scott had the best single run score and Rob the best cumulative score over two runs.

39th Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival
Mike Spradlin - 1st Men's Expert Freestyle - 04/18/03

Mike Spradlin captured Kern Valley bragging rights defeating paddling partner Paul Armes in the Men's Expert Freestyle class at the 2003 Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival.

Mike Spradlin on Brush Creek - 03/18/03

Kern locals Paul, Tracey, Mike, & Christian ran Brush Creek for their first time since the flood filled in the pools below the waterfalls back in November. The worry was how runnable Brush Creek would be now. "It is definitely harder", said Paul.

Kern Canyon Below Democrat Dam - 03/17/03

A section of the deep, V-cut Kern River Canyon, below Democrat Dam.

NRL GOES-10 Image of the Sierra - 02/28/03

Naval Research Laboratory GOES-10 visible satellite photo of Central California and the Sierra snowpack. Mono Lake, the Owens Valley, Owens Lake, and the Kern River drainage are clearly visible.

Paul Armes in a Wave Sport Transformer T2

After 60 days in the new Wave Sport Transformer Paul says the interchangeable ends are durable, easy to change and really work!

Sierra South kayak instructor Brad Willoughby in his new Dagger G-Ride

Sierra South kayak instructor Brad Willoughby has been taking advantage of the good weather and near 500 cfs flow to paddle his new Dagger G-Ride 6.5:

Precipitation Outlook for Jan, Feb, Mar 2003
Issued by CPC November 21, 2002

The precipitation outlook for January to March indicated an increased likelihood of above average precipitation in Southern California, compared to earlier forecasts.

International Canoe Federation Wildwater Committee Members at McNally Bridge During Kern River Flood - 11/08/02

Members of the International Canoe Federation's Wildwater Committee were in Kernville during the flood to tour the River, and discuss preparations for the Kern River 2003 Wildwater World Cups. Today's RiverPhoto of the ICF Wildwater Committee members was taken on the McNally Bridge, near Fairview. From left to right: Francois Beauchard (France), David Mason (USA), Terry Valle (Kern Valley River Council), Mike Tordhoff (Great Britain), Jens Perlwitz (Germany), Vittorio Cirini (Committee Chair - Italy). Sierra South co-owner Tom Moore took the picture and Cannell Meadow District Ranger Judy Schutza, also on the tour, must have been checking the bridge for flood damage.

Kern River at Ewings Rapid at 9:00am on 11/08/02

The N.F. Kern River, laden with the ashes of the 150,000 acre McNally Fire, at Ewings Rapid as the river started to flood. The Kern River at Kernville eventually peaked at an estimated 26,500 cfs.

HPC QPF 3 Day Forecast - 11/07/02

This HPC 72 hour quantitative precipitation forecast issued 11/07/02 showed over 7 inches of precipitation over much of the Sierra, with over 11 inches in one area near the Kings-Kern divide.

Paul Armes on Peppermint Creek

Sierra South staff kayaking guru Paul Armes on the second descent of Peppermint Creek. Mike Spradlin took the photo and also paddled the steep creek.

Precipitation Outlook for Jan, Feb, Mar 2003 Issued by CPC Sep 18, 2002

The Precipitation Outlook for January to March, 2003, issued by the Climate Prediction Center September 18, shows an increased probability of above average precipitation in Southern California. During the month of September the equatorial Pacific has continued to warm. TAO/TRITON graphics of depth averaged temperature show the warming that has occurred from August 26 to September 25.